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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Crisco Frosting

Crisco Frosting

October 9, 2015 by Alea Milham 88 Comments

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Easy Crisco frosting recipe
how to make Crisco frosting

Here is our classic white Crisco Frosting recipe, which is sometimes referred to as Vanilla Crisco Frosting.

Classic White Crisco frosting on top of cupcakes

Did you know you can make frosting with Crisco? It may sound weird, but it is true. Crisco frosting was quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s. It was an easy way to make icing when you didn’t have any butter available.

What may surprise you is how widely Crisco frosting is still used in bakeries. My Grandma called this Wedding Cake Frosting because it is often used on wedding cakes.

Why make frosting with Crisco?

Some people prefer the flavor and texture of Crisco frosting. One of my husband’s cousins requests Crisco frosting on his birthday cake each year.

Shortening is dairy-free, so some people choose to make Crisco frosting because they are allergic to dairy.

Crisco is a firm solid at room temperature, whereas butter is soft at room temperature. Some people use frosting made with Crisco because it is more heat-resistant than buttercream frosting, so it holds up better on warmer days.

Even if you prefer buttercream frosting, Crisco is shelf-stable, so you can make frosting with it instead of running to the store when you run out of butter on your baking day.

Since Crisco and powdered sugar are white, you can get a Classic White Frosting if you also use clear vanilla extract, which is an ideal canvas for decorating cakes and will produce crisp colored icing when you add food coloring.

Homemade cupcakes topped with Crisco frosting.

In the picture above, I made cupcakes from my Vanilla Depression Cake recipe and topped them with Crisco frosting because we were out of butter and milk.

Does Crisco Frosting taste good?

You have probably eaten Crisco frosting and not even realized it. This frosting recipe is very similar to the frosting that Bakeries use on cakes and sugar cookies. It is fluffy, holds its shape when piped on cookies and cakes, and has a delicious vanilla flavor.

Does Crisco Frosting need to be refrigerated?

Crisco frosting does not need to be refrigerated, so feel free to make your cake the night before your party. If you have leftover frosting, put it in a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

How to Make Crisco Frosting

You make Crisco frosting the same way that you make buttercream frosting, you beat the shortening until it is fluffy. Then mix in the vanilla and salt. Finally, you alternate adding the powdered sugar and the liquid, while continuously beating the mixture.

Crisco Frosting Recipe

You can double the recipe to frost a layer cake if you want to have thick layers of frosting between each layer of cake.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup water, milk, or dairy-free milk substitute

Directions:

1. Place the Crisco, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.

2. Switch the mixer to low speed and alternate adding the powdered sugar and the liquid until the ingredients are completely blended.

3. Beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Use it to decorate 18 cupcakes, a 13×9 cake, or a batch of sugar cookies.

Store unused frosting in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before you use it to frost other baked goods.

How to make Crisco frosting.

Printable Recipe for Crisco Frosting

How to make Crisco frosting.
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5 from 14 votes

Crisco Frosting Recipe

This Crisco frosting tastes like bakery frosting and can be used to decorate cakes and cookies.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Crisco Frosting
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Servings 18
Calories 156kcal
Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup water milk, or dairy-free milk substitute

Instructions

  • Place the Crisco, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
  • Switch the mixer to low speed and alternate adding the powdered sugar and the liquid until the ingredients are completely blended.
  • Beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Sugar: 26g | Iron: 1mg

More Dairy-Free Frosting Recipes

Chocolate Crisco Frosting Recipe

Fluffy Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting

 Fluffy Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

How to Make Royal Icing

Dairy-Free “Butter Cream” Frosting

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Desiree Davis says

    May 11, 2025 at 9:42 am

    Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of milk? If so, how much?

    Reply
  2. Deb says

    December 18, 2024 at 4:49 pm

    My recipe is similar to this except I use creamora powder, instead of milk and add almond extract also to get that wedding cake flavor….then I use water to get the consistency I want…..yum!

    Reply
  3. Christine Richardson says

    December 15, 2024 at 8:15 am

    5 stars
    Help please, If I make this thinner to pipe onto cookies will it still dry like the thicker version?

    Reply
  4. Judy Kouba says

    September 27, 2024 at 6:44 am

    Can you make this frosting in different flavors such as strawberry or lemon

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 6, 2024 at 6:23 pm

      Yes, you can. For lemon flavored frosting, lemon juice or lemon extract until you achieve the desired flavor. I would start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of lemon extract. Then add small amounts until you achieve your desired flavor.

      For strawberry flavored frosting, add 1/4 cup of pureed strawberries in place of the milk. You may need to add a tablespoon of milk to achieve the desired consistency.

      Reply
      • Judy says

        October 14, 2024 at 10:25 am

        Thank you so much

        Reply
    • Alyssa says

      October 10, 2024 at 8:18 pm

      Many, many years ago I learned cake decorating in 4H. I was taught a recipe similar to this. The difference was double the above recipe and before adding the powder sugar, add 3 rounded tablespoons of merengue powder. Then alternate between the powder sugar and water. Adding enough water to get the consistency that you want.

      Reply
  5. Maria Teresa says

    September 22, 2024 at 9:04 am

    5 stars
    Will it make a crust?

    Reply
  6. Linda says

    August 28, 2024 at 11:15 am

    Ii make a lot of cupcakes for a church event and freeze them. Can you freeze this frosting and still get the great taste when thawed?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      August 28, 2024 at 11:59 am

      Yes, you can freeze them.

      Reply
  7. Linda says

    August 28, 2024 at 11:12 am

    Can you freeze this frosting? I make cupcakes for a church event and like to make them ahead of time.

    Reply
  8. LuAnn says

    July 20, 2024 at 4:12 pm

    Can I use butter flavored crisco?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 23, 2024 at 7:36 pm

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  9. Debbie W says

    April 30, 2024 at 6:27 pm

    Can I substitute coconut flavoring for the vanilla

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      May 9, 2024 at 10:48 am

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  10. Donna says

    March 17, 2024 at 9:37 am

    I have used this recipe for years and everyone loves it. But once in awhile when a gel coloring is added it will not blend well with the CRISCO. ( I always use fresh.)
    What causes that to seem separate and not blend well?

    Reply
    • April O says

      May 28, 2024 at 12:03 am

      Try adding the food coloring mixed with 2 tablespoons corn syrup before adding to the frosting for a smooth, even color.

      Reply
  11. Carrie says

    February 28, 2024 at 10:17 am

    Does this frost a double layer 8 inch cake or would
    I need to double the recipe?

    Reply
  12. Si says

    February 25, 2024 at 12:57 pm

    Hi! What happens if I beat Crisco too much? (I made butter by accident once 😅)

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 17, 2024 at 8:33 pm

      Hi,
      In your directions when you say “alternate adding the sugar and liquid” there’s much more sugar (4 cups), than liquid (¼ cup); do you mean add 1 cup of sugar, then a little milk, and continue until both me the measurements are met? That part is a bit confusing to me. Or perhaps I’m making it more complicated in my mind 😆

      Reply
      • Alea Milham says

        August 28, 2024 at 12:02 pm

        Yes, add approximately a cup of sugar, then a tablespoon of liquid until you read the desired consistency.

        Reply
  13. Kelly H says

    February 13, 2024 at 9:53 pm

    I want to know can I substitute a the powdered sugar for a sugar free substitute in this recipe. If so which one is the best one. I took cake decorating classes and love to make and decorate cakes. We used this same recipe in the classes.But I found out I’m a diabetic . I real miss making cakes and had to stop because I want to stay healthy

    Reply
  14. Raija says

    January 7, 2024 at 11:47 am

    5 stars
    Just like store bought! Delicious!

    Reply
  15. Des says

    December 18, 2023 at 6:45 am

    Does this or can this be made to dry? I’ve made this before and loved, but don’t remember. I need to make a non-flooding icing for cookies that will dry for cookie stacking

    Reply
    • Danyse says

      March 2, 2024 at 4:43 am

      This is basically how my mother taught me to “ice the cakes” years ago. There were no measurements involved. Powdered sugar in bowl, oversized tablespoon of Crisco, mix in, then add milk, a little at a time to get proper consistency. Sets up well (on the counter) for stackable cookies. I make it to this day, and I am 70 years old.

      Reply
  16. Teresa says

    October 29, 2023 at 7:02 am

    Great tasting frosting! This is the only frosting I will use!!

    Reply
  17. Cindy Lu T. says

    October 26, 2023 at 8:24 am

    This is the only recipe we used growing up in the 60s and 70s when Crisco was so cheap. The era of Loretta Lynn and her crisco commercials – fried chicken and flakey pie crusts 🙂

    Reply
  18. Mae says

    October 14, 2023 at 10:12 pm

    Thank you the best and easy frosting and delicious thanks again

    Reply
  19. Gilly says

    September 29, 2023 at 6:16 am

    The frosting was delicious, my husband love it. Thank you.

    Reply
  20. Amanda says

    September 23, 2023 at 7:03 pm

    How much meringue powder would I add to give it a stiff texture

    Reply
  21. NANCY says

    September 14, 2023 at 6:02 am

    5 stars
    I have used this frosting for 40 years with no complaints, easy to decorate and great in hot weather.

    Reply
    • Louise says

      September 23, 2023 at 6:40 pm

      My mom always made this frosting, decorated wedding cake for freinds and family. Only difference she added lemon flavor which was delish!!

      Reply
  22. Alison says

    September 13, 2023 at 7:47 am

    Can this frosting be frozen?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      September 13, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      Yes, it can.

      Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      September 13, 2023 at 2:17 pm

      Yes, it can be frozen.

      Reply
  23. Kim steis says

    September 8, 2023 at 10:25 pm

    My Crisco frosting is a cup of butter soft a half a cup of Crisco a cup of sugar a teaspoon of vanilla and a half a cup of warm milk and it’s delicious you have to beat it a lot to make sure the sugar all dissolves in the frosting and it’s not gritty.

    Add butter sugar Crisco beat on high for several minutes then add the vanilla I like to get my milk a little bit warm and then I just add it in to the mixture one tablespoon at a time if the milk is too hot it will ruin the frosting.

    Reply
  24. Julie says

    August 15, 2023 at 1:42 pm

    5 stars
    I made it my son and husband said that was very good 💯💯💯💯💯

    Reply
  25. Athen says

    August 15, 2023 at 8:17 am

    5 stars
    We love this recipe & often use it on cookie cakes! The one thing I will say is it isn’t a pretty white color, its more cream colored! BUT SO YUMMY and pipes well!

    Reply
  26. Max says

    June 18, 2023 at 3:47 pm

    5 stars
    😋 Yummy 😋

    Reply
  27. Tracy says

    June 15, 2023 at 10:31 pm

    How well does it pipe onto cupcakes? I want to start selling cupcakes at Farmer’s Markets and I need a shortening frosting that will hold its shape, taste great and not melt easy in the heat

    Reply
    • Cathy Blankenship says

      July 19, 2023 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      I have used Crisco buttercream for many years on wedding, special occasion cakes. The only thing I do is add a little salt and use Creme Bouquet flavoring by Magic Line. I also blend the sugar and shortening BEFORE ADDING THE MILK. You can also up the Crisco to 3/4 Cup.

      Reply
  28. Vanessa says

    June 11, 2023 at 6:28 am

    How much does the recipe make and can the already decorated cake be frozen?

    Reply
  29. Roberta says

    April 8, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    I use regular fine sugar. How can you get rid of the grittiness ??

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      April 8, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      If you want to use granulated sugar, you need to put it in a blender first and blend it until it is powdered sugar.

      Reply
      • Katherine says

        June 2, 2023 at 7:05 pm

        Also add just a little bit of cornstarch to it to help firm the buttercream up

        Reply
  30. Kate says

    October 13, 2022 at 5:29 pm

    When I was growing up, mom and grandma made crisco frosting and used clear almond flavoring. Now our go-to frosting is buttercream, but mom still frosts her Christmas cookies with this and all the grandkids love it!

    Reply
  31. Chris says

    August 9, 2022 at 7:24 pm

    How many cups of frosting does this make?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      June 1, 2023 at 10:06 pm

      How do u cut down on the sweetness?

      Reply
      • Cathy Blankenship says

        July 19, 2023 at 9:34 am

        5 stars
        Add some salt….1/2 tsp

        Reply
  32. Matt says

    July 17, 2022 at 4:19 pm

    Can you use Cremora Coffee power with this I remember tasting a cake made with Crisco frosting but they said they used creamer and it was very good.
    Did you ever here of this?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 18, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      Yes, you can use Cremora Coffee power if you wish.

      Reply
  33. Macy says

    July 15, 2022 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    Dose it mean teaspoon or tablespoon of vanilla

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 18, 2022 at 11:54 pm

      I use 1 tablespoon, but you can use less if you wish.

      Reply
  34. Kristy Kay says

    July 4, 2022 at 6:32 am

    This is best made with almond extract instead of vanilla. Of course this is our family’s opinion!

    Reply
  35. Reb says

    May 8, 2022 at 12:38 pm

    Hi
    If I wanted to make a batch using half butter half Crisco, what quantity of each would be best? I’m looking to layer AND frost the outside. Thanks 😊

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      May 15, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      You can use 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of Crisco.

      Reply
  36. Donna D says

    May 5, 2022 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  37. susan says

    April 25, 2022 at 2:18 pm

    we are making my daughters wedding cake we want to now does crisco frosting freeze well because we are going to frost the cakes and freeze them to take them to the hall to putt together

    Reply
  38. Cindy Garstkiewicz says

    April 22, 2022 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    FANTASTIC! I was making Easter cupcakes 🧁 for my grandsons class and wouldn’t you know I was out of butter. I found this recipe, I was a little skeptical but, omgeeeee! Sooooooo good! My grandson,who is pretty picky, said they were the best cupcakes ever! Win for Nana!

    Reply
  39. JD says

    March 22, 2022 at 2:28 am

    Thank you! My daughter is learning cake decorating for 4H and though I love buttercream with real butter, since she will be taking it to a fair in August, I wanted to find an all shortening recipe, this is the one that I used when I was learning to decorate in the late 1980s.

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 23, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      Give your daughter my best wishes for her Fair entries!

      Reply
  40. Lee says

    March 15, 2022 at 4:42 pm

    When would you add food colouring?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 15, 2022 at 10:42 pm

      At the end when it is the consistency that I want. Then I would add food gel instead of coloring as the gel doesn’t water down the frosting.

      Reply
  41. Jennifer says

    February 17, 2022 at 8:28 am

    Can I use half real butter and half crisp?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      February 19, 2022 at 12:18 am

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  42. Jackie Hanlon says

    November 25, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    I use almond flavouring instead of vanilla it tastes great on fruit cakes and stands up really well

    Reply
  43. Susan Trouten says

    October 11, 2021 at 4:16 pm

    Can you use butter flavor Crisco for the frosting?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 15, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
      • Mary Welemirov says

        February 15, 2022 at 1:15 pm

        You can use Butter flavor Crisco however your frosting will be an ivory color. It also works when you add cocoa for chocolate frosting. Use 2 to 4 tablespoons of cocoa and a little extra vanilla to taste.

        Reply
  44. H says

    September 25, 2021 at 7:48 pm

    Can you use flour instead of powdersugar

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      September 25, 2021 at 11:47 pm

      No, flour would not taste good.

      Reply
  45. Richard says

    September 1, 2021 at 2:04 pm

    My neighbor Mrs. Mcnally used to make a frosting for her cakes and I’m going back about 50 years and it was the best it was a real kind of a stiff frosting yet smooth and creamy would she have been using lard thanks she has long since passed away and her daughters don’t have the recipes of course. I always had my mom use that frosting because it was so good

    Reply
  46. Carmela says

    August 25, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    Can you freeze crisco frosting?

    Reply
    • Mary says

      September 19, 2021 at 8:22 pm

      Yes you can freeze this

      Reply
  47. Morgan Oglesby says

    July 3, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    How many cupcakes can you decorate with this recipe

    Reply
  48. Ellen says

    June 18, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    How long does the crisco, vanilla and salt have to beat on high before becoming fluffy?

    Reply
  49. Karen Holt says

    March 23, 2021 at 6:54 am

    Is this icing good for cookie kits… put in piping bags and left at room temperature for a day or two?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 28, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      Yes. This icing should work in cookie kits. It can be left at room temperature for a day or two.

      Your idea sounds fun! I would love to see the cookies you create with the kits!

      Reply
  50. Angie says

    January 18, 2021 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    Love it! I have added Lemon Extract and even strawberry syrup and both times it turns out awesome!!

    Reply
  51. Ashley says

    January 8, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    How long can this frosting be left out? I’m looking for a shelf stable frosting (other than royal icing) to mail- so could take up to a week to get to destination.

    Reply
    • Charlene Russell says

      July 11, 2021 at 7:57 am

      I would assume as long as you chose to use a non dairy or shelf stable dairy route it would be pretty stable.

      Reply
  52. Miriam says

    December 21, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    Could you add coconut extract to the frosting? How much and would you still use the vanilla flavoring?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      December 21, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      You can add coconut extract. I would add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon coconut extract. Then taste it and add more coconut extract until you reach the desired flavor. Add the coconut extract in small amounts: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon at a time, stir it in, taste it, then repeat if needed.

      Reply
  53. Mac says

    October 30, 2020 at 5:32 am

    Can you use Creemore Coffee creamer if you don’t have any milk

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 30, 2020 at 1:19 pm

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
    • Mac says

      October 31, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      How much Creemore it’s not liquid. How much would you use?

      Reply
  54. Gina says

    September 26, 2020 at 7:19 pm

    I have always used Crisco in lieu of butter. I think it tastes better! In addition to the vanilla extract, I add a Tbs. of almond extract and a couple tsp. of lemon juice. It is a delicious frosting!

    Reply
  55. Anna says

    May 31, 2020 at 5:33 pm

    5 stars
    I was out of butter and milk, but wanted to make cupcakes for my kids. I used this frosting recipe and it was absolutely delicious! My family loved it. Thank you!

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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