This Buttercream Frosting is the perfect choice for decorating your cut out sugar cookies. It’s smooth, creamy, and lightly sweet and the best pairing for your sugar cookies. Perfect for coloring in different options, and topping with sprinkles to make the perfect cookies for your holiday celebrations!
This sweet buttercream frosting is the perfect “icing on the cake” or icing on the cookie if you will. It’s my favorite frosting to top my sugar cookies, and adds the perfect extra touch of sweetness and beauty to your homemade sugar cookie cut outs.
Why make this Recipe
- Creamy and Smooth Texture – This frosting is smooth, and perfect for spreading or piping onto your cookies.
- Customizable Flavor – My typical version is vanilla, but you can add different extracts or flavoring to change the flavor of the frosting. Try peppermint during the holidays, lemon for a fresh spring flavor, etc.
- Versatile Frosting – Perfect for our sugar cookies, but can also be used for cakes, cupcakes, etc.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Buttercream Frosting Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – the base of the frosting, provides its rich buttery texture. (For a frosting that crusts more, gets harder, use half butter and half butter flavored Crisco)
- powdered sugar – adds sweetness and thickens the frosting. Sift the frosting for the smoothest frosting.
- heavy cream – helps make the frosting nice and fluffy, adjust the amount used as needed
- vanilla extract – adds extra flavor to the frosting
- salt – balances out the sweet flavors
- food coloring – add a few drops of whatever color you like for your special occasions
How to make Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Beat the butter. Add the butter to a stand mixer bowl, or a large bowl with a hand mixer and mix it until its light and smooth.
Step 2: Add in the powdered sugar. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, one half cup at a time, until each is mixed in completely. Start with 3 cups total. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3: Add in everything else. Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on medium speed until everything is combined. Add extra cream or extra powdered sugar as needed to get the right consistency for a spreadable frosting. Beat the frosting with a rubber spatula to get the air bubbles out. Add food coloring if desired.
Step 4: Decorate your cookies. Decorate your cookies with a piping bag, and the tip snipped off, or spread with a knife onto your cooled cookies. Top with frosting, or decorate as desired.
Tips and Tricks
- Shortening – You can substitutee half the butter for an equal amount of unflavored, or butter flavored shortening. This can give your frosting a lighter white color, and give it a slightly stiffer crust if desired.
- As Pictured – I like to pipe the frosting onto my cookies in little lines. I put it in a ziplock bag, snip off the corner, and pipe up and down to decorate. You can use your favorite piping tips, or spread the frosting with a knife too.
- Flavor Variations – Try different extracts to flavor your frosting for different occasions, add 1/2 to 1 tsp of the extra extra depending on preference and flavor. Try almond, lemon, orange, peppermint, etc.
- Chill the Frosting if needed – If your frosting becomes too soft while working with it, chill it in the fridge for about 10 to 15 minutes ten try again.
Storage Instructions
Cookies frosted with this frosting can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days. Let the cookies sit out for a couple hours until the frosting gets a crust, then you can stack them between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container to save space.
The frosting can also be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week before using it on cookies. Let it warm back up to soften at room temperature, then whip it up again before using.
This Buttercream Frosting is the perfect addition to your sugar cookies, adding such a nice sweet flavor, and visual appeal. It’s perfect for making a batch (or double) to decorate your cookies, and let your kiddos help in the process.
More Cookie Favorites
- White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Cranberry Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
- Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
- Ritz Cookie
If you try this Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies, please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 3-4 TBS heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt (skip if using salted butter)
- Food Coloring
Instructions
- Add the butter to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer. Beat it for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. 1 cup unsalted butter
- Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until each is mixed in completely. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- Add in the heavy cream (starting with 3 TBS), vanilla extract, and salt on medium speed and mix until everything is combined. 3-4 TBS heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 dash salt
- Add additional heavy cream, or powdered sugar as needed to get the right consistency for a spreadable frosting.
- Mix the frosting for another 2 to 4 minutes at medium speed until it is smooth and fluffy.
- Separate the frosting into 3 or 4 portions and add a few drops of food coloring to each if desired. Mix into the frosting until evenly combined. Food Coloring
- Beat the frosting with a rubber spatula by hand to get air bubbles out.
- Use the frosting to spread with a knife or pipe it onto your prepared cookies. (Also works on cakes, cupcakes, etc.)
Notes
- Shortening – You can substitutee half the butter for an equal amount of unflavored, or butter flavored shortening. This can give your frosting a lighter white color, and give it a slightly stiffer crust if desired.
- As Pictured – I like to pipe the frosting onto my cookies in little lines. I put it in a ziplock bag, snip off the corner, and pipe up and down to decorate. You can use your favorite piping tips, or spread the frosting with a knife too.
- Flavor Variations – Try different extracts to flavor your frosting for different occasions, add 1/2 to 1 tsp of the extra extra depending on preference and flavor. Try almond, lemon, orange, peppermint, etc.
- Chill the Frosting if needed – If your frosting becomes too soft while working with it, chill it in the fridge for about 10 to 15 minutes ten try again.
Leave a Reply