Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is so delicious it deserves a blog post of its own! It has a great tangy cream cheese flavor combined with the warmth of cinnamon and it has the perfect spreadable consistency for all kinds of baked goodies.

This cream cheese frosting recipe has the perfect amount of cinnamon and would be great to use on a spice cake, pumpkin cupcakes, brownies, or homemade cinnamon rolls! A definite upgrade on regular cream cheese frosting.

If you love cinnamon bakes try out this recipe for Banana Cake, these Mini Carrot Cake Loaves, or this recipe for a Pumpkin Cake.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tip
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

To make this easy frosting recipe you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.

Unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar
Cream cheese
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon

Unsalted butter - choose to use unsalted butter rather than salted butter for the best frosting flavor.

Cream cheese - I use full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese for this recipe which works perfectly.

Vanilla extract - choose a quality vanilla extract rather than a vanilla essence for this recipe.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Follow the instructions below to make the best cream cheese frosting recipe ever!

STEP 1: Beat butter and icing sugar. Add the butter and icing sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

Image showing step 1, the butter and icing sugar in a bowl before beating.

Image showing step 1, the butter and icing sugar in a bowl after beating.

STEP 2: Add the cream cheese. Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light and fluffy. Do not overmix.

STEP 3: Add vanilla and cinnamon. Add the vanilla and cinnamon to the cream cheese mixture, and beat again until just combined. Your frosting is now ready to use!

Image showing step 2, the cream cheese added to frosting mixture before beating.

Image showing step 3, you can see the fluffy texture of the frosting with the vanilla and cinnamon on top of it.

Hint: Cube your cream cheese and butter before adding it to help the frosting combine quicker and easier.

Variations

This recipe is for a loose frosting, which is ideal for loaf cakes and single-layer cakes. It is not great for stacking cakes that require more stability from a frosting. I recommend spreading this thin frosting rather than piping it.

If you would like to use this recipe for stacking cakes, you will need to increase the amount of icing sugar to 600 grams for a more sturdy frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting shown on a banana bread loaf. Photo is take from above with slices cut form the loaf.

Equipment

To make this easy recipe you will need an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. This is necessary to help get the fluffy consistency of the frosting.

Storage

I recommend using this cinnamon-cream cheese frosting as soon as you have made it. Frosting tends to get hard as it stands so for the perfect spreadable consistency use it as soon as it is ready.

Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge until needed. You will need to re-whip it before using it to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

To do this, bring the frosting back to room temperature and then place it in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. The frosting will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.

I do not recommend freezing this frosting.

Top tip

Cream cheese frostings can go terribly wrong, so follow these tips below for the best results!

For a lump-free frosting, you need to make sure that the cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature. If one is colder than the other you can get lumps in your frosting and trying to beat these away will result in a runny frosting.
Use an electric mixer to help you get a fluffy frosting.
Use a paddle attachment rather than a whisk attachment to make this recipe.
Cube the butter and cream cheese so that they incorporate easily into the mixture.
You may need to sift your icing sugar depending on the moisture in the air where you live or the brand you use, it shouldn't be clumpy when added.
Be sure you have mixed the frosting for long enough but don't overbeat it otherwise, it can become runny.
Always cool cakes on a wire rack before frosting them

FAQ

My frosting has lumps in it, what did I do wrong?

The butter and or cream cheese were not at room temperature when added. This results in lumps that are almost impossible to get rid of. Cold cream cheese is probably the biggest culprit for lumpy frostings.

Why is my frosting runny?

Cream cheese frostings can become runny if they are over-mixed. To help salvage the frosting, add more powdered sugar. I recommend adding 50 grams at a time.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting shown on a banana bread loaf. Phot taken from the side with slices of banana bread falling.

This cinnamon cream cheese icing is so good you may be tempted to leave the cake part altogether! If you love this frosting as much as I do, please leave a comment and star review below, I would love to hear from you!

This homemade frosting recipe makes enough frosting for a loaf cake, 12 cupcakes, or a single-layer cake.

Don't forget to share your frosting photos with me on Instagram @with_love_kitty and sign up for my email list to make sure you get my latest recipes delivered to your inbox weekly.

Happy Baking

With Love,

Kitty

📖 Recipe