Frosting for Cut-Out Cookies

This is the straightforward cookie frosting you want for decorating sugar cookies, holiday cut-outs, and gingerbread. Powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and a touch of cream come together into a smooth, pipeable icing.

The consistency is everything. Start with less cream and add more a teaspoon at a time until the frosting flows through a decorator’s tip without being so thin it runs off the cookie. If you overshoot, sift in a bit more powdered sugar to bring it back.

Soften the butter fully at room temperature before mixing. Cold butter creates lumps that will clog a piping tip, and microwaving it makes it greasy rather than fluffy.

Kitchen Tips

• Sift the powdered sugar before mixing to avoid tiny lumps in your frosting
• Add food coloring gel (not liquid) to tint without thinning the consistency
• Let frosted cookies sit uncovered for a few hours so the frosting sets firm
• Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week

Variations

• Replace vanilla with almond extract for a classic bakery-style flavor
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright citrus frosting
• Mix in cocoa powder for a chocolate version