Description
Easy Buttercream Frosting perfect for sugar cookie decorating. This creamy, fluffy frosting is made with salted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and a touch of French vanilla coffee creamer for smooth consistency. It’s simple to prepare and ideal for decorating and enhancing the flavor of your cookies with a rich buttery sweetness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) softened salted butter
- 17 oz (4 cups) powdered sugar (plus additional tablespoons if stiffer buttercream is desired)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract (or 1/2 tsp for lighter almond flavor)
- 1 pinch salt (approximately 1/8 tsp)
- 1 tbsp French vanilla coffee creamer (optional substitute: heavy cream with extra vanilla and almond extracts to taste)
Instructions
- Beat Butter: Beat slightly colder than room temperature butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Extracts and Beat: Add vanilla and almond extracts to the butter and beat for another 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Powdered Sugar and Salt: With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the powdered sugar along with the pinch of salt. Once incorporated, increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes to fully combine and aerate the frosting.
- Add Creamer and Remove Air Bubbles: Turn the mixer to low and pour in the coffee creamer (or heavy cream if using). Stir until combined, then continue mixing on low speed for 3-5 minutes to reduce air bubbles. For optimal texture, hand-mix a smaller portion using a silicone spatula pressing the buttercream against the sides of the bowl to expel air bubbles.
- Adjust Consistency: If the frosting is too soft, add additional tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken (note this will increase sweetness), or chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up. Stir again by hand before using.
- Decorate and Store: Frost your cookies using your preferred decorating method. Consume within 3-5 days. Store leftover frosting in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a week to keep fresh.
Notes
- This recipe yields enough buttercream to frost about 2 to 2.5 dozen average-sized sugar cookies (1.5-1.8 oz each), depending on how thickly you apply the frosting.
- The buttercream does not crust or harden when drying, so stack decorated cookies in a single layer to avoid squishing the frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp (about 30g)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
