3 Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
This Cream Cheese Frosting without butter makes the perfect frosting for an endless list of sweet treats, including cookies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls. This easy recipe takes only 5 minutes to make and is made with just three ingredients! It has a delightfully sweet and tangy flavor and a rich, creamy consistency.
Can you make cream cheese frosting with no butter? You sure can! These easy-to-follow instructions, plus helpful tips and tricks from a trained pastry chef (me!), will teach you how to make the perfect cream cheese frosting without butter, margarine, heavy oils, heavy cream, milk, or ingredients of the like.
While classic cream cheese frosting has butter, this delicious butter-free version is just as decadent despite the lack of added fat. It’s a fantastic option for lightening up desserts traditionally decorated with cream cheese frosting. An apple bundt cake, red velvet cake, or a carrot cake bundt cake are just a few of the MANY desserts you can top with this no butter cream cheese icing!
The best part? You only need 5 minutes of your time to make this frosting from scratch, and the simplicity leaves plenty of room for customizing the flavor and color to anything you really want! You can also make this as thin or thick as you want it. Learn how to thicken frosting quickly to make it the way you like!
If you forgot to leave out your cream cheese to soften, you can totally soften cream cheese quickly!
So if you’re ready to make all of your desserts extra special, grab your cream cheese and confectioners sugar, and let’s get started.
Ingredients needed
- Cream cheese – It acts as the base of this homemade frosting. It’s super important that you use room temperature, FULL FAT cream cheese. The high-fat content helps accommodate for the stabilizing properties you’d typically get from adding high-fat butter to frosting recipes.
- Powdered sugar – Superfine powdered sugar is the key to the velvety smooth consistency. I do not recommend substituting powdered sugar for granular sugar, as it will result in a gritty texture.
- Vanilla – This is your flavoring agent, so be sure to use a good quality pure vanilla extract. Swap vanilla extract with another flavored extract to switch up your frosting flavor. See below for variations.
How to make cream cheese frosting with no butter
Combine cream cheese and sugar: Add softened cream cheese and sifted powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix with a hand mixer on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the cream cheese. Alternately, you can combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix in vanilla: Scrape the bottom of the bowl, lifting any powdered sugar that may have stuck to the sides. Then, add the vanilla and continue mixing on low speed for 1 minute. Next, increase the speed to med-high and blend for an additional minute or until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
THATS IT!
Tips for recipe success
- Use FULL FAT cream cheese – For the best results, the cream cheese must be full-fat and at room temperature. Otherwise, it won’t blend with the other ingredients into a smooth frosting as it should.
- Sift your powdered sugar – This eliminates the risk of the powdered sugar clumping and making a lumpy frosting.
- Do not under/overmix – Take your time beating the ingredients together. The goal is a creamy, cohesive icing that isn’t quite as fluffy as frosting with butter. If it’s under-whipped or over-whipped, it will be loose and runny.
- To stabilize – Because this frosting is made without butter, it isn’t sturdy enough to successfully pipe – but if you want to firm it up a bit, you can pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before using it to spread over desserts.
- Frosting cakes- I do not recommend piping this icing onto cupcakes but you can totally fill and frost a cake with it. See below for intructions!
How to fill and frost a layer cake with this icing
Fill the cake layers- First fill the cake with the frosting. The layers might slide around a bit but that is ok! Once you have filled the cake, do not frost it yet. Pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
Frost the cake– Once the cake has chilled, frost the cake as usual, then return to the fridge until serving.
Thickening Cream Cheese Frosting
If your icing is too thin, try placing it in the fridge for about a half hour. If it still isn’t thick enough, try mixing in more powdered sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until it’s thickened. Remember, since this cream cheese icing doesn’t have butter, it won’t be as thick and fluffy as classic cream cheese frosting.
Variations
Feel free to use this recipe as a canvas for creating your own creative cream cheese icing flavors. However, to help eliminate the risk of your mix-ins weighing it down and making it runny, make sure not to use any warm ingredients or too much liquid flavoring agents.
- Berry flavors – Mix in 1 teaspoon of any berry-flavored extract and 2-4 tablespoons of pulverized freeze-dried berries, like raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries.
- Chocolate – Fold in about 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Citrus flavors – Add 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice.
Storage and Freezing
This cream cheese frosting can safely sit out at room temperature for 2-4 hours before it should be transferred to the fridge. It may start to lose it’s shape though, so I recommend not keeping it out for longer than 40 minutes.
Storing – Homemade cream cheese icing is best kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. If the icing is too stiff once you’re ready to use it, set it at room temperature for a few minutes.
Freezing – To extend the shelf-life of your cream cheese icing, you can freeze it in an airtight container or freezer-friendly resealable bag for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to use it, it’s best to let it thaw in the fridge, but if you’re short on time, you can thaw it on the counter. However, it may destabilize a bit as it softens. If that happens, remix it back into shape.
3 Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, full fat at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, 325 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese and 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar in the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated into the cream cheese.
- Scrape down the bottom of the bowl to make sure sugar hasnt gotten caught. Add the tsp of vanilla and mix again for 1 minute on low.
- Speed up the mixer to med-high and mix for 1 more minute.
- This frosting is best for smoothing over cinnamon buns and cakes and for using as a filling. If you want to make it more stable, pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes before using. Because it doesnt have butter, it wont harden as much for piping.
Hi. Perhaps I’m missing something but the recipe calls for 2.5 cups of powdered sugar whereas the directions only make note of 2 cups.
Hey Carl! Thank you for catching that, Ill update the recipe card!
This is good. I added cocoa powder. Butter is expensive and I like how tangy this is. With regular cream cheese frosting that includes butter, I always have to use lemon juice to make it tangier. I didn’t sift the cocoa powder and I would next time- it’s a little gritty.
So good to know this works with cocoa powder Wendy! Thank you for the 5 star review!
Nevermind, I loved this recipe!!!
Sounds like a great frosting, all frosting ask for powder sugar why I’ve made a few cream cheese frosting in last 3 weeks I didn’t have any left it out came out great. If I can do that what is the reason it ask for more the Coco I used was a Starbucks Coco for hot chocolate yes I used butter can’t wait to try it out my way. Thanks it can get expensive baking. The prices these days high way robbery,
I hope you like it Laura!
This was easy to make, nice consistency, but personally I found it to be way too sweet. It felt more like eating marshmallow fluff than cream cheese frosting. If you like things on the sweet side, you will go head over heels for this. It is rich and gooey, and I did enjoy it, even though it was a bit much for me.
Hi Trish! Thanks so much for trying this recipe! It is definitely on the sweeter side but you can always add more cream cheese to offset it. Thanks again!
Very good recipe ! Adding it to my favourites. I used 1 cup of icing sugar since the muffins I baked were quite sweet. Thank you !
Thank you Vic!!!
Delicious!!! Thank you
Thank you so much Amy!
Great recipe frosted 24 cupcakes!
I️ dipped the cupcakes in coconut flakes and they turned out delicious!
Wohoo! thanks Heidi! So glad to hear it!
I made it, it was fabulous
Youre fabulous Toni! Thank you!
This recipe was so delicious I just ate it plain! This frosting was loved by my whole family! I loved how it had no butter. I will definitely make this again!
Awww Ava! This made me smile so much. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. This is one of my family’s all time favorites!
Can you make this the day before and chill ?
Yes! Absolutely Brittany. You can store it in the fridge for 5-7 days before you use it. If it’s too stiff when you take it out of the fridge, you might need to let it sit out to adjust to room temperature before you start using it!
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Thank you for coming back and leaving a rating Jordynn! Did you end up putting the frosting on anything special?
Hi Sam! This is a quick and easy recipe I ended up making and used it as filling for a chocolate cake…but next time I would love to use it as a frosting for my baby girl’s birthday cake in pink and I only have food coloring in liquid…is there anyway I can solid up this frosting without putting it back in the fridge? Her birthday party will last for 3-5 hours because there will be family traditions that needs to be performed and the cake is the main attraction 🥺…so popping the cake in the fridge now and then will be a disturbance 😫
My kids love this cream cheese frosting and I love seeing my kids happy!😻
Hi Mickayla! This sounds like such a fun birthday party! Are you going to be baking the cake at the party? You could make everything ahead of time and then have the cake ready to go in the fridge. The frosting should be ok for about 2 to 4 hours out of the fridge, but to stay on the safe side I usually try not to let it sit out longer than 40 minutes.
I know you said your kids love the cream cheese frosting, but if it’s going to be a longer party and you want the cake to be out longer buttercream might be the way to go. You could also maybe do cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and a different frosting on the actual cake. That way everyone gets what they need!
How much of each ingredient??
Hi Dennis! The ingredient amounts are all listed out in the recipe card that’s towards the bottom of this post. It’s right above where you commented. 8 ounces of cream cheese, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oooooh- this was sooo good! I used it to frost red velvet cookies— Perfection! Thanks for the recipe!
YUM! that sounds delicious! Thank you so much for the 5 star rating Danielle!
yayaya
It was great 👍
Will be making this again!
Love it. 💙🐾
So glad!Thank you so much for letting me know and for the 5 star rating!
(: It was really smooth and delicious too … ♡
(: Thank You … !!!!! … ♡
(: Yes … ♡
Didn’t have brown sugar so used maple syrup. I also have a toaster oven so cooked it in sheet pan. Baked quickly.
Make frosting – I use the cream cheese, sour cream, cocunut and walnuts. Only 1 cup of powdered sugar . Spread on half cake when warm then add other half and spread. Frosting sinks in to cake and is so so moist and yummy
Thanks Cindy! Glad you liked it! Thank you so much for making this!