Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Name: Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (softened); 1/2 cup butter (softened); 3 cups confectioner's sugar (sifted); 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Robyn Stone

Published Aug 07, 2025

161 Comments

5 from 42 votes

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Make the best cream cheese frosting with just 4 ingredients! This easy, creamy recipe is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and cinnamon rolls. Ready in 10 minutes, it’s pipeable, spreadable, and loved by all!

Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my family’s favorite frostings and I’ve been making it for many years. This homemade cream cheese frosting is perfect for piping on cupcakes or spreading on a classic carrot cake and cinnamon rolls, delivering a creamy texture every time. Fluffy, creamy, and delicious – you’ll want to make this frosting again and again!

Fluffy cream cheese frosting after mixing with hand mixer.

This Cream Cheese Frosting is just perfect for so many cakes and desserts and is so quick and easy to make with just four simple ingredients. It is a great recipe to add to your recipe collection along with my buttercream frosting. While buttercreams are usually a bit sweeter, both are equally useful and versatile. Like buttercream, this cream cheese frosting is sturdy enough to be piped for decorating cakes and cupcakes and can be easily colored. Did I mention it is delicious?!

Fluffy cream cheese frosting spread onto layers of carrot cake and topped with roasted pecans.

Smooth cream cheese frosting spread onto a Red Velvet Sheet Cake.

Let me share how easy it is to make this scrumptious frosting!

Tips for the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting

Make sure cream cheese and butter are fully softened so that the frosting is lump-free and creamy.
Use full fat cream cheese. No low fat or reduced fat or it won’t turn out as delicious!
Desserts topped with this frosting require refrigeration.
Sift powdered sugar so that it is clump-free. This will make for the creamiest and prettiest frosting as well as reduce the incidence of any problems if you choose to pipe your frosting.
If you need to make it thinner, use a tablespoon (at a time) of heavy cream. You can make it thicker with an extra tablespoon (at a time)of powdered sugar. Mix after each addition until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

It’s so quick and easy to make with four simple ingredients: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting recipe: Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Butter and Cream Cheese.

How to Make the Best Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting comes together quickly, but there are a few steps to make sure that you make the best cream cheese frosting possible.

Step by Step Instructions

Cream cheese and butter are creamed together with hand mixer in glass mixing bowl.

Cream together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Glass mixing bowl with smooth cream cheese and butter with powdered sugar added.

Add confectioner’s sugar, in batches, until smooth and creamy.

Vanilla extract added to cream cheese frosting mixture and mixed with hand mixer.

Mix in the vanilla extract.

Overhead of glass mixing bowl with fluffy cream cheese frosting mixed with a hand mixer. Bowl is sitting on marble countertop.

Beat on high until light and fluffy.

Recipe Variations

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the recipe for a rich, chocolatey twist.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: Substitute dairy cream cheese with a plant-based alternative and use vegan butter.

Best Desserts for Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake: The tangy frosting complements the spiced cake perfectly.

Hummingbird Cake: The sweetness of the fruit cake pairs beautifully with the frosting.

Red Velvet Cake: A classic pairing for a vibrant, festive look.

Pumpkin Cake: Ideal for fall baking with a creamy finish.

Cinnamon Rolls: A classic frosting for these cinnamon and sugar filled rolls.

Cookies: Cream cheese frosting for Christmas cookies (or sugar cookies in general) is a good thing!

Storage Tips

To store: Place frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days, but do not freeze as it will ruin the consistency of the frosting. Desserts topped with cream cheese icing require refrigeration. Store those desserts in airtight container in the refrigerator.

To use after it’s been refrigerated: Remove frosting from the refrigerator and add a tablespoon of heavy cream to the frosting. Then mix with an electric mixer until the frosting returns to a fluffy, spreadable consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make this frosting thinner or thicker?

If you need a thinner frosting, you can add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to thin it to your desired consistency.

If you need a thicker frosting, you can add confectioner’s sugar a tablespoon at a time to thicken it to your desired consistency.

Can this cream cheese frosting be used for piping?

Yes, absolutely! This frosting spreads and pipes beautifully. It is sturdy and holds it shape well if you wish to pipe it onto cakes or cupcakes.

Can you freeze cream cheese frosting?

No, freezing ruins the consistency, but it can be refrigerated for 3–4 days.

I’d love to hear how your cream cheese frosting turns out! Leave a comment, rate the recipe, or tag me on Instagram @addapinch with #addapinchrecipes.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Robyn Stone

5 from 42 votes

Make the best cream cheese frosting with just 4 ingredients! This easy, creamy recipe is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and cinnamon rolls.

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: 36 cupcakes or (1) 8″ or 9″ layered cake

Ingredients

▢ 2 (8-ounce) packages (452 g) cream cheese, softened
▢ 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
▢ 3 cups (340 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) vanilla extract

Instructions

Soften Ingredients: Ensure ingredients are softened to room temperature to prevent lumps.
Cream together: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together with a stand or hand mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth.
Add sugar: Sift 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar and add 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed to combine. After each cup, increase to high speed for 10 seconds to lighten.
Incorporate vanilla: Add vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Adjust Consistency: For thinner frosting, add 1 tablespoon heavy cream; for thicker, add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, mixing after each addition.

Notes

Recipe Yield:

This recipe yields just the right amount of frosting to generously frost 36 cupcakes or a 8 to 9-inch 3-layer cake.

This recipe works well to half or double depending on the amount of frosting that you need.

Troubleshooting Tip:

Use only full fat block cream cheese. Do not use cream cheese in tub.
If your frosting is too soft, chill it for 15 minutes before piping

Storage Tips:

To store: Place frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days, but can not be frozen as it will ruin the consistency of the frosting. Desserts topped with this frosting require refrigeration. Store those desserts in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To use: Remove frosting from the refrigerator and add a tablespoon of heavy cream to the frosting and mix with an electric mixer until the frosting returns to a spreadable consistency.

Recipe Variations:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the recipe for a rich, chocolatey twist.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: Substitute dairy cream cheese with a plant-based alternative and use vegan butter.