Easy browned butter cream cheese frosting recipe with deep nutty flavor and creamy texture. This brown butter icing recipe creates the perfect brown butter frosting for your favorite cakes, cupcakes, and desserts!
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And if you like this brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe, you'll love my Chocolate Fudge Frosting, my Pumpkin Spice Blend, and my Simple Lemon Curd Recipe!
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
I've made it clear where I stand on brown butter. I'm very, very in favor.
So many of my recipes on this site reflect my love for this magical ingredient. Brown butter recipes are truly my favorite way to satisfy my sweet tooth! And I thought it was time I shared my go-to recipe for brown butter frosting. This is the one I use on cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and quick breads. I'll eat it with a spoon! I love it so much.
Jump to:
- Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- What is browned butter cream cheese frosting?
- Why This Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Works
- What cakes go best with browned butter cream cheese frosting?
- Ingredients
- Equipment
- Shop this recipe
- How to Make Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Storage
- What are some common cream cheese frosting mistakes?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Top Tip
- What to Use Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting On
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
This brown butter icing came to be when I was first developing my spiced banana cake recipe, and I wanted an extra "oomph" to make that cake extra special. I had just discovered the magic of brown butter back then, and after I tasted this frosting for the first time, I was hooked!
This is the frosting I use for my gingerbread cookies, my mini carrot cake, my banana blondies, and my cardamom cake! But honestly I put it on everything -- it's also amazing on my Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls and my pineapple banana bread!
What is browned butter cream cheese frosting?
If you've never had brown butter cream cheese frosting before, you're in for a treat! It's the cream cheese frosting we all love, turned up three notches with the addition of rich, nutty brown butter! It's just as easy to make as regular cream cheese frosting, but SO much better!
Why This Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Works
This browned butter cream cheese frosting recipe works because it balances richness, tang, and sweetness really well.
The browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that makes the frosting taste more complex than with regular butter. The cream cheese keeps it tangy so it doesn’t feel heavy or overly sweet. And by keeping the butter soft instead of fully solid, the texture stays perfectly light and smooth!
What cakes go best with browned butter cream cheese frosting?
In my testing, I couldn't stop sneaking spoonfuls of this frosting! I literally want to put it on EVERYTHING.
It's perfect with warm flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin, apple, banana, and brown sugar. I also use a variation of this frosting on my bundt carrot cake recipe and my chai spice cake! Try it on your favorite cupcake recipe too!
Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredient measurements in the recipe card below, but here's a quick look at what you'll need:
- butter - in this recipe, we'll use unsalted butter. You'll want to cut it into cubes so that it melts evenly.
- cream cheese - you'll want full-fat cream cheese, which should be softened to room temperature.
- salt - we want to bring out that amazing brown butter flavor!
- vanilla - for the best flavor, I like to use pure vanilla extract. Or you can make your own!
- powdered sugar - I recommend measuring your powdered sugar with a kitchen scale to make sure it's accurate.
Equipment
To mix this brown butter frosting recipe, I use my KitchenAid stand mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer.
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Buy Now → How to Make Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
The recipe card below will give you detailed step-by-step instructions and a recipe video! But here are the basic steps you'll follow:
Prepare browned butter according to my How to Make Brown Butter post and cool to room temperature. Cream cooled (but still soft) browned butter and softened cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer until smooth, creamy, and slightly glossy with no lumps. If it looks separated, the butter may have been too warm or too cold.
Mix in salt and vanilla.
Gradually add in confectioner's sugar and mix well.
Add additional powdered sugar little by little to achieve your desired consistency, then frost your desserts as needed!
The frosting should thicken up and become light and fluffy. It should hold soft peaks when you lift the mixer. If you want a thicker consistency, whip in a little more powdered sugar.
My favorite shortcut: Let your browned butter sit at room temp so that it's solid, but not cold. You can chill it in the fridge to speed up the process, but then you'll want to bring it back to room temperature before adding it in.
Storage
Store browned butter cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will firm up, so let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then mix until smooth again.
You can also freeze this brown butter icing recipe for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature and whip before using.
What are some common cream cheese frosting mistakes?
Cream cheese frosting seems simple, but a few small things can make a big difference in how it turns out!
- Mistake #1: Not softening butter correctly. In this brown butter icing recipe, we're cooling browned butter until it's room temperature and solidified, but still soft. But for a velvety cream cheese frosting, you'll want your butter soft to the touch but not melted. If your butter is too warm, your cream cheese frosting can turn thin fast. You want it soft enough to mix but still holding its shape.
- Mistake #2: Cream cheese is too cold. Cold cream cheese won’t blend smoothly, and you’ll end up with lumps. Let it sit out until it’s soft but not warm.
- Mistake #3: Overmixing the frosting. This one surprises people. Beating cream cheese frosting too long can make it loose and slightly runny. Mix just until it’s smooth and fluffy.
- Mistake #4: Adding powdered sugar too quickly. Dumping it all in at once can make the texture harder to control and can spill powdered sugar everywhere as it mixes. Add it gradually so you can stop when the frosting is perfectly thick and spreadable.
- Mistake #5: Using low-fat cream cheese. Full-fat cream cheese gives you the best texture and flavor every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Browned butter cream cheese frosting tastes rich, nutty, creamy, and slightly tangy. The browned butter gives it a warm toasted flavor that pairs perfectly with the tang of cream cheese and the sweetness of powdered sugar.
Yes, browned butter cream cheese frosting can be piped onto cakes and cupcakes. If the frosting feels too soft for piping, whip in a bit more powdered sugar.
The best brown butter is made by slowly cooking cubed butter in a light-colored pan, stirring constantly, until it begins to have a golden color and nutty aroma. It's easy once you get the hang of it, and brown butter flavors are unmatched!
The most common mistake is walking away from the stove. Butter can go from golden brown to burnt faster than you think!
Another common mistake is browning it on too high a heat - medium heat works best so that the milk solids on the bottom of the pan brown evenly and don't burn. Check my How to Make Brown Butter post for more tips!
You can make browned butter cream cheese frosting up to three days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature and whip it again before using.
If your browned butter frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar a little at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. You can also refrigerate the frosting briefly to help it firm up.
Yes, brown butter cream frosting can be frozen for up to two months. Store it in an airtight container and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Before using, whip the frosting again to restore the smooth texture.
This recipe makes about 2.5 cups of brown butter icing, which is plenty of icing for a single layer round cake like my Earl Grey Lavender Cake, but could also work for a single-layer 9x13 cake or 12 cupcakes. For a two or three layer cake, I'd recommend doubling the recipe.
Top Tip
After browning the butter, let it cool until it is room temperature and somewhat solidified but still soft. If the butter is too warm when you mix the frosting, it can melt the cream cheese and make the browned butter cream cheese frosting too runny.
What to Use Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting On
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter - cubed
- 8 oz (227 g) full-fat cream cheese - room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cup (300 g) powdered sugar - plus more as needed
Instructions
- Heat cubed butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat until melted.½ cup unsalted butter
- Cook, stirring constantly, until butter foams and begins so have a caramel color and a nutty aroma (see my brown butter post for a more detailed step-by-step).
- Transfer brown butter immediately to a heatproof container and let cool to room temperature until completely cooled and solid (but still soft).
- To make frosting, combine softened cream cheese and solidified brown butter in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and fluffy.8 oz full-fat cream cheese
- Add vanilla and salt and mix well.½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy. If desired, add up to ½ cup more powdered sugar for a thicker consistency.2 ½ cup powdered sugar
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Chenée Lewis says
If you like brown butter you're gonna LOVE this frosting!! Hope you enjoy!!