I love making my thick, decadent cream cheese frosting without butter or margarine! My recipe for tangy, rich icing only uses 5 ingredients and is perfect for cakes, cookies, and more!
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My Easy Cream Cheese Frosting with No Butter
My cream cheese frosting without butter became a staple in my kitchen after I made a red velvet cake for a friend who didn’t love butter-heavy frostings. I worried skipping the butter might make the frosting too thin or not sweet enough, but I trusted the full fat cream cheese and went for it.
When I brought the cake to her house, she took one bite and said it reminded her of the frosting from an old bakery she used to visit growing up! It was tangy, creamy, and had just the right balance of sweetness.
I enjoy making all kinds of frostings, but I keep coming back to my 5-ingredient cream cheese frosting with no butter. It spreads beautifully on cakes and holds its shape on cookies without being overly sweet. It’s a go-to recipe for me!
For more frosting recipes, check out my strawberry cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, peanut butter cream cheese frosting, and Cool Whip cream cheese frosting!
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe With No Butter Ingredients
- Heavy cream – Helps whip the frosting into a light, fluffy consistency while adding richness.
- Cream cheese – I stick with full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese for the smoothest texture and best flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Gives my frosting just the right level of sweetness and thickens it without making it grainy.
- Vanilla extract – A little goes a long way to add warmth and help balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- Salt – I love how just a pinch brings out the sweetness and smooths the overall flavor. I never skip the salt!
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl or stand mixer and beat with a whisk until it forms firm, stiff peaks. Cover and move it to the refrigerator while completing the next step.
STEP TWO: Add the softened cream cheese to a separate bowl. Using a whisk or hand mixer, beat until it softens and becomes smooth. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla and salt. Continue beating the mixture until all ingredients are completely combined.
STEP THREE: Remove the whipped mixture from the refrigerator and begin to slowly and gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture. Fold only until fully combined, and not a second longer!
STEP FOUR: Add to a piping bag for decorating, or simply spread with a spatula for easy application.
Tips for the Best Frosting Without Butter
- Softening the cream cheese first gives me the smoothest frosting without lumps. I always give it about an hour to come up to room temperature.
- I beat the heavy cream using the whisk attachment on my stand mixer until it forms firm, stiff peaks. Under-whipping the heavy cream can make the frosting runny.
- When I add the powdered sugar to the whipped cream cheese, I keep my hand mixer on a low speed so I don’t get powdered sugar clouds everywhere.
- Full-fat cream cheese makes a big difference, so I always avoid reduced-fat versions that can make the frosting too thin.
- If my frosting seems thin, I stick it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. If it still isn’t as thick as I want it, I’ll add a small amount of cornstarch.
Cream Cheese Frosting with No Butter Variations and Substitutions
- Adding some crushed Oreos while folding the whipped mixture and cream cheese mixture together makes a fun cookies-and-cream version. I reserve a little extra for sprinkling on top!
- For chocolate frosting, I add unsweetened cocoa powder after the powdered sugar. I always taste to see if it needs more powdered sugar to balance out the strong cocoa.
- I sometimes add a spoonful of strawberry jam while whipping the cream cheese for a delicious strawberry variation. I’ve also added in sliced fresh strawberries when folding the ingredients together, and it was delicious!
- 2-3 tablespoons of lemon extract turns cream cheese frosting into a vibrant icing that’s perfect for spring and summer cakes.
- Almond extract adds a bakery-style flavor that I absolutely love for icing sugar cookies.
How to Use Cream Cheese Frosting
One of my favorite ways to use my cream cheese frosting without butter is icing cakes like my carrot cake, raspberry and white chocolate loaf cake, and red velvet Oreo cheesecake!
It’s also amazing on my vanilla cupcakes, air fryer cinnamon rolls, or slathered over my brownie recipe!
Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter FAQs
Why is my cream cheese frosting with no butter frosting lumpy?
Whenever my frosting turns out lumpy, it’s usually because the cream cheese was too cold. Letting it soften at room temperature for an hour before mixing makes a huge difference. I also scrape the bowl often to make sure everything blends evenly.
How to store leftovers
I store my cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge, and it stays fresh for up to 2 weeks. It also freezes well for up to 3 months when stored in a freezer-safe container!
How can I thicken frosting without butter?
My secret ingredient for making amazing cream cheese frosting with no butter is heavy whipping cream! The trick is to whip it for long enough and not to overfold when combining with the cream cheese mixture.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Turtle cookies
- Apple cobbler recipe
- Strawberry cobbler
- Pineapple dump cake
- Jello salad
- Cream cheese fruit dip
Easy Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form to create whipped cream. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat it until smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it’s thoroughly combined.
- Pipe or spread on cupcakes, cookies, or cake.
Notes
- My recipe makes enough to pipe 12 cupcakes or a small cake.
- Softening the cream cheese first gives the smoothest frosting without lumps.
- Beat the heavy cream using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer until it forms firm, stiff peaks. Under-whipping the heavy cream can make the frosting runny.
- When adding the powdered sugar to the whipped cream cheese, keep your mixer on a low speed so you don’t get powdered sugar everywhere.
- Full-fat cream cheese makes a big difference. Reduced-fat versions can make the frosting too thin.
- If the frosting seems thin, stick it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. If it still isn’t as thick as you want, add a small amount of cornstarch.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The frosting needs to be refrigerated after piping on cupcakes or cake, too.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
This recipe makes a sweet yet light icing
Can the leftovers be kept in the fridge
Yes, per the post, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!