Lemon Glaze Recipe

Fresh lemon glaze ingredients in glass bowl on counter with lemon zest.

5 from 13 votes

This Lemon Glaze recipe uses our signature method for getting a dreamy, bakery-worthy glaze texture! It's creamy, glossy, easy to drizzle, and thick enough to stay put without soaking in to your desserts. I promise you it delivers - we've made it countless times for cakes, cookies, muffins, scones, and more. One reader even summed it up this way: "Best lemon glaze yet!! I have tried many and this is it!"

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups (enough for 1 loaf or 1 bundt cake)

Calories: 904kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoon heavy cream or half n half
1 tablespoon lemon zest about 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice about 1 large lemon
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a bowl, starting with 2 tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix until well combined and smooth. I like to use a whisk. If needed, add more cream 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
1 tbsp butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tbsp heavy cream, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp vanilla
Use on cakes, pound cake, cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones, or other baked goods.

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Pick good lemons: Fresh lemon juice and zest are key to making a flavorful icing. Pick lemons with a bright lemon peel that smell fragrant. They should be firm, but give slightly when you squeeze them. If there is no give, it likely has an extra thick rind and less juice. Roll it under your palm or microwave it for 10 seconds if your lemon is too firm.
Help it on the edges: When pouring or drizzling the glaze, add a little extra to the edges wherever you want it to drip down the sides.
Make cleanup easier: Place your baked goods on a cooling rack, then set the rack over a sheet of parchment paper. The parchment will catch all the drips.

Storage: Store this glaze in the refrigerator for up to a week, then gently warm it until it’s the desired consistency. Once you drizzle it on your dessert, it will stay good for 2-3 days at room temperature.

Nutrition