The Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This homemade cream cheese frosting recipe is easy to make, slightly sweet, tangy, and will quickly become your new favorite frosting! It pipes beautifully and holds its shape – you're going to be putting this frosting on everything (especially red velvet cupcakes).

For a less tangy option, try my mascarpone whipped cream or the cannoli frosting on these pistachio cupcakes.

I know, I know – you've probably seen plenty of recipes out there titled “The BEST cream cheese frosting”. And I know I might be a little biased here, but… this is actually the best one.

Every time I put this on something and give it to my husband, he talks about how much he loves it. Every single time. I could probably give him three different baked goods in the same day with this piled on top, and he'd tell me every. single. time.

Thankfully, it's a quick and easy recipe with four simple ingredients, and I might actually do that one of these days.

What is the difference between cream cheese frosting and cream cheese icing?

This can be confusing because so many people use the terms “frosting” and “icing” interchangeably! They actually are two different things.

• Frosting is thick and fluffy, and is most often used to frost cakes. It can also be used as a filling in between the cake layers of a layer cake.
• Icing is thin and glossy, and is most often used to ice cookies. It can also be used as a decorative element on cakes.

That said, in the context of cream cheese, cream cheese frosting is used to frost cakes and cupcakes, and cream cheese icing is often used on cinnamon rolls and other pastries.

Key Ingredients

• Cream cheese – Because, you know, cream cheese frosting. Room temperature blocks of cream cheese, not the spreadable kind you use on bagels.
• Unsalted butter – Adds structure and flavor to the frosting. And make sure it's room temperature butter! If you're not sure what that means, check out this post about what it is and why it's important.
• Clear vanilla extract – I use clear vanilla extract in my frosting since it doesn't add any color to it – but you could always use pure vanilla extract. Just note that it will add a bit of color and darken your frosting a tad.
• Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness and structure to the frosting, and can be scaled up or down based on your personal preference for sweetness.
• White food gel paste (optional) – This is totally optional, and purely a personal preference. I like to add Bright White food gel paste to my cream cheese frosting to eliminate a little of the yellowish hue that naturally comes with butter-based frostings.

What type of cream cheese is best for frosting?

I always use a regular full-fat cream cheese brick, and I opt for a high-quality name brand, like Philadelphia. Some off-brands have a very odd texture that is less than appealing – and since cream cheese is the star of this recipe, you want the best quality you can get.

You do NOT want to use spreadable cream cheese, like what you would use for bagels.

Do I have to use clear vanilla extract?

Not at all! I use the clear because it doesn't add any color to the frosting – but you could always use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (aff link) for an even deeper flavor. Just note that it will add a bit of color and darken your frosting a tad.

What is white food gel?

White food gel, like AmeriColor Bright White Gel Paste Food Color, can be used to bring out more vivid colors in your baked goods and frostings.

In the case of this cream cheese frosting, I use it to reduce some of the yellow hue that naturally comes from a frosting using butter. There's nothing wrong with how it looks naturally, sometimes I just prefer it to be a more bright white to contrast with the cupcakes or cake it sits upon!

Is gel food coloring the same as paste?

Gel food coloring (aff link) and gel paste food coloring serve the same purpose, but gel paste is thicker and more concentrated. Gel paste allows you to use less of the product for the same effect.

It's not as important for a thick frosting recipe like this – but when you're working with something thinner and more delicate like royal icing or meringue, you don't want to use too much liquid food dye as it could add too much liquid and thin out your batter or icing.

How to make cream cheese frosting

Buttercream vs. cream cheese frosting

If you've ever wondered what the difference is between buttercream frosting and cream cheese frosting, it's actually right there in the names!

• Buttercream frosting is a combination of butter and powdered sugar. It's known for its sweet flavor.
• Cream cheese frosting replaces half of the butter with cream cheese, and is also combined with powdered sugar. This has a less sweet flavor, with more of a tang.

How to stiffen cream cheese frosting

The last thing I want to do is add additional sugar to my frosting if I can help it – I worked so hard to get the flavor and level of sweetness that I wanted! But what's a girl to do when the icing isn't quite stiff enough to pipe onto those delicious cupcakes I just made?

Great news! All you need to do is put the cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. The frosting will thicken as it cools in the fridge and the consistency will become thicker.

If you find that didn't help enough, you can add 1 tablespoon of meringue powder to the frosting and whip it to combine. This should help stabilize it as well.

How to use cream cheese frosting for cake decorating

You can use cream cheese frosting the same ways you would use a buttercream frosting!

You can use an icing spatula to frost a sheet cake or layer cake, and/or transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip and decorate it that way.

Carrot cake, red velvet cake, and pumpkin cake are some of the classics that are the perfect complement to cream cheese frosting.

Here are some of my favorites recipes to pair with this frosting (and some of them aren't cake):

• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake
• Hummingbird Cupcakes
• Baked Carrot Cake Donuts
• Cranberry Bliss Cupcakes
• Easy Baked Red Velvet Donuts
• Gluten-Free Lemon Cake

Storage Tips

Your best bet is to store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To freeze, the frosting can be stored in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring it to room temperature and re-whip before using to frost baked goods.

Helpful Tips

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