Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
This is the lightest, creamiest, and BEST cream cheese frosting recipe made with just 5 simple ingredients. It’s perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, and more.
I’m usually a classic vanilla buttercream gal, but cream cheese frosting is quickly becoming my favorite frosting to use on my cakes and cupcakes. It’s like traditional American buttercream made with whipped butter and confectioners sugar, but the cream cheese adds its signature delicious sweet and tangy flavor.
This light cream cheese frosting is elegant but still easy to make! And the perfect finishing touch for so many desserts.
Why it’s the best cream cheese frosting recipe
- You only need 5 ingredients and a few minutes to make it.
- It’s luxuriously rich and creamy.
- With just the right amount of sweetness and tangy cream cheese flavor.
- It’s versatile! Use it to elevate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.
If you’re looking for lighter frosting recipe, I highly recommend my chantilly cream frosting. It’s like a cross between sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese frosting.
“Very light, creamy, not too sweet but sweet enough. Love this! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from reader Dawn
“Oh boy I’m in trouble, this is incredible. I don’t usually like frosting but this is amazing. Thank you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from reader Lilly
Table of Contents
- Why it's the best cream cheese frosting recipe
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make cream cheese buttercream frosting
- Cream cheese frosting FAQs
- Ways to use cream cheese frosting
Ingredients you’ll need
Let’s get started! Here’s your ingredients needed make this cream cheese frosting (full recipe below):
- Cream cheese— Use only full-fat brick cream cheese for the best flavor, not reduced fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese (the stuff in the tub).
- Butter— I now prefer to use salted butter, but unsalted butter is fine too.
- Powdered sugar— Sift it through a fine mesh strainer after measuring for the smoothest and silkiest texture
- Salt
- Pure vanilla extract— Vanilla bean paste or whole vanilla bean will elevated it even further.
How to make cream cheese buttercream frosting
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until they’re smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mixing on low to combine.
- Whip frosting on high for 4-5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and silky smooth.
- Scrape down the bowl once or twice during mixing to make sure everything blends perfectly.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto layer cakes, cupcakes, or whatever you’re craving!
baking tip:How to quickly bring cream cheese to room temperature
Cold cream cheese can result in a lumpy batter or frosting. Letting the cream cheese rest at room temperature for about 60 minutes is ideal, but in case you forget to pull it out of the fridge on time, here are a few ways to speed things up.
- Cut cream cheese into small cubes and spread out on the packaging or a plate. Let sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
- Remove cream cheese from any paper packaging but keep it in the foil packaging. Place in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Remove cream cheese completely from all packaging. Microwave in 10 second bursts, flipping it after each burst, for about 30-40 seconds total.
Cream cheese frosting FAQs
A few things can cause this: 1) Using low-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese, both of which have a high water content. Or 2) The cream cheese, butter or your kitchen are too warm. Cream cheese and butter should be at cool room temperature (about 65°F) and a finger will leave a gentle imprint, but won’t be able to press all the way through.
If the frosting will be consumed within the day it’s made, you’re fine to leave it at room temperature away from heat. However, if you’re making it ahead, or using the frosting on a dessert that will be enjoyed over several days, or if it’s particularly warm and you want to keep the frosting firm, it’s best to keep it in the refrigerator.
I recommend storing cream cheese frosting in the fridge and using within 1 week. If you need to spread or pipe it after it’s been in the fridge, let it come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beating it briefly again to get the silky texture back.
Cream cheese frosting can be stored in the fridge for a few days and in the freezer for up to a month. Bring to room temperature and beat with an electric mixer until smooth before using.
Ways to use cream cheese frosting
- Spread on top of desserts: cakes, cupcakes, bundt cakes, cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, banana bread and more!
- Use it to pipe frosting decorations: If frosting is too soft, cover and put the whole bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm it up. Then mix on low speed until smooth.
- Make a frosting dip: add 2-3 tablespoons of milk or cream to make it a bit lighter, then dip fresh fruit, gingerbread cookies, or graham crackers.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter , softened to room temperature (I prefer salted butter)
- 4 cups (455 grams) powdered sugar , sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on low until combined (Use a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer).
- Turn speed up to high and beat for 4-5 minutes until smooth, light, and creamy. Stop and scrape down the bowl 1-2 times to make sure it mixing well.
- Use immediately as desired to frost cupcakes, cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls and more. If not served within a few hours or the day it's made, desserts with cream cheese frosting should be stored in the fridge.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead: Buttercream can be stored in the fridge for 1 week and in the freezer for at least a month. Let come to room temperature and beat until smooth before using.
- If frosting is too soft: It could be that your butter and/or cream cheese was too warm and soft, or maybe your kitchen was too warm. Cover and place the whole bowl in the fridge to firm up slightly, then mix briefly until smooth.
Note: This recipe was originally published May 2018.
The taste is good, but mine came out a bit soft when piping onto the cupcakes.
Hi Diane! It could be that the ingredients were a bit too warm, which is easy to do when you’re working in the kitchen in the summertime! And using a piping bag where your warm hands can warm it up even further won’t help the problem. A quick chill in the fridge will firm it up next time.
Tried this recipe out for my homemade funfetti cake. It’s absolutely delicious and will be my go to frosting from now on!
I’m making a carrot cake for my friend’s birthday. I want to use a cream cheese frosting that I can color with gel food colors. I also need to be able to pipe using various tips to decorate the cake. Will this frosting work for me?
Hi Mary! This frosting is definitely pipeable. But since it’s made with cream cheese, it’s also softer than traditional buttercream. You may have trouble if you have a warm kitchen or want to display the cake in warm place, such as outdoors. The cake should be kept refrigerated until about 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve it.
Thank you for this recipe for creamcheese buttercream icing. It was delicious however, I had to add almost a cup of milk to mix it up it was so thick. Still turned out delicious! Thank you!
A full cup of milk? It sounds like another measurement somewhere was off if you needed to add that much. But I’m so happy to found a way to make it work and enjoyed it!
Maybe my butter wasn’t soft enough, I’m not sure. But I followed this recipe to a tea, and my frosting turned out with chunks of butter in it. I ended up not using most of it which was disappointing.
It definitely sounds like either your butter and cream cheese weren’t at the right temperature, or you didn’t whip it long enough or at high enough speed. You can definitely continue beating the frosting until it’s smooth and creamy. 🙂
Delicious! Creamy and light, I could eat the whole bowl <3
Cream cheese frosting doesn’t hold its shape well for piping. Does making a hybrid frosting like this help with that?
You should be able to pipe this frosting no problem!
Awesome!!
How many cups of frosting should I make to frost 40 cupcakes with a 1M tip?
Very good… it was the typical extremely sweet (to me) icing… I doubled the cream cheese to tone it back down. Still really sweet. If you are concerned about the sweetness I suggest adding 1/3 of the sugar and tasting before adding more.
I’m hoping to hear back real soon not sure if I read in other comments but frosting is not really stiff and I need it for tomorrow after church.. so if you could please respond asap??? But I’ve never tasted cream cheese frosting and it’s actually not bad ?
Used 1 stick butter, 1 brick of cream cheese and 1/2 the sugar and added chopped cherries . Put it on a yellow cake mix with 3 eggs and 1 can of cherry pie filling. Came out just right.
If I could give 10 stars I would..absolutely the best vanilla cream cheese frosting I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe ❤️
Is this a crusting buttercream?
It will form a sort of crust, yet. The cream cheese will keep it softer than traditional buttercream, but will crust a little.
Love this recipe!!! I make it all the time ?