Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

square crop of white frosting in a glass bowl.

5 from 4 votes

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This quick and easy-to-make Classic Cream Cheese Frosting or Icing comes together with just four basic ingredients, and it’s delicious on all kinds of sweet treats. Don’t miss out on this fluffy, sweet,creamy, and tangy dessert topping.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cream cheese, frosting, icing

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 191kcal

Author Debi

Equipment

Hand mixer
stand mixer

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature and cut into small cubes
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature, and cut into small cubes
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat until smooth. Add the butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until just combined.

Notes

Make sure that you’re using full-fat brick cream cheese. Don’t use low fat. The fat in the cream cheese adds flavor and richness to the frosting.

Don’t use spreadable cream cheese that you buy in a tub rather than in brick form.

Philadelphia brand is always good, and my recommendation here

Make sure you let the cream cheese and butter to soften to room temperature before using. Softening the butter and cream cheese ensure that your ingredients will combine well and be lump free.

I prefer unsalted butter, and you can add a pinch of salt if you like. That way you can control the amount of salt in the frosting. However, either salted or unsalted will work.

Nutrition