This is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting recipe that you will ever make! It’s thick, sturdy, pipeable, and lightly sweet with only 1 cup of powdered sugar!

Use it on red velvet cake, carrot cake, any other cake, inside sandwich cookies or cake rolls, or on top of cinnamon rolls. The possibilities are endless!

The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting - thick, sturdy, and pipeable, plus not overly sweet!

Why is this the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting?

Okay ya’ll! I’m serious when I say this is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting recipe out there! I’ve tried so many kinds. Other recipes tend to be soft and stringy. (No thank you!) This has been my go-to recipe since 2014.

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This cream cheese frosting is stiff, sturdy, pipe-able, spreadable, you name it! Plus, it’s NOT overly sweet like the other recipes either.

The beauty of cream cheese frosting is that it should be tangy and and taste like cream cheese. Not be taken over by gobs of powdered sugar like a buttercream frosting. (However my even my buttercream frosting uses far less sugar.)

The Difference from Other Recipes

See the ripples in that frosting? Yep, that’s proof right there that it’s stiff enough to pipe and decorate with. The big difference between this recipe and all those other ones floating around the web, is that this recipe uses more butter and less powdered sugar.

Cream cheese frosting made in a bowl with an electric hand mixer.

More butter and less powdered sugar gives the cream cheese frosting a buttery, creamy texture, yet still has that tangy cream cheese flavor to it.

Less powdered sugar helps it not be stringy, and the butter helps to lighten and fluff up the frosting.

That’s right! More powdered sugar (can) = stringy frosting!!!

It’s a fine dance. You have to use way less powdered sugar, or use way more powdered sugar to keep the frosting at a good consistency.

In fact, you would have to use 4 cups of powdered sugar to help it go from soft and stringy to thick.

OR — you can use 1 cup of powdered sugar and call it good.

Using only 1 cup of powdered sugar will produce less cream cheese frosting overall, but I’ll take a lightly sweet frosting over a ridiculously sweet frosting any day.

How Much Frosting Will This Make?

This cream cheese frosting recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Which is enough to pipe 12-14 cupcakes. You can cover a single round or rectangle cake with it, but double the recipe for a layered cake.

If you want another great option that yields a little more, my whipped cream cheese frosting makes 4 cups. It’s equally tasty, even lighter in texture, and still only slightly sweet.

The best cream cheese frosting in a bowl with a spatula.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Let me show you how easy it is to make this cream cheese frosting.

Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth.
Gradually add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. (Gradually adding the butter helps it fluff up, creating volume, and blend better with the cream cheese.)
Add powdered sugar and vanilla all at once.
Blend until combined and smooth. Use for any recipe that calls for cream cheese frosting.

The best cream cheese frosting recipe made in a bowl with an electric hand mixer.

Tips For Making Cream Cheese Icing

Which type of cream cheese should I use? I’ve used full-fat and Neufchatel cream cheese for this recipe. Neufchatel will be slightly softer, but still manageable. Brick-style cream cheese is a must. Do NOT use cream cheese tubs/spreads.
Use COLD cream cheese. This is not a typo. It seems like a big no-no, but it works, I promise. The room temperature cream cheese will help blend the two together without making the frosting soft.
Use flat beaters, if possible. Honestly, my cheap $20-ish Hamilton Beach hand mixer (affiliate) is my favorite. The flat beaters help mix the frosting in a bowl better than in a stand mixer.
Beat the cream cheese and butter together as long as you want BEFORE adding the powdered sugar and vanilla. Try and get all the lumps out beforehand. Once the powdered sugar is added, don’t beat it for too long or the frosting will become too soft to pipe. If this happens, place the frosting in the refrigerator or freezer until it firms back up.
Type of butter to use: Unsalted butter is best, so if you want to add salt, you can control the amount you put in. Make sure that the butter is room temperature for this recipe.

Can I Color this Frosting?

Yes, this cream cheese frosting can be dyed. I recommend food color gels over liquid food coloring to avoid adding too much liquid into the frosting.

How to Store Cream Cheese Frosting

Due to the cream cheese, you will want to store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Any cakes/cupcakes that have been frosted with cream cheese icing can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If you don’t like cold cake, simply remove the cake/cupcakes from the fridge and bring them to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before consuming.

To Freeze: Place cream cheese frosting in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to stir/re-whip it gently to freshen it up.

More Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes:

I’ve made many variations of this same recipe! Pick your flavor:

12 servings

Ingredients

▢ 8 oz (226 g) brick-style cream cheese, COLD
▢ ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
▢ 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth.
Gradually add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla all at once. Blend until combined and smooth. (Don’t beat too long or the frosting will be too soft to pipe. If this happens, place the frosting in the refrigerator or freezer until it firms back up.) Use for any recipe that calls for cream cheese frosting.

Video

Notes

YIELD: 1 ½ cups frosting, which will frost about 12-14 cupcakes
STORAGE: Store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Any cakes/cupcakes that have been frosted with cream cheese icing can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If you don’t like cold cake, simply remove the cake/cupcakes from the fridge and bring them to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before consuming.
TO FREEZE: Place cream cheese frosting in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to stir/re-whip it gently to freshen it up.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

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Extra pictures and video added 4/1/17. Post updated with step-by-step photos January 2024.

4.44 from 390 votes (387 ratings without comment)

361 Comments

Tonya Whang says:

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Your ingredient amounts are correct, but I prefer this methodology:
1) All ingredients need to be at room temperature to prevent globs of cream cheese in the final product.
2) Use a stand mixer, either paddle or whisk will work
3) Powdered sugar sold in the US usually contains anti caking agents which liquefies cream cheese, but creaming the sugar with butter first neutralizes the liquefying effect. Then add the cream cheese and vanilla. Results are always perfect

The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting + Video