Brown Butter Frosting

Frosting can make or break your dessert – and let’s be clear, this brown butter frosting makes it. Rich and creamy with a nutty depth to it? Game. Changer.

Jump to Recipe

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

We all know the saying “icing on the cake” to mean adding something positive to enhance a thing that is already good. But what if I told you this brown butter cream cheese frosting is good enough to stand on its own? Well, it is. Adding brown butter gives your frosting a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the tanginess of cream cheese to create a flavorful topping that steals the show. To put it simply, brown butter is the icing on the icing.

Ingredients in Brown Butter Frosting

• Butter  – I always use salted butter because it is what I keep on hand. You can use unsalted if you’d like, you may just have to add a little more salt to the mix. 
• Cream Cheese – Let the cream cheese sit out of the fridge for about 30 minutes prior to mixing. We don’t want it warm, but we also don’t want it straight from the fridge either! 
• Powdered Sugar 
• Vanilla 
• Salt 
• Heavy Cream – You can use milk instead of heavy cream, but you will need significantly less milk because it is a lot thinner than the cream.

How to Make Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Begin by browning your butter. You do this by heating your butter in a small sauce on low, stirring constantly until the butter turns a golden brown and it gives off a nutty aroma. (If you’d like more tips on how to brown butter, check out this post!)
2. When your butter is a nice golden brown, immediately transfer it to a cool bowl or container to stop the cooking so the butter doesn’t burn.
3. Allow the butter to sit until it is close to room temperature and then place in the fridge for approx 30 minutes, or until the butter is almost back to it’s solid form.
4. Once the butter is back to being mostly solid, it is time to make the frosting.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the brown butter and cream cheese until mixed thoroughly.
6. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then alternate adding the remaining ingredients, adding a portion of the powdered sugar and then some liquid, letting the mixer go on low until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated before adding more.
7. Repeat this process until all of the ingredients have been added. You can adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more heavy cream to the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken the frosting.
8. Pipe on cakes, dessert breads (hi, banana), cookies, brownies, graham crackers, or simply eat by the spoonful. Enjoy!

Can I use regular butter instead of brown butter in this recipe?

You can absolutely use regular butter instead of brown butter in this recipe! But be warned, you will be missing out on the nice, nutty depth of flavor that the brown butter adds (and who wants that?)

Can I make brown butter frosting ahead of time? How do I store it?

Yes, you can totally make brown butter cream cheese frosting in advance! When you are done mixing the frosting,  store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to use, let it sit on the counter for a half hour and give it a quick mix prior to spreading it on your desired base.

Can I adjust the sweetness of my brown butter cream cheese frosting to my liking?

Of course! If you feel the frosting is too sweet, you can add a little salt to the mix. If you want it to be a little sweeter, try tossing in a little vanilla! 

More Recipes Like Brown Butter Frosting:

• How to Brown Butter
• Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
• Lemon Blueberry Cookies

Latest Recipes:

• Oreo Cookies 
• Banana Cream Pie Cookie 
• Simple Key Lime Pie Recipe
• Homemade Crescent Rolls
• Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes