Lemon Glaze that’s so easy and is perfect for cakes or cookies! Just five ingredients with a few secret touches.
Everyone loves this Lemon Glaze. It’s the perfect way to perk up almost any dessert that might seem a little plain: just whip up some of this glaze for cake or whatever you want to serve it on and drizzle right over the top.
I’ve used it for my Cream Cheese Pound Cake, which I turned into a Lemon Pound Cake with Easy Lemon Glaze. It’s divine!
There’s just enough tartness in the glaze to balance the sweetness from the confectioner’s sugar to give your desserts a wonderful lemon pop!
- Fresh Lemons
- Zester
- Citrus Juicer (I love this one!)
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Milk
- Salt
How to Make Lemon Glaze
Step 1.
Start by zesting and juicing one or two lemons, depending on how much glaze you want. Then stir the lemon juice, zest, and milk into the confectioner’s sugar until well blended.
Step 2.
Stir the melted butter into the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice mixture and add a pinch of salt.
Tips
- Double this recipe if using for a cake.
- You can make the glaze ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator for several days. Just bring to room temperature and give the lemon glaze a quick whisk before you drizzle it on your dessert.
- To get the maximum juice from your lemons, be sure they are room temperature. Roll the lemon on the counter with light pressure or microwave the whole lemon for about 10 seconds.
If you don’t have a good citrus juicer, I highly recommend this one. I use this thing ALL THE TIME. Makes it so easy to add lemon juice to any dish and keeps the seeds out. I ordered one for all of my kids for Christmas last year!
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Lemon Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Stir together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk until well mixed. Stir in melted butter and pinch of salt.
- Store in refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published June 1, 2018, and on March 11, 2019, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
More Lemon Recipes:
And here are 50+ Sweet and Savory Lemon Recipes from The Recipe Critic – there’s sure to be something in this list that will delight your taste buds!
Could you use lemon juice from a bottle?
I would not. I almost always use fresh lemon juice in anything that calls for lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and processed to me. Try fresh! It’s really easy and tastes so much better.
I want to glaze some lemon Rosemary shortbread cookies and freeze them. Does this glaze freeze well?
I have not frozen cookies with this glaze, but I think it would be fine.
Made this recipe today it’s perfect. Thank you everyone enjoyed the cake and glaze .
Thank you!
This recipe reminds me of the Lemon Glaze my grandmother used to make-I was never able to get her recipe before she passed and am thrilled to come across this one!
Great taste!! However it sat on top of the cake and did not sink in at all. It seemed like it would be thin enough in the bowl and as I poured it on.
Mmmm….this lemon icing looks so delicious! So perfect for topping scones, pancakes, waffles, muffins and more!
This is so easy and delicious!
Mmmm….this lemon icing looks so delicious! So perfect for topping scones, pancakes, waffles, muffins and more!
This is so easy and delicious!
This is the best I have tried!
This is the best I have tried!