Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Perfectly balanced—sweet, tangy, and packed with vanilla flavor (without that cloying sweetness you get with other recipes!)
Texture: Ultra-smooth, creamy, and downright luscious but still pipe-able.
Ease: Just 4 ingredients and the icing can be made ahead of time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This 7-minute recipe instantly elevates any cake, cupcake, or other dessert!
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Some frostings are just a finishing touch. But this Cream Cheese Frosting? This smooth, creamy, flavorful frosting is the main event.
Since I published this recipe in 2017, it’s been one of the most popular recipes on my site – and with good reason! It’s my go-to frosting for icing Red Velvet Cake, topping Carrot Cake Cupcakes, or slathering across homemade Gooey Cinnamon Rolls.
After hearing consistent feedback that the original recipe became too runny for many HTH bakers, I experimented to make this frosting even sturdier without increasing the sugar.
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The result? A frosting that pipes like a dream and elevates every bite with its velvety texture and tangy flavor. No ingredient changes were needed—just a slightly different mixing method!
Check out my baking science tips below and the FAQ box underneath the recipe for ALL my tips and tricks to help you make the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting you’ll ever taste.
Sprinkle of Science
My Cream Cheese Frosting Experiments
I know some of you had trouble getting the original recipe to hold its shape when piping. Adding more powdered sugar made it too sweet!
The solution? Changing the ORDER of ingredients! Instead of adding the powdered sugar last, we beat the butter and sugar first, much like a buttercream recipe. Then add the cream cheese. That one little change makes a HUGE difference! See the difference in studiness:
In the left photo, the frosting is smooth but just a bit too soft—it started sliding right off the cupcake when flipped upside down! But on the right? My new method pipes beautifully and stays put—even when flipped upside down.
This makes it sturdier for hot days, BBQs, picnics, and transporting, as well as more decorative piping.
Why this works: When butter and sugar are creamed together first air becomes trapped, resulting in a fluffier texture and more stable structure. The powdered sugar also acts as a slight barrier, coating the fat in the butter to prevent the extra moisture in the cream cheese from absorbing.
✨ Tessa’s Tip: Use the Original Method for cinnamon rolls for the best melt-in-your-mouth texture. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until light, creamy, and smooth, about 2 minutes. Then, gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed and beat until fluffy.
What Type of Cream Cheese is Best for Frosting?
- For the creamiest, dreamiest frosting, use full-fat brick-style cream cheese softened to a cool room temperature.
- Do NOT use whipped or spreadable cream cheese made for bagels (too soft!).
- Do not use low-fat cream cheese (less rich and too watery).
- Some off-brand cream cheese bricks can be watery. Go for a quality brand when possible, like Philadelphia.
The Secret Ingredient for the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting!
Want to take your cream cheese frosting from delicious to gourmet? The secret ingredient: vanilla bean paste.
It’s a little pricier and harder to find than vanilla extract, but offers a deeper, richer flavor and beautiful flecks of vanilla without needing to use a whole vanilla bean pod. Plus, it skips the alcohol taste that some pure vanilla extracts can have.
You can purchase vanilla paste at kitchen stores or on Amazon here.
The Butter
For light, fluffy frosting that holds its shape, use unsalted butter at a cool room temperature (about 67°F).
Why unsalted? It gives you total control over the flavor—some brands of salted butter have twice as much salt as others! Check out my article on Unsalted vs. Salted Butter for more on this.
The Sugar
Powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, is a must for ultra-smooth frosting! No other sugar will do. To keep your frosting lump-free, always sift the powdered sugar after measuring.
✨ Tessa’s Tip: For the smoothest, silkiest texture, try organic powdered sugar containing tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. It dissolves better, so you won’t get any grittiness!
Have a question you don’t see answered here? Be sure to check the FAQ Box just below the recipe!
More Frosting Recipes You’ll Love:
- The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Best Ever Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Delicious Ways to Use Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Perfect Carrot Cupcakes (pictured in this post)
- Funfetti Cupcakes
- Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
- Red Velvet Cake
- Brown Butter Carrot Cake
The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
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Ingredients
- 3/4 stick (85 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (67°F)*
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) powdered sugar, sifted (don't skip sifting!)
- 6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature (brick-style, not spreadable)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
vanilla paste or extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sifted powdered sugar on low, then gradually increase to medium-high to prevent a sugar cloud. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth. (It may look dry at first, but it will come together like magic!). Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle, then add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again as needed.
Serving, Storing, and Make Ahead:
- Cream cheese frosting, alone or on cake or cupcakes, can sit at a cool room temperature for up to 8 hours before it should be refrigerated.
- The frosting can be made and transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer before using.
Recipe Notes
For the best texture, stick with my original method! Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until light, creamy, and smooth, about 2 minutes. Then, gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed and beat until fluffy. This creates a soft, silky frosting that melts beautifully over warm cinnamon rolls.
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Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
Which Mixer to Use for Frosting?
Either a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer works perfectly here.
How to Avoid Runny Cream Cheese Frosting?
1. Use the right cream cheese: Stick to high-quality, full-fat cream cheese in brick form. I love Philadelphia brand. Avoid spreadable or low-fat versions, which can make the frosting too soft and runny.
2. Watch the temperature: Your butter should be cool room temp (67°F) and your cream cheese should be room temp—not too warm, or the frosting can turn runny.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting Thicker
Feel free to add an additional 2 tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar at a time until you reach your desired consistency, but please note that this will result in a sweeter frosting.
How Much Frosting Do I Need? Can I Double This Recipe?
This recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups of frosting, perfect for frosting 12 cupcakes. To frost a two or three-layer 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes, simply double all ingredients–no other modifications needed.
Does Cream Cheese Frosting Need to be Refrigerated?
Since the sugar acts as a preservative, this Cream Cheese Frosting (on its own or frosted on a cake or cupcakes) can sit at a cool room temperature for up to 8 hours before it should be refrigerated.
How to Store Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting can be made ahead of time, placed inside an airtight container, and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer before using.
Can You Freeze Cream Cheese Frosting?
Store Cream Cheese Frosting in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer before using.
This post was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2025 with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Joanie Simon.
I’m doing carrot cupcakes for a baby shower. I was wondering if this will hold up as well as your buttercream for piped decorated cupcakes?
Hi Nancy! Cream cheese frosting doesn’t hold up as well as buttercream in terms of detailed piping; however, if you’re using a Wilton 1M tip to pipe a swirl on top, for example, it works great. You may need to add additional powdered sugar by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency. I hope that helps! Enjoy! 🙂
Thanks so much for your reply! Yes, I will up the sugar. Loving your site, I will be a regular!
This is the best cream cheese frosting recipe I’ve tried! I use 1 cup of powdered sugar and add more to taste. Delicious and so easy!
My 10 year old daughter is learning to bake and we wanted an easy cream cheese frosting. This recipe was easy and delicious! Thanks!
Best ever ❣️
Thank you.
my kids love it!
I just made this delicious frosting, but I need to frost the cupcakes and freeze them ahead of time. Without being able to re-whip the frosting, what will the consistency be when they are thawed? Should I make a different frosting? Ty!
Hi Nicky! We haven’t tried piping this frosting onto cupcakes and then freezing it (and we haven’t tried this method with any of our frostings, either!), so I can’t say for sure how that will go! It honestly may be fine, or it may separate a little as it thaws. Feel free to experiment and see how one goes before committing to the whole batch for your event! Let us know how it goes 🙂
VERY quick, easy and delicious cream cheese frosting recipe! I followed the recipe ingredients list, used my homemade vanilla extract, but instead of using a stand mixer I just used my hand held mixer on the frosting speed. It came out perfect. I will definitely be using this recipe again!❤
This turned out great! Simple ingredients and easy to make, perfect!❤️
Especially for Carrot or Pumpkin cupcakes; I replace the vanilla extract with Pure Maple Extract or the Pure Maple Syrup; (found in with the pancake syrups.)
Jus now made this amazingly delicious addiction!! lol My wonderful wife introduced me to a pie years back called the original whippedcream cream cheese cheesecake an by golly I dos believe I’ve found the whipped cream cheese portion of said wonderous pie!! So what’s imma gonna do is make a 2 or 3 cup batch of homemade whipping cream an combine the two into a graham cracker pie crust!! yesss indeedy,that’s gonna be right tasty!!
doubled the recipe but was shy on powdered sugar so just made my own with some white sugar and my Krupp’s coffee grinder, the homemade came out better than the stuff that was in the bag
can I add pineapple juice to cream cheese frosting what would be the correct amount? and the same for a homemade cake if I were to use juice from the pineapples in a can how much same with some lemon juice and a little jar or bottle how much would I use of that in the Frosty see how I get over
Hi Sonia! I’m sorry, but we haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure! Any liquid added to a frosting will make the frosting more runny, so it’s hard to add a lot of liquid (enough to give a strong flavor) while still maintaining a good consistency. The same goes for adding to a cake recipe – added liquid will change the texture of the baked result. Feel free to experiment – but it might be easier to try to find a pineapple curd recipe and fill your cake with that, then ice the whole thing in this frosting. Good luck! 🙂