Simple Brown Butter Glaze (15-Minute Recipe)

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This brown butter glaze recipe is all about big flavor with minimal effort. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a glaze that adds depth and richness to anything from cakes to cookies.

Recipe At a Glance

This brown butter glaze is a variation of the simplest glaze out there: the powdered sugar glaze. The main difference is that we use brown butter as our flavor base and milk to thin out the glaze to the consistency we need.

What stays unchanged is that the glaze is super simple to make, though a bit more time-consuming, and makes almost any plain baked good feel special.

If you’ve never had this one, you’ll be amazed by how great butter can taste if you take a couple of minutes to brown it on the stove.

Let’s dive in.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutes

• Powdered sugar. The base of the glaze.
• Unsalted butter. The main flavoring component. In theory, salted butter should work okay too, as we’re adding salt to the glaze anyway.
• Salt. A bit of salt helps bring out the flavor.
• Milk. Full-fat milk is the go-to, but low-fat or skim milk works just as well. We use milk to thin out the glaze and adjust its consistency to what we need.
• Vanilla extract. Optional, but adds a bit of flavor.

How to Make Brown Butter Glaze

1. Make brown butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (this is why it’s sometimes called hazelnut butter). The whole process takes 5 to 10 minutes after the butter melts. You’ll first hear a sizzling sound followed by a crackling sound. Soon after, it’ll start turning brown and smelling nutty. When it gets there, take it off the heat, put it in a bowl of cold water, and stir for a minute or two to cool it down.

2. Add butter, salt, and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, combine the brown butter, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract, stirring until well mixed.

3. Whisk in powdered sugar. Slowly whisk in sifted powdered sugar.

4. Adjust consistency. Add a bit of milk to loosen it up when the mixture starts getting lumpy. A little goes a long way. Continue adding powdered sugar and milk until you run out of powdered sugar and are happy with the consistency. Aim for a glaze that flows slowly but smoothly from the whisk. If you add too much milk and the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar until you get to the right consistency.

5. Use immediately. Pour the icing over your baked goods and desserts, or brush them using a pastry brush. Make sure the baked goods you top are cold before you do so.

How to Use This Brown Butter Glaze?

You can use this browned butter glaze to top bundt cakes, pound cakes, cinnamon rolls, muffins, cupcakes, and anything else in between. Check out my brown butter financiers recipe to see how I used it for financiers.

Want a more detailed answer? Check out my powdered sugar glaze article for more examples.

FAQ

Does the brown butter glaze harden?

Sort of. If the glaze isn’t too runny, it will form a crust after 10 to 30 minutes at room temperature, but it stays soft underneath because of the butter. If you add too much milk, it’ll take longer to dry and may not set properly.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover glaze in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Before using it again, stir it well and add a bit of milk to thin it out if needed.

How do I store baked goods topped with this glaze?

Leave the glazed baked goods on the counter until the glaze hardens, then place the goods in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Brown Butter Glaze

This brown butter glaze recipe is all about big flavor with minimal effort. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a glaze that adds depth and richness to anything from cakes to cookies.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 0.33 cup

Author: Marcin Skrzypiec

Equipment

• Whisk
• Food scale

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• pinch salt
• 2-4 teaspoons milk adjust based on consistency
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Instructions

• Make Brown Butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown and nutty smelling (5–10 minutes). Remove from heat, cool quickly in cold water while stirring.
  2 tablespoons butter
• Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, mix the brown butter with a pinch of salt and vanilla extract.
  pinch salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whisk in Powdered Sugar: Gradually whisk in sifted powdered sugar.
  1 cup powdered sugar
• Adjust Consistency: When the mixture gets lumpy, add milk in small amounts while whisking. Continue adding milk and powdered sugar until you incorporate all the sugar and the glaze is smooth and slow pouring. Adjust with more powdered sugar if you add too much milk.
  2-4 teaspoons milk
• Use Immediately: Pour or brush over cooled baked goods.

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