The Recipe Critic

Powdered Sugar Glaze

November 20, 2022

Sweet and silky Powdered Sugar Glaze is the perfect topping for your baked goods and desserts. It is so simple to make with just 3 ingredients and will be the perfect addition to your goodies!

I love baking! And who doesn’t love a baked good with a topping? I know my favorite part of a cake is the frosting or the filling, which is why I absolutely love making this powdered sugar glaze for the top of my blueberry lemon pound cake, this gooey and delicious monkey bread, or this fun and different banana coffee cake.

Powdered sugar glaze on a spoon and in a glass bowl.

Powdered Sugar Glaze Recipe

If you are looking for an easy way to add sweetness and flavor to your desserts, you’ve come to the right recipe! Powdered sugar glaze takes minutes to whip up, and this glossy topping goes great with so many things. I’ve definitely made a few lemon pound cakes in my time, and they just wouldn’t be the same without this sugary glaze. It has a powdered sugar base which is what makes it so sweet and smooth. You can add a little orange juice as well to give it more flavor.

You can use it on top of lots of things! This glaze is perfect for homemade doughnuts or apple fritters, both are easy to make and so delicious! I prefer cream cheese frosting on my cinnamon rolls, but this glaze is great for pouring on top of them too! Whether you put it on a bundt cake, cookies, or muffins, you’ll love this easy icing!

Ingredients

This powdered sugar glaze is so simple and made from ingredients you already have on hand. It literally takes minutes to put together and you’ll be so glad you know how to make it. It’s a great one to have in your recipe book! You can find exact measurements below in the recipe card.

  • Powdered Sugar: This is a must! It’s the base of this glaze and because the sugar is so fine, it will melt and blend together to make a silky and shiny glaze.
  • Whole Milk: Whole milk makes this glaze so tasty, and helps everything come together smoothly.
  • Clear Vanilla Extract or Almond Extract: If you use a dark colored extract, it will make the glaze off-white. If you want it to be beautifully white, you will need to get a clear extract. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can find it on Amazon!
Ingredients to make the glaze in glass bowls.

How to Make Powdered Sugar Glaze

Powdered sugar glaze is so simple, you can’t get it wrong! You can adjust your glaze by adding more or less powdered sugar until it is the consistency you want it.

  1. Add Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl add the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla into the bowl.
  2. Whisk: Slowly whisk together until the glaze is smooth and reaches desired consistency. If it is too thin then add more liquid one teaspoon at a time.
Powdered sugar in a glass bowl with milk and vanilla extract, and then it all whisked together.

How to Make Glaze Without Powdered Sugar

Usually, powdered sugar has corn or potato starch in it to keep it from getting clumpy and sticking together. Some people with allergies may not be able to eat powdered sugar. This tip is for you! You can still make a delicious glaze with a substitute.

  • Use Granulated Sugar: You will have to heat it over the stove to get the bigger granules of sugar to melt, but it still makes a great glaze! You will need a little flour to help it thicken up, and some people add some butter as well.
  • Use Brown Sugar: You can use brown sugar instead of powdered sugar. Instead of heating it over the stove to get it to melt, you can actually blend it in the blender! Once it’s really fine, then you can add it to a bowl with the milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Powdered sugar glaze being drizzled on top of monkey bread.

Storing Leftover Glaze

You can store your leftover powdered sugar glaze for days to come using these simple tips!

On the Counter: Whether it is atop of a baked good or stored on it’s own, you can keep it in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. You can keep it longer for that, but it really is best fresh and I recommend making a fresh batch when you need it.

Yummy Desserts

If this recipe has you thinking about all of the delicious desserts you need to make, I want to share a few more of my very favorites! They are perfectly sweet and always hit the spot. You’ll want to try these out!

Print

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Sweet and silky Powdered Sugar Glaze is the perfect topping for your baked goods and desserts. It is so simple to make with just 3 ingredients and will be the perfect addition to your goodies!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword powdered sugar glaze
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 122kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract, or almond extract

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl add the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla into the bowl.
  • Slowly whisk together until the glaze is smooth and reaches desired consistency. If it is too thin then add more liquid one teaspoon at a time.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 10mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.02mg

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