Name: Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (softened); 16 ounces cream cheese (softened); 1 tablespoons vanilla; 2 cup powdered sugar

This decadent, Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is the ultimate indulgence. Get the secret to whipping your cream cheese to create the fluffiest frosting imaginable!

A piece of cake, frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting on a white plate.

Table of Contents

The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

Every dessert deserves a different topping! You’ve seen (and likely tested) my amazing Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls and Cream Cheese Glaze, but sometimes you need (or crave) something light and fluffy.

This fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for topping Pumpkin Cake, Chocolate Brownies, Carrot Cake, and Sugar Cookie Cake. Use it as a dip for Apple Cider Donut Holes, or even to top Roasted Sweet Potatoes. It even makes a decadent cream cheese fruit dip! You can add it to anywhere that you want a luxuriously creamy cream cheese frosting that goes on smoothly.

Close-up of sheet cake covered in frosting, one slice removed. #creamcheesefrostingrecipe

Why You’ll Love this Frosting

It’s light and fluffy, with the texture of a whipped cream frosting but the slightly tangy flavor of cream cheese frosting!

While many people are not fans of uber-sweet buttercream dressing, cream cheese frosting appeals to people who appreciate the more savory tang of rich cream cheese. Psst… if you love this cream cheese frosting, don’t miss my classic cream cheese mint recipe.

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!

A piece of cake, frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting on a white plate. A blue linen napkin and gold form are to the side.

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Ingredients

Butter – I always have salted butter on hand, and that’s what I use here. (We always enjoy the balance of a touch of salt with all the sweet!) You can use salted or unsalted, it’s up to you! Your butter should be room temperature.
Cream Cheese – Full fat will produce the best flavor and airy whipped result. Again, it should be room temperature. Learn how to soften cream cheese – so easy!
Extract – A hint of vanilla will offer traditional cream cheese frosting flavor. You can mix it up with lemon, orange, or almond extract, too!
Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar this ingredient sweetens and balances the cream cheese.

A piece of cake, frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting on a white background.

How to Make a Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

The secret it is in whipping it not once, but twice!

Beat the butter and cream cheese five minutes, until light in color and fluffy in texture.
Then after you add the vanilla and gradually add powdered sugar, you beat the mixture again! Yes, for an additional three minutes. It’s worth the wait!

The first step of this process adds air into butter, adding to the volume. The second step dissolves the powdered sugar completely making it smooth and luxuriously creamy.

How to Spread Frosting

This frosting is so fluffy and creamy that it’s almost effortless to spread. Keep in mind though- this is not a frosting that lends itself to perfection. It’s never going to be smoothed perfectly! That’s what I love about this fluffy cream cheese frosting recipe! It’s meant to look like a decadent layer of fluffy whipped goodness, so enjoy those imperfect waves.

I like to frost my cakes with an offset spatula. However, this fluffy frosting smooths on easily with any spatula or spreader. It’s difficult to pipe, so stick with a more traditional spreading technique.

A cake frosted with cream cheese frosting in a glass dish, on a marble surface.

How to Store Cream Cheese Frosting

If you do a quick online search on this subject, you’ll find a variety of opinions about how long cream cheese frosting can sit out on your kitchen counter.

Some places suggest refrigerating almost immediately- within two hours of making the frosting. Other sites state that it can be left out in a climate-controlled home for several days!

Curious about freezing your cream cheese recipes? Read more in Can you Freeze Cream Cheese to learn all about what works and what doesn’t!

My suggestion? Cream cheese frosting can be left out on the day that you serve it, or up to eight hours. Beyond that, I’d suggest refrigerating your cakes and desserts topped with cream cheese frosting just to ensure safety. I love this frosting when it’s perfectly creamy and fluffy and not hardened in the slightest- it’s truly best at room temperature, so keep that in mind!

This fluffy frosting recipe will last in the fridge for up to a week- but good luck getting it to stick around for that long!

A piece of cake, frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting on a marble background. Blue linen napkin and gold fork to the side.

While this frosting is incredible as it is, there are lots of fun ways to mix it up!

Frosting Variations

Change your extract! Instead of vanilla extract, consider lemon, almond, or even peppermint for the holidays.
Add a spice mix! Try adding a teaspoon of allspice, chai, or pumpkin pie spice to this recipe.
Cinnamon is also an amazing addition!

More Ideas to Enjoy This Fluffy Frosting

Try it on top of this Sugar Cookie Crust– what an incredible base for fruits, candies and more!
These Apple Butter Sugar Cookies are delicious when topped with any fluffy frosting, but cream cheese would be amazing!
Add your fluffy frosting to these Chocolate Sugar Cookies.
My Shortcut Cinnamon Rolls can be topped with this frosting too for an added layer of decadence!

More Frostings, Icings and Glazes

What do you think? Where will you use this incredibly fluffy frosting recipe? I’d love to hear from you! If you try this recipe, please come back and leave a comment and review with my five star rating. Thanks so much for following along!

Did you make this? Rate the recipe and tag me on social @julieblanner!

5 from 7 votes