• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Basics
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Sides
  • Breads

Eats Delightful

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Portfolio

Check out more!

iced blueberry breakfast pastries on baking sheet (4)
assembled chocolate chip ice cream sandwich cookies on parchment paper (11)
filled matcha sandwich cookies stacked on serving platter
raspberry chocolate cake slice (2)
blueberry crisp in serving dish with scoop of ice cream on the side
chocolate glazed donuts in plate (1)
red velvet brownies lined up in a row (4)
sliced frosted and decorated pistachio cake on serving platter (2)
funfetti birthday cookies arranged on serving platter (1)
oatmeal muffins on tea towel (5)
frosted blackberry cupcakes on serving platter (5)
chocolate pound cake close up of slice on serving platter (2)
chocolate chip cookie bars on parchment paper sliced
sliced American Irish Soda Bread on serving platter (4)
spring lemon Bundt cake topped with icing and berries on parchment paper (5)

April 21, 2021

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

This post may contain affiliate sales links. As an Amazon associate, we earn commission on qualifying purchases you make. Please see our privacy policy for full details.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Incredibly creamy and flavorful, this cream cheese frosting is so simple, yet so versatile!

I feel like cream cheese frosting doesn’t get as much love as classic buttercream frosting! But it’s super flavorful and just as versatile as regular buttercream!! Plus I find cream cheese frosting isn’t as fussy as buttercream.

Subscribe to Eats Delightful!

Sign up to receive recipes and updates sent straight to your inbox!

    We respect your privacy. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    5 ingredients, and 5 minutes of your time, and you’ll have a bowl of cream cheese frosting for all of your red velvet, carrot cake, and cinnamon roll needs! Or whatever else you like cream cheese frosting on.

    cream cheese frosting complete in bowl overhead (1)

    Cream cheese frosting ingredients:

    • cream cheese: of course!
    • butter: helps give the frosting some structure. Using 100% cream cheese would leave you with a soupy frosting! And, no thank you to that!
    • salt: to balance out the sweetness
    • vanilla extract: for flavor!
    • powdered sugar: for sweetness and structure. This recipe uses 4 cups, but if you want a less sweet frosting, you can take it down to 3 cups. I wouldn’t go any less than that because a lot of the body of the frosting does come from the sugar!

    • cream cheese frosting cream cheese and butter in bowl side view
    • cream cheese frosting butter and cream cheese in bowl overhead
    cream cheese frosting cream cheese and butter creamed together overhead

    How to make cream cheese frosting:

    1. Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add salt and vanilla and whisk in as well.
    2. Add powdered sugar. Beat until all the sugar is dissolved.
    3. Frost away!

    red velvet cupcakes on marble serving board head on view

    Cream cheese frosting variations:

    Here’s how to make this same recipe into:

    • cinnamon cream cheese frosting: add between 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (depending on your taste) to the frosting!
    • cream cheese lemon frosting: add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the frosting!
    • strawberry cream cheese frosting: add a 1/4 cup strawberry jam. Or (if you want to use fresh strawberries) cook 1 cup of strawberries on your stovetop until it reduces down to a 1/4 cup. Cool down the mixture completely before adding to your frosting at the end!

    red velvet cupcakes on serving tray topped with frosting and cake crumbs

    How long does cream cheese frosting last?

    Cream cheese frosting actually lasts a decent amount of time. It’ll keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can even freeze it for up to 3 months.

    Whichever method you choose, make sure to store your frosting in an airtight container or plastic bag to keep it as fresh as possible.

    Check out these other frosting recipes!

    • chocolate buttercream frosting
    • vanilla buttercream frosting
    • whipped chocolate ganache frosting


    cream cheese frosting on red velvet cupcakes close up (1)

    Easy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

    Incredibly creamy and flavorful, this cream cheese frosting is so simple, yet so versatile!
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 3 cups (approx.)

    Ingredients

    • 1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese softened to room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 4 cups powdered sugar * see notes

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat together using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until fluffy, smooth, and lump free. Add your vanilla and salt, and mix to incorporate.
    • Add your sugar to the cream cheese and butter mixture. Beat together again until the sugar is fully dissolved in your frosting.
      *TIP: If you find your frosting is not firm enough for what you plan on using it for, pop it in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes. It should firm up. The longer it sits in the fridge, the firmer it will get.
    • Frost away!

    Notes

    * For a less sweet frosting, you can take the amount of sugar down to 3 cups. I wouldn’t go below 3 cups just because most of the frosting’s body does come from the sugar. Using 3 cups will give you a slightly looser frosting, but nothing a few minutes in the fridge won’t fix!
    Tried this recipe?Tag @eatsdelightfulblog or use #eatsdelightful!

    Enjoy!


    Share this:

    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Print
    • WhatsApp

    Filed Under: Basics, Birthday Recipes, Cakes, Christmas Recipes, Cupcakes, Desserts, Easter Recipes, Fall Recipes, Frostings, Icings, & Glazes, Mother's Day & Father's Day Recipes, New Year's Recipes, No Bake Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes, Valentine's Day Recipes Tagged With: best cream cheese frosting, butter cream cheese frosting, buttercream cream cheese frosting, cream cheese butter frosting, cream cheese frosting, cream cheese frosting for cake, cream cheese frosting for cupcakes, cream cheese recipes, easy cream cheese frosting, frosting recipe, homemade cream cheese frosting, how to make cream cheese frosting, recipe cream cheese frosting, recipe for cream cheese frosting, red velvet cream cheese frosting, vanilla cream cheese frosting, whipped cream cheese frosting

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Us

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    Trending

    • Simple Powdered Sugar Glaze / Icing
    • How to make buttermilk
    • Italian Meatballs Recipe
    • Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Homemade Tortillas (Soft Flour Tortilla Recipe)
    • Quick and Easy Carrot Muffins
    • Rice Pudding Recipe (No Eggs)
    • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
    • Crispy Breakfast Potatoes
    • Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Eggs

    Footer

    Pages

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Portfolio

    Categories

    • Basics
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Sides
    • Breads

    Recent Posts

    • Blueberry Breakfast Pastries (No Knead)
    • Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
    • Matcha Sandwich Cookies
    • Raspberry Chocolate Cake
    • Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

    Copyright © 2022 Eats Delightful on the Brunch Pro Theme

    This site uses cookies
    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT