Cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar is the ultimate light and tangy frosting that is not too sweet, super smooth, and has a cleaner, more intense cream cheese flavor with none of the starchy aftertaste you get from powdered sugar versions. It is the perfect complement to red velvet cake, but also incredible on cinnamon rolls or blueberry muffins.
Quick Glance at the Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar
- Recipe Name: Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar
- Why You'll Love It: Light, tangy, and pipeable with zero starchy aftertaste and a cleaner, more intense cream cheese flavor than any powdered sugar version
- Time and Difficulty: 20 minutes / Easy
- Main Ingredients: Cream cheese, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt
- Method: Beat cream cheese, add butter, stream in sugar, mix until smooth
- Texture and Flavor: Thick, fluffy, and creamy with a bright, tangy flavor and mild sweetness
- Quick Tip: The butter and cream cheese must be the exact same temperature before mixing, or you'll end up with lumps
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- Quick Glance at the Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar
- What Makes This Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar So Good⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar Ingredients
- How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar Step-By-Step
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Common Problems To Avoid
- Final Thoughts
- Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar FAQs
- More Frosting Recipes To Try
- Ready To Master Cake Decorating?
- Leave Me A Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Recipe
What Makes This Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar So Good
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This frosting works differently from a traditional cream cheese frosting because of how granulated sugar and cream cheese work together. Get the temperature right, and it comes together in minutes into something thick, pipeable, and seriously delicious.
- The sugar dissolves into the cream cheese. When you beat granulated sugar into cream cheese, the cream cheese dissolves the crystals with its own moisture, so there's no grittiness at all.
- No starchy aftertaste. Powdered sugar has cornstarch in it, which gives regular cream cheese frosting that slightly chalky, one-dimensional texture. This one tastes cleaner and tangier.
- Not too sweet. You get that bright cream cheese flavor with just enough sweetness.
- More forgiving. Powdered sugar frostings can turn soupy fast if you over-mix. This version is more structured and harder to ruin.
Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar Ingredients
You only need five simple ingredients for this frosting. I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results.
- Full-fat block cream cheese: The base of this frosting and where all that tangy flavor and creamy texture comes from. Use block cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub, which has more water and makes the frosting too loose to pipe. Make sure it's at room temperature or it will leave lumps.
- Unsalted butter: Gives the frosting structure and richness and tones down the sharpness of the cream cheese so it holds its shape when piped. It needs to be the exact same temperature as your cream cheese.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the frosting and dissolves completely into the cream cheese while you mix, leaving no grittiness. Don't swap in powdered sugar here, it changes the texture. (Need the classic version? Here's my cream cheese frosting recipe made with powdered sugar.)
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth. Almond extract, lemon zest, orange zest, or coconut extract are all great swaps depending on what you're frosting.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the cream cheese flavor. Don't skip it!
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar Step-By-Step
Before you start, make sure your butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature and feel the same temperature to the touch. If either one feels cold, microwave it in 10-second bursts until they match.
- Beat your cream cheese. Add your room temperature cream cheese to your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low until smooth.
- Add your butter in chunks with the mixer on low to medium speed, letting each piece mix in before adding the next.
PRO TIP: Your butter and cream cheese MUST be the same temperature. If one is warmer than the other, the fats won't come together and you'll end up with lumps that no amount of mixing will fix.
- Slowly stream in your granulated sugar with the mixer running on low.
- Add your salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
PRO TIP: Cream cheese loves to hide under the paddle and on the bottom of the bowl. Scrape it all up before the final mix or you'll get streaks.
- Scrape the bowl really well, then mix on medium-high for 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
- Frost or pipe right away onto your cake, cupcakes, or cinnamon rolls.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
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(based on 2" tall cake pan)
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Cupcake Tin Size
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Common Problems To Avoid
- Using cream cheese and butter at different temperatures: This is the most common reason cream cheese frosting turns out lumpy. Cold butter added to soft cream cheese, or soft butter added to cold cream cheese, causes the fats to seize instead of emulsifying. Both must be at the same room temperature before they touch each other.
- Using tub cream cheese instead of block: Spreadable cream cheese in a tub contains more water and stabilizers than block cream cheese. The extra moisture will make the frosting too soft to pipe and may cause it to weep or slide off the cake. Always use full-fat block cream cheese.
- Not scraping the bowl: Cream cheese sticks to the sides and bottom of the bowl and hides under the paddle attachment. If you don't scrape thoroughly before the final mix, you'll have streaks of unmixed cream cheese in the finished frosting. Scrape at least once before the final 30 seconds of mixing.
- Over-mixing after the sugar is fully incorporated: Once the frosting looks smooth and fluffy, stop. Continuing to mix introduces too much air and can cause the frosting to become loose and difficult to pipe cleanly. Thirty seconds to one minute on medium-high at the end is all you need.
- Using low-fat cream cheese: Low-fat cream cheese has a higher water content and fewer fat molecules to create a stable structure. The frosting will be softer, less flavorful, and more prone to weeping. Full-fat block cream cheese is non-negotiable for the best result.
Final Thoughts
This frosting is perfect when you want that tangy cream cheese flavor without it being too sweet. So many of you have told me you found it when you ran out of powdered sugar, and it ended up being your new favorite. It's amazing on homemade cinnamon rolls, carrot cake, and red velvet cake.
This recipe makes 6 cups of frosting, enough to frost and fill a two-layer 8-inch cake or frost about 24 cupcakes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip briefly before using.
Need a frosting that crusts for piping flowers or covering a stacked cake? Use my crusting cream cheese frosting instead.
Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar FAQs
What is the difference between cream cheese frosting made with granulated sugar and powdered sugar?
Powdered sugar contains a little cornstarch, which leaves a slightly starchy, chalky aftertaste. Granulated sugar dissolves completely into the cream cheese while you mix, so this frosting tastes cleaner and tangier. It's also more forgiving and harder to over-mix.
Will granulated sugar make my frosting gritty?
No. The moisture in the cream cheese dissolves the sugar crystals as you mix. Just make sure you finish with 30 seconds to 1 minute on medium-high speed so every bit of sugar dissolves.
Can I use this as a filling between cake layers?
Yes! It makes a delicious filling. You can fill your cake with this frosting and cover the outside with buttercream, like my easy buttercream. Chill the cake well so the layers set before you frost the outside.
Can I make a half batch?
Yes, this recipe halves perfectly. The full batch makes about 6 cups, enough to frost and fill a two-layer 8-inch cake, so a half batch is great for a loaf cake, a pan of brownies, or a batch of cinnamon rolls.
Is this a crusting frosting, and can I use it under fondant?
No to both. The high fat content means it stays soft and won't crust, and the moisture in cream cheese frosting will dissolve fondant. For a frosting that crusts, use my crusting cream cheese frosting instead.
More Frosting Recipes To Try
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Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer with the paddle attachment Or a large bowl and electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 cups) room temperature or slightly warm
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (1 cup) same temperature as the cream cheese
- 7 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Before you begin: Make sure your butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature and feel the same temperature to the touch. If one is cold, you will end up with lumpy frosting. If they feel cold, microwave them in 10-second bursts until they match.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the room-temperature cream cheese and mix on low speed until smooth. You can also use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer.
- With the mixer on low to medium speed, add the butter in chunks and mix until incorporated.
- Slowly pour in the granulated sugar while the mixer is running on low.
- Add the salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl well, then mix on medium-high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until all the butter chunks are smoothed out and the sugar is dissolved.
- Use the frosting right away to frost a cake, cupcakes, or cinnamon rolls.
Video
Notes
- Use full-fat block cream cheese, not spreadable tub cream cheese. Tub cream cheese has too much water and will make the frosting too soft to pipe.
- The butter and cream cheese must be at the exact same temperature before mixing. If either is cold, microwave in 10-second increments until they match.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl thoroughly before the final mix. Cream cheese hides under the paddle and will leave streaks if not scraped.
- Do not over-mix once the frosting looks smooth and fluffy. Thirty seconds to one minute on medium-high at the end is all you need.
- This frosting can be left at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Bring fully to room temperature and rewhip briefly before using.
- This is not a crusting frosting and is not recommended under fondant.
- Flavor variations: substitute vanilla with almond extract, lemon zest, or orange zest. For a chocolate version, add ¼ cup of sifted cocoa powder with the sugar, or more if you want more chocolate flavor.
Jasmin says
This frosting is really good and smooth and not super sweet. I halfed the recipe I got enough frosting for 2 pans 8×8 of brownies.
Brittany says
Easy! Phenomenal! My favorite cream cheese frosting recipe! Thank you!!
Dd1 says
Tried recipe as described absolutely delicious. I will never buy another container of cream cheese frosting. Thank you so much. Awesome job.
Jane says
I found this recipe when I realized I didn't have enough powdered sugar for a carrot cake I had to take to a party the same afternoon, and I'm never going back. Amazingly smooth and silky and great flavor. It makes a LOT. I have frozen enough for 2 more cakes.
Geo says
I just made this recipe and it’s so easy and delicious. It has a good amount of sweetness. I highly recommend.