Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
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Cream cheese frosting is something that I think is a recipe every baker needs to have in their backpocket. But when the weather turns crips, and the leaves turn color I can’t resist adding cinnamon to the mix. This cinnamon cream cheese frosting is perfect for your pumpkin cakes and cupcakes!

Man oh man I canโt turn down anything frosted with cream cheese frosting. And cinnamon cream cheese frosting…forget about it. The balance between sweet and slightly tangy with the warm spice of cinnamon is just irresistible to me.
And this cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe is perfect for piping onto cupcakes and cakes. Basically what your Fall needs right now.
And if youโre licking the beaters after. Well Iโm sorry. Not really.
Tips For Making Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Use softened butter and cream cheese. This is important. If either one is too cold they wonโt incorporate and turn into a smooth frosting. You will end up with a lumpy cream cheese frosting. I used to recommend using cold cream cheese frosting so it could be piped. But no longer. I found that when I did that it was not smooth. Pipeable maybe. But not smooth. So soften both. Being able to pipe will come down to ratios of butter to cream cheese which this recipe has. And if you need to soften your butter quickly I have 3 easy ways to do that for you. But basically you can leave them out on the counter for an hour or so until softened.
- Cream The Butter First. Then add in your cream cheese. Otherwise you may end up with a weird mouthfeel if you do this the other way around. A tip I picked up from The Kitchn.
- Scrape down the bowl as you go. Sometimes the butter and cream cheese will stick to the bottom of the bowl or beater and not be mixed in evenly. So stop and scrape the bowl down with a sturdy silicone spatula to ensure that everything is being mixed in.
- Use Full Fat Brick Style Cream Cheese. Sorry but now is not the time to save those calories.
- Use unsalted butter. Different brands of butter can use varying amounts of salt in their salted butter. So you want to control the amount of salt by adding it yourself.
- Sift If Piping Your Cream Cheese Frosting. I usually donโt have a problem with powdered sugar lumps. But if you want to be on the safe side, especially if you are going to use a piping bag with this frosting, you can sift your powdered sugar first. This will ensure no lumps get stuck in your piping bag. If youโre not a fan of sifting (and neither am I!) you can also just whisk your powdered sugar in a bowl before adding it to the frosting.
How To Make This Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting โ Step By Step
You want to start first by creaming together your softened butter and cream cheese.
Then add in your powdered sugar. Make sure to do this about a 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer off. Then mix on low until incorporated. Unless you love cleaning up powdered sugar in your kitchen everywhereโฆ
Then add in your cinnamon and vanilla extract.
How Long Is Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Good For?
So according to Food Network, the cake covered in a homemade cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated.
Just make sure to take it out of the fridge an hour or two before you plan to serve it so the frosting has time to come to room temperature.
Why Is My Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Runny?
This can happen for a few reasons.
- Your butter may have been to warm. When you are softening your butter make sure there is no melted spots to it.
- You mixed the cream cheese for too long before adding your powdered sugar causing the liquid in the cream cheese to dissolve some of the powdered sugar. If your cream cheese is softened you should only need to mix for a minute or so before adding the powdered sugar.
- You used the wrong kind of cream cheese. Again make sure to use full fat cream cheese.
- You added in more liquid. If you add in some lemon juice to make it a lemon cream cheese frosting that extra liquid could have contributed to your cream cheese icing becoming runny. Itโs best to use lemon extract (a little goes a long way) or lemon zest
To fix this:
If your icing is runny you can try a few things:
- Add more powdered sugar. Add a few tablespoons at a time. This can cause the frosting to be a bit on the sweet side. So just a little at a time.
- Add cornstarch. Again a few tablespoons at a time and then mix again to see if it thickens up.
Can Homemade Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Be Used For Piping?
Absolutely! This homemade cream cheese frosting is thick enough to pipe onto cakes and cupcakes. Itโs all about using the correct ratio of cream cheese to butter so that its not too wimpy.
I found that 1 stick of butter and 1 brick of cream cheese frosting was ideal.
How Do I Make My Frosting Thicker?
If you need a thicker cream cheese frosting, then do the same as if your icing was runny as described above.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Mix again. You can add more if youโd like but I recommend adding in a couple tablespoons at a time.
- Add in a one tablespoon of cornstarch. (if you it thicker, but not sweeter) Start with one tablespoon and mix. Continue to add in one tablespoon at a time until your desired thickness.
How much frosting will this recipe make?
This will easily frost a dozen cupcakes, a 2 8-inch layer cake or 9×13 cake.
If you are frosting a larger cake (like a 9-inch layer cake) and if you plan on adding embellishments like rosettes then I recommend making a double batch.
How should I store this cinnamon frosting?
I love making buttercream of any kind in advance. So storing it properly is a must. Because a lot of the times I always end up making too much. So whether it’s you need to store your leftover buttercream or just make it ahead of time here is what I recommend:
- One week in the fridge: I make it up to a week ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
- Freezer for 3 months:You can also freeze this frosting up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the frosting overnight in the refrigerator.
More Frosting Recipes
I love my frosting around here. So here are a few more frosting and buttercream recipes to check out:
- Italian Meringue Buttercream (+video!)
- EASY Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Coconut Buttercream Frosting
- The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe (with step by step photos!)
- How To Make German Buttercream
- French Buttercream (step by step photos!)
- Ermine Frosting
Don’t forget to give my The Ultimate Guide To Different Types Of Frosting a read!
Recipes To Use This Frosting With:
- Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes (Small Batch)
- Easy Pumpkin Layer Cake
- Carrot Layer Cake
- Banana cupcakes
- Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
- Easy Carrot Sheet Cake
- 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
If you try this cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe let me know and leave me a comment and star rating below!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 unces (227 g) full fat cream cheese softened
- 4 cups (454 g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth about 1-2 minutes. Add in the cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. 8 Tablespoons (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter 8 unces (227 g) full fat cream cheese
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. 4 cups (454 g) powdered sugar
- Mix in the vanilla extract. Add in a pinch of salt. Add in the cinnamon and stir to combine. 2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Frost cooled cupcakes or cakes as desired. (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.)
Notes
- Use softened butter and cream cheese. This is important. If either one is too cold they won’t incorporate and turn into a smooth frosting. You will end up with a lumpy cream cheese frosting. So soften both.
- Cream The Butter First. Then add in your cream cheese. Otherwise you may end up with a weird mouthfeel if you do this the other way around.
- Scrape down the bowl as you go. Sometimes the butter and cream cheese will stick to the bottom of the bowl or beater and not be mixed in evenly. So stop and scrape the bowl down with a sturdy silicone spatula to ensure that everything is being mixed in.
- Use Full Fat Brick Style Cream Cheese. Sorry but now is not the time to save those calories. It does give the best flavor and texture.
- Use unsalted butter. Different brands of butter can use varying amounts of salt in their salted butter. So you want to control the amount of salt by adding it yourself.
- Sift If Piping Your Cream Cheese Frosting. I usually don’t have a problem with powdered sugar lumps. But if you want to be on the safe side, especially if you are going to use a piping bag with this frosting, you can sift your powdered sugar first. This will ensure no lumps get stuck in your piping bag. If you’re not a fan of sifting (and neither am I!) you can also just whisk your powdered sugar in a bowl before adding it to the frosting.
- Frost: This will easily frost a dozen cupcakes, a 2 8-inch layer cake or 9×13 cake. If you are frosting a larger cake (like a 9-inch layer cake) and if you plan on adding embellishments like rosettes then I recommend making a double batch.ย
- Make Ahead: I make this up to 5-7 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Or I will freeze the frosting for up to 3 months. Just simply thaw in your refrigerator overnight.ย
- To thicken:ย Add in 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Mix again. You can add more if youโd like but I recommend adding in a couple tablespoons at a time. Or add in a one tablespoon of cornstarch. (if you it thicker, but not sweeter) Start with one tablespoon and mix. Continue to add in one tablespoon at a time until your desired thickness.
Yummy! I am already thinking of all the cakes and cupcakes I want to put this amazing cinnamon cream cheese frosting on.
It’s perfect for generously topping cupcakes and adding a decadent touch to cakes. Thank you!
Ooooh, definitely perfect for pairing with pumpkin cupcakes. So so good with the cinnamon. Love all the tips to help make the frosting perfect too.
This was absolutely delicious. I adore cinnamon and I was definitely the one licking the bowl.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! Iโm so glad you loved the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frostingโcinnamon really makes everything better, doesn’t it? It sounds like you enjoyed it as much as I do when I make it!
This is so good for jazzing up carrot cake or hummingbird bird cake. Thanks!
Great uses for this frosting, thanks so much, Ann!