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The BEST Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies from The Food Charlatan
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4.68 from 37 votes

The BEST Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies

The only buttercream frosting recipe you will ever need for Sugar Cookies! Two special ingredients make this the most vanilla-y recipe you ever did taste.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Karen

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter softened (2 sticks)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar divided
  • 4-6 tablespoons cream divided**
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla I love Mexican vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • gel food coloring

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, use the whisk attachment* to beat the softened butter until it is fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl!
  • Add half of the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons cream**. Beat well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the remaining powdered sugar and 2 more tablespoons of cream. Beat well.
  • Add salt, vanilla, coconut, and almond extracts. Beat well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Add remaining 1-2 tablespoons of cream, if needed.
  • Add gel food coloring if you want to tint the frosting. (liquid food coloring can mess with the consistency.)
  • This is enough frosting to do about 2 dozen cookies, but that totally depends on your cookie shape. Frost the cookies (Here's the cookie recipe) and store in a tupperware on the counter for 2-3 days.
  • Leftover frosting is great on graham crackers!

Notes

*I tested this recipe using the paddle attachment one time and the whisk attachment the other time. So much fluffier with the whisk! I'm never going back!
*Heavy cream is usually sold near the milk at the store. It is sometimes called whipping cream. The different names refer to different fat content levels. (Any type of cream will do for this recipe. The higher the fat content, the richer your frosting will be) Heavy cream is not coffee creamer. It is the thick, rich part of milk that rises to the top when you milk a cow. Those of you who know what cream is think it is odd that I am explaining this, but it is one of my most-asked questions when I post a recipe involving cream!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 24cookies | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 5mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg