Easy 4 ingredient Cream Cheese Glaze for pound cake, cinnamon rolls, bundt cake, pumpkin bread, donuts, carrot cake and more! This Cream Cheese Glaze looks as good as it tastes, pouring onto your favorite baked goods effortlessly and beautifully.
You’ve seen this Cream Cheese Glaze smothering a lot of my favorite baked goods over the years including Carrot Cake Bread, Cinnamon Rolls and more, but it’s so delicious you could eat it with a spoon, so I decided it deserves its own post to live in all it’s glory.
You’ll also see me smothering it over a few new recipes this fall like Pumpkin Pound Cake! It’s the perfect addition to any pound cake, coffee cake, bundt cake, donut or muffin.
Pinterest readers have enjoyed it on banana bread and apple crumb cake. You can pin this recipe for later here.
This sweet and creamy glaze has just a little tang to balance the flavor. It’s so good that the girls don’t even realize there’s cream cheese in it! In fact, they beg for it!
This easy Cream Cheese Glaze recipe uses just 4 staple ingredients!
I like to give a lot of detail in my recipe posts to guide readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, feel free to click “jump to recipe” right under the title of this post and you’ll head straight there!
Table of Contents
Cream Cheese Glaze Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – Whole fat always works best. Softened to room temperature for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, your choice. Bring to room temperature.
- Extract – Homemade Vanilla Extract, store bought or the extract of your choice. Almond also tastes great!
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar. If you don’t have powdered sugar you can make it pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until fine
If someone doesn’t care for cream cheese, you can make some of my Cinnamon Roll Icing as well for guests to choose.
Continue for the full printable recipe. It’s so simple! Just combine, warm and pooooooouuuuuur over your favorite baked goods. It’s just that easy and so good!
How to Make Cream Cheese Glaze
- Combine – Using softened ingredients, combine ingredients until smooth.
- Warm – Warm on the stovetop on low or in the microwave until pourable.
If you love a little cream cheese flavor in your fall dessert line-up, don’t miss this incredible cream cheese pie crust! It makes pies SO EASY – you’ll never go back to a store bought crust again!
As you can see this cream cheese glaze goes on so smooth and has the perfect drizzle that hardens to the touch, but not to the taste!
How To Store
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. Warm to enjoy. Freezing is not recommended.
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Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix ingredients until smooth.
- Warm until pourable and allow to set before serving.
Video
Notes
Variations and Substitutions
- Cream Cheese – Whole fat always works best. You can substitute light in a pinch. Softened to room temperature for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, your choice. Bring to room temperature.
- Extract – Homemade Vanilla Extract, store bought or the extract of your choice. Almond also tastes great! You can use clear vanilla to avoid a creamy color if desired.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar. If you don’t have powdered sugar you can make it pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until fine.
This is the most awesome glaze on this earth‼️‼️ You have to try it. 🍰🍰🍰
Delicious, easy to pour and perfectly sweet! I followed the recipe exactly (I usually change them up) and it’s perfect as written. It’s not overly sweet like some frostings. This will be my go to.
Thanks, Nicole!
I used this exact recipe for a Brandy Bundt cake I made except I added a small mandarin. Used the zest as well as the juice and it paired so well with your amazing recipe. This will be my new go to! Thanks for sharing:)
Sounds like an amazing twist! Thank you, Cassandra! Happy New Year!
I am making this for my German Chocolate Bundt Cake.
I could not find if I have to refrigerate the cake because of the frosting or if I can leave it covered on the counter.
Hopefully you have time to give me an answer by tomorrow.
Once cake frosted
Can it sit out on the counter and how long?
or Do I have to refrigerate the cake and frosting?
Hi Lana! Yes, I do with anything cream cheese. Enjoy!
Can I use whipped cream cheese instead for the glaze?
No, unfortunately it won’t yield the proper consistency.
The absolute best cream cheese glaze I have tasted. The perfect ratio of sugar to cream cheese– Not too tangy and not too sweet! This recipe works for a wide range of baked goodies and flexible enough to be made in any consistency from pour able to spreadable.Home made taste with the ease of store bought. I used it on a Pumpkin Spice Cake for Thanksgiving and I am planning ahead for the finishing touch for an Easter Carrot Cake and Pineapple cupcakes. Thank you for Sharing it !
Thank you! I added almond extract and poured it over a cream cheese pound cake (also with almond extract…can you sense a pattern here?)
😉
Never a bad idea! I love almond extract!
i’m going to be using this to glaze mini red velvet skull cakes for a halloween party!
LOVE it!! Enjoy!
Is it possible to add a little pumpkin to this for a pumpkin glaze?? If so, how much do you recommend?! can’t wait to put this over pumpkin bread!
I recommend using pumpkin pie spice. You wouldn’t be able to use enough pumpkin to have the flavor come through and it would alter the consistency.
How long will the glaze keep if refrigerated?
Great question! I would recommend storing it for up to one week in a sealed container in your fridge. I updated the post with that info- thanks so much for reaching out!
Julie
Delicious and easy to make! I poured it over a beautiful chocolate Bundt cake. 😋
Hi Jenn! I’m so glad to hear you loved it! Thanks so much for your comment.
Julie
Yummy- easy
Perfection. I made this glaze to put on top of a pineapple, carrot, cranberry loaf. The glaze was simple to make and was simply delicious. I smeared it onto the hot bread within a few minutes of taking it from the oven and the glaze melted perfectly. Great recipe, Julie!
Okay, why have I not made a pineapple loaf? Genius! Sounds so wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Great and easy.
Great easy receipe, thank you, ive been looking for this for ages, and its foolproof..
Topped my carrot bundt cake today for Easter dessert, delicious!!
Yum!!! Thanks for taking the time to rate!
Loved this recipe!!! It reminded me of cinnabon glaze, so yummy and easy!!
Mmmm! Thanks for taking the time to rate!
I’ve found it! The only recipe I will use for glazing my cakes! I’ve never cared for the chalky texture of plain powdered sugar glaze, and I have mixed all kinds of things with it to get around that. This is the exact mix of ingredients I was looking for. A cross between a frosting and a glaze, thick but pourable. I used it on Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake, a family favorite, and everybody said, “Mom, this is the best one ever!” And that is thanks to this glaze recipe. Thank you, Julie!
Thank you, Laurel! So glad you love it, too! Strawberry Yogurt Cake sounds fabulous! I’ll have to try it.
Absolutely delicious and warming the glaze is sheer genius! It allows me to pour the glaze at the right consistency which makes my bundt cake beautiful and delicious. My go to recipe forever.
Thank you, Linda!
Delicious, creamy and easy, easy, easy to put together! Yay!
Thanks for a lovely recipe Mizz Julie!
Thank you, Cheri! I appreciate you taking the time to rate!
Mine came out clumpy. What did I do wrong?
Oh no! Your cream cheese was not softened enough. You can get my tips on how to soften cream cheese here How to Soften Cream Cheese
I made this today for cinnamon rolls. I used vanilla bean paste, it was so good. I will be using this recipe again, with many more baked goods.
Thank you, Amanda! I appreciate you taking the time to share and so glad you enjoyed it! I love drizzling it onto everything!
Super easy & tastes great!
Thank you, Trisha!
I made this icing and it was perfect on my grandma’s cinnamon roll recipe! I also replaced the vanilla with orange extract and used it on my little spice cakes I gifted for Christmas. Delicious both ways!
Yay! That brings me so much joy. I’m so glad you loved it, too! You’ll also love my orange glaze.
This is delicious! Used it on my red velvet crinkle cookies. Perfect!
Oh that sounds delish! Merry Christmas!
My granddaughter and I made this glaze for “grinch” pancakes. It was so delicious!
Oh how fun! I need to see these pancakes and try them with my girls!
It was soooo easy! It warmed and poured like a champ! Letting the espresso bundt I made this to compliment is cooling before I refrigerate. It’ll be ever so much better left to tomorrow! Can’t wait to taste the end product! Thanks!
Yay! Such a delicious combo! Hope you’re enjoying a beautiful fall!
I made this for a pecan bunt cake and it was delicious. I followed the instructions to a t and it worked out perfectly. Thanks will be using it again.
Thank you!
Delicious and very easy to make! ! Loved it!!
Made it for my bundt cake and it’s perfect
YAY! Thank you for sharing!
I’m looking forward to using this on banana bundt cake
Do I add these ingredients all together first,then transfer them to a pot and warm on the stove?
That’s correct, or a microwave. Enjoy!
Absolutely perfect for my Carrot Bundt Cake!
Thanks for tagging me on IG! It’s beautiful! Enjoy!
Wonderfully delicious!
Can you add white chocolate?
I haven’t tested it, but I worry it would change the consistency.
This is so good! I added a mashed banana, honey, vanilla, and 5 spice to put it on my banana bread and it is sooo great! Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
I want to put this on everything or eat it right off of a spoon! Thanks for making this such an easy recipe to whip up!
Thanks, Suzy! So glad you enjoyed it!
I seriously want to put this on everything! It’s so good!
I seriously loved how easy this is to make!!
I could put this glaze on everything!
I adore cream cheese frosting, but in many instances a glaze is a better choice. Thanks for your terrific recipe! I put it over my pumpkin bread and it was amazing!
This sounds so decadent over coffee cake or donuts; I can’t wait to give this a try!
What can’t you use a delicious cream cheese glaze for?! Such a yummy addition to so many treats!
This cream cheese glaze is so good! I am literally melting it over everything – its AMAZING!
Mmmm!!! I can’t wait to make this! That glaze looks so smooth & creamy!! I love any kind of cream cheese frosting/glaze!
I could use this with so many recipes! It looks delicious!