This rich and creamy chocolate peanut butter frosting tastes like a peanut butter cup in frosting form. It’s made from a few simple ingredients and you’ll find any excuse to whip up a batch. Pair with chocolate cake for the ultimate treat!
Adding to my growing list of frosting recipes!
Just when you thought chocolate buttercream couldn’t get any better! This chocolate peanut butter frosting is a combination of my favorite chocolate buttercream and peanut butter frosting. It’s completely over the top, decadent, and creamyโthe perfect cake and cupcake garnish when you’re craving chocolate and peanut butter in one.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
- Chocolate & peanut butter
- Tastes like a peanut butter cup
- Made with simple ingredients
- Smooth, creamy & mega rich
- Holds its shape beautifullyโperfect for piping
- Quick & very easy to make
One reader, JP, commented: “This frosting is wonderful! It ended my 46-year quest for a great chocolate peanut butter frosting for my husband’s chocolate peanut butter cake for his birthday! Thank you! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Another reader, Austria, commented: “I absolutely LOVE this frosting! It’s the perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio, and I could have eaten it out of the bowl with a spoon. Definitely a keeper! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Overview: Ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Start with room temperature butter here. Remember that room temperature butter is cooler than you think. If the butter is too warm, the frosting will taste (and look) greasy.
- Confectionersโ Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar is the bulk of this frosting. It’s the workhorse here, sweetening it and binding the ingredients together.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder adds additional bulk as well as flavor. Since there is no leavening occurring, you can use either natural or dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Heavy Cream or Milk: Liquid thins the frosting out and adds creaminess. You can use heavy cream or milk, dairy or nondairy. If using heavy cream, the frosting will be thicker and creamier.
- Peanut Butter: For the best texture, I strongly recommend a processed creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy creamy. I do not recommend oily or natural style peanut butter in this frosting because it could separate.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds incredible flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt offsets all the sweetness.
I love that it looks like basic chocolate buttercream, so when you first taste it, you’re totally surprised. IN THE BEST WAY!
What Tastes Best with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting?
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes (pictured)
- Yellow Cupcakes & Yellow Cake
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Banana Cupcakes & Banana Layer Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake (pictured)
- Chocolate Cake
- Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies
Browse my cake recipes and cupcake recipes for more flavor inspiration.
Quantity
The frosting recipe below is enough for 12-16 cupcakes, a thin layer on a 9×13 inch quarter sheet cake, or a 2 layer cake. For a 3 layer cake, I recommend 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough for each layer.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Using a few basic ingredients, you can make this absolutely delicious and creamy chocolate peanut butter frosting. Tastes unbelievable on most cakes and cupcakes– see above for inspiration!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ย sugar
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/3 (80g) cup creamy peanut butter*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and milk. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until combined. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another 1-2 Tablespoons of cream/milk if frosting is too thick. Taste. Add a spoonful of extra peanut butter or a pinch of salt if desired.
- Frost your cake, cupcake, or confection however you’d like. In the pictured cupcakes, I piped a basic tall swirl using (affiliate link) Ateco 849 piping tip.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so itโs creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Peanut Butter: For the best texture, I strongly suggest a processed creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy creamy. I do not recommend oily or natural style peanut butter for this recipe because it could separate.
- Quantity: This recipe is enough for 12-16 cupcakes, a thin layer on a 9×13 inch quarter sheet cake, or a 2 layer cake. For a 3 layer cake, I recommend 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough for each layer.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi if I’m dairy free what can I substitute heavy cream and yogurt with?
Hi Sonia, you can use a non-dairy milk in place of the cream, but the frosting may not be as creamy. There is no yogurt in this recipe.
The frosting was a divine blend of chocolate and peanut butter built on a yummy foundation of butter and confectioner’s sugar. Perfecto!
Any thoughts on making this frosting using water instead of milk? I understand the reason for the milk, but I’d like to be able not to have to worry about storing this for a few days in the fridge. I think without milk, it should be ok on the counter?
Hi Carolyn, We don’t recommend water here, but you can use a non-dairy milk if needed.
Thank you
Would you explain why you would suggest not, will it make the frosting fail, or is it just about taste?
The icing will be less creamy and may have a thinner consistency. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
This recipe is where I discovered Sally’s BA. Great find! The frosting is chocolate peanut butter bliss and easily made from stuff in your pantry. I have frozen frosted cuppies with perfect thaw & eat results it’s a keeper
Delicious! The whole family enjoyed it on a chocolate banana cake for my daughterโs birthday! Always where I go when looking for a recipe for something special.
This recipe had to much sugar I ended up having to add 1/4 of a cup of butter its was very dry before I added the extra butter
I made this frosting today. Despite the warning, I used Teddyโs Smooth Natural Peanut Butter. I wonโt eat process peanut butter because of the hydrogenated oils. Meanwhile, the peanut butter did not separate at all. I followed the recipe almost exactly however only used 3 cups of powdered sugar. The consistency was good but the taste was a little too sweet. You can really taste the powdered sugar. I will use this recipe again, however and made some minor adjustments to ingredients.
Thanks for sharing your resulting success using Natural peanut butter. Making some today for my Banana peanut butter cake.
I love the icing! Not super sweet. I only used two cups of powdered sugar for the cake. I also added 4 tablespoons of the heavy cream to the icing. Make it more chocolate creamy and not heavy on the peanut butter taste. I wish that I had a recipe like this when I made cupcakes for my children, when they were younger.
Just wondering if you can make these completely. Then freeze for one week with issues? Thank you!!!
Hi Beth, you can freeze the frosting for a week, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. You’ll will likely want to add a splash of milk and rewhip before using. Enjoy!
Hi, If I’m making a 2 layer 9 x 13 inch cake and icing the sides of the cake as well, do you think I’ll need more than 3x the recipe?
Hi Julie, that should be more than enough if you plan on heavily frosting the cake. Enjoy!
I am going to frost chocolate cupcakes with this. Do the cupcakes need refrigerated once frosted?
Hi Jackie, you could leave the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then we’d recommend refrigerating after that.
Why is there so little peanut butter in here? Was it a balance issue to the chocolate? I want to add some more. Think I can get away with the same amount of butter or remove some and keep the same weight between the two
Hi James! If you want a buttercream that pipes beautifully, we recommend sticking with the recipe as written. We find the peanut butter flavor comes through well and balances with the chocolate.
I want this for a cake. So donโt mind about piping. I want more pb flavor though
Hi, would it be too rich to do a chocolate sheet cake with this frosting?
Hi Julie, chocolate frosting would be fantastic here. Enjoy!
Hi, are you saying itโs better to do chocolate cake with chocolate frosting rather than this chocolate peanut butter frosting?
Hi Julie, either frosting would be delicious. It depends on what flavors you prefer most/are looking for.
This is, by far, the best frosting I ever made. It is scrumptious!!
Everything I make using your recipes always comes out perfect and delicious!
I do veganize them most of the time and whatever I make still comes out very good.
Thanks Sally!!
Susanโฆ..did you just substitute the butter with vegan butter sticks. I usually use Earths balance sticks. I canโt wait to try it.
I always use vegan butter and I’ve never had a problem with icings or frosting.
The perfect peanut butter frosting!
This is the best icing I love it!! So light and tasty thank you for sharing