This lemon icing makes everything it touches taste a little brighter. Made with real lemon zest and juice, it's thick enough to hold its shape, thin enough to pour, and ready in just a few minutes. It's the perfect finishing touch for lemon loaf, muffins, scones, or any baked good that could use a little extra brightness.
This lemon icing makes everything it touches taste a little brighter. It's quick, it's easy, and the texture is exactly what you want, creamy but not heavy. It sits right between a glaze and a frosting. Thick enough to hold its shape, but thin enough to pour. It coats the top of any baked good evenly and gives you that finished, bakery-style look.
The lemon flavor is what makes me come back to this recipe again and again. I use both zest and juice here. The zest gives it real lemon essence, while the juice brings the tang and brightness. Mixed into butter and powdered sugar, you get something sweet and creamy that still wakes up your taste buds.
And if it firms up while you're waiting? A few seconds in the microwave brings it right back to being creamy and pourable.
I love using this lemon icing on my Lemon Loaf Recipe with Fresh Milled Flour and Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins.
Ingredients
- Powdered sugar – the base of the icing, giving it that smooth sweetness and structure to hold its shape.
- Butter, melted – adds richness and creaminess that separates icing from a basic glaze.
- Milk – thins the icing to the perfect pourable consistency.
- Lemon zest – where the real lemon flavor lives. I also love the yellow flecks it gives to this icing.
- Lemon juice – brings the tang and brightness that balances all that sugar.
- Vanilla – rounds out the flavor and keeps it from tasting one-note.
- Salt – just a pinch to keeps the sweetness in check.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until combined.
Step 2: Add the Powdered Sugar and Salt.
Add the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
Step 3: Use Right Away or Rewarm if Needed.
Pour the icing over your baked good for a creamy coating. If the icing sits and starts to firm up, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds to bring it back to that smooth, pourable texture.
Substitutions
- Milk - can use heavy cream, half and half or dairy-free milk of choice
Variations
Swap lemon juice & zest for the juice and zest of an orange or lime!
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Rewarm in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to achieve a creamy, pourable consistency.
FAQ
Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and leave it covered at room temperature. If it firms up by the time you're ready to use it, just give it a few seconds in the microwave (5 second increments) to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
If it's too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it thickens up. If it's too thick, try popping it in the microwave for 5 seconds to see if it loosens it up and if not, add more milk, a half a teaspoon at a time, until it loosens to a pourable consistency. A little milk goes a long way so make sure not to overdo it.
It sets up enough to hold its shape and give you that finished look, but it stays soft, not hard like a royal icing or candy coating. It firms up just enough to travel well. I'll pour it on, let it set, then cover the baked good with plastic wrap, and the icing stays put without sticking.
This icing works on pretty much any lemon-flavored baked good. Try it on scones, bundt cake, sugar cookies, pound cake, or even drizzled over pancakes or waffles for a citrusy twist.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Bright Lemon Icing
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the icing over your baked good for a creamy coating. If the icing sits and starts to firm up, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds to bring it back to that smooth, pourable texture.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Bright Lemon Icing:
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