The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting + Video
This is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting recipe that you will ever make! It’s thick, sturdy, pipeable, and lightly sweet with only 1 cup of powdered sugar!
Use it on red velvet cake, carrot cake, any other cake, inside sandwich cookies or cake rolls, or on top of cinnamon rolls. The possibilities are endless!
Why is this the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting?
Okay ya’ll! I’m serious when I say this is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting recipe out there! I’ve tried so many kinds. Other recipes tend to be soft and stringy. (No thank you!) This has been my go-to recipe since 2014.
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This cream cheese frosting is stiff, sturdy, pipe-able, spreadable, you name it! Plus, it’s NOT overly sweet like the other recipes either.
The beauty of cream cheese frosting is that it should be tangy and and taste like cream cheese. Not be taken over by gobs of powdered sugar like a buttercream frosting. (However my even my buttercream frosting uses far less sugar.)
The Difference from Other Recipes
See the ripples in that frosting? Yep, that’s proof right there that it’s stiff enough to pipe and decorate with. The big difference between this recipe and all those other ones floating around the web, is that this recipe uses more butter and less powdered sugar.
More butter and less powdered sugar gives the cream cheese frosting a buttery, creamy texture, yet still has that tangy cream cheese flavor to it.
Less powdered sugar helps it not be stringy, and the butter helps to lighten and fluff up the frosting.
That’s right! More powdered sugar (can) = stringy frosting!!!
It’s a fine dance. You have to use way less powdered sugar, or use way more powdered sugar to keep the frosting at a good consistency.
In fact, you would have to use 4 cups of powdered sugar to help it go from soft and stringy to thick.
OR — you can use 1 cup of powdered sugar and call it good.
Using only 1 cup of powdered sugar will produce less cream cheese frosting overall, but I’ll take a lightly sweet frosting over a ridiculously sweet frosting any day.
How Much Frosting Will This Make?
This cream cheese frosting recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Which is enough to pipe 12-14 cupcakes. You can cover a single round or rectangle cake with it, but double the recipe for a layered cake.
If you want another great option that yields a little more, my whipped cream cheese frosting makes 4 cups. It’s equally tasty, even lighter in texture, and still only slightly sweet.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Let me show you how easy it is to make this cream cheese frosting.
- Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth.
- Gradually add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. (Gradually adding the butter helps it fluff up, creating volume, and blend better with the cream cheese.)
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla all at once.
- Blend until combined and smooth. Use for any recipe that calls for cream cheese frosting.
Tips For Making Cream Cheese Icing
- Which type of cream cheese should I use? I’ve used full-fat and Neufchatel cream cheese for this recipe. Neufchatel will be slightly softer, but still manageable. Brick-style cream cheese is a must. Do NOT use cream cheese tubs/spreads.
- Use COLD cream cheese. This is not a typo. It seems like a big no-no, but it works, I promise. The room temperature cream cheese will help blend the two together without making the frosting soft.
- Use flat beaters, if possible. Honestly, my cheap $20-ish Hamilton Beach hand mixer (affiliate) is my favorite. The flat beaters help mix the frosting in a bowl better than in a stand mixer.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together as long as you want BEFORE adding the powdered sugar and vanilla. Try and get all the lumps out beforehand. Once the powdered sugar is added, don’t beat it for too long or the frosting will become too soft to pipe. If this happens, place the frosting in the refrigerator or freezer until it firms back up.
- Type of butter to use: Unsalted butter is best, so if you want to add salt, you can control the amount you put in. Make sure that the butter is room temperature for this recipe.
Can I Color this Frosting?
Yes, this cream cheese frosting can be dyed. I recommend food color gels over liquid food coloring to avoid adding too much liquid into the frosting.
How to Store Cream Cheese Frosting
Due to the cream cheese, you will want to store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Any cakes/cupcakes that have been frosted with cream cheese icing can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If you don’t like cold cake, simply remove the cake/cupcakes from the fridge and bring them to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before consuming.
To Freeze: Place cream cheese frosting in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to stir/re-whip it gently to freshen it up.
More Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes:
I’ve made many variations of this same recipe! Pick your flavor:
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) brick-style cream cheese, COLD
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth.
- Gradually add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla all at once. Blend until combined and smooth. (Don’t beat too long or the frosting will be too soft to pipe. If this happens, place the frosting in the refrigerator or freezer until it firms back up.) Use for any recipe that calls for cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- YIELD: 1 ½ cups frosting, which will frost about 12-14 cupcakes
- STORAGE: Store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Any cakes/cupcakes that have been frosted with cream cheese icing can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If you don’t like cold cake, simply remove the cake/cupcakes from the fridge and bring them to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before consuming.
- TO FREEZE: Place cream cheese frosting in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to stir/re-whip it gently to freshen it up.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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Extra pictures and video added 4/1/17. Post updated with step-by-step photos January 2024.
How do you think this frosting will work on a tiered red velvet wedding cake?
It depends on how warm it is where it will be made and displayed. I would try it out on a small cake first, to see how you like it and then decide. I have never had problems with it, but better to do a test run, just in case.
I decided to go for it! I like it so far, I’ll be using dowels for strength and stability.
I used orange and lemon zest for added flavor and since there is no added liquid the consistency held up nicely. I chilled the cakes and icing prior to using it. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad it’s holding up and I love that you added zest to it!
Hi Amber. I’m not one to leave comments on blog, but I wanted to stop by and say a HUGE Thank You for this recipe. As I sit here on a snowy Louisiana day (which is a rare occurrence), I decided I wanted to bake some cupcakes. After 30 minutes worth of research to find the perfect cream cheese icing, I stumbled across your page. It is absolutely to die for.
I did, as some of the ladies suggested, add about a teaspoon or so of lemon juice just to “brighten up” the icing. It did get slightly softer, but still pipe-able. I’m pretty sure I should have quadrupled this recipe, since I can’t keep my fingers out of it. This will be my newest go-to recipe anytime I’m in the need of icing of any sort.
Hi Lin!
Thanks for your kind words and for your review! So glad it worked out the way you wanted it to! We definitely frequent this recipe A LOT!
Will it work with marigerine instead of butter?
I haven’t tried it. I actually never use margarine in any of my recipes, just real butter. The texture might not hold up as well, but you can try it.
Can you sub regular salted butter instead? I don’t have any unsalted on hand. I don’t think it would change the flavor much but what do you think?
For sure Callie! I prefer unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in my culinary creations, but salted butter would work just fine in this recipe. Enjoy!
This is delicious and I was able to pipe with it. I could tell that with my amateur skills I wouldn’t be able to do tall bakery swirls on the cupcakes (it is a softer frosting), so I did the reverse (start in the center and move out) — rosettes — and they came out wonderful. Thank you! So happy to find your blog through this recipe; looks like you have tons of great stuff. I’ve been pinning away.
That’s so great Stacey! Some days my frosting is a little soft too, but I’ve always been able to pipe with it. Glad you were able to do rosettes, and thanks for pinning my recipes!
Hi Amber, let me tell you something, I read this recipe and I tell myself “I really have to do it!” it is absolutely delicious! Is now on my favorite recipes, thanks for sharing it!
Yay! I made it again just last week myself! I just love it! Thanks for your review!
FYI, it’s my new frosting recipe! I’ll do it again tomorrow! 🙂
Awesome! Glad I’m not the only one addicted to it!
I made this for a cake that we had on Super Bowl Sunday…I thought it was a little odd that it had no milk in it and wasn’t sure it was going to turn out…but it was perfect and yummy. I hate frostings that are over-powered by powdered sugar…this one so wasn’t. It had a lovely sweet cream cheese-y flavor 🙂 Will definitely make it again. Printed it out and put it in the family cookbook!
Oh I am so glad you like it as much as we do! I seriously use it EVERY time I make cream cheese frosting! It’s my favorite!
Hi Amber ..ur cream cheese frosting is delicious ..but definitely not “pipeable” which is kind of a drag since it is midnight & I dont gave any more cream cheese to make another recipe & I am in charge of bringing the super bowl decorated cake !
Hmmm …I guess this cake is going to be iced but not decorated since it is not “stiff enough frosting” to pipe all the cool things I was going to put on the cake
Try putting it in the refrigerator for a couple hours and see if that helps stiffen it enough to pipe. I use this recipe all the time with no problems. Sorry!
Hi Amber,
Can I use crisp instead of butter. I know how to substitute properly but will it mess up the taste? I want the frosting to stay pure white looking not tinted yellow, which will happen if I use butter. Please respond to bollingwith5@gmail.com PS I just started following you on Instagram. I can’t finish my cupcakes until I hear from you. Haha
CrisCo
It’s just barely off-white with the butter. I actually just finished making this with coconut extract for another recipe, but you could substitute Crisco. Crisco is used in many buttercream frostings, so the texture should work just fine. It won’t have the buttery taste though. If you have butter extract you can put 1 tsp in, or just go without it. Good luck!
Does this make enough to ice a 2 layer cake? I am using a hello kitty cake pan, and I wanted to make it a 2 layer cake with some frosting in between. Do you think I would need to double it?
It makes 1 1/2 cups of frosting. I would double it for sure. Most 2 layer cakes need 3 cups. Sounds like a fun cake! Good luck!
Awesome, thank you so much!
Is this enough for 24 cupcakes?
Thanks.
Definitely double the recipe for 24 cupcakes.
Can this icing be frozen on cupcakes?
I can’t say for sure. I have never tried freezing it. It might be best to freeze it separately in a container rather than on top of cupcakes. Then if it gets watery, you can re-whip it.