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This recipe for a simple powdered sugar glaze is not only easy to make but also delicious and incredibly versatile.
Use this on my cream cheese pound cake, ricotta cookies or try my Lemon Icing glaze for a lemony zing!
Powdered Sugar Glaze
The best part of any good cake or muffin is usually the sugar glaze on top, so why not make your own? This recipe uses cream, or half and half, as well as melted butter to give a smooth, creamy, and delicate consistency that clings to cakes and crackles instead of hardening into a single crunchy layer.
The butter in the recipe gives it that crackly finish—it’s the secret ingredient for the perfect glaze!
Powdered Sugar Glaze Ingredients
Make sure you look at the recipe card at the very bottom for the exact amounts, as there are a few fiddly ingredients here.
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Cream, half & half, or whipping cream
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Melted butter
How To Make Powdered Sugar Glaze
• Combine all the ingredients in a measuring cup and stir until there are no lumps
• Alter the consistency of cream to your liking using cream
How To Alter the Flavor of Your Powdered Sugar Glaze
This recipe makes a good standard sugar glaze for use in all kinds of recipes, but it really only provides a basic, vanilla-forward flavor.
You could add all kinds of different flavorings for something a bit more interesting. For an orange kick, you could add some orange juice and zest or even some Cointreau liquor.
For a more delicate, macaroon-like flavor, you could add an equal amount of almond extract. It won’t make it taste like almonds, but it will provide a really interesting, unique flavor in addition to the vanilla.
Feel free to play around a bit with the additions, like using different types of citrus zest or other crazy flavors; don’t vary too much from the base recipe.
What to Use Your Powdered Sugar Glaze on
This powdered sugar glaze is incredibly multipurpose. You can use it in whatever recipes you like. It is simple but helps to amplify and expand existing flavors.
Use it on baked dessert recipe, cakes, or glaze a favorite muffin recipe, or even, use it as a sort of dipping sauce for something sweet like monkey bread to give you a big hit of sugar.
This will also store pretty well in the fridge as long as you keep it covered.
Looking for more delicious Dessert recipes? Try these out:
• Cinnamon Spice Upside Down Apple Cake
Enjoy!
Love,
Karlynn
Powdered Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar aka confectioners or icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons cream half and half or whipping cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a measuring cup and stir together until there are no lumps.
- To adjust the consistency, add more or less cream until desired consistency has been reached.
- Drizzle on cakes, muffins, cinnamon buns and more!
Recipe Notes
- you can omit the salt and use salted butter instead
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Jennifer Ybarra says
How long is this good for
Julie P says
I found this recipe while looking for a glaze for a chocolate Bundt cake. Wow-absolutely delicious and got rave reviews! I did have to add a lot more half and half to get the proper consistency and thought it was just a tad sweet but boy was it good! Thank you for my new go to glaze!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
So glad you love it!
Judy Sandifer says
You said the icing would be CRACKLY but what if you wanted the icing to stay SOFT? What do I need to add or omit to make the icing stay soft and not crackly? Thanks!
Kelly says
* make at your own risk*
I made raspberry & lemon bread and found this gem of a glaze recipe. I ended up adding strawberry essence & butter vanilla for flavoring & I “almost” regret it. It’s so amazing I could have eaten the entire loaf of bread. I’ll just say this once bc I’ll never admit it, but my husband thinks I packed away half of the bread to send home with my sister….. Just the flavoring together was incredible & although I will now add this to everything & anything I can, I stand behind my decision. You only live once amiright?!
Amber Ames says
OMG….Im dying. That was hilarious and because of this review I’m definitely making this right now. 😆
Patrice says
When you say “Cream” what do you mean?
Ashley says
OMG!!! This is the best glaze I have ever had! I put it on top of my 7up cake and it was delicious!!!
Jillian says
Used this glaze on something I baked up and it was delicious! I’ll never buy the store bought glaze again!