Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
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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!
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?!
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.
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 together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add confectioner’s sugar, in batches, until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- 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
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.
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.
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.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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
- 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published in 2011, updated in 2025 to include new tips and photos.
Thank you! Quick, easy, concise and a great outcome.
So happy you like it too, Nancy! xo
i made the frosting and it tasted amazing
shook. This is great.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I used salted butter. Enjoy it Kelly!
Hi! I am making this right now for my granddaughter’s birthday celebration this evening. It is very runny even though I have added quite a bit of extra 10 X sugar. My butter & cream cheese were still very firm when I started. I am very disappointed and upset! I now have to figure out something for this cake! I have no supplies left which means I now have to make a trip to the store! What’s up with this? I have been baking for 55 years & I should have gone with my instincts! Way too much cream cheese & way too little sugar!
I’m so sorry you had problems with this recipe. I’ve not had that issue with the ratio of cream cheese and sugar in this recipe. For reference, I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese and generally use Land O’ Lakes butter. I’ve used other brands successfully as well. Another thought on what may have caused an issue is if you didn’t beat the frosting on high speed as mentioned in step 3 after each addition of the confectioner’s sugar. That makes a huge difference.
Great frosting! Not too sweet and the cream cheese flavor predominates. This will be my “go-to” recipe from now on.
helped my friend make this last minute though she is not a good baker haha this turned out great thank you so much for this recipe easy and delicious!
Thanks so much Lauren! xo
I made this and it taste delicious. The only problem is that it was too soft. My cream cheese and butter were both room temperature. I saw at least one other person had this problem. Still. easy to make and taste great.
I’m sorry it was too soft. It does sound like the butter and cream cheese got too warm though, Cindy. I am happy though that you enjoyed how easy it is to make and you liked the taste. Thanks!
My frosting was runny as well. I’m so disappointed. The butter and cream cheese were room temperature. I tried adding extra powdered sugar. No luck. I tried freezing it too, didn’t help. I had just taken a cake decorating class and was very excited to use this. Big bummer….
It sounds like your cream cheese and/or butter got too warm before you made the frosting. It should only be softened, not melted or “mushy”. Here’s a post about Softening Butter.
I hope this helps, Judi. I’m sorry it was too thin. Thanks.
Amazingly smooth and delicious! Just the right proportions.
Thanks Karen! xo