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You only need 4 ingredients to make the best Cream Cheese Icing Recipe! It’s easy to make and the uses are endless. You’ll love how unbelievably creamy, smooth, and soft this cream cheese frosting is for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more!
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Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
I’ve been making my fool-proof homemade cream cheese frosting for years now, and it’s absolutely a family favorite! It has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy with such a smooth and creamy texture.
We love using my cream cheese frosting recipe for carrot cake, cupcakes, or cinnamon rolls! Plus, it can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Not only is cream cheese icing super easy to make, but it can also be dyed, it’s thick enough to be piped and, of course, it’s super delicious! Plus, it spreads onto baked goods with ease. Nothing beats this cream cheese icing recipe!
This is the best cream cheese frosting recipe I have ever tried! It is a keeper.
Nadine
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add your softened butter and full-fat cream cheese.
- Using your electric mixer, beat for 2-3 minutes using medium speed. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through!
- Pour in vanilla extract and half of your powdered sugar. Beat with your hand mixer for another 2-3 minutes, using a spatula and scraping down the sides halfway through.
- Add in remaining powdered sugar and beat well.
- Enjoy frosting on cookies, cupcakes, or cake!
Homemade Cream Cheese Icing Tips
- I’d recommend only using flat bricks of cream cheese, instead of spreadable or low-fat cream cheese, which is usually sold in a tub rather than in brick form.
- Ensure your butter and cream cheese have fully softened at room temperature before making frosting! This will result in a lump-free frosting.
- Use any leftover frosting sandwiched between two graham crackers and freeze overnight like an ice cream sandwich. So good!
- For a lighter, less sweet frosting, I recommend my whipped cream frosting! It’s just as easy and delicious.
Cream Cheese Icing FAQs
The difference between icing and frosting is that icing is typically thinner and runnier, like a glaze, whereas frosting is usually thick and can be used in a piping bag. However, the terms are often used interchangeably.
You can substitute cream cheese frosting for buttercream; although the flavors are not the same, the taste is incredible! Cream cheese frosted cakes, cupcakes, and cookies are preferred in my household.
Recipe for Cream Cheese Icind for Cookies
My absolute favorite use of this icing is on cookies. You can take any cookie and make it over the-top fabulous by adding this easy frosting to it. It is amazing on Pumpkin Pie Cookies!
Another favorite is using it as the frosting on my Gingerbread Loaf and Pumpkin Cake.
How to Store Cream Cheese Frosting
- Refrigerator: Store frosting in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Store cream cheese frosting in an airtight container stored in the back of your freezer for up to 2 months. Be sure to let your frosting fully defrost before re-whipping with an electric whisk!
My easy cream cheese frosting is so easy to make, and even easier to store! Although, it should never be left to sit at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours at a time.
Dessert Toppings
📋 Recipe
Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
- 1 Electric whisk
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add your softened butter and cream cheese.½ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Using your electric whisk, beat for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides halfway through!
- Pour in vanilla extract and half of your powdered sugar. Beat for another 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Add in remaining powdered sugar and beat well.
- Enjoy frosting on cookies, cupcakes, or cake!
Video
Notes
- I’d recommend only using flat bricks of cream cheese, instead of spreadable or low-fat cream cheese, which is usually sold in a tub rather than in brick form.
- Ensure your butter and cream cheese have fully softened before making frosting! This will result in a lump-free frosting.
- Use any leftover frosting sandwiched between two graham crackers and freeze overnight like an ice cream sandwich. So good!
- For a lighter, less sweet frosting, I recommend my whipped cream frosting! It’s just as easy and delicious.
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