This brown butter cream cheese frosting is smooth, sweet, and tangy with toasty brown bits swirled throughout. These flavorful toasted milk solids add nutty caramel and toffee notes, making it the perfect icing to spread on cakes, brownies, cookies, and more.
I have so many cream cheese frosting recipes on my site, like cinnamon cream cheese frosting, peanut butter cream cheese frosting, Oreo cream cheese frosting, and coffee cream cheese frosting. This brown butter cream cheese frosting might be my favorite!
Brown butter has flavorful golden brown specks with a cozy, nutty flavor perfect for Fall. Combine it with cream cheese and powdered sugar to make a delicious frosting in minutes!
Brown butter is made by cooking butter on the stove. The milk solids separate from the fat, sink to the bottom, and toast. Once golden brown, the butter gains a lovely nutty taste and aroma. It's delicious with pasta or veggies, in baked goods (like these maple blondies and brown butter peanut butter cookies), or in frosting!
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Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter- Butter adds a rich, buttery, toffee-like flavor after it's browned and makes the frosting light and airy. High quality butter, like Kerrygold, has the best flavor.
- Cream cheese- Use a full-fat brick of cream cheese, not low-fat cream cheese in a tub. Cream cheese in a tub (or cream cheese spread) contains more water, which makes frosting runny.
- Powdered sugar- Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar, this sweetens the frosting. It also helps it get thick and sturdy by drawing water out of the cream cheese.
How to Make Brown Butter Frosting
Step 1: Melt the butter. Use a high quality saucepan with a heavy bottom to prevent scorching.
Step 2: Let the butter sizzle. Foam will subside, and butter will begin to sizzle. Stir frequently and keep an eye on the butter since it can burn quickly. White milk solids will separate from the rest of the liquid.
Step 3: Let the butter brown. Keep stirring until the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and turn golden brown with a fragrant, nutty smell. Immediately take off the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking process.
Step 4: Chill the browned butter. Wait until it solidifies to a pliable, softened butter consistency.
Step 5: Mix the butter and cream cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate clumps.
Step 6: Gradually add powdered sugar. Pulse it at first so the sugar doesn't jump out of the bowl and make a mess.
Step 7: Add vanilla and salt. Increase the speed, mixing until the frosting is fluffy. Then it's ready to use!
Expert Tips
- Chill the browned butter before adding it to the frosting. If the butter is still melted, the frosting won't come together. It will be very soupy.
- Use full fat, softened cream cheese. Low-fat cream cheese, whipped cream cheese, or any cream cheese spread in a tub has more water, which will make your frosting too runny.
- Don't reduce the powdered sugar. The powdered sugar adds structure and sweetness, and reducing the amount of it will make your frosting too loose.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting. This is enough to frost 24 cupcakes, a 9X13-inch sheet cake, or a 6 or 8-inch round cake with 2 layers. A half batch is perfect for frosting cakes, brownies, and quick breads made in 8X8, 9X9, or 9X5-inch pans.
If your frosting turns out a bit too thin, you can easily thicken it by beating in ยผ cup powdered sugar at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Yes! If you want to make it more like a glaze for bundt cakes or cinnamon rolls, add milk, half and half, or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. You'll probably need about 8 tablespoons (about ยฝ cup).
More Frosting Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 5-quart stand mixer or handheld mixer
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Ingredients
- 170 grams unsalted butter
- 227 grams full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 480 grams powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan or pot on medium-low heat. It will start to foam. Stir frequently.170 grams unsalted butter
- The butter will sizzle and eventually, white milk solids will sink to the bottom and turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Take off the heat immediately.
- Pour the brown butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking process. Chill in the refrigerator for 60-90 minutes until it reaches a softened butter consistency.
- Place chilled brown butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together on medium-high speed until smooth.227 grams full fat cream cheese
- Mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.480 grams powdered sugar
- Beat in the vanilla extract and salt on low. Increase the speed to medium and mix until thick and fluffy.2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Use your brown butter cream cheese frosting on cakes, cookies, and more. Enoy!
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