Love the taste of cream cheese frosting but don't want the extra calories from butter? This easy and delicious no butter cream cheese frosting recipe is the perfect solution! Made with just a few simple ingredients, this frosting is smooth, creamy, and perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
Perfect for adding onto cupcakes, cakes or cookies, this cream cheese frosting without butter is so delicious that you won’t believe it contains no butter!
Why You'll Love This No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
With just a few ingredients, you can make incredibly rich and creamy cream cheese frosting without butter that holds up better on brownies and cookies!
Whether you are making something special for this weekend's celebration, or planning ahead for the upcoming holiday season, this no butter cream cheese frosting recipe makes it easier to bake with less butter.
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No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
Whether you’re topping off cupcakes or adding to cheesecake bars, this dreamy, creamy no butter cream cheese frosting is sure to become your go-to when it comes time to finish things off in style!
- Powdered Sugar
- Cream Cheese - Use full fat cream cheese.
- Vanilla extract - You can also use lemon extract, almond extract, or any you like to make different flavors. Maple extract is amazing on our Crumbl Pumpkin Cookies!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Need Your Cream Cheese To Soften Faster?
Don't use the microwave, it overheats too easily. Simply cut your cream cheese into small cubes and spread out on a plate. The extra surface area will allow the cream cheese to naturally soften very quickly.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
- You will start with allowing your cream cheese to come to room temperature. This will make is much easier to whip your cream cheese frosting to a light and fluffy mixture.
Mix Cream Cheese And Powdered Sugar
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Add some of the powdered sugar. Mix on slow (so you don't send powdered sugar everywhere) until the cream cheese and powdered sugar are incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix in.
Whip Until Fluffy
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and again, mix on slow until the powdered sugar is mixed in.
- Increase the speed of your mixer, and beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar mixture until it becomes creamy, smooth, and fluffy.
PRO TIP: For a thinner, icing type of frosting, slowly add cream in 1 tablespoon increments and mix with your mixer. Stop when you reach your desired consistency. Icing will typically need about 2 - 3 tablespoons of cream for a consistency that will let you drizzle.
Frost or Pipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- Frost your cookies, bars, cake, etc now, or fill a piping bag if you are piping frosting on your baked good!
PRO TIP: For firmer frosting, refrigerate for about 20 minutes. This will allow your piped decorations to have sharper lines.
Serving Suggestions
When frosting cookies, brownies, and cinnamon rolls, I prefer this no butter cream cheese frosting over my classic Easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe using butter. Cream cheese frosting without butter holds up better on baked goods, especially in the warmer months.
Use this delicious frosting with our TikTok Cinnamon Rolls and Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting, the frosting sets better and is easier for serving! it's also perfect for our Pumpkin Bars, Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, and
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions
You can also use Neufchatel cheese, as it is almost identical to cream cheese. another delicious substitution is Mascarpone cheese. Cream cheese is made with milk, while Mascarpone is made with cream.
Variations
I love frostings with different flavors. I made a cinnamon buttercream for my Crumbl Cinnamon Churro Cookies, but they would also be amazing with cinnamon cream cheese frosting also!
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting - See our separate recipe for Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting, or make it a no butter cream cheese frosting also simply by adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon when you add the powdered sugar to the whipped cream cheese.
- White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting - Melt some white chocolate chips and slowly whip in with the softened cream cheese. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk, and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls Frosting - Use this no butter cream cheese frosting recipe, except add ¼ cup milk after mixing in the powdered sugar. You may not need the full ¼ cup, mix until you get an icing that is thick but can be smeared easily.
- Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting - Use our Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, or simply add ½ cup of creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese and whip until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Good equipment makes any baking or cooking task so much more enjoyable. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this recipe.
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Storage
- Store excess frosting in a covered container and keep refrigerated for easily up to a week.
- You can freeze frosting for up to 3 months in an air tight container.
- Defrost in the refrigerator before using.
Tips for Success
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature before mixing with powdered sugar.
- Sifting powdered sugar ensures there are no lumps in your frosting.
- Mix on slow speed until the powdered sugar is mixed in, then increase to whip fluffy. This will prevent scattering powdered sugar everywhere.
- You can also set the mixing bowl inside one of your sink compartments. Turn the faucet to the other compartment, and then mix ingredients. I love how any mess is contained right in the sink compartment!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Store it in serving size containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frosting is thick and fluffy, and is used to coat the outside (and often the inner layers) of a cake. Icing is thinner and glossier than frosting, and can be used as a glaze, as in cinnamon rolls.
While cream cheese frosting is not quite as stable as Swiss meringue buttercream or American-style buttercream, it holds up better in warmer months simply because cream cheese has a higher melt point than butter does.
No, always use full fat cream cheese when making a no butter cream cheese frosting. You need the fat to help set the powdered sugar and prevent having a runny frosting.
Yes, but use the thick gel colorants so your frosting does not thin out.
More Delish Ideas
📖 Recipe
Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
Equipment
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer with 3.5 quart bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 4½ cups Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- You will start with allowing your cream cheese to come to room temperature. This will make is much easier to whip your cream cheese frosting to a light and fluffy mixture
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.8 oz cream cheese
- Add ½ of the powdered sugar. Mix on slow (so you don't send powdered sugar everywhere) until the cream cheese and powdered sugar are incorporated. PRO TIP: If using a hand mixer, you can set your mixing bowl in a sink compartment and mix there. This contains any mess to the sink! Just turn the faucet to the other sink compartment.4½ cups Powdered sugar
- Add the vanilla extract and mix in.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and again, mix on slow until the powdered sugar is mixed in.
- Increase the speed of your mixer, and beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar mixture until it becomes creamy, smooth, and fluffy.
- Frost your cookies, bars, cake, etc now, or fill a piping bag if you are piping frosting on your baked good!PRO TIP: For firmer frosting, refrigerate for about 20 minutes. This will allow your piped decorations to have sharper lines.
Notes
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature before mixing with powdered sugar.
- Mix on slow speed until the powdered sugar is mixed in, then increase to whip fluffy. This will prevent scattering powdered sugar everywhere.
- You can also set the mixing bowl inside one of your sink compartments. Turn the faucet to the other compartment, and then mix ingredients. I love how any mess is contained right in the sink compartment!
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