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This vanilla glaze is simple and works for donuts, cookies, cakes and more! It takes just 2 minutes to whip up.

Vanilla Glaze
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Here’s a quick and easy recipe for drizzling and glazing: this simple Vanilla Icing! It takes just 2 minutes to whisk together this rich, sweet drizzle, and it’s totally versatile! Drizzle on cookies, donuts, cakes: anything that needs a little sparkle. This is our go-to icing for when we want to add pizzazz to baked goods, and it comes together in a flash. Here’s how it’s done!

Ingredients for vanilla glaze

This vanilla glaze comes together in a flash and only requires 3 ingredients, plus water. It sets up nicely for use with cookies, donuts, Bundt cakes, pound cakes, and even cinnamon rolls. Here’s what you’ll need (see the recipe below for quantities):

  • Powdered sugar
  • Heavy cream: cream has a rich flavor that sets up well in a glaze
  • Vanilla extract
  • Water

Looking for other flavors? Try our Cream Cheese Glaze or Vanilla Glaze!

Vanilla Glaze

Whisk and adjust liquid as needed

The main thing to note about this vanilla glaze? Add additional liquid as necessary until the glaze comes to the desired consistency. Here’s what to know:

  • Gradually add the water. The liquid quantity specified below should create a smooth, glossy texture to the vanilla glaze. Add the water gradually to make sure it comes to a thick yet drizzlable texture.
  • Add more a hint more water as necessary. If it’s not yet to the correct consistency, add liquid a teaspoon at a time until the desired texture is reached.
Vanilla Glaze

Ways to use vanilla glaze

The best ways to use this vanilla glaze? Let us count them! We love using this one for baked donuts: in fact, we created it for our son’s donut themed birthday party. But there are so many other ways! Here are a few top ways to use it:

More vanilla recipes

Are you a vanilla fan? Here are a few more recipes starring this aromatic extract:

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Vanilla Glaze

Vanilla glaze
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5 from 1 review

This vanilla glaze is simple and works for donuts, cookies, cakes and more! It takes just 2 minutes to whip up.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 minutes
  • Yield: ½ cup glaze 1x
  • Category: Essentials
  • Method: Glaze
  • Cuisine: Dessert
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, slowly whisk the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Gradually add the water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. If the glaze is too sticky, add a teaspoon more water until it comes to a smooth, thick consistency. Use for dipping donuts, or drizzle with a fork across cookies, muffins or cake (makes enough for at least 12 donuts).

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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5 Comments

  1. Leslie S says:

    Hi! can milk be used in place of heavy cream? thanks! :)

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes, but the texture will be thinner.

  2. Nicole says:

    Hello! I plan on making your homemade donuts for my daughter’s 6th birthday next weekend. She is so excited! For your vanilla glaze, could I do strawberry extract instead and add fod color? Would you recommend the same amount of strawberry versus vanilla?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      That should work but we haven’t used it before! Just add a little to taste until it’s right.

  3. Sonja Overhiser says:

    Let us know if you have any questions!