Lemon Icing

Jun 22, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Easy

A quick lemon icing for drizzling over cakes, scones, and cookies. Makes about 3/4 cup; enough to drizzle a 10-inch Bundt cake or 24 cookies.

Prep 5 min

Cook —

Set 20 min

Total 25 min

Servings 12

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (240.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)fresh lemon juice
1.0 tsplemon zest, finely grated
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)water, as needed
⅛ tspfine sea salt

Make it at home

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Instructions

Whisk the confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl.
Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Adjust with water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until the icing falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
Drizzle or spread over cooled cakes, scones, cookies, or quick breads. Let set for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips

Vanilla boost: add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract with the other flavorings for a rounder, warmer flavor.
Storage: Keep leftover icing covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; whisk before using.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make lemon icing?

Plan on 5 minutes of prep, plus 20 minutes to set. It makes about 3/4 cup; enough to drizzle a 10-inch Bundt cake or 24 cookies.

How should I store lemon icing?

Keep leftover icing covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; whisk before using.

A quick lemon icing for drizzling over cakes, scones, and cookies. Makes about 3/4 cup; enough to drizzle a 10-inch Bundt cake or 24 cookies.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

80 Calories / serving

0.0g Fat

20.5g Carbs

0.0g Protein

19.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~960 cal · 0g fat · 246g carbs · 0g protein · 239g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 80 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 15 min·0.9 mi·~1750 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 11 min·0.6 mi·~1100 steps
Moderate cycling 8 min·1.6 mi
Swimming laps 11 min
Jogging 8 min·0.7 mi·~1300 steps
Stair climbing 7 min·~650 steps
Dancing 13 min
Bodyweight circuit training 8 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 19 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.