Making Proper Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting relies on the temperature of your ingredients. If the butter and cheese aren't at the same cool room temperature—soft but still holding their shape—the mixture will break. Beat the butter until pale and airy before folding in the cheese, then finish with just enough sugar to hold the structure without turning it into a runny syrup.
Temperature is your only constraint.
If your cream cheese is too warm, the frosting will turn into a puddle; if it is too cold, you will end up with unappealing lumps that refuse to smooth out.
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- rubber spatula
- fine mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 8 ozfull-fat cream cheese, brick style
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 3 cupspowdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
Don't skip the sieve
Powdered sugar compacts in the bag. Pushing it through a sieve ensures a smooth, uniform texture, which is the difference between a professional finish and a gritty, uneven mess.
The method.
Cream the butter
Beat the softened butter on medium speed for about three minutes until it becomes pale and increases in volume.
Incorporate the cheese
Add the cream cheese in two chunks. Beat on medium-low until just combined; stop as soon as it looks uniform, or the emulsion will break.
Add sugar
Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and add the sifted sugar one cup at a time. Scrape the bottom of the bowl frequently.
Finish and chill
Add vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high for 30 seconds to aerate. If it is too soft to pipe, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.
Other turns to take.
Zested
Fold in the zest of one lemon or lime at the end for a sharp contrast to the fat.
Browned Butter
Brown the butter and let it solidify back to room temperature before starting the base; this adds a toasted, nutty depth.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use block-style cream cheese; the spreadable tub variety has too much moisture and will prevent the frosting from setting.
Scrape your paddle attachment and the sides of the bowl twice while mixing to ensure no pockets of butter remain.
If the frosting looks grainy, it is likely the cream cheese was too cold; let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and whip again.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, but it must be kept refrigerated. It will harden significantly in the fridge, so let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before trying to pipe or spread it.
Why is my frosting runny?
You likely over-mixed the cream cheese or the butter was too warm. Once it liquifies, it is difficult to rescue; chill it for an hour to see if it firms up.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe