Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting is rich, smooth, and super creamy, with a tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with any of your favorite treats. We use it on everything from cakes to cookies to our favorite pumpkin bars… and it couldn’t be easier to make.
Back when my kids were little I started making cupcakes. But not just any cupcakes… these were the BEST cupcakes. I made them for birthdays and holidays and classroom treats, and they quickly became one of my MOST requested recipes.
The cupcakes, themselves, were moist and dense and perfectly sweet. But what took them over the edge was definitely the cream cheese frosting.
There’s just something about cream cheese frosting that I love so much more than regular buttercream. (Don’t get me wrong… regular buttercream is delicious, too!) But the addition of cream cheese tones down the sweetness and adds extra creaminess and ends up being the PERFECT balance for cupcakes and cakes and cookies and more!
This recipe is for plain cream cheese frosting, but I like to think of it as a base with endless possibilities. Check out my ideas for flavor additions down below!
what you’ll need for this recipe
Butter – 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. Butter is a key ingredient in both buttercream and cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese – 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature. I used regular, plain cream cheese.
Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract adds delicious warm flavor to the frosting.
Powdered sugar – 3 cups powdered sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
how to make cream cheese frosting
Combine the butter, cream cheese & vanilla. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese & vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for one minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until smooth. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1-2 minutes until light and creamy.
Add to your favorite baked goods. Frost your cake or cookies using a knife OR spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe as desired.
Recipe Variations
- Substitute almond extract (or any flavor of extract) for the vanilla
- Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or any of your favorite warm baking spices
- Add honey or pure maple syrup for flavoring
- Add rainbow sprinkles to make funfetti cream cheese frosting
- Add cocoa powder to make it chocolate
- Substitute dark brown sugar for the powdered sugar to make brown sugar cream cheese frosting
- Add any color food dye to make it colored
Pro Tips
Don’t over-soften the butter or cream cheese. The “just right” point is when you push on it gently with your finger and it makes an indentation but doesn’t sink in completely.
No piping bags? No problem. I often just spoon my frosting into a quart sized ziploc bag, snip off the corner, and use that as my piping bag.
If the frosting gets too soft, stick it back in the fridge briefly to firm it up.
How to use Cream Cheese Frosting
Use it to frost any of these favorites!
Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese & vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for one minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until smooth. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1-2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Frost your cake or cookies using a knife OR spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe as desired.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Substitute almond extract (or any flavor of extract) for the vanilla
- Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or any of your favorite warm baking spices
- Add honey or pure maple syrup for flavoring
- Add rainbow sprinkles to make funfetti cream cheese frosting
- Add cocoa powder to make it chocolate
- Substitute dark brown sugar for the powdered sugar to make brown sugar cream cheese frosting
- Add any color food dye to make it colored
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