This Brown Sugar Frosting is a homemade frosting recipe that is rich, creamy, sweet and cozy! With its light brown sugar and cinnamon flecks in every spoonful, it is the perfect easy frosting for all your sweet treats! It is the best sugar cookie frosting, it's perfect on cakes and cupcakes and is even luscious by the spoonful! This sugar frosting takes a few minutes to make and has zero milk of any kind! You can easily make it dairy free by using vegan butter and, as always, it is gluten free, eggless and nut free!
The sweetness of the sugars and the spice of the cinnamon blend together beautifully in this Brown Sugar Frosting, adding a cozy factor to all your baked goods. And although it's perfect for fall and holiday baking, if you love cinnamon, this homemade buttercream frosting is perfect for any time of the year! I love it on my Snickerdoodle Cake and Snickerdoodle Cupcakes!
For more homemade frosting recipes, check out my Cream Cheese Frosting, my Chocolate Fudge Frosting and my Vegan Vanilla Frosting.
Reasons to Love This Brown Sugar Buttercream
- Allergy Friendly- This frosting is gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Smooth & Creamy- This vegan frosting is so soft and silky!
- Cozy Flavors- The brown sugar and cinnamon create a cozy spice that is a wonderful balance to the sweetness!
- Easy to Make- Whips up in one bowl with only a few ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Only use room temperature. Do not use melted or softened. Doing so will cause the frosting to be super runny; it won’t be fixed by putting it in the fridge. If using vegan butter, make sure to use only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Confectioners' Sugar- Essential in frosting recipes, this gives the frosting its fluffy texture and sweetness!
- Light Brown Sugar- I prefer this to the dark brown as it helps create a smoother flavor like in the maple frosting in my Maple Cake.
- Cinnamon- Gives the frosting that cozy woodsy flavor that reminds of us fall and holiday baking!
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract that is gluten free and vegan. If you use one that is not pure, the frosting will have a chemical taste.
- Water- This frosting uses water instead of milk like in my Funfetti Frosting so it's super simple to make this recipe vegan by using vegan baking sticks!
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this into Vegan Frosting
- Make sure the brands of sugars you use are vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use pure vanilla extract from a gluten free/vegan facility.
This recipe may not have been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Brown Sugar Frosting
Here are the step by step instructions to make this brown sugar icing recipe!
Step 1: Beat the Butter
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add in the Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Vanilla
Into the butter, beat in the brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth and combined. About 2 minutes more.
Step 3: Add in the Confectioners’ Sugar and Water Half at a Time
Slowly add in half the confectioners' sugar and half the water and beat until smooth.
Then add in the second half of the confectioners' sugar and slowly add in the rest of water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
Expert Tips
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter, it will cause your frosting to be a runny mess. If you're using vegan butter, make sure it is on the colder side and only use vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter from a tub).
- Cream the Butter First- Beat the butter before adding in the brown sugar. If you add them both at the same time, it may leave chunks in your frosting.
- Add the Water a Little at a Time- You may not need to add all the water. If your butter was fairly cold when making the frosting, you will probably need more water than if your butter was actually room temperature.
- Getting the Right Consistency- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. The frosting should be thick enough to stay put on cupcakes or cookies and not run off. If the frosting appears too thick, add water ¼ teaspoon at a time.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the frosting the night before. Store in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
When ready to use, bring the frosting to room temperature and beat with a electric mixer or spatula to regain that creaminess.
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting; enough for a 2 layer cake, 16 cupcakes, 12 large cookies or 6 dozen small cookies.
For a loaf cake or a one layer cake, divide the recipe in half.
I prefer light brown sugar as it gives the frosting a light yet rich flavor. The dark brown is a bit stronger and has more of a molasses taste.
Refrigerate any extra frosting in a bowl covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature prior to using.
When you are ready to use, beat with a electric mixer or spatula to regain that creaminess.
More Brown Sugar Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Brown Sugar Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water (you may not need all of it)
Instructions
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the 1 cup butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- Into the butter, beat in the ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla until smooth and combined. About 2 minutes more.
- Slowly add in 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar and half the water (about 3 tablespoons) and beat until smooth.
- Then add in the other 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar and slowly add in the remaining 3 tablespoons of water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
Steve DiPaola says
This is the perfect frosting for this time of year!
Lee says
Thank you!