This pumpkin cream cheese frosting instantly adds cozy Fall flavor to all your favorite desserts! It comes together in 5 minutes and is thick and creamy with a subtle tang. It's delicious on a layer cake, piped on cupcakes, and more.
With the Fall season in full swing, I knew I had to develop a pumpkin cream cheese frosting recipe. It's creamy and slightly tangy with lots of pumpkin flavor from real pumpkin puree.
It's perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spice and is the perfect topping for pumpkin cake, pumpkin cupcakes, and all your favorite Fall desserts.
I personally love it on carrot cake, pumpkin bars, or sandwiched between 2 pumpkin cookies for the perfect Fall treat!
If you love Fall frosting recipes, try this brown butter cream cheese frosting, coffee cream cheese frosting, and maple buttercream too!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter- You can opt for salted or unsalted butter. I chose salted butter because it brings out the flavors of the spices a little more.
- Cream cheese- Use softened, full-fat cream cheese that comes in a rick. Low-fat cream cheese or cream cheese spread in a tub will make your frosting too thin.
- Powdered sugar- This sugar is super fine, so it sweetens the frosting, mixes in seamlessly, and soaks up moisture to make the frosting thick and luscious. You don't have to sift it!
- Pumpkin puree- Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already has sweeteners and spices, and we don't want that!
- Pumpkin pie spice- This is a blend of warm Fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice with individual spices, but you can usually find it pre-mixed at most grocery stores.
How to Make the Frosting
Step 1: Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 2: Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed until fully combined.
Step 3: Mix in the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin spice on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Step 4: Immediately use the pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting to decorate your favorite pumpkin desserts!
Troubleshooting
- If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream or milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it loosens up.
- If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it no longer looks wet. This frosting is a little thinner than classic cream cheese frosting, but it'll thicken up and hold its shape better if you refrigerate it for about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe yields enough to frost a 6 or 8-inch cake with 2 layers or 12-20 cupcakes. It's plenty for an 8X8, 9X9, or 9X13-inch sheet cake.
I don't recommend homemade pumpkin puree because it's more runny than canned pumpkin puree.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
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Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter
- 226 grams cream cheese
- 480 grams powdered sugar
- 60 grams pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Add the softened cream cheese and salted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer. Cream together on medium-high speed until smooth.113 grams unsalted butter, 226 grams cream cheese
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.480 grams powdered sugar
- Mix in the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin spice on low until combined. Then mix on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.60 grams pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Add the frosting to a piping bag and use to decorate your favorite desserts!
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