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This classic vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is ready in minutes with just 4 ingredients. Simple and sweet, itโs the perfect topping for cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and bars.
Megganโs notes
As a classically-trained chef with plenty of pastry classes under my belt, I love to help home cooks master dessert recipes at home.ย Cream Cheese Frostingย is a classic recipe thatโs easy to make, less fussy than other types of frosting, and is delicious on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins.
The only skill you need is patience while you let the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature. And if you canโt even handle that, Iโve got tips for softening your dairy in the microwave.
Table of Contents
Recipe For Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Cream cheese: Skip the low-fat cream cheese here. For the smoothest possible frosting, be sure your cream cheese is softened completely. Or, speed it up by microwaving it in 30-second increments at 50% power until you can whisk it easily by hand.
- Butter: Let it soften to room temperature, about 70 to 72 degrees.
- Powdered sugar: If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can make your own powdered sugar. Working in batches if needed, process 1 to 2 cups of granulated sugar on high speed until fine and powdery. Then transfer to a container and measure out the amount you need. Always measure out what you need after you process it.
- Vanilla: Or substitute your favorite extract such as coconut, almond, or banana. Add a few drops at a time, stir in completely, and taste.
How to make Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl by hand, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat well.
- Spread evenly over cooled desserts such as cookies, cakes, bars, and cinnamon rolls.
Tips For Making Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
- Room temperature ingredients: If your frosting is lumpy, chances are itโs from the butter being too cold. If your kitchen is very hot and the ingredients are too warm, let them firm up in the refrigerator before starting.
- Bricks are better: When at all possible, opt for the cream cheese in the brick-style packaging, instead of the tubs. Itโs denser, and will give you better results.
- Sift, or donโt sift: While itโs not absolutely mandatory to sift the confectionerโs sugar before using, if the sugar you have looks lumpy, it couldnโt hurt.
- Tinted cream cheese frosting:ย Absolutely possible! Be sure to use gel food coloring, so the frosting doesnโt get too thin.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups of cream cheese frosting. Itโs enough to frost at least 24 cupcakes, a 9-inch by 13-inch cake, a 2-layer cake, or a 3-layer cake.
Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Variations
As long as you donโt add too much liquid to the frosting, you can flavor it up any way you see fit with cocoa, extracts, or citrus juice.
- Chocolate cream cheese frosting: For every 8 ounces of cream cheese, replace ยฝ cup powdered sugar with ยฝ cup sifted (unsweetened) dark cocoa powder to maintain the consistency of the frosting.
- Lemon cream cheese frosting: For every 8 ounces of cream cheese, use 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 teaspoons lemon zest.
- Peppermint frosting: Add a few drops of peppermint extract or flavoring to the frosting, taste, and repeat as needed until itโs chilly enough for you.
- Almond frosting: Stir almond extract into cream cheese frosting spread over Chocolate Cupcakes, then top with toasted almonds.
Storing Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Store leftover cream cheese frosting, and anything frosted with it, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cream cheese frosting is usually made with nearly equal amounts of butter and cream cheese in the base. Cream cheese buttercream is made mostly with butter, like a buttercream frosting, and then flavored with a small amount of cream cheese.
Full-fat cream cheese is best for cream cheese frosting. Itโs thick and rich, mixes well with butter, and has the best texture for spreading on baked goods. Reduced fat cream cheese, and cream cheese spread in a tub, wonโt work well for frosting.
Buttercream pipes better than cream cheese frosting. Buttercream has a stable structure and holds its shape well, while cream cheese is thick, heavy, and falls down easily, especially at room temperature.
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Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredientsย
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick, see note 2)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructionsย
- In a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl by hand, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat well. Spread evenly over cooled desserts such as cookies, cakes, bars, and cinnamon rolls.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cream cheese: Skip the low-fat cream cheese here. For the smoothest possible frosting, be sure your cream cheese is softened completely. Or, speed it up by microwaving it in 30-second increments at 50% power until you can whisk it easily by hand.
- Butter: Let it soften to room temperature, about 70 to 72 degrees.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups of cream cheese frosting. Itโs enough to frost at least 24 cupcakes, a 9-inch by 13-inch cake, a 2-layer cake, or a 3-layer cake.
- Storage: Store leftover cream cheese frosting, and anything frosted with it, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Excellent banana bars. Just like my mother use to make. The cream cheese frosting is a must.! Thank you for sharing. I could not find my recipe and i almost cried.. But yours seemed to be the same. These were delicious!!
Youโre so welcome, Pamela! Iโm so happy you found this recipe! โ Meggan
Hi. Will this recipe yield enough frosting to cover an 8-inch 3-layer cake? Thank you.