An easy, refreshing Lemon Glaze made with just 3 ingredients! You can whip up this amazing Lemon Glaze recipe in 5 minutes. Lemon Glaze Icing is perfect for breads, pound cakes, angel food cakes and so much more!
You know spring is here when lemons have become a staple. In our home you’ll find a large bowl of them on the counter, one in just about every glass of water, and infused into many of my favorite recipes (listed below).
This three ingredient lemon glaze recipe is the perfect addition to breakfast rolls, pound cakes, sweet breads, a bundt cake, angel food cake, donuts, scones, cookies, cheesecake and so much more!
This Lemon glaze icing turns even the most basic pastries into something special!
When life gives you lemons, make glaze.
It has a fresh lemon flavor you’ll crave again and again! It’s slightly tart, slightly sweet – perfect for all lemon lovers!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I’d like to think a glaze is icing without all the guilt, wouldn’t you agree? Just a little touch of lemon glaze to quench your spring or summer sweet tooth without all the calories of a pile of icing.
There’s so much flavor in each bite. This lemon glaze is soft, yet hardens just enough for a beautiful slice, every time.
If that’s not enough, glaze creates the prettiest drizzle that enhances any basic dessert, making it feel more like a centerpiece. No cake decorating skills required, which is always an added bonus!
I still long to take cake decorating classes, but until I find the time, this glaze will suit me just fine.
Lemon Glaze Icing is made with just three staple ingredients which is perfect to mix up on a whim!
I like to give a lot of detail in my recipe posts to guide readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, feel free to click “jump to recipe” right under the title of this post and you’ll head straight there!
What is in Lemon Glaze?
- Butter – at room temperature is the base for this delicious glaze. I always use salted in my recipes, but unsalted works as well. It’s truly your personal preference.
- Powdered Sugar – You can make it with granulated sugar, however it won’t have the same amazing consistency. Confectioner’s sugar gives this glaze the most incredible texture and soft bite. You can make your own powdered sugar by pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until fine. Organic powdered sugar is not a suitable substitute.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed or store bought lemon juice adds just the right amount of refreshing flavor to this lemon glaze icing. You can add a little lemon zest to garnish if you’d like but this glaze is delightfully sweet and the perfect compliment to desserts.
Lemon Glaze is so quick and simple! It truly is the best way to elevate a dessert or breakfast treat – even if it’s store bought! To see just how easy it is, watch the video in this recipe!
The Easiest Lemon Glaze Recipe
- Combine – Combine butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Warm and Drizzle – Once your cake, cookies or bread have cool completely, warm the glaze and drizzle over the top of the cake or bread!
You can also use a bowl to dip the top of muffins in the sweet glaze. This glaze recipe is so flexible, because you can thin it out or leave it a little thicker depending on the look and consistency you’re after.
Tips
- Warm the glaze in the microwave (you can use a measuring cup).
- Whisk until smooth to remove any lumps.
- Pour over your baked goods.
This method ensures a beautiful drizzle. This glaze hardens just enough to set, but still offers a soft, supple bite. It’s thick, yet translucent, This way you get a pretty slice and unbelievable flavor and texture!
Add additional powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time.
Warm or add more lemon juice (for classic glaze add milk to thin).
It’s best to bring cake to room temperature before adding a glaze to prevent it from melting off.
Warm and drizzle over the top in a continuous motion to ensure it’s evenly glazed.
How to Store Glaze
Refrigerate – You can make glaze ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before warming. Freezing glazes is not recommended.
There’s a glaze for everything! Don’t forget to try these amazing glazes as well: Cream Cheese Glaze, Cinnamon Roll Glaze, Apple Pie Glaze, Basic Glaze, and Orange Glaze!
Serving Suggestions
- Blueberry Bread
- Blueberry Muffin
- Honey Lemon Cake
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
- Lemon Loaf
- Scones
- Breads
- Muffins
- Cakes
- Pound Cakes
- Cookies
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More Amazing Lemon Recipes
Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
- In a small microwave safe mixing bowl or large measuring cup, combine butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
- Warm 15 seconds and whisk to remove any clumps. Pour over scones, cookies, cakes, pound cake and more!
- Allow to set before slicing.
Video
Notes
Tips
- Avoid organic powdered sugar. It doesn’t achieve a desirable consistency.
- Warm the glaze in the microwave (you can use a measuring cup).
- Whisk until smooth to remove any lumps.
- Pour over your baked goods rather than spread for a beautiful finish.
To Store
Refrigerate – Refrigerate covered for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before warming. Note: Freezing is not recommended.Recipes to Enjoy With
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Pound Cakes
- Breads
- Scones
- Muffins
Drizzled this on my pound cake and it had become a success ! I did add a little bit of hot water to help the consistency. Looking forward to having another piece tomorrow night! 👍
Easy, sets beautifully and delicious! Thank you!
Thanks Janie!
Excellent lemon glaze I used on my Lemon Poppyseed bread! Yum!👌😊
Thanks, Jennifer!
This recipe is wonderful. I don’t like most glazes. They always taste like the confectioners sugar, which I don’t really like. I think the butter makes the difference (butter always helps).
I agree! Butter makes everything better 🤣
Easy,fast delicious !!!!
Thank you, Judy!
Wow! This is what I’ve wanted lemon glaze to be my whole life! Thank you!
Oh my gosh, thank you! That is the sweetest compliment!
Can I use something else instead of butter?
I haven’t tested an alternative, but most butter substitutes should work.
Delicious on angel food cake with a richness that stands out over other glaze.
Easy and delicious. I addded lemon zest to get a little more tart, lemony flavor.
thank you sssssoooooommmmuch I love it! Just right for my cake!
Thank you, Diana!
Thank you, this was easy to make, easy to work with, we drizzled over home made lemon biscotti.
Thank you, Happy Easter!
Tried for first time and was great
Delicious! I don’t care for lemon much, but this was a fantastic glaze. Perfect consistency to make a pretty topping for a pound cake too.
Thank you! You can always eliminate the lemon and add a little vanilla if you prefer. I appreciate you taking the time to rate!
So delicious! I served it with cinnamon buns and it was pretty yummy! Thank you!
What a fun combo!
Absolutely wonderful glaze! I’m new at this and it was super easy and tastes Marvelous! Thank you!
Thank you, Nancy!
Holy moly! Easy and delicious and oh so lemony!! Thank you, this one is going to get written in as a favourite.
Thank you! So glad you loved it!
This is outstanding! I melted the butter stovetop, only used half, then added the rest. I combined on low heat until warm. It made it more transparent, it fills the holes on a poke cake, but the flavor was even more tart! Delicious. I have tried to get this outcome, YOUR recipe is wonderful. Thank you
I made several lemon cakes for gifts, these are great!
Thank you Susan, so glad you enjoyed it! It’s truly wonderful on just about everything, isn’t it?
Perfect
This is so easy to make I want to make it for every dessert. Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe.
Well that was easy! Decided this would be a perfect glaze for waffles. And it is! 🙂 Yummy!
This makes me want to make lemon glaze just to eat with a spoon! I need to look up that blueberry bread to use with the glaze!
We LOVE this lemon glaze and use it on everything. We’ve done it on French toast and even over fresh berries and it is SO GOOD!!
I’m putting this on some quick bread I accidentally over baked. Yay for yummy lemon glaze to hide some faults.
I could drizzle that glaze on everything!!
My family really loved this! It was so good and really easy to make!
I love adding this delicious glaze to desserts!
I used this glaze on some scones I made, it is perfection!!!
This recipe looks amazing. The lemon glaze is the perfect summer recipe.
i want to put this on everything! or just eat it with a spoon!! Thanks for sharing
Amazing – very delicious! The Lemon glaze was to die for!
I LOVE how easy and delicious this is!! YUM!
I love drizzling lemon glaze over quick breads, cupcakes, and bundt cakes.
Wow! What a perfectly sweet and creamy glaze! This will be great on my pastry for breakfast!
Is it wrong to want to eat this with just a spoon??
This glaze is delicious! Perfect for so many baked goods!
This is so simple and tastes incredible! I love that it is slightly thicker than many glazes and the perfect balance of sweet and tart ❤️
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
Such an easy recipe! It adds so much to cakes and sweets and is effortless.
I can’t get enough of your pound cake recipes! And this glaze is perfect.
So easy to make. Love it!
You are just amazing, so beautiful and delicious ?, thank you for sharing those sweet stunning cakes and I’m trying
For Mother’s Day !!
You’re so sweet, hope you enjoy a beautiful day!
I used the recipe on donuts and it was really good!
This looks delicious and not too hard to make!
-gabby
I love lemon glazes. They are the perfect combo of sweet and sour