Name: Buttercream Frosting For Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup room temperature butter (salted); 3 cups powdered sugar (organic if possible); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons milk (can sub heavy cream, can add a drizzle more for desired consistency); pinch of salt (optional, if needed)

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Buttercream frosting for cookies is a must-have recipe during the holiday season. This sugar cookie frosting isn’t my typical healthy recipe. But sometimes, you just want the classic – ya know?

Who says you can’t indulge every once in a while? 🙂

With the month of December comes lots of baking. We keep the holidays plenty healthy around here with treats like paleo crinkle cookies, and almond flour snickerdoodles.

But like I said, sometimes there’s just no substitute for the real thing.

This buttercream frosting is

creamy
cream cheese free
heavy whipping cream free
so easy
insanely delicious
perfect for frosting any cookie

I made this buttercream frosting for my gluten free sugar cookie recipe I posted a few weeks ago and it was a hit.

I added a little almond extract to the sugar cookie dough and topped it with this buttercream frosting. The sugar cookies were definitely a home run.

This frosting recipe differs from royal icing in that it’s smooth, creamy, thick, and easily spreadable. Royal icing hardens and creates a candy like coating on the top of the cookie.

Both are really delicious and fun, it just depends on the kind of consistency, flavor, and look you’re going for.

Buttercream Frosting For Cookies – Ingredients

Butter
Powdered sugar
Milk
Vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting For Cookies – How To Make

Step 1: Connect the paddle attachment to your stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer for this frosting recipe. Just make sure you use a bowl with high sides so it’s not too messy.

Step 2: Into the stand mixer bowl, combine the room temperature butter, all 3 cups powdered sugar, milk (not heavy cream), and vanilla extract.

Step 3: Turn the mixer to medium low and mix until the majority of the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then, gradually increase the speed and mix until the there’s no lumps in the frosting and it looks well blended. About 5 minutes.

Step 4: Give the sugar cookie frosting a taste to see if you’d like to add more milk. Add just a splash at a time until your desired consistency is reached.

Step 5: Mix in any dyes you’re using and the frosting is ready to go! Store any unused buttercream frosting in an airtight container for up to a week.

Buttercream Frosting For Cookies – Tips

Be sure to only frost cookies that are cooled to room temperature.

While this cookie frosting is perfect for gel food coloring and other food dyes, we opt to use natural food coloring that is dye free like this.

We avoid food dyes when we can so we also love using these naturally colored sprinkles!

Follow me on Instagram and use the tag #simplyjillicious if you make this buttercream frosting for cookies! I’d love to see it!

And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter here.

If you try this sugar cookie frosting recipe, or any of my recipes, please leave a review and star rating – thank you!

More holiday recipes to try:

Chocolate Almond Pomegranate Clusters
Date Sweetened Hot Chocolate
Paleo Gingerbread Cupcakes