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.
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.
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.
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!)
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.
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).
Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies
Ingredients
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Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened ½ cup unsalted butter and softened 4 ounces cream cheese on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for 2-3 minutes (until light and creamy).
- Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar. Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cookies and top with sprinkles!
Did you make this?
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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.
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Wonderful frosting. Spreads very nicely on cookies, I added 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract.
Great icing not so sweet I loved it!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Anna!
This frosting is delicious and my husband loves it too. THANK YOU!
So glad to hear you guys loved this recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Karen!
This is fantastic frosting! So easy and quick to make as well!
So glad you loved the recipe, Gary! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I l e the taste of the frosting not sweet. Mine was a little too soft though.
Hi Gabbi! Next time you can add a little more powdered sugar to help it firm. I've found that some brands of cream cheese these days produce a runnier frosting (Philadelphia being one of them), so you sometimes have to counteract it with a bit more sugar.
Hello, I made the cream cheese icing, very good. It is just sweet enough without going overboard. Will definitely use this again. Thanks.
I made it , everyone loved it
Can I freeze it ?
Yes you can! You'll just need to thaw & remix it to get it back to being creamy.
Great recipe. Spreads nicely and sets up. My granddaughter loved using several colors.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Ann! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Tried this frosting for my sugar cookies. It was delicious! I will be making this again. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Christina!
Perfectly delicious!! thanks so much!
Thank you so much for leaving a review!
So tasty! I made it because I bought a roll of sugar cookie dough from Trader Joe’s (a new item), and then I read so many reviews online that the dough was gross and needed to be tossed in the trash. This icing saved the cookies from the trash! My son wanted to eat the icing plain, by the spoonful.
Lol, so glad this recipe could save the cookies! :) Thank you so much for leaving a review, Kirsten! I really appreciate it!
Ez and delish. Love the light texture!! I"m adopting this as my "go to"!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Pat!
Simply delicious. I subbed the extract for vanilla spiced rum. It's simply amazing!!
So glad you loved it, Leila! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Creamy yet buttery and stays on well. And just perfectly sweet enough without being over powering.
So glad you loved this recipe, Gray! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
VERY GOOD AND SO EASY
Frosting was delicious! I made it for carrot cake cookies,but it was a little thin in consistency and I did have some left over.