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You are here: Home / Dessert / 4-Ingredient Powdered Sugar Frosting

4-Ingredient Powdered Sugar Frosting

February 7, 2017 by Janel 41 Comments

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Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

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4-Ingredient Powdered Sugar Frosting

I’ve used this frosting for years.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

My grandma would always buy a big ol’ bag of powdered sugar.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

Then, I’d ask how we were going to make the frosting and she’d flip the powdered sugar bag right over and show me the recipe on the back of the bag.

She used that recipe for as long as I can remember.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

We’d mix up a couple of colors. Usually green, blue, yellow, and a pink’ish red.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

We’d frost our soft sugar cookies first. Then use whatever was left to slather onto some graham crackers.

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

4-Ingredient Powdered Sugar Frosting

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cakes.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine powdered sugar and softened butter with an electric mixer. 
  2. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. 
  3. Gradually add additional milk, if needed, until you reach a smooth, easy to spread frosting.
  4. Once prepared, add food coloring, if desired, stirring the coloring in by spoon. 

*If too runny, add additional powdered sugar to thicken your frosting.

© Simple Sweet Recipes
Category: Dessert
Original Recipe from: Betty Crocker Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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Sweet and so easy, this 4-ingredient powdered sugar frosting is my favorite! A go-to recipe for frosting soft sugar cookies, graham crackers, or cake.

janel-sig

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: frosting, powdered sugar, recipe, vanilla

About Janel

I'm a sweets addict that enjoys eating yummy treats and good food! I'm also the mom of five beautiful boys from 4-12.

Also enjoy these amazing recipes:

everything pancakes
Mixed Berry Crumb Bars
Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins
Previous Post: « Italian Soda Sherbet Punch Drink
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. maria @closetohome

    February 22, 2017 at 10:02 am

    This looks perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. I have not made sugar cookies in a while, thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply
  2. Kristi

    February 23, 2017 at 6:51 am

    This looks like an easy recipe. Will have to show it to my daughter, she has really gotten into cooking and baking and wants to try making fancy cookies.

    Reply
  3. Becky

    February 23, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    I love how simple and easy this is to make! I can’t wait to make frosted cookies with my kid!

    Reply
  4. Mel

    February 24, 2017 at 7:18 am

    This is by far the easiest frosting to make! I love that you have this 4 ingredient powdered Sugar frosting in green, perfect for St Patrick’s Day!

    Reply
  5. Scott

    February 24, 2017 at 11:15 am

    It really is so easy. Once you try it this way you’ll never buy the stuff in a can again!

    Reply
  6. Susan

    July 17, 2017 at 2:49 pm

    Try almond extract instead of vanilla. My grandmothers recipe. I have been making it that way for over 50 years.

    Reply
    • Janel

      July 19, 2017 at 9:23 am

      Yum! We use almond extract in a glaze recipe and it’s delicious. Great idea!

      Reply
      • Bren

        August 8, 2017 at 7:25 pm

        You can use any Flavor extract you like.

  7. Danielle

    November 26, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    Hi! I’m looking forward to making your frosting! Does it keep overnight if refrigerated? I’m going to have a cookie decorating party & wanted to know if I could make the frosting the night before? Thank you for your help!

    Reply
    • Janel

      December 14, 2017 at 12:04 pm

      Yup! You can store it in the fridge overnight. Just give it a couple of good stirs before you go to use it and it should be good to go. Be sure to store it in a sealed container so it stays fresh.

      Reply
  8. Vicki

    December 11, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    Assuming this needs to be refrigerated if made in advance; to soften, should I just bring it to room temp? Having cookie decorating for kids at my Christmas party & would love to have several color options for the icing!

    Reply
    • Janel

      December 14, 2017 at 12:00 pm

      You can make in advance and store in the fridge. Just give it a couple of stirs with a spoon when you take it out of the fridge and it should be good to go. It will spread easier when it reaches room temperature, but it will do just fine straight from the fridge as well.

      Reply
  9. Tara

    December 16, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    Does the frosting harden up after you put it on that cookies? Because you use milk would you have to keep the cookies in the fridge after?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Janel

      January 1, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      We’ve never stored the cookies in the fridge and they stay just fine. You’ll want to mix it up close to the consistency that you’re aiming for. It will thicken up a little, but will stay pretty close to the consistency you mix it up as.

      Reply
  10. Cindi

    December 20, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    This is so good!!! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Cara Schmenk

    December 24, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    Will the costing turn out ok if you don’t have a electric mixer?

    Reply
    • Janel

      January 1, 2018 at 3:26 pm

      Yup, you can hand mix if needed.

      Reply
  12. Virginia Johnson-Sears

    January 31, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    I use Almond extract, less sweet

    Reply
  13. Love to bake

    February 15, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    Super easy but way way too sweet. Next time I’ll only use 1.5 cups of powdered sugar and adjust the butter quantity accordingly.

    Reply
  14. Nicole

    March 31, 2018 at 9:31 am

    This is the exact recipe mundo mom used to use when we made cut-outs. I was looking for the recipe over the holidays, but I found one similar. I’ve bookmarked this one already so I will have it for this year. Oh, and I knew it wasn’t meant to be because I have the same bell shaped cookie cutter!

    Reply
    • Nicole

      March 31, 2018 at 9:32 am

      Meant to say *my* Mom, not mundo lol

      Reply
      • Nicole

        March 31, 2018 at 9:33 am

        Wow look at all those typos. Also meant to say WAS meant to be. Not wasn’t. I got too excited lol

    • Janel

      April 2, 2018 at 9:13 am

      The bells are one of my favorites, lol!! They frost easily and fit in my cookie tupperware the best.

      Reply
  15. Susan

    June 1, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    Thank you, Janel for this quick and easy recipe, it’s source and the memories you have of making it. I have part of an unfrosted cake left over. We had been topping it with whipped cream, but ran out of it. I will make your frosting for my cake and the rest of the frosting will be for crackers and cookies!

    Reply
  16. Amy

    July 19, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    Is this a joke?? I am dyinnnnnng over this frosting!!! I cannot believe I made something that tastes like this!! I did everything you said, and added a tiny splash of almond extract. I’m not sure if that made any difference, but omg… thank you so much!!! My first time making frosting was the easiest success! I can’t wait to experiment with colors!

    Reply
    • Janel

      July 28, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      Oh good, lol. When I started reading this comment I thought you were not loving it. Hooray for easy frosting, right! Enjoy!!

      Reply
  17. Melanie

    July 23, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    Does this frosting harden after spreading it on the cookies to allow stacking them?

    Reply
    • Janel

      July 28, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      Yes, it does harden some. We stack our sugar cookies frosted with a powdered sugar frosting with a layer of parchment paper between just to prevent any frosting sticking. You do need to wait until it’s dried some, before stacking though.

      Reply
  18. Keela

    September 25, 2018 at 1:20 am

    I just made this for a lemon poppyseed cake. I only used 1 tbsp of milk and substituted lemon juice for the rest. It turned out fabulous! Thank you for the recipe!
    It was really really sweet, but that’s how I like my frosting 🙂

    Reply
    • Janel

      October 16, 2018 at 11:26 am

      That sounds yummy! I love lemon everything!

      Reply
  19. Hollie

    September 29, 2018 at 6:28 pm

    Can I use unsalted butter?

    Reply
    • Janel

      October 16, 2018 at 11:25 am

      Yup! You can use unsalted butter.

      Reply
  20. Alishia

    November 20, 2018 at 10:41 pm

    Makes absoulty the perfect frosting!

    Reply
  21. Michele

    December 15, 2018 at 8:31 am

    I make this with powered milk..turn out great..just wondering if I can make it ahead of time and leave it out on the counter covered and frost a few house later

    Reply
  22. Candace Fata

    December 18, 2018 at 1:02 am

    Thanks for the recipe! Could you substitute almond milk for regular milk?

    Reply
    • Janel

      March 9, 2019 at 12:46 pm

      I think that would work great!!

      Reply
  23. CINDY PAGE

    December 23, 2018 at 8:35 pm

    I’ve used this recipe for 50+ yrs. I ice up a bunch, put in fridge to harden, then they stack great. Always get rave reviews..

    Reply
  24. Kerbie

    April 23, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    About how much frosting does this make cups wise?

    Reply
  25. Christine

    December 9, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    I actually freeze some of my extra frosted Christmas cookies and when I’m ready for a few more, I take them out of the freezer to thaw and eat that day. I have a sweet tooth. So the sugar cookies really help that. This is the same frosting I use for my sugar cookies. =o) Thanks for posting it!

    Reply
  26. Roxane Jude

    April 20, 2020 at 11:46 am

    How can I make it chocolate ?

    Reply
  27. Shelly

    April 24, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    Can I stick a jam in this icing

    Reply

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