Brown butter is basically the equivalent of liquid gold in baking, it makes everything taste fancier, toastier, and just SO much better. Especially when you turn it into a thick and fluffy brown butter frosting. In this simple recipe I’m gonna show you exactly how to make nutty, caramelized brown butter and turn it into the buttercream frosting of your dreams.

Swirls of brown butter on a cake.

Ok are you ready for this? Because once we go here and make this brown butter frosting, I dont think you’ll ever look at butter the same. I know I’m not.

It’s rich. It’s nutty. It tastes like caramel met a stick of butter and became best friends for life.

I mean, just look at those tiny speckles of flavor. You can use browned butter any way you would use regular butter, it just elevates the taste!

If you’re intimidated by brown butter, I get it, I was too. Even as a trained pastry chef (which, like, why the heck did we NOT make this in pastry school bc I’m obsessed) but its really so simple to make.

You just heat butter in a saucepan until the water evaporates and the milk solids (the little pieces you will see) sink to the bottom and start to brown. That’s where the flavor lives! Those little golden flecks are pure deliciousness. The only thing is they can burn fast so you have to watch out for that.

I took my classic vanilla buttercream frosting recipe and browned the butter to turn it into this nutty, almost caramel like flavor that is incredible over this fluffy butter cake, or on these caramel cupcakes. You can also slather it over this banana cake, for an out of this world experience.

Lemme show you how to make it!

Step by step instructions

Ok first thing- its easiest if you make this in a light colored pan so you can see when the milk solids start to turn brown. If you only have a dark one, then make sure you have some good lights on and when the butter starts smelling nutty, I would tilt the pan towards you so you can see some more of the color.

Making brown butter:

2 sticks of butter added to a skillet.
Add 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter to a skillet over medium heat and let it melt.
Melted butter foaming up in a saucepan.
After the butter melts its going to foam up a bit, stir it with a spatula so
Yellow melted butter in a saucepan.
Keep stirring the melted butter. The milk solids will start to separate and you’ll see little pieces sink down. Watch them closely because they will start to turn brown.
Browned butter in a saucepan with spatula.
When it starts to smell nutty and you see an amber color like this, take it off the heat. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn, it can happen fast!
Brown butter in a glass bowl.
Add the brown butter (with the bits!) to a small bowl and put it in the fridge for 60-90 minutes. You can also make this ahead, and take it out an hour before you want to use it so it’s softened.

Making the frosting

Browned butter added to powdered sugar.
Make sure the butter is softened at room temp, then add it to powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.
Powdered sugar and browned butter creamed together.
Cream the butter and sugar on low- medium speed until it clumps up and is combined.
Browned butter frosting in a mixing bowl with a spatula.
With the mixer on low, add the vanilla and milk until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.

If you have never had this before I think you’ll be really surprised at how simply melting and browning butter gives this frosting such an intense caramel flavor.

You don’t have to keep the finished frosting in the fridge either.

Butter cake pieces with browned butter frosting on top.
You can fill and frost it over a cake, it makes enough to cover a 9x 13 or pipe it over cupcakes, it’s really stable and will crust over.

It’s super forgiving too- if you want the frosting really thick, only add the 1 tbsp milk. I usually add 2 tbsp because I find that its the perfect consistency for spreading over cakes.

Swirls of brown butter on a cake.
5 stars (1 rating)

The Brown Butter Frosting of your Dreams

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Cooling time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Brown butter is basically the equivalent of liquid gold in baking, it makes everything taste fancier, toastier, and just SO much better. Especially when you turn it into a thick and fluffy brown butter frosting. In this simple recipe I'm gonna show you exactly how to make nutty, caramelized brown butter and turn it into the buttercream frosting of your dreams.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (227 g) butter, unsalted, softened to room temp
  • 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp (1 tbsp) milk

Instructions
 

  • Add 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) to a light colored skillet over medium heat. Let the butter melt slowly. After about 2 minutes it will start to foam up. Stir it every 20 seconds or so.
  • The foam will subside slightly and you'll see the milk solids separate and start to sink to the bottom. Keep stirring lightly.
  • After about 5-6 minutes the milk solids will start to brown and smell super nutty. When they are an amber color, take the butter off the heat and stir again. Slowly pour the butter into a bowl scraping up all those flavorful brown bits at the bottom. Chill in the fridge for about 1 hour, or until solidified but soft and scoop-able.
  • Add the butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Start to mix on low so that the sugar doesn't blow out of the bowl. Move to medium speed and cream the butter and sugar till it clumps together, about 2 minutes.
  • Move the mixer to low speed and add in the 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1-2 tbsp milk depending on the consistency that you want. I usually add 2 tbsp to keep it easy to spread.
  • Frost over cake or cupcakes!

Notes

Store the leftover frosting in a ziptop bag or in a container with a lid. If you are using it the next day you can store it at room temperature. If you’re making it ahead, keep it in the fridge. 
This recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes, or fill and frost a 2 layer 9 inch cake or a 9×13 cake,
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 123mg, Potassium: 8mg, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 475IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.02mg
Course: Frosting
Author: Sam Adler
Cuisine: American
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