Recipes & Cooking Desserts & Baking Frosting & Icing The Easiest Powdered Sugar Icing Recipe You'll Ever Try 3.7 (270) 8 Reviews Use this powdered sugar icing on Christmas cookie recipes, to drizzle over your favorite cakes, and any other sweet treat you desire. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 3, 2024 Recipe tested by Colleen Weeden Recipe tested by Colleen Weeden As a food expert, Colleen Weeden has written extensively for Better Homes & Gardens. From airfryer tips to advice on how to poach an egg, she shares her passion for food with practical, easy-to-follow tips. She has also contributed to Midwest Living magazine. Learn more about the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 1 mins Total Time: 10 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 1/2 cup Jump to Nutrition Facts When you don't want or need heavy-duty buttercream, keep a bag of icing sugar around. This powdered sugar frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness without going too far. Whip up the easy powdered sugar icing to go over cakes, cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, and more. Chocolate fan? Find our delicious chocolate powdered sugar icing variation below. How to Make Icing with Powdered Sugar You'll need just three ingredients to make this frosting with powdered sugar. It's as easy as mixing powdered sugar with vanilla and your liquid of choice but there are a few things to keep in mind when making your own. Powdered Sugar: It may seem like extra work but it's important to sift the sugar before mixing up your frosting. That small step ensures the finished icing is velvety smooth.Vanilla: Traditional powdered sugar icing uses vanilla extract but you can easily swap in other flavors like almond, coconut, cake batter, or even peppermint.Liquid: If you want the flavor of the vanilla to shine, choose milk to make your powdered sugar icing. To add subtle citrus flavor to the frosting, use orange or lemon juice instead. Here’s How Many Cups of Powdered Sugar are in a Pound How to Use Powdered Sugar Frosting This frosting recipe is versatile enough for a wide range of desserts. Add slightly less liquid and keep it thick to frost cookies and bars. It's great for classic sugar cookies. Or, thin it out with a bit more milk or juice and drizzle it on quick breads or cakes. It's also great for rimming a dessert martini glass or drizzling on fresh fruit. How to Store Powdered Sugar Icing For best results, store the frosting with powdered sugar in the fridge. It will last for up to one week. Be sure to keep the frosting in a labeled airtight container so it doesn't absorb odors from the fridge. You can also freeze leftover frosting for up to three months. Store it in an airtight, freezer-safe bag that's labeled with the contents and the date. Here's the Best Chocolate Glaze Recipe For Cakes, Cookies, Donuts, and More Ingredients 1 cup sifted powdered sugar ¼ teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon milk or orange juice Directions In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Stir in additional milk or juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches drizzling consistency. Makes 1/2 cup (enough to drizzle over one 10-inch tube cake). BHG / Sonia Bozzo Chocolate Powdered Sugar Icing Variation To make chocolate icing with powdered sugar, prepare as above, except add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the powdered sugar. Do not use the orange juice. Frequently Asked Questions Is powdered icing sugar the same thing as powdered sugar? Yes! You may see powdered sugar labeled as confectioners sugar or powdered icing sugar. They are the same thing with the same consistency. Is powdered sugar icing the same thing as royal icing? There are a few differences between powdered sugar icing and royal icing. To make royal icing, egg whites are included. This helps the icing harden as it dries. It is often piped to create intricate cookie decorations. Powdered sugar icing won't dry as hard as royal icing and is used more often as a drizzle or spread. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 55 Calories 0g Fat 14g Carbs 0g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 54.8 % Daily Value * Total Fat 0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0.2mg 0% Sodium 1.2mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 13.8g 5% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Total Sugars 13.6g Protein 0.1g 0% Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 2.4mg 0% Iron 0mg 0% Potassium 3.1mg 0% Fatty acids, total trans 0g Vitamin D 0.9IU Alanine 0g Arginine 0g Ash 0g Aspartic acid 0g Caffeine 0mg Carotene, alpha 0mcg Choline, total 0.3mg Copper, Cu 0mg Cystine 0g Energy 229.3kJ Fluoride, F 0.1mcg Folate, total 0.1mcg Glutamic acid 0g Glycine 0g Histidine 0g Isoleucine 0g Leucine 0g Lysine 0g Methionine 0g Magnesium, Mg 0.2mg Manganese, Mn 0mg Niacin 0mg Phosphorus, P 1.8mg Pantothenic acid 0mg Phenylalanine 0g Proline 0g Retinol 1mcg Selenium, Se 0.1mcg Serine 0g Starch 0.2g Theobromine 0mg Threonine 0g Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0mg Tryptophan 0g Tyrosine 0g Valine 0g Vitamin A, IU 3.6IU Vitamin A, RAE 1mcg Vitamin B-12 0mcg Vitamin B-6 0mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0mcg Water 1.8g Zinc, Zn 0mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.