Here is our classic white Crisco Frosting recipe, which is sometimes referred to as Vanilla Crisco Frosting.
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.
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.
Printable Recipe for Crisco Frosting
Crisco Frosting Recipe
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
More Dairy-Free Frosting Recipes
Chocolate Crisco Frosting Recipe
Fluffy Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting
NANCY says
I have used this frosting for 40 years with no complaints, easy to decorate and great in hot weather.
Alison says
Can this frosting be frozen?
Alea Milham says
Yes, it can.
Alea Milham says
Yes, it can be frozen.
Kim steis says
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.
Julie says
I made it my son and husband said that was very good 💯💯💯💯💯
Athen says
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!
Max says
😋 Yummy 😋
Tracy says
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
Cathy Blankenship says
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.
Vanessa says
How much does the recipe make and can the already decorated cake be frozen?
Roberta says
I use regular fine sugar. How can you get rid of the grittiness ??
Alea Milham says
If you want to use granulated sugar, you need to put it in a blender first and blend it until it is powdered sugar.
Katherine says
Also add just a little bit of cornstarch to it to help firm the buttercream up
Kate says
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!
Chris says
How many cups of frosting does this make?
Lisa says
How do u cut down on the sweetness?
Cathy Blankenship says
Add some salt….1/2 tsp