Cinnamon Roll Icing

My quick and easy cinnamon roll icing is anything but basic! It's made without cream cheese and has a rich, but not too sweet flavor that's perfect for topping rolls, sweet breads, and more.

Course Breakfast, Frosting

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Servings servings (see note)

Calories 108kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Mixing bowls

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons (42 g) salted butter melted
2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3 Tablespoons heavy cream (preferred) or milk (any kind)

Instructions

Combine melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and stir to combine (it’s OK if the mixture is too dry to completely combine, just move on to the next step!)
3 Tablespoons salted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Add 1-2 Tablespoons of cream or milk and stir. Add additional cream as needed, a splash at a time, until icing has reached desired consistency. I like my icing to drizzle smoothly off of my whisk, holding its shape only a brief second before it dissolves back into the bowl. I find I usually need the full 3 Tablespoons (hint: It’s OK if you like your frosting thinner and want to add a splash more!).
1-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Drizzle or spread gently over cinnamon rolls. It’s best to add the frosting when they’re still somewhat warm (I wait about 10-15 minutes after the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven)

Notes

Heavy cream/milk

I prefer heavy cream because it creates a thicker frosting and has a richer flavor. However, milk will absolutely work and you can use any kind of milk you have on hand. Since milk is thinner than cream you may not need as much so start with less and add more as needed.

Yield

This recipe makes a generous amount of icing for 12 cinnamon rolls and can cover up to 15 rolls with a thinner layer.

Nutrition