This homemade cinnamon roll icing recipe has a rich vanilla flavor, made without cream cheese. It’s thick and creamy and perfect for slathering over a warm pan of gooey cinnamon rolls!

You’re going to love this quick and easy cinnamon roll icing recipe. Not only is it the perfect topping for your warm cinnamon rolls, but it’s also incredibly simple to make. Say goodbye to store-bought cinnamon bun icing; once you try this, you’ll never go back.

The Perfect Finish to Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Sure, a lot goes into making delicious cinnamon rolls, from kneading the yeast-based dough to rolling in the cinnamon mixture filling, so why not make sure you finish it off to perfection with the most delicious cinnamon roll icing? Whether it’s Christmas morning or just a lazy Sunday, this cinnamon roll icing recipe will have you licking the bowl it’s so good!

A Great Alternative to Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese icing is a classic on cinnamon rolls, but it has a distinct, tangy flavor that not everyone is a fan of. That’s why I developed this dreamy icing. It’s so thick and spreadable and tastes like warm vanilla cream.

Additionally, for bakers selling homemade cinnamon rolls, many cottage food laws prohibit the use of ingredients like cream cheese in baked goods intended for sale. That’s why it’s good to have a cinnamon roll frosting recipe that tastes delicious but doesn’t contain cream cheese.

This cinnamon icing recipe is a fantastic alternative. It’s got that perfect amount of creamy sweetness, that the absence of cream cheese won’t even cross your mind! With this icing, you can keep your home business humming while serving up cinnamon rolls that taste like heaven.

Just 5 Simple Ingredients

The best part of this recipe is how simple it is! Here’s what you’ll need:

3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

How to make this Easy Homemade Cinnamon Roll Icing

This process is so simple. It’s just 3 easy steps.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Sift the powdered sugar to make sure it’s completely lump-free
Alternate adding a little powdered sugar, and a little cream until everything is incorporated.

Apply to Warm Rolls for Perfect Icing

For an extra ooey-gooey factor, try frosting your cinnamon rolls while they are still fresh from the oven.

My favorite tools to use for frosting cinnamon rolls are:

Small offset spatula
Cookie scoop

Just use the cookie scoop to scoop the frosting onto the warm cinnamon rolls, allowing the heat to melt the frosting. Then go in and smooth it all out with a small offset spatula.

Storage Tips

Store your leftover cinnamon roll frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to add a layer of plastic wrap to the top to keep it from crusting over. It will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge.

Pro Tip:

If you’re baking often, you can mix up a large batch of this delicious frosting to have on hand when you need it. It is perfect for all types of baked goods.

Some other uses for this frosting are:

Icing pound cake
Topping quick bread
Icing scones
Frosting cookies
Finishing your favorite cakes

And in case you were wondering, it does crust over after about an hour, making this Homemade Cinnamon Roll Icing perfect for packaged iced cinnamon rolls, and baked goods of all kinds!

Recommended Tools

Here are the links to the tools I use to frost cinnamon rolls like a pro!

Quick and Easy Homemade Cinnamon Roll Icing

This homemade cinnamon roll icing recipe has a rich vanilla flavor that is perfect for frosting a warm pan of gooey cinnamon rolls!

Print Recipe

Servings 12

Ingredients

3 cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Sift the powdered sugar to make sure it’s completely lump-free.
Alternate adding a little powdered sugar, and a little cream until everything is incorporated.
Store your leftover cinnamon roll frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to add a layer of plastic wrap to the top to keep it from crusting over. It will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge.

Here are some additional frosting recipes you may enjoy:

Better than Cinnabon’s Frosting?

I’ve been making this recipe for years and people always tell me it’s better than Cinnamon’s frosting! So the next time you’re mixing up some cinnamon roll dough, remember this easy recipe!

If you tried this decadent icing recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star review.