Can I make lemon glaze ahead of time?

Yes! Make this lemon icing recipe a day or two ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you're ready to use it, microwave in 5 second intervals, stirring well in between, until it returns to a drizzle-able consistency. You can freeze leftover glaze for up to 6 months, although the lemon flavor tends to dull the longer it's frozen.

Yes - as this powdered sugar glaze sits, it will dry a bit and develop a very slight crunch along the outer surfaces. The melted butter is what makes this possible: It sets as it cools to room temperature, giving you a more solid texture. Once set, this easy lemon glaze recipe will hold its shape fairly well: It's great if you need to stack a bunch of scones or cookies in a container, because those pretty glaze drizzles will stay fairly intact! (You can also see this technique in action in our funfetti baked donuts recipe!)

Can I adjust the thickness?

If your glaze is too thin , add another spoonful or two of powdered sugar to create a thicker glaze. If your glaze is too thick , add another splash of hot water or lemon juice. Keep in mind that the glaze will also thicken a bit as it cools!

How much icing does this make?

This recipe makes about ¼ cup of icing. In our testing, this was plenty of glaze for back-and-forth drizzles over a batch of sugar cookies , muffins, or lemon scones . This recipe also makes enough to pour a thin layer over the top of a pound cake or quick bread (like a zucchini banana bread or blackberry banana bread). Feel free to double or triple the recipe if you'd like extra icing!

Can I use a piping bag with this icing?

No. This icing is a very thin consistency meant for drizzling. If you'd like to pipe decorations onto a cake or other baked goods, we recommend using a buttercream or another frosting recipe specifically developed for use with a piping bag.

Lemon Glaze (5 Ingredients)

Description

This easy lemon glaze is ready in minutes! Sets into a firm glaze that holds its shape and is dry to the touch. Perfect for drizzling over cookies, loaf cakes or quick breads, muffins, and more.

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
small pinch kosher salt
1 Tablespoon very hot water (you may not need it all)

Instructions

Add powdered sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice to a medium bowl with a small pinch of kosher salt. Mix or whisk until the butter begins to form clumps with the dry ingredients. It will look a bit clumpy and weird here - that's ok!
Add the hot water a teaspoon at a time, mixing well between each addition, until you reach your desired consistency. You may not need all of the water.
Drizzle glaze over cooled baked goods. Let sit for about an hour to let the glaze firm up, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Use melted coconut oil instead of butter for a dairy-free/vegan version (the coconut oil will act similarly to butter and help the glaze firm up as it dries). Add lemon zest to the icing for an extra pop of color and additional lemon flavor.

How hot should my water be? We heat our water in an electric kettle just like if we're making tea! You can also heat water in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop, or just use very hot water from the tap.

How much glaze does this make? This recipe makes about 1/4 cup of glaze. In our testing, this was plenty for drizzling a few ribbons over a batch of scones, cookies, or muffins. It's also the perfect amount for pouring a thin, uniform layer of glaze over a quick bread. Feel free to scale this recipe up if you'd like more glaze!