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Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

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Comments 72
Last Updated:December 6, 2022Published:April 5, 2018
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Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

Top sugar cookies with this creamy, rich, and flavorful cream cheese frosting for cookies! It’s easy to make with basic ingredients (without milk!) and can be used to frost just about any sugar cookie recipe. Add it to thick, fluffy no roll sugar cookies or just as an easy spreadable icing on top of cut out sugar cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

Up until a few years ago, I wasn’t a big fan of frosting on cookies. It wasn’t until I moved to Salt Lake and found the best little cookie shop named Ruby Snap that I fell in love with thick, soft cookies topped with frosting.

They have a cookie called the Mia, which is essentially a thick fluffy sugar cookie topped with a thick layer of the creamiest, most delicious beet frosting (I was skeptical of the beet at first, but it’s magical).

Ever since then, I’ve made it my mission to replicate the cookie and although I haven’t tackled a beet frosting, this cream cheese frosting paired with my no roll sugar cookies is the closest thing I have gotten to those prized little cookies.

Bowl of white cream cheese frosting for sugar cookies

What You Need to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

  • Powdered Sugar
  • Cream Cheese
  • Vanilla
  • Almond Extract
  • Perfectly paired with: No Roll Sugar Cookies

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

Step 1: Using a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy.

Bowl of butter after being beaten

Step 2: Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and powdered sugar. Once all the powdered sugar disappears, turn the mixer on high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. (Yes, this is a frosting without milk!)

Spatula of vanilla cream cheese frosting for cookies

Step 3: To color the icing, I recommend squeezing a dot of food coloring on a paper plate, dipping the tip of a toothpick through it, then swiping it through the frosting. This will allow you to control the amount of color you add.

Tip: For this light pink shade, I just did one swipe of red food coloring.

Adding red food coloring with toothpick to cream cheese frosting for cookies

Step 4: Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread frosting onto cooled cookies. If not enjoying immediately, store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator (they need to be refrigerated since the frosting contains cream cheese).

Bowl of pink cream cheese frosting for cookies

Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies

Top sugar cookies with this creamy, rich, and flavorful cream cheese frosting! It’s easy to make with basic ingredients and can be used to frost just about any sugar cookie recipe. Add it to thick, fluffy no roll sugar cookies or just as an easy spreadable icing on top of cut out sugar cookies.

Author: Melissa Rose
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Category: Cookie
Servings: 12 cookies
Print this Recipe
4.99 from 87 votes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave us a review

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 ¼ 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

  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for 2-3 minutes (until light and creamy).

  2. Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in vanilla extract, almond extract and powdered sugar. Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

  3. Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cookies and top with sprinkles!

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal
Fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 31mg
Potassium: 13mg
Carbohydrates: 12g
Sugar: 12g
Vitamin A: 365%
Calcium: 12%
Sugar cookies topped with cream cheese frosting for cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this cream cheese icing harden?

The frosting will develop a slight crust if left sitting out (or when refrigerated), but it won’t completely harden. Which means you shouldn’t stack them when they’re at room temperature. For my tips of perfect stacking, see my guide on how to freeze sugar cookies.

Can I freeze cream cheese icing?

Yes, you can freeze the cream cheese in a plastic bag for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to use it, thaw in the refrigerator until soft. You may need to stir it before using, as the oils may separate during the thawing process.

To freeze frosted cookies, first place the cookies on a baking tray in the freezer until the frosting hardens. Next, place the cookies in an airtight container, placing a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. To thaw, remove the cookies from the layered container, place cookies on a baking tray inside the refrigerator. For my tips of perfect stacking, see my guide on how to freeze sugar cookies.

What cookies can I pair with this cream cheese frosting?

My favorite recipes to pair with this cream cheese frosting are my Cut Out Sugar Cookies or No Roll Sugar Cookies.

sugar cookies topped with pink cream cheese frosting for cookies
Did you make this?
Tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I love seeing what you’ve made.
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Reader Interactions

72 Comments

  1. sally says

    03/01/2022 at 8:28 am

    5 stars
    amazing!!! will be making them again

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      03/08/2022 at 11:18 pm

      I’m so loved it, Sally! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  2. Terri says

    02/17/2022 at 8:58 am

    5 stars
    As a child my best friend’s mom frosted cookies with a cream cheese icing. I couldn’t wait to try

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/17/2022 at 10:59 am

      I love that! How did it compare to hers?

      Reply
  3. Abbi says

    02/15/2022 at 8:23 am

    5 stars
    Excellent taste and easy to make!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/15/2022 at 9:45 pm

      So glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it so much!

      Reply
  4. Sydney says

    02/14/2022 at 11:32 pm

    5 stars
    So yummy!!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/15/2022 at 9:45 pm

      So glad you loved it, Sydney!

      Reply
  5. Sydney says

    02/14/2022 at 11:30 pm

    5 stars
    Really yummy!

    Reply
  6. Patti says

    07/21/2021 at 4:27 pm

    Can’t wait to make this icing! Do cookies with the cream cheese frosting have to be refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      07/21/2021 at 7:29 pm

      I personally refrigerate them to be safe, so that’s what I’d recommend (plus, I love this frosting chilled!). But a lot of frostings have enough sugar to keep them stable.

      Reply
  7. Alex says

    02/23/2021 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    Best cream cheese frosting i’ve ever made! Thank you very much :)

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/24/2021 at 11:44 am

      So glad you loved it!

      Reply
  8. Janna says

    02/13/2021 at 6:00 pm

    Can I use salted butter?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/14/2021 at 1:19 pm

      Salted is fine, it’ll just have a saltier flavor (of course!).

      Reply
  9. Aristeia says

    12/21/2020 at 8:36 pm

    Can i use this recipe to frost cupcakes??

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      12/21/2020 at 9:35 pm

      Yes you can! It’s not a pipeable frosting & won’t “harden” but I’ve used it on my white cupcake recipe and love it!

      Reply
  10. Tara says

    12/04/2020 at 8:19 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe!!!!! I made Christmas cookies with my grandson & frosted them with this cream cheese frosting (OK, he frosted 2, Grandma did the rest), it was soooo good!!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      12/05/2020 at 5:00 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them! What a fun memory to make with your grandson!

      Reply
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Melissa is a graphic designer & craft stylist living in the Midwest, specializing in easy food and paper crafts for holidays, parties, and everyday.
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