This coffee cream cheese frosting is sweet, slightly tangy, and super creamy. Because it's made with instant coffee, you can whip up a batch in under 10 minutes! It's perfect spread on cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and more.
This coffee cream cheese frosting is based on my small batch cream cheese frosting. It's easy to make in less than 10 minutes- you don't even need to brew a cup of coffee! It's made with instant coffee instead.
This recipe is similar to my espresso buttercream but with cream cheese to offset the bitterness. It's perfect on coffee flavored desserts like coffee cupcakes, chocolate espresso cake, and dirty chai latte cake, but also banana bread or carrot cake.
For more frosting recipes, try this brown butter cream cheese frosting, white chocolate cream cheese frosting, peanut butter cream cheese frosting, or strawberry cream cheese frosting!
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Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter- Make sure the butter is softened so it's easy to mix and less likely to split. Pull it out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before you start making the frosting. Room temperature butter is cool but easy to indent with your finger. If the butter is melty, the frosting will be greasy.
- Cream cheese- Make sure to use softened, full fat cream cheese blocks for the best consistency. Low fat cream cheese and cream cheese spread makes the frosting too runny.
- Vanilla extract- To make frosting with instant coffee, it has to be dissolved in the extract, so you can't substitute vanilla bean paste.
- Instant coffee granules- Instant coffee is basically dried brewed coffee. Coffee beans are roasted, ground, brewed, and then dehydrated. The crystals are left behind and all you have to do is add liquid!
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Instant coffee: You can use espresso powder instead, but make sure it's espresso powder, not ground espresso beans. If you have some leftover, try making this espresso cheesecake!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Beat the cream cheese and softened butter on medium-high speed until fluffy with no lumps.
Step 2: Beat in the powdered sugar on low 1 cup at a time, pulsing the mixer until the sugar is mostly mixed in and then increasing the speed to medium-low.
Step 3: Mix the vanilla and instant coffee together in a small bowl until the granules completely dissolve.
Step 4: Pour the coffee mixture into the frosting and mix on low until combined. Then mix on medium speed for 1 minute until fluffy.
Expert Tips for Success
- Make sure to use full fat cream cheese. It gives the frosting a richer, more delicious flavor! It also helps with the thickness. Using low fat cream cheese or cream cheese spread will make the frosting runny.
- Use room temperature dairy ingredients. If your frosting is clumpy or splits, it might because the butter or cream cheese is too cold. Pull them out of the refrigerator about an hour before baking so they're easy to mix into a smooth consistency.
- Use a kitchen scale. If the frosting is too thick and sweet, you may have over-measured the powdered sugar. Using a food scale and measuring the ingredients in grams prevents this!
Additions and Variations
Here are a few different flavor ideas for your frosting. I haven't tested these, so let me know how it goes in the comments if you try one!
- Chocolate: Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to make mocha cream cheese frosting!
- Maple: Substitute 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for the vanilla exact.
- Cinnamon: Mix ยฝ teaspoon of ground cinnamon in with the coffee.
- Pumpkin Spice: Add ยผ cup pumpkin puree and a few teaspoons of pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice). You may need to add more powdered sugar to get the right thickness.
Ways to Enjoy
I love this frosting slathered on a batch of olive oil brownies or used to fill a mocha cake, and you can try it in these recipes too:
- Small Vanilla Cake
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Chai Snack Cake
- Spiced Apple Cupcakes
- Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Crunch Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe yields about 4 cups of frosting. It's enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes, a 2 or 3 layer 6-inch cake, a 2 layer 8-inch cake, a 9x13-inch sheet cake, or an 8x8 or 9x9-inch cake or pan of brownies.
No, you can't. Regular coffee grounds (and espresso grounds) won't dissolve in the vanilla and your frosting will have a gritty texture.
I haven't tested it, but you can try! Try using vegan butter sticks and a block of vegan cream cheese. Don't use vegan cream cheese spread.
You can make this without butter by following my recipe for no butter cream cheese frosting! You may have to add a little more powdered sugar to make it thick enough. If you want to pipe your frosting, I highly recommend making it with butter.
More Frosting recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 5-quart stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
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Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 226 grams cream cheese full fat, softened
- 500 grams powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Instructions
- Add butter and cream cheese the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until smooth with no lumps.113 grams unsalted butter, 226 grams cream cheese
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low 1 cup at a time until smooth. Increase the speed to medium and mix until fluffy.500 grams powdered sugar
- In a small bowl, mix the vanilla and instant coffee together until the granules dissolve.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- Pour the vanilla and coffee mixture into the frosting and mix on low until well combined.
- Spread the frosting over cakes, cupcakes, and more. Enjoy!
Irene
Too much sugar not good for my diabetes