Learn how to make sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting with this easy recipe. This favorite frosting is creamy and thick, holds its shape when piped, and tastes incredible on carrot cake, spice cake, and so much more. You only need 5 ingredients, but make sure you use a brick of cream cheese, not cream cheese spread.
Do you need that little something *extra* for your desserts?
And are you tired of vanilla buttercream all the time?
Cream cheese frosting is my #1 favorite frosting for cakes, cupcakes, quick breads, and more. In fact, it’s the most common frosting used in my kitchen. I use it on everything from spice cake and carrot cake cupcakes to banana cake, red velvet cake, pumpkin cake, and more.
It’s smooth, creamy, and spreads onto baked goods with ease. Its flavor is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy and you only need 5 ingredients total!
This Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Isn’t as cloyingly sweet as buttercream
- Is smooth as silk
- Isn’t runny (thank goodness!)
- Has a tangy, yet sweet flavor
- Is my creamiest frosting ever
- Can be piped with piping tips!
How to Prevent Runny Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting will be thin and runny if you’re not careful about the type of cream cheese you use. Make sure you use an 8 ounce (226g) brick of full-fat cream cheese, not low-fat cream cheese and not cream cheese spread sold in a tub. Save cream cheese spread for bagels and low fat cream cheese for cooking.
The #1 reason bakers end up with runny frosting is because they’re accidentally using cream cheese spread instead of a brick. There’s a HUGE difference! For the best, thickest, and most successful frosting, use the bricks of real cream cheese.
Only 5 Ingredients
- brick cream cheese
- butter
- confectioners’ sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
You will want room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese before beginning.
Can This Cream Cheese Frosting be Piped?
Cream cheese frosting is difficult to pipe because it’s so creamy. However, I learned a little trick a few years ago and feel free to borrow it. Cream cheese frosting will hold its decorative piped shape if you refrigerate it prior to piping. Fit your piping bag with a piping tip, fill your bag with the frosting, then refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes before piping.
However, don’t expect it to be as sturdy as buttercream. Cream cheese isn’t super stable, so save intricate piped designs for vanilla buttercream. Instead, stick with a basic round tip.
Cream Cheese Frosting Flavors
Flavor spruces everything up, so feel free to have fun with this recipe. A dash of cinnamon (like the frosting on these banana cupcakes) or brown butter (like the frosting on this banana layer cake and zucchini cake) are excellent, but chocolate cream cheese frosting might be my very favorite. You can even add some “strawberry dust” as shown in my strawberry cake.
Other flavor ideas:
- Pumpkin Spice: 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (depends how much spice flavor you want!)
- Lemon: 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- Chai Spice: 3/4 teaspoon chai spice mix (just like chai latte cupcakes)
- Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Simply add these ingredients to the recipe below.
For something lighter and less sweet that still pipes amazingly well, I recommend my whipped frosting. It’s the same frosting we used on this cookies and cream cake with the addition of Oreos!
Uses for Cream Cheese Frosting
It tastes phenomenal with spiced cakes and cupcakes, but don’t limit yourself. This stuff is so versatile! Here’s plenty of recipe inspiration for your next batch:
- Spice Cake or Apple Cake
- Banana Bread
- Homemade Brownies
- Zucchini Bread or Zucchini Cake
- Banana Cake
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Sugar Cookies
- Blueberry Cupcakes (pictured above)
- Pumpkin Cake (pictured above)
For taller layer cakes, I usually add a little milk, extra cream cheese, and extra confectioners’ sugar to produce more volume. My carrot cake and red velvet cake recipes show this higher ratio of frosting. And sometimes I add extra butter for a stronger, more buttercream-like frosting. My lemon cake and coconut cake show the buttercream variation.
Print
Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 3 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade cream cheese frosting is super creamy, soft, smooth, and tangy. It’s so easy to make and the uses are endless!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup (30g) if needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, the vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it).
- Cover and store leftover frosting for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Quantity: This recipe is enough to frost 12-18 cupcakes or one 9×13 quarter sheet cake. 1.5x the recipe for a double layer cake or add extra cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and a splash of milk or cream as shown in my carrot cake and red velvet cake recipes. (Doubling the recipe would be far too much.)
- Chocolate: Here is my chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe.
Keywords: cream cheese frosting
Can you use gel food coloring to color this? Or do I have to use clear vanilla extract?
You can use gel food coloring to tint this cream cheese frosting.
What would be the best way to get coffee flavored cream cheese frosting?
Hi Betty – I recommend using espresso powder, which is stronger and has a finer consistency than coffee. Try dissolving a teaspoon or two (depending on how strong you want it) in a splash of milk or the vanilla before adding it to the frosting. YUM!
Hands down my favourite frosting on your blog…..although your chocolate version comes a very close second!!!
★★★★★
WE MADE THIS TODAY …………..AWESOME THANKS SO MUCH!!!
AND I GIVE IT A 5 STAR !!!
★★★★★
Thanks Sally.I’ll try it.Love Sarai.
★★★★★
This sounds great, but I was wondering…I’m wanting to make a peanut butter cream cheese frosting to go on chocolate cupcakes. Would PB be able to be added to this recipe? If so, how much?
That sounds delicious! I would try adding a 1/2 cup of peanut butter to start and then check for taste and texture. Let me know if you try it!
Can I use this cream cheese frosting recipe on your vanilla naked cake? Will the frosting hold?
Sure will! I love using cream cheese frosting for layered cakes.
Can I use salted butter instead of regular butter and how much salted butter would I have to use?
Hi Cinny! You can use slated butter instead of unsalted in this recipe. Leave out the added salt. But taste the frosting after it’s prepared– if you think it still needs a pinch of salt, add it.
Hi, thanks for the recipe, I really liked it!
I’m wondering what happens when we don’t put any butter at all? Can it be just the cream cheese and the sugar? Would the taste change or the texture or both?
If not, would reduced butter work?
Thanks in advance!
★★★★★
Hi Angie! Cream cheese frosting without butter would be very thick and heavy, like spreadable cheesecake. Delicious, yes, but hard to work with. You need the butter to lighten it up.
this isnt a question more of a suggestion you should add optional teaspoon of lemon juice into the recipe it gives it an extra twang!
★★★★★
Love lemon and cream cheese frosting together!
Hi Sally, is it possible to flavor this cream cheese frosting with raspberry preserves? And if so, do I need to modify the amounts of any other ingredients? Thanks!
Preserves are difficult in frosting because they are often more sugar than fruit and you would have to add so much to get the berry flavor that your frosting would be very thin. Use my strawberry frosting trick and get freeze dried raspberries, run them through the food processor or blender to make a powder and add that to your frosting!
Can I substitute with vegan cream cheese?
I have never tried vegan cream cheese so I’m unsure of the texture – but let me know if you try it!
I used to have problems with cream cheese frosting, it would always be more like cream cheese soup. No doubt because of the cream cheese I use – in Europe it’s only sold in tubs, not in blocks! But I recently read that if you cream the butter and powdered sugar first, to get a very thick buttercream, and then add the cream cheese, it will stay stiff. And that actually works really well!
So to any European bakers: use the same ingredients, just change the order in which you mix them in, and this frosting will work for you!!
★★★★★
Which cream cheese have you used? Im in the UK. Is philadelphia one to use? I dont know which brand is considered that type of cheese here.
I’m in the Netherlands but I use Philadelphia as well. It’s probably the same one!
Dear Sally, I’ve never been sure if I should sift the powdered sugar before measuring, or spoon and level straight out of the bag or canister, lumps and all ?
A good rule is to sift in the order the directions are written. If the recipe calls for “1 cup sifted sugar” you should sift and then measure. If the recipe calls for “1 cup sugar, sifted” then you should measure and then sift. If the recipe doesn’t require sifting but you still want to then you should measure first.
Do you have a pipe-able cream cheese frosting, for a star tip? On your red velvet cupcakes recipe you said you don’t recommend using a star tip for this frosting as it is a little thin. I am hoping to frost some cupcakes for a party and want them to be fancy! 😉
Thanks in advance!
If you place this frosting in the fridge before piping it, it should work!
Hi Sally….Sure do love your site, I look forward to it daily….yes, I have made this frosting on many occasions, and while I love vanilla, I really favor using Lemon Juice in place of the vanilla and I must admit, it’s difficult to keep from eating it out of the bowl …yum, it’s so good….thanks for sharing your recipes……I’m always collecting great recipes!.
★★★★★
Hi Sally. I think this may just become my “go to” frosting recipe. I really like the idea that it can be frozen. Helps when baking for the grandchildren. One loves frosting the other can do without it. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hey Sally,
You are right on. Got this off your site a while back and is definitely the one I use for my cupcakes. I usually make cupcakes because I find them easier to transport. Your recipe has just the right amount of sugar. I’ve also added food colouring and it holds up well. I would definitely use it for any type of cake. It’s addictive!!
★★★★★
Recipe: great. Piping advice: spot on. Used this for red velvet cupcakes and added a touch of star anise extract and beet powder instead of food coloring. Enhanced the flavors and was the most delightful shade of rose.
★★★★★
Delicious and easy to prepare! I made a batch of the frosting, it came out perfect and covered about 20 cupcakes. I have never made my own frosting before and this is a keeper! Won’t ever go back to store bought.
★★★★★
This frosting is far and away my favourite frosting ever – whenever I make it I have to stop myself eating straight out of the bowl with a spoon……..I always save a little leftover in the fridge for snacky moments 😉
Hi Sally,
I do not like too sweet frosting , is it possible to only add little amount of sugar? Or is there other way to make the frosting not sweet?
Thank you!
Gloria
Hi Gloria! Frosting will be sweet no matter what. 🙂 You can try cutting down on the sugar, but the less sugar, the thinner the consistency.
Hi Sally! I’m looking to fill your cake roll (from strawberries and cream recipe) with a lemon filling. Can I flavor this cream cheese frosting lemon or should I use your lemon buttercream? I thought that may be too stiff. Oh, and I have some lemon curd in the freezer so I suppose I can use that with cream cheese frosting to fill? Your advice appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Angel! What a great idea. For clean cuts and best results with a sponge cake roll, I recommend this cream cheese frosting. Add a few big spoonfuls of the lemon curd. Thaw beforehand, of course! Let me know how it turns out.
I Sally, love your recipes, I just started looking at them and studying your amazing techniques. Every time I try to do this type of topping it always come out really bad, am thinking its because I don’t have a true mixer just your regular handmixer. So, with this type of topping can I use just a regular mixer and if yes, should I increase the mixing or do I just following as is. By the way, Congradulation on your baby and your book, may God guide you through this amazing success. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thank You
Sylvia Ochoa
Hi Sylvia, You can absolutely make frosting with a hand held electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer. I use mine all the time! The key to cream cheese frosting is to use a block style cream cheese and not the soft spreadable kind.
I absolutely love this recipe. I have made it as it and I’ve also double, triple, and even quadrupled (won’t do the last one again…too much for the bowl). I’ve tried lots of cream cheese frostings and Sally’s are always my favorite. Thanks for another great recipe!
Just made this and it’s fantastic – instead of the extra 1/4 cup sugar, I added 1/2 cup cocoa powder to make it chocolate cream cheese icing. So so good. Made it to go with your chocolate cupcakes that I made into the party piñata cupcakes by filling them with mini M&M’s. Love all your recipes!
Hi Sally! Such a huge fan! Ok on to the question. What is the difference between salted butter and unsalted butter in a recipe? Could I subsitute one for the other? Thank you in advance.
Barbara Cruz
Hi Barbara, I always use unsalted butter because I like to be able to control the amount of salt in a recipe. The amount of salt in salted butter can vary between brands so you don’t know exactly how much you are adding.
I’m just wondering if you think this frosting would stand up well to piping? Does it hold it’s shape over time, even if the cupcakes can’t be refrigerated the entire time? Thanks in advance!
If you refrigerate the frosting BEFORE piping, it holds its shape better. And, likewise, holds its shape better when kept cold.
Hi Sally,
Can I just use a regular white sugar? I dont have confectioners sugar on hand. Been wanting to try this out for my banana cake! 🙂
Congrats on your book, I’ve already preordered!
Thanks,
Kate
Hi Kate! Confectioners’ sugar is one of my most important ingredients and shouldn’t be subbed with coarser granulated sugar. Though you can process/pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until it turns into confectioners’ sugar! There are tutorials online if you give it a search 🙂
Hi Sally. Will using fat free cream cheese also make your frosting too runny? I just made some with fat-free and could not get it to a piping consistency no matter what I tried :-(.
Yes. Make sure it is full-fat. Fat free cream cheese is barely cream cheese– in fact, I don’t think you can find fat free blocks of cream cheese. Just reduced fat. Did you use block cream cheese?