My recipe for simple cinnamon roll icing is easy, delicious, and doesn’t use cream cheese. This classic icing recipe is the perfect thing to spread over a warm batch of cinnamon rolls, cakes, pastries, and more. I am going to show you how to make the only cinnamon roll glaze recipe you need to make your cinnamon rolls irresistibly good!

Our family is obsessed with cinnamon rolls, so much that we have them every Sunday. Sometimes I make them homemade and sometimes we pop open a can of refrigerated ones. Either way, I ALWAYS make this icing to spread on top of them.

My mom taught me this recipe when I was a teenager and I feel like I’ve made it a million times since. It’s tried and true and now thousands of readers have also made it in their homes.

Not just for cinnamon rolls, this cinnamon roll icing without cream cheese is also great to drizzle over coffee cake, muffins, or use as a dip for cinnamon twists. I have even been known to eat it on a spoon because it’s just that good!

So pop your cinnamon rolls in the oven and let’s get started.

Why you’ll love this recipe

No need for store bought icing, this homemade cinnamon roll icing is worth the few minutes it takes to mix together.

• You only need four ingredients to make this delicious icing, and you probably already have them in your fridge and pantry! As long as you have butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, you’re ready to go.
• A good cream cheese icing can be delicious, don’t get me wrong, but it’s much trickier to make. You have to let the cream cheese come to room temperature, otherwise your icing can end up lumpy. It’s also very easy to over whip, which leads to runny icing that won’t stick to your rolls. By eliminating the cream cheese, we avoid all these issues!
• This icing can be ready in just 5 minutes, and it all comes together in one bowl with just a little whisking. Simply add the ingredients, whisk until combined, and you’re ready to spread this quick-yet-dreamy icing over your warm cinnamon rolls!

Ingredients

This super easy recipe for cinnamon roll glaze needs just four simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

• Powdered sugar – This can also be called icing sugar or confectioners sugar.
• Milk – Use whatever milk you have on hand like 2%, whole, or even half and half.
• Butter – Sweet cream, unsalted butter. ***I like melting my butter for this icing but you could also soften it to room temperature and use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients. This will make for a thicker frosting consistency.
• Vanilla extract – You can use pure vanilla or extract. If you want that classic, super white icing color, use clear vanilla extract.

How to make the best cinnamon roll icing

Scroll to the bottom for the full, printable recipe.

1. Melt butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds or on the stove until just melted. Make sure not to burn the butter.
2. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
3. Whisk until smooth. (You can also use an electric mixer.)
4. ***Tip: Let your rolls cool 4-5 minutes before adding the icing. This will help the icing stay on top of the rolls.

Variations

Flavor: Want to change up the flavors? Try substituting milk with a flavored coffee creamer or even eggnog. Orange or lemon juice also work well for a citrus flavor.

You can also substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract or a splash of maple syrup.

Color: Add a dash of color by using a few drops of food coloring. You could also stir in some colorful sprinkles for funfetti icing.

Heather’s recipe tips

• How to make icing thicker? Add a little extra powdered sugar and reduce the milk.
• How to make icing thinner? Add a little extra milk to the mixture.
• How to get rid of lumps? This is an optional step but to help reduce lumps, sift the powdered sugar before mixing.
• For richer flavor, use whole milk or half and half.
• If you want a pure white color, use clear vanilla extract.
• Can you leave out the butter? Yes, you can leave out the butter. This will make it more of a cinnamon roll glaze rather than a frosting.

How to serve cinnamon roll frosting

One thing that’s great about this frosting is that it can be used for multiple things like:

• Apricot nectar cake
• Lemon pull-apart bread
• Cinnamon pretzels
• Sugar cookies
• Cinnamon roll waffles
• Lemon cake

How to store leftover icing for cinnamon rolls

Store: If you have leftover frosting or want to make it ahead of time, store the cinnamon roll icing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last about 2 weeks.

Reheat: This doesn’t have to be reheated. You can leave out at room temperature for 30 minutes to make it easier to spread or if you want, microwave for about 5 seconds.

Common questions

Be sure to let me know if you made this recipe in the comments below. Enjoy!

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