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 brown butter cream cheese 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Mine is too runny how can I thicken it up? I have tried it in the fridge but is still too loose to pipe?
Hi Calire, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. First, you’ll want to make sure you’re using full-fat, block cream cheese if available. (And from what we understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK to make frosting). You want to cream cheese to be just room temperature — if it’s too warm, it can cause the frosting to become runny. Adding a bit more confectioners’ sugar and putting it in the fridge like you mention should help to thicken it up. Hope these tips help!
Have you tried this frosting with Sally’s favorite vanilla cake? I e had a request for a vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting.
Hi Amy, yes! It’s fantastic with vanilla cake.
Amazing !!
I just made a Cream Cheese Cherry Cake. Not a cheesecake. More of a pound cream cheese cherry . I wanted a good Cream Cheese Frosting to finish this delicious cake. I found it, right here. Thank You so much. Best Cream Cheese Frosting I’ve ever made & tasted. It’s everything you promised it would be. Not runny, beautiful consistency for spreading. Thanks so very much for this Amazing Recipe.
HI SALLY! Coukd you please recommend me a brand of cream cheese?
Hi Karol, we often use Philadelphia Cream Cheese — not sponsored, just enjoy using it in our baked goods!
Can salted butter be substituted for unsalted?
Hi John, 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.
The best cream cheese frosting ever! I use this recipe for all of my cakes I make! Thank you for this <3
This is my favourite icing by a long shot! But I could never get it to the fluffy stage, no matter what I did! Then I found out, after 30 years of making runny cream cheese icing, that you are not suppose to mix the butter with the cream cheese at first. You need to mix the butter and all the icing sugar first till it gets all crumbly, then add your block of creamcheese and vanilla at the end. You’ll be amazed how thick and fluffy it gets, and wonderful for piping!!! I suggest you cream the creamcheese first though to avoid the occasional lump.
Hi, I want to put this in a piping bag and freeze it. Then thaw on site and frost cupcakes. Will this work? I will be at a cabin without a mixer to mix again prior to piping. Thanks, Lori
Hi Lori, if you can. we’d recommend freezing in a bowl or bag (so that the frosting can be transferred to a bowl) so that you can remix it by hand (if a mixer is not available) before placing it into a piping bag.
This cream cheese recipe is amazing. I am using it for daughters first birthday tomorrow. I made a vanilla bean cake and added homemade pomegranate molasses to your cream cheese recipe to make pomegranate cream cheese frosting. It turned out better than I expected so light and fluffy with amazing taste. You always have the best recipes and this is my go to page for inspiration. Thank you
How does this icing hold up for A Memorial Day party. It will be about 78 degrees.
Hi Sandra! It’s best to keep cream cheese frosting frosted desserts chilled until serving if it’s going to be in summer heat.
I have never been a huge fan of cream cheese frosting….until this recipe!My daughter wanted red velvet for her 12th birthday, so this was my go-to recipe for the frosting…..and will continue to be my go-to recipe! Super easy directions, and has turned out amazing every.single.time! P.S. We use the red velvet cupcake recipe as well! I may…or may not have (lol)….eaten the frosting by the spoon full!
Our 10 year old has asked for Sallys vanilla cake and a maple cream cheese frosting for her birthday. Can we use this cream cheese frosting and modify it somehow? If so, how?
Hi Tammy, we haven’t tested a maple version of this frosting. We would try adding some pure maple syrup or maple extract if you have it. Let us know what you try!
Can I make this frosting a day before using it and keep in the fridge till ready to frost cake?
Hi N, You sure can, You may need to beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy!
I made this recipe for the My Favorite Carrot Cake recipe, and it’s amazingly delicious. I ended up making 3 layers of the cake and had to double this recipe for enough frosting. Definitely worth it! Highly recommend!
Hi,
Could I add melted white chocolate to this recipe to make a white chocolate cream cheese frosting? If so, any idea how many ounces? Thanks!
Hi Nav, we haven’t tested adding white chocolate to this recipe but let us know if you do!
I haven’t made this yet but I intend to. If I want to add lemon extract, would this be instead of the vanilla extract, or in addition to it? Thanks!
Hi Amy, we recommend using the lemon cream cheese buttercream from our lemon cake recipe!
I don’t know what I did wrong, because I followed the instructions! Although it tastes good, it is not a fluffy consistency and is not the pretty colour, like off white. I’ll use it for the layers but not the outside! Will likely not use this recipe again.
can I use this for cinnamon rolls?
Absolutely!
Made this for my sons 2nd birthday. I added cherry pie filling in between the layers! It was a hit! Everyone loved it and even had seconds!!
I was wondering if this will work with your “ Cheesecake Swirl Carrot Bundt Cake”? If not would you have a better suggestion?
Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi Abra, We made a simple glaze with confectioners’ sugar and orange juice for the pictured cheesecake swirl carrot bundt cake, but it would also be delicious with this frosting on top!
Can I use this for a semi naked cake?
Thanks
Hi Rebecca, you can use cream cheese frosting for a semi-naked cake.
OMG this was amazing frosting!! I added Baileys Irish Cream to it for my boozy Irish Cupcakes and it was the best frosting ever!!
Made this to go with red velvet cupcakes out of a box but beefed up with buttermilk etc – and it came out perfect for the Dr. Seuss party at my kid’s school. Thank you, simple but perfect
Amazing frosting! The only thing I’ll say is that the cream cheese and butter needs to be pretty cold so after beating it I popped it back in the fridge for about 5 minutes to firm up again or else its a little too soft. 🙂
Great tip about putting it in fridge to make it easy to pipe. I made this for SBA red velvet and used the extra cooling trick for easier piping. 30min in the fridge made it much firmer consistency. Rest of the recipe I followed exactly, full fat brick cream cheese. I will use it again probably for carrot cakes, zucchini bread and spice cakes.
A wonderful recipe, to be certain.
The color alone is a beautiful pearly white, that blends gloriously with colorings.
Its texture is that of a cloud, and it tastes so light and airy. The flavor isn’t overpowering, so it’s mild, but not at all bland.
It pipes like a dream, and spreads so smoothly.
Best frosting recipe I’ve ever seen.
You are a true blessing for bringing this baker’s mana from heaven down to earth.
Will definitely use again!
10/10
Doesn’t taste very cream cheese-y, more just like regular icing. When I put it on the cake, it was too liquify and just poured over the sides. Complete fail. Will have to make another recipe now
I thought this recipe had way to much sugar .I couldn’t get all the sugar to mix so It was the most sugary thing ever but sometimes all that junk Is good but not for you of course.I would suggest that you lower the sugar to 1 cup and a half.Although the cream cheese frosting Otself was wonderful.
I find my CC frostings get too thin/soft when you over beat it. If you try this one again, cream the butter and CC together for just a minute, scrape down, add the powdered sugar, low for 30 sec and then the 2 min at high. Set a timer for 2 min. Hope this helps!
If the icing became liquidy after frosting the cake, your cake was probably too hot to frost. Try letting the cake cool down to room temperature before adding the icing next time!
I thought the same thing, so I added another block of creeam cheese and it came out amazing. It’s better to tweak a recipe if it doesn’t come out how you want instead of ditching it. I know think that this is going to be my go to recipe for cream cheese frosting but I’ll just double the cream cheese and a little more salt.
I searched for a simple frosting and came across this one. Perfect except a ran out of icing sugar half way through and completed the stated quantity with cocoa powder and it worked beautifully! Lovely thick icing on my cake! Saved for my go to now.
This is the first time I tried this recipe and it is SO perfect! I whipped this up in my food processor and a matter of seconds, and it is amazing how light and fluffy this turned out and so flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!
I just got done making a homemade carrot cake and needed a cream cheese frosting recipe. This one use more butter than others and it’s super light and fluffy. Taters super good to!
I l9ve the recipe. Can I use a tub of cream cheese, is not whipped or it doesn’t say spreadable
Hi Stella, Spreadable cream cheese that is sold in the U.S. is too thin. However, from what we understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, more solid, and other readers have reported success using it. It might be worth trying!
Hi, I can confirm that the recipe worked perfectly using the cream cheese sold in tubs here in France
S.B.A. Is one of my top 3 go to baking sites. My husbands favorite cake is chocolate with cream cheese frosting – actually it’s the only cake as far as he is concerned.
I get tired of cream cheese frosting though. I’ve added special dark cocoa and that is amazing. Tonight I added about 16 ounces of marshmallow fluff. Yum!
Should the powdered sugar be sifted?
Hi Bev, we don’t sift the confectioners sugar for this frosting, although you certainly can. If you wish to sift your sugar, measure (spoon and level) and then sift.