Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (2024)

This rich, tangy, spoon-lickable Best Cream Cheese Frosting is the only cream cheese frosting recipe you'll need! Made with just 4 ingredients, it takes only 10 minutes to whip up! This easy frosting recipe is perfect for carrot cakes, red velvet cupcakes, and even chocolate cupcakes too. Make it ahead and freeze it for later!

We love to frost our cakes and cupcakes with new and exciting flavors! For something a little more exotic, check out our fruity Guava Frosting or Dragon Fruit Buttercream Frosting. And for something a little more traditional, our Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is light, fluffy, and perfect for chocolate lovers!

Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (1)
Table of Contents
  1. The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
  2. Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe ingredients
  3. How to make Cream Cheese Frosting
  4. How to store the Best Cream Cheese Frosting
  5. Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe FAQs
  6. How to use Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
  7. More Frosting Recipes Like This
  8. Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese just seems to make desserts taste AMAZING, right?! Whether it's my No-Bake Cheesecake, Cream Cheese Brownies, or my Award-Winning Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, I'm always experimenting with adding this savory spread into sweet baked goods. Can't stop, won't stop, it's just delicious!

This is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting, and you'll love it for several reasons. First off, it requires just 4 (F-O-U-R!) ingredients, most of them you'll already have in the pantry or fridge (powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract) and you may even already have the cream cheese on hand as well! I always buy it in bulk so I have some on hand for sweet or savory recipes, and since it freezes well you can keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months and just thaw it as needed. I love recipes that don't need special trips to the store to throw together. Life is busy, and that's just another thing I don't need to fit into my day!

Second, this cream cheese frosting is made so quickly, you'll wonder if you've missed something. You haven't! It took me about 5 minutes of creaming the butter and cream cheese together first, and then tossing in the other ingredients...and just like that, we have cream cheese buttercream, ready to pipe and eat!

Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (2)

Pro Tip: if you'd like your cream cheese frosting to be a little firmer for piping, stick it in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or add a little cornstarch. These two techniques together hold the piping shape beautifully!

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe ingredients

It's just four ingredients to rich, delicious, homemade frosting that is the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and bars! I recommend using high quality ingredients, especially in a recipe like this where the ingredient list is short because you will really notice a difference in taste.

  • Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese, softened will make the best cream cheese frosting! It's extremely rich and tangy. I have done this with reduced fat cream cheese and it's still good, just not quite as good as with full-fat.
  • Butter: Plenty of softened butter makes this Cream Cheese Buttercream even richer! There's nothing like a buttery frosting.
  • Sugar: Powdered sugar is the best for this icing recipe as it melts easily into the rest of the ingredients.
  • Vanilla extract: Just a little extra flavor, the vanilla complements the cream cheese deliciously! You can use store-bought, or make your own with my Homemade Vanilla Extract recipe.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter. Firstly, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer. This is much easier if your ingredients are room temperature to begin with. Mix them really well to make sure there aren't any lumps of cream cheese.
  2. Mix in sugar and vanilla. For the last step, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until creamy and smooth. That's really all there is to it!
Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (3)
Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (4)

How to store the Best Cream Cheese Frosting

You can make this cream cheese frosting up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you're ready to use it, let it sit on the counter to take off the chill before beating it back into its fluffy state and piping it or spreading it over a cake.

Can you freeze Cream Cheese Frosting?

Yes! This frosting can be frozen for up to about 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then let it sit out on the counter to come to room temperature before beating well and using. I like to make a double batch and freeze half just to have some on hand.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe FAQs

How do you firm up Cream Cheese Frosting?

If you want a cream cheese frosting with even more stability for piping, the best way I've found is refrigerating it for 15-30 minutes and/or mixing in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. If you're making cupcakes but aren't going to serve them immediately after piping, stick them in the fridge to retain the piped shape as well.

What is the difference between icing and frosting?

Frosting tends to be fluffier and is perfect for topping cupcakes with, or spreading over and in between cake layers. Icing is usually glossier and is great for decorating finer details on baked goods like cookies. Check out my Easy Royal Icing Recipe for Sugar Cookies tutorial and video for more information on icing!

How to use Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKES:

  • Best Carrot Cake Recipe
  • Best Red Velvet Cake
  • One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe
  • Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake

CUPCAKES:

  • Best Ever Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
  • Lemon Cupcakes
  • Gingerbread Cupcakes
  • Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
  • Best Ever Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

COOKIES & BROWNIES:

  • Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
  • The BEST Homemade Brownie Recipe
Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (5)

More Frosting Recipes Like This

  • Homemade Rainbow Chip Frosting Recipe
  • Lemon Buttercream Frosting
  • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  • Easy Salted Caramel Frosting

Frostings

Fresh Strawberry Frosting

Frostings

Best German Chocolate Cake Frosting

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.

Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (9)

PrintPinRate

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

4.99 from 99 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Frostings

Cuisine American

Servings 3 cups

This rich, tangy, spoon-lickable Best Cream Cheese Frosting is the only cream cheese frosting recipe you'll need! Made with just 4 ingredients, it takes only 10 minutes to whip up! This easy frosting recipe is perfect for carrot cakes, red velvet cupcakes, and even chocolate cupcakes too. Make it ahead and freeze it for later!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup salted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

  • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until creamy and smooth.

Notes

  • Stiffer Frosting: If you want a cream cheese frosting with even more stability for piping, try refrigerating it for 15-30 minutes and/or mixing in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
  • Yield: This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting, which is enough for 1 dozen cupcakes (if you are piping it on like in the photos) or a 2 layer cake.
  • Make Ahead and Storage Instructions: This frosting keeps in and airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days if you want to make it in advance. Let it sit for a while on the counter to take off the chill before beating and using.
  • Freezing Instructions: This frosting can be frozen for up to about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let it sit out on the counter to come to room temperature before beating well and using.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (14)

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

Learn More

Best Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting (2024)

FAQs

Why add butter to cream cheese frosting? ›

An equal ratio of butter to cream cheese yields a super smooth, spreadable frosting, while still maintaining the distinctive tangy flavor.

What icing is better buttercream or cream cheese? ›

For instance, carrot cake, red velvet cake, and other moist cakes are commonly made with cream cheese frosting. Its tangy flavor is a perfect addition to spiced cakes, cupcakes, and breads, but it's less versatile than buttercream, which offers a sweeter flavor that pairs with just about any dessert you bake.

Should I refrigerate cream cheese frosting before using? ›

If you're baking a cake with cream cheese frosting, it's best to frost the entire cake and dish it up immediately, or leave it in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. Leftover cream cheese frosting kept in the fridge will last up to two weeks. Store it in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag.

What thickens cream cheese frosting? ›

Powdered sugar – Aka confectioner's sugar. It thickens and sweetens the frosting.

How to keep cream cheese frosting from getting runny? ›

Mix 1 tablespoon (25 grams) of cornstarch into the frosting. If it is still too runny, add a little more. Continue to add cornstarch until you are happy with the texture. Avoid adding more than 1/2 cup (62.5 grams) of cornstarch per 8 oz (226 grams) of cream cheese.

Which brand has the best cream cheese frosting? ›

Duncan Hines Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Pillowy soft and super easy to spread, it has a thinner texture yet fuller, tangier flavor overall—making it the best cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls, hands down.

How to make can icing taste like bakery? ›

Depending on what kind of cake you're making, try stirring a spoonful of any of the following into the frosting:
  1. Peanut butter.
  2. Cookie butter.
  3. Chocolate-hazelnut spread.
  4. Dulce de leche.
  5. Caramel sauce.
  6. Lemon curd.
  7. Fruit jam.
Mar 5, 2024

Can you over beat cream cheese frosting? ›

Allow the cream cheese and butter to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, but don't let the butter melt. If the butter is too soft, the frosting can be too soft as well. Overbeating cream cheese frosting can make it too runny.

What frosting do professionals use for cakes? ›

Both Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Italian Meringue Buttercream are commonly used by professional bakers, with Swiss meringue being slightly more popular. Both these buttercreams are made by whipping granulated sugar and egg whites into a meringue and then whipping butter into that meringue.

Which frosting is best for beginners? ›

Best frosting for: beginner cake bakers

If you're a cake baker just looking for the basics, American-style buttercream is a good place to start. No need to worry about syrup temperature or whipping meringue: just cream together butter (or shortening) and sugar, and you're basically set.

What is the best frosting for decorating cakes? ›

Royal icing is one of the best icings for decorating cakes. Mixing together powdered sugar, egg whites, and meringue powder or liquid provides a consistency relative to pancake batter. This makes it easy to pour into pastry bags to fulfill your decorating dreams.

Can you leave carrot cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight? ›

The creamy, tangy topping complements both sweet and spiced cakes and makes the entire dessert all-around delicious. Unfortunately, cream cheese frosting is susceptible to becoming a breeding ground for bacteria, and leaving a cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight is an easy way to ruin it.

How long does homemade cream cheese frosting last? ›

Cream cheese frosting will usually last in the refrigerator for up to a week, which gives you plenty of time to use it on various baked goods. And if you want to keep your cream cheese frosting for an extra long time, it will stay safe in the freezer for around 30 days — just be sure it's in a tightly sealed container.

Can I freeze cream cheese frosting? ›

Because of its high-fat content, you can freeze cream cheese frosting for up to 3 months. Ensure the cream cheese frosting is stored in an airtight container or freezer bag for optimal freshness.

What is the purpose of butter in frosting? ›

As the name implies, butter is meant to be the main ingredient in this sweet frosting. It's what gives buttercream its structure, so it can be easily piped or spread over the cake. When you opt for a substitute, like margarine or shortening, it will alter the flavor, mouthfeel, and structure of the buttercream.

Can I add butter to store bought cream cheese frosting? ›

Luckily, there are some tricks we can do to elevate it, including mixing in a common kitchen ingredient: butter. By mixing butter into store-bought frosting, you'll make the frosting a bit fluffier, which will give it more of a homemade feel.

Why does my cream cheese frosting keep melting? ›

The cornflour is important in the frosting as it helps to absorb some of the excess moisture from the cream cheese (particularly the type sold in containers) and so should not be omitted from the recipe. If it is left out then the frosting can become runny and may look curdled.

Will adding butter thicken frosting? ›

Butter and Room Temperature: Room temperature butter is a game-changer when it comes to thickening frostings. Softened butter blends seamlessly with other ingredients, providing a smooth and rich texture to your frosting. Mix it well using an electric mixer for the best results.

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