This is the best cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls! It's fluffy, creamy, and has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Whip it up in one bowl, in under 10 minutes!
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Why I Love This Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon rolls need frosting: There are some baked goods that can go without being slathered with frosting, but cinnamon rolls aren't one of them. This cinnamon roll frosting is the perfect finishing touch, and we all know that cinnamon rolls with cream cheese have much better flavor than the ones with a quick glaze!
- It's tried-and-true: This cinnamon bun frosting is from my Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe, so it's a well-tested favorite. You can't go wrong!
- It's easy: You'll love that this cinnamon roll frosting recipe comes together in a matter of minutes.
- It tastes amazing: You might even like it more than the Cinnabon icing recipe! It's creamy, sweet, tangy, and the perfect complement to pillowy soft cinnamon rolls.
Tip: To make it closer to the Cinnabon frosting recipe, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
Tips & Ingredient Notes
This is just an overview, click here to jump down to the full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed recipe instructions.
- Butter - You'll want to use unsalted butter here, which gives you more control over the saltiness & flavor of the frosting.
- Cream cheese - Cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls starts with full-fat cream cheese-the kind that comes in bricks, not tubs. Low fat also works, just know that your frosting will be a bit runnier.
- Powdered sugar - This might seem like a lot, but once you mix it in, the volume decreases and helps keep your frosting thick & spreadable.
- Vanilla extract - don't skip the vanilla!
- Salt - Just a pinch will balance the sweetness in the frosting.
Tip: Want to make a copycat Cinnabon cream cheese frosting? Use the recipe below and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls
- Let 4 ounces of cream cheese and ¼ cup of butter sit at room temperature until they soften.
- Place the cream cheese, butter, 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Slather the frosting onto cinnamon rolls, or use it however you like!
Looking for more of a glaze than a frosting? Simply add milk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency or use my more pourable cinnamon roll icing!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, if not eaten within 1-2 hours the cream cheese cinnamon rolls should be stored in the refrigerator or the frosting can go bad. While they're best eaten right away, they can be refrigerated for a few days or even frozen (see below).
Yes, cream cheese frosting can be frozen in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before you use it.
I also love wrapping the frosted cinnamon rolls individually, freezing them, then microwaving them for 20-30 seconds when ready to eat!
Yes, you can make a buttercream frosting without cream cheese by using my cinnamon roll icing recipe! It's more of a quick, pourable glaze.
There are a variety of ways you can make cinnamon roll frosting but my favorite is definitely this recipe with cream cheese! It contains butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. If you're looking for a cinnamon roll frosting without cream cheese, use my cinnamon roll icing.
Easy Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (i.e. ½ stick) softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened, use the cream cheese sold in a brick, not in a tub
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted butter (¼ cup), cream cheese (4 ounces), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and salt (⅛ teaspoon). Use an electric mixer to beat for 20-30 seconds until combined.
- Slowly add powdered sugar (1 ½ cups) and beat until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Slather on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
I was looking for a great recipe for cream cheese frosting and I found it on your website. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe and I will be using it often.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Lisa! I really appreciate it!
Excellent!! Smooth, creamy and very tasty. Not too sugary
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Lossie!
I like that everything is explained well and even the measurements are in the instructions. And of course it tastes good!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Amber!
The recipe is delicious!!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Rhonda!
Very good perfect amount of sweetness! Thank for sharing your recipe
Super easy and great tasting! It's simple enough I can whip it together by hand before I've even had my coffee and I'm half awake. Zzz
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Jessica! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This was yummy cream cheese icing.i added maple flavoring instead of vanilla.so good on my cinnamon buns😃
Thanks for saving my cinnamon rolls from "glaze". I saw the recipe I used had a half-cup powdered sugar and 4 oz. Cream cheese and knew that would just NOT do. Your recipe was just right and clearly stated with great intro
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe so much, Jennifer! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Can you keep any left over frosting in the fridge (in an airtight container) and if yes how long will the frosting be useable. Thank you.
Yes, you definitely can! I would use it within 1 week.
Great recipe
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Andrea!
Easy and tastes amazing!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Debra!
i like this recipe for my cinnamon rolls, because 1. its my first time making cinnamon rolls and icing, and it was super fun & easy. and 2. because it is way healthier then store bought icing. and 3. I'm only 12 1/2, so for it being easy for me, must mean it's got to be super easy for more experienced bakers.
Emma J. Taylor.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Emma! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Very helpful thank you!!
Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Just the fact that the proportion are listed in the directions next to the ingredients warrants 5 stars. But it's also a very good cream cheese frosting.
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Jeremy!
Omg! This stuff is so good I couldn't stop eating it. My husband loved it. I made biscuits, cut them into four pieces, put them into a square 8x8 greased pan, melted 2 tablespoons of butter poured that over the biscuits and then sprinkled a heavy serving of 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon onto the biscuits and then baked them until done. Then spread this recipe over them. It's so delicious.
So glad to hear you guys enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Mary!
Delicious! Perfect amount of sweetness and just enough to frost my nine cinnamon rolls in a 9x9 baking dish.
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Anissa!
Delicious and easy recipe.
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Kim!