Best Cookie Cake Icing

This cookie cake frosting is perfect for all your cookie cake needs! It's easy to make, simple to pipe, and it hardens beautifully!

This recipe makes roughly 1 ½ cups of frosting; enough to add a border & message to a 12" round cookie cake. For layered or larger sizes, use the amounts in my Sheet Pan Cookie Cake or Layered Cookie Cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie cake frosting, cookie cake icing

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 168kcal

Author Melissa Rose

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened to room temperature
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Beat the softened unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
Turn the mixer to low speed then add the powdered sugar (¼ cup at a time, 2 ½ cups total). You may need to stop and scrape down sides.
Add vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) and salt (⅛ teaspoon) and turn mixer to medium speed. One tablespoon at a time, add milk (2-3 tablespoons). Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until creamy and the frosting is at a good consistency to pipe.
If it looks too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it looks too stiff, add a tiny bit of milk until you get to the desired consistency.
If adding sprinkes, be sure to add them right way before the frosting hardens.
See notes below for storing instructions.

Notes

Storage Note: This homemade buttercream will start developing a crust, which makes it a great frosting to make a day ahead. Because of the sugar content, you don’t need to refrigerate the frosted cookie cake if you plan to enjoy it within 1-2 days. If you are making ahead earlier, I’d suggest waiting to frost until day of OR gently wrap the frosted cookie after the frosting sets and place in the fridge.
This recipe makes enough to create a generous border and write a message in center or use my number stencil.
You can use Wilton gel to color it; use the toothpick trick from my How to Make Light Pink Frosting post to make light pastel colors.
Be sure to add sprinkles right way before the frosting hardens.
If you plan on writing a message, I recommend thinning half the frosting with 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk.

Nutrition is auto-calculated and should be used as an estimate only. Values calculated for frosting only, based on 12 servings.

Nutrition