Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting is made with 4 ingredients! That is it…4! 4 ingredient homemade cream cheese frosting!

It will make your cookies, cakes and sweet treats even better! This is the BEST Recipe you will ever make!

Up close shot of cream cheese frosting with whisk

What do you need to make 4 ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting?

4 ingredients is all you need to get this easy cream cheese frosting!

The frosting is made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Nothing fancy, pretty basic, but so perfect!

Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened or the frosting will be lumpy.

Butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl to make cream cheese frosting
Cream cheese whipped in a mixer with the whisk attachment
Cream cheese frosting being mixed in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment
Whisk attachment with cream cheese frosting on it showing the stiffness of the frosting

Tips for Making the Frosting

This frosting is super simple to make. Following a few of my tips will help you end with the best results..

*Make sure your cream cheese and butter is softened to room temperature. If this means they need to sit out on your counter for an hour, do it.

*The butter and cream cheese needs to be super soft so it mixes well. If not, you will end up with lumpy frosting. It will still taste super good, but it won’t look as pretty. So make sure it is soft.

*To help you mix the frosting and get it smooth, a stand mixer with the whisk attachment is what I usually use. You can also use a hand mixer, or mix it by hand.

*To make the easy cream cheese frosting, just add all the ingredients together and mix well! You can add more powdered sugar if you want it thicker, and sweeter, and less if you want it thinner.

Cream cheese frosting being mixed in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment

Uses for Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

I use this frosting all the time. I have a few variations of it, but if a recipe needs frosting, this is my go to.

It is smooth, creamy, soft and sweet and so much better than boring frosting made with butter, milk and powdered sugar. Once you make this, you will never go back!

I use this frosting on my Banana Bars. They are a soft banana cake, made in a half sheet pan that you will fall in love with!

perfect bite of banana bars

The frosting is also used on my Soft Banana Cookies. These cookies are to die for amazing and always a hit!

Soft Banana Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

This homemade frosting is used on my Lemon Sheet Cake, but has lemon juice added to make it a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting – yes, it is as good as it sounds!

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Sheet Cake

You will find a variation of this recipe on my Cinnamon Twists post for my yummy Cinnamon Twists that are so much easier than cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Twists | The Butcher's Wife

Or try my Classic Cinnamon Rolls! They are frosted with easy Homemade Frosting!

A hand holding a fresh cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting

My Sheet Pan Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting are always a favorite!

up close shot of the corner of the sheet pan brownies frosted with cream cheese frosting and a chocolate drizzle

My Mom’s Pumpkin Bars use this frosting and it is a family favorite recipe that you need to try.

Mom's Pumpkin Bars

Sheet Pan Carrot Cake also uses this delicious Cream Cheese Frosting!

Carrot cake bars on a plate with the pan of cake in the background

Try my Raspberry Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting!

Up close shot of a raspberry sweet roll covered in cream cheese frosting

I also created a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting after this recipe for yummy fall treats!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting can be used on so many sweet treats! Try 4 ingredient cream cheese frosting on cakes, cookies and brownies and you will never make another frosting again!

Cream Cheese Frosting

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Up close shot of cream cheese frosting with whisk

Cream Cheese Frosting (The Best Ever)

This Cream Cheese frosting is perfect for your cakes, cookies, cupcakes and more!  It is sweet, creamy and smooth and will make any dessert delicious!
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 3 cups total (approx)

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 brick/block
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened, room temperature 1 stick/cube
  • 2-3 cups powdered sugar *I use closer to 3 cups
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients together and mix until well combined and smooth.  You can add more or less powdered sugar depending on how stiff you want your frosting.  
    NOTE: Make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened…not melted but really softened! If not your frosting will be lumpy…still good but lumpy!

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

Serving: 3Cups | Calories: 1004kcal | Carbohydrates: 124g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 481mg | Potassium: 113mg | Sugar: 120g | Vitamin A: 1953IU | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 0.2mg

18 Comments

  1. Hi,
    Just wanted to thank you for the carrot cake and icing recipes. My husband loves it. We used fresh carrots out of our garden. The cake is moist and the icing is deliciously creamy!

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Hi Patty!!! I am so so happy to hear that you guys loved it!!! I wish I had a garden with fresh carrots ☺️ thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to comment!❤️

  2. 5 stars
    Brilliant recipe, second time I use it with your carrot cake. Because I’m partial to the carrot/orange flavour, this time I added some orange zest to the frosting. Worked out very well 😉

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Hi Isabel! I am so happy to hear this is the second time you’ve made it! The orange zest sounds amazing …. I am definitely going to try it!! Thanks for stopping by the blog and taking the time to comment!😘❤️🥰

  3. Penny Kelley

    Could you please tell me how much cream cheese, butter etc. for the icing? I’ve been through the recipe three times and I’m not seeing it. Thank you.

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Hi Penny! The recipe is clear down at the bottom so it can be missed (dang blogs) but here it is:
      8 oz. cream cheese, softened
      1/2 cup butter, softened
      2-3 cups powdered sugar
      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

      Mix it all together until smooth!! Make sure the cream cheese and butter is super softened (not melted) or it can be bit lumpy!
      You can add more or less powdered sugar depending on how sweet you want it and how stiff you want the frosting! Happy Baking! Thanks for stopping by the blog! ❤️

  4. Yes. Just, YES.

  5. 5 stars
    I made this today to top your carrot cake recipe, however I felt 2 cups was way too much so I only used half (the cake is for my toddler). Can the other cup be frozen? By the way its delicious!

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Hi Sarah! I’m so glad it turned out delicious! I have never frozen the frosting but I know that the texture in cream cheese itself will usually change when frozen… it can be a little gritty and not smooth and even a bit watery when it thaws…so I worry that may happen with the frosting… but if you have it already made, maybe it’s worth a try?! If you freeze it, let me know how it turns out when thawed! 😘

  6. 5 stars
    This is my second time making this recipe! My family really enjoys it! So easy! Also, the cream cheese frosting has got to be the best I have ever had… and I have never been a frosting kinda person. 2 cups of powdered sugar is where it’s at! Bravo!!

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Tara! Thank you for the awesome feedback! I love hearing when people like my recipes! I’m so glad you love the frosting… I use it for almost everything that needs frosting! I’m so glad you like it as much as me! Thank you so much!❤️😘

    • I m v new to cake making. May i know 1 cup is equivalent to exactly how many grams here ?

  7. 4 stars
    It came out beautiful but haven’t tasted it yet.

    • Beth, The Butcher's Wife

      Kim…Yay! I am so excited it came out beautifully! It is my favorite frosting and I use for almost everything that needs frosting! Let me know how you like it once you taste it! Thanks for the sweet comment!❤️😘

4.84 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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