When you have been baking and decorating sugar cookies for as many years as I have, you come to really appreciate some staple recipes like this fantastic Sugar Cookie Frosting (that hardens)!
Easy to make, super white Sugar Cookie Frosting (that hardens) sets up beautifully for storing and sharing your decorated cut out sugar cookies!
The wonderful bonus of this frosting is that it will set up and harden, which means that you can stack your decorated cookies for storing, sharing, and shipping to loved ones!
I LOVE sharing my decorated cookies (and it gets them out of the house so they don't ALL get eaten!), so being able to stack, freeze, package and even ship them out via mail is very important to us.
My royal icing that we use for sugar cookie decorating will also set up for these purposes, but sometimes you want a different look...or maybe you need to get something decorated quickly.
In the case of ease and speed, I usually like to frost my holiday cut out sugar cookies. I don't have to wait as long to use my baked sugar cookies when frosting them vs using royal icing. Plus, this sugar cookie frosting hardens up and sets faster than royal icing.
This sugar cookie frosting is also an excellent choice for ultra or super white frosting, as your base is already white (vegetable shortening), so you won't need any other methods of whitening your frosting. You can even replace buttercream frosting in cake decorating with our sugar cookie frosting, as it holds up well to high heat and humidity.
If the thought of using shortening doesn't sound so appealing, remember to add a generous amount of extract flavoring, and you really won't be able to tell the difference!
My super easy no chill rolled sugar cookie recipe is a great time saver when you're in a crunch but still want that classic cut out sugar cookie appearance!
If you're looking for the best classic rolled sugar cookies, then you'll want to try my tried and true favorite version that I have been using for decades!!
Remember that really old recipe that your Grandma used? It may just be my vintage recipe for sugar cookies!
Looking for more holiday cookie ideas? Try my Chocolate Peppermint No Bake Cookies for a delightful twist on a favorite cookie, or my kid favorite holiday treat No Bake Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Crisps.
*If you want to try to substitute some butter into this frosting (which would make it a buttercream frosting), you will change the resulting texture and the ability of this frosting to 'set up' for storing!
**I typically freeze my baked and decorated cookies, then stack them neatly with wax paper dividers before shipping them out to friends and family. They will thaw during transit, but it helps when paired with careful packaging!
Best Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipes
- No Chill Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Classic Sugar Cookies (our favorite for rolled and cut out sugar cookies)
- Vintage Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookie Frosting (that hardens)
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening (we use Crisco, you can use butter flavored if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or extract flavoring of choice)
- 4 cups confectioners sugar (½ of a 2 lb bag)
- 4 tablespoon heavy cream (2-4 Tbsp, start with 2 Tbsp)
- food coloring (if desired)
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, combine the shortening and vanilla extract using the whisk attachment. Beat until well combined and a creamy consistency.
- Add the confectioners sugar and heavy cream in alternating amounts, starting with the first cup of confectioners sugar. Then add a drizzle of heavy cream (½ to 1 tablespoon at a time), and alternate again until all of the confectioners sugar has been incorporated.
- Add enough heavy cream when alternating so that your stand mixer or handheld mixer can work with the frosting as it comes together (if the frosting is too stiff, add more liquid).
- The amount of liquid can vary greatly depending on your temperature and humidity (weather conditions). Use enough liquid to get a consistency that is typically thicker than store bought frosting, but that will still pipe or spread easily when applied to cookies.
- *Adding food coloring is optional, and you can add whatever type of food coloring you have on hand. For best results, use gel food coloring whenever possible.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Kay says
using royal icing seems to run when writing with 2nd color
any suggestions
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Are you using royal icing as the base? Or this frosting recipe??
Tenely Cross says
Would this frosting work on a candy house, where you attach wrapped candies and then want it to harden?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
If you're thinking of the type of icing used for a gingerbread house then you can use this recipe (my gingerbread glue recipe). If you want to decorate cookies that will attach and make a house you can definitely use this icing. Once it sets you can stack your cookies, glue them together, and pretty much do anything you want 🙂
Anne Grace Nimke says
I have used and shared this recipe more times than I can count. It is excellent for all methods of sugar cookie decorating. Thank you!! Only one comment - when multiplying the recipe 1x 2x 3x the words in the parentheses (like “1/2 of a 2 pound bag” and others) remain regardless of the coupling or tripling of the measurements. Little thing I know but I thought I’d point it out.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It is not a little thing, and I appreciate your feedback on that function (or lack of function). It is something that our site is looking into. Thanks, and so glad you enjoy the frosting!
Deb Kendall says
I have a question: I'm making sugar cookies for a graduation. The cookie cutter has a raised pattern on it that transfers onto each cookie. Is there a thinner glaze version of this icing I could use that would naturally "settle" into the grooves on the cookie to make the embossed pattern visible without additional piping?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hello! You can use my icing that hardens here https://bakeitwithlove.com/glossy-sugar-cookie-icing-that-hardens/ but I typically make a simple glaze of water or milk with powdered sugar and your favorite extract. Mix until smooth and thinned to your liking. Dip the embossed cookies into the glaze then allow them to drip and set on a wire cooling rack. Hope that helps!
Lori says
How long in advance can you make this frosting? I'm having several grandkids over to decorate cookies and I wanted to make the frosting ahead of they getting here, but I don't want it to harden!
Thank you
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Lori, this can easily last for several weeks (and even up to 3 months since it's made with shortening) when stored in the refrigerator. Transfer it into an airtight container and cover the surface layer with plastic cling film to prevent drying. Place your container out at room temperature before using. Have fun!!
Nicole says
I came across this recipe about a year ago and I absolutely love it!!
I have one question thought. Is this GF?
Thank you! 🙂
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Nicole, so happy that you love the frosting! It is indeed gluten-free, thanks for asking!!
Mollie Davis says
A follow up on the flooding question...
Can we add more liquid to this recipe to get a flooding consistency? Will it still set up?
Thank you!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I wouldn't add water to this recipe necessarily, although I suppose it could be done. For flooding I always use an icing recipe version, either a base powdered sugar w/ water or milk (and vanilla), royal icing, or my high shine glossy using corn syrup. All three icings will also harden for shipping and stacking. I'll be adding them shortly! Hope that helps!
Melissa Baier says
How does this frosting set up when used to flood?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
When using this frosting as an outline for flooding, it sets up beautifully. This frosting will harden once set, pretty much whichever way you want to use it. Thanks for asking!