This super easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is a family favorite. My boys love it so much that they use it as a dip for strawberries. I thought that was rather inventive of them, and far better than eating it straight up!
I love this lightly sweetened frosting because it’s not as sweet as other cream cheese frosting recipes, and with just 4 ingredients, it’s so easy to make.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whip heavy cream until stiff
- In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth, then blend in maple syrup and vanilla
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold whip cream into cream cheese mixture
Equipment
I’ve made this easy cream cheese frosting recipe many times. For the sweetener I’ve tested maple syrup, agave, and honey. The recipe is incredible with maple syrup, and worked very well with agave too. If you would like to make it with honey, the recipe will work in terms of consistency. However, we think the flavor of the honey overpowers the entire recipe and is simply too strong. When you make this easy frosting recipe, leave a comment to let us know which sweetener you used!
Here are some of my easy gluten-free dessert recipes that are just begging to be topped with this delicious Cream Cheese Frosting:
Susan says
Hi Elana, as usual the flavor of this recipe is DELICIOUS! But even though I used natural whole milk cream cheese, it came out runny for me too. I added some extra whipped cream cheese to help bulk it up, but it was still on the runny side. I didn’t use a Kraft type cream cheese that tends to be a solid block because most mass produced cream cheese has gums and fillers. I used Gina Marie by Sierra Nevada Cheese and it is a whole milk natural cream cheese. Do you think that was the issue? Everything was fine until I added the maple syrup and vanilla and that’s what made it get runny. A penny for your thoughts! I hope that you are feeling and doing well; I so appreciate all that you do to make the world and healthier and yummier place!
Elana says
Susan, thanks for checking in on this –was your cream cheese firm? I often use Nancy’s brand for this and it works well. Made it last week :-)
Alora Birrane says
Delicious. Any idea how long the frosting lasts in the fridge?
Elana says
Alora, mine usually keeps in the fridge 2-3 days :-)
Carolin says
How would you make this Cream Cheese Frosting into a Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting that is pipeable?
Elana says
Carolin, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Carolin says
Thanks for responding. Oh well, I guess I will just have to use my creative juices and figure it out.
Elana says
Carolin, you’re very welcome :-)
Jill Scribner says
Hi! Not sure of this is pipeable, but I added freeze dried strawberry dust. I took a small bag of the strawberries and rolled them with a rolling pin. I added it to the cream cheese mixture, the. Folded in the whipping cream. It’s addictive, to say the least.
Elana says
Jill, oh my goodness! That sounds delicious :-)
Emily Summers says
I made this for my son’s birthday with your carrot cake recipe. My friend was pregnant at the time and was watching her sugar. She claims this was a “bowl full of love”. We also enjoyed it with fruit that night. Love that it’s lightly sweetened with a natural sugar instead of gobs of refined, processed poison.
Elana says
Emily, I’m so happy to hear that your friend says this frosting is a “bowl full of love” we adore this recipe too :-)
Josephine Fusco says
Hi! This is the best cream cheese frosting ever!!!
Elana says
Josephine, thanks for letting me know this is the best cream cheese frosting ever. It’s my younger son’s all-time favorite :-)
Tina says
This frosting destroyed my birthday cake for my boyfriend. All frosting was runny, very disappointing :(
Elana says
Tina, thanks so much for your comment! This happens when dairy-free cream cheese is used rather than the cream cheese called for in the recipe :-)
Elysia says
I used Violife cream cheese and coconut cream. It turned out very well! I also added a little lemon juice for a tangier frosting. Yum!
Elana says
Thanks Elysia!
Jana Damiano says
For the cream cheese frosting recipe, it is unusual to see the cream cheese amount shown in terms of a cup measurement instead of ounces. Can you advise how much to buy in terms of ounces? Is an 8oz block the same? Or, do I need to softened a block (or more) and then fill a measuring cup to specifically get the 1 cup called for in the recipe?
Elana says
Jana, thanks for your comment! Yes, I soften the cream cheese and fill a cup to get the 1 cup called for in this recipe :-)
Heather says
Should be 8 oz in a cup.
Inna says
Hi Elana, I made your Carrot cake and loved it! One problem I did have was with the creme cheese frosting oozing out of the sides of cake. What is the secret to frost it so it doesn’t ooze out since it is a denser cake than the usual sponge cake? When I was frosting it, the cream looked pretty stiff but over some time it started oozing out of the sides. My heavy cream was a good stiff consistency before I folded it into the creme cheese blend. I am thinking maybe it was because of the Maple Syrup? Perhaps there was too much liquid in the frosting since the usual recipe calls for powdered sugar instead?
I did prefer the flavor of the cake on the 1st day better than the next day. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Elana says
Inna, thanks so much for your wonderful comment! I haven’t ever had the frosting ooze out of the cake. Probably because I store the cake in the fridge and it hardens and stays in place. Thanks for letting me know this is such a great recipe :-)