Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

This silky smooth peanut butter cream cheese frosting will put a delicious twist on your favorite desserts! In this easy five-step recipe, I eliminate the butter and cut back the sugar to create a creamy, delicious balance of sweetness and rich peanut butter flavor. In just five minutes, you’ll have a finger-licking topping that you can use for frosting peanut butter cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or even ice cream!

Jump to:

• 🌟 Why this is the best Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make peanut butter cream cheese frosting
• 📚 Flavor variations
• 🥣 Equipment notes
• 🎓 Expert tips
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🍰 How to use peanut butter cream cheese frosting
• 🧁 More frosting and filling recipes
• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

🌟 Why this is the best Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe

1. It is easy to make - There are only a few steps involved in making this creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Even beginners with no experience can make it!
2. It does not take too much time - This recipe takes just five minutes and does not require waiting for the ingredients to come to room temperature. It is one of the quickest go-to recipes for satisfying your cream cheese frosting needs!
3. It is the most delicious - If you have been looking for a peanut butter frosting recipe with cream cheese that does not require butter, you have come to the right place! Unlike most peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipes that use butter and a ton of sugar, I eliminate the butter entirely to create the perfect balance of sweetness and peanut buttery flavor. Peanut butter cream cheese frosting without butter equals a super smooth and creamy texture that will not harden when refrigerated.
4. It does not require special ingredients or equipment - Making this recipe requires only five simple ingredients and two pieces of equipment. You likely already have everything you need at home!
5. It is incredibly versatile - Since this peanut butter frosting recipe uses my base cream cheese frosting, you can customize it with just about any flavor you want (be sure to read the Flavor Variations section below for a few ideas)! You can use this delicious peanut butter frosting to decorate cupcakes, cakes, and cookies or as a topping for a delicious bowl of fruit!

📝 Ingredient notes

1. Cream Cheese - Since this is the star of the recipe, you’ll want to make sure to use a high-quality, full-fat cream cheese. I like to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese, which contains 33% fat. You can use the cream cheese right out of the fridge– there is no need to bring it to room temperature first.
2. Mascarpone Cheese - Like the cream cheese, you want a full-fat mascarpone with at least 41% fat. If you do not have or cannot find mascarpone, you can also use high-fat (36%) heavy cream as a substitute, but it needs to be very cold. Likewise, you do not need to bring it to room temperature first. See my articles on mascarpone substitutes and heavy cream substitutes for more options, including a homemade mascarpone recipe.
3. Powdered Sugar - You want to avoid grainy textures in the frosting, so use fine-quality powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. For more about the difference between the different types of sugar and how to use them in baking, see my sugar guide.
4. Peanut Butter - Smooth, unsweetened natural peanut butter is best for this recipe. Avoid chunky varieties.
5. Vanilla Extract - The vanilla extract helps to enhance the flavor of the frosting. You can also use vanilla bean paste or one of these vanilla extract alternatives if you cannot find pure vanilla extract. However, avoid using imitation vanilla as it will not give the same results.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make peanut butter cream cheese frosting

1. Slowly whip the cold cream cheese, mascarpone, and sifted sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer.
2. Start the mixer at low speed and gradually increase as you continue to whip.
3. Just before the mixture thickens, add the vanilla extract and peanut butter. Continue whipping.
4. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture turns into a fluffy, pipeable frosting. It is crucial to stop mixing immediately, as overmixing can cause the frosting to separate and become runny.
5. Enjoy the frosting as desired!

💡Top Tip:  If you find that your cream cheese frosting is not as firm as you’d like, place it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before using. Using the right ingredients and avoiding overwhipping at all costs is important to prevent runny frosting.

📚 Flavor variations

Because this frosting uses a base vanilla-flavored cream cheese frosting, it is easy to change and customize with different flavors and colors. Below are just a few ways you can enhance this recipe:

Different nut butter: Instead of peanut butter, try this recipe with almond butter or with my homemade walnut butter, cashew butter, pistachio butter, hazelnut butter, or pecan butter.

With chocolate: Swap out the peanut butter for cocoa powder to make chocolate cream cheese frosting. Or, keep the peanut butter and add cocoa powder for a rich chocolate peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

Other flavors: Mix in coffee, strawberry reduction, caramel, or lemon zest (minus the juice). You can also swap out the vanilla extract for other extract flavors such as peppermint, maple, or orange.

With spices: Add some warm flavor to the frosting by sprinkling in pumpkin spice, ground cinnamon, or ground ginger.

Different colors: In addition to enhancing the flavor, you can also use food coloring to change the color. Whenever possible, use gel-based food coloring as liquid products can cause the frosting to become runny.

🥣 Equipment notes

This easy peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipe doesn’t require any special tools to make outside of your essential household kitchen items. However, a digital scale will come in handy to ensure you have just the right amount of ingredients. Even the most minor variances can affect the outcome, so it is best to be precise! I also recommend an electric hand mixer to whip the ingredients together quickly and easily versus mixing them by hand. 

🎓 Expert tips

1. If using sweetened peanut butter, make sure to reduce the amount of powdered sugar so the cream cheese doesn’t turn out too sweet.
2. Always sift the powdered sugar beforehand to avoid any lumps in the frosting. 
3. Only whip the frosting for approximately 2-3 minutes. Stop whipping as soon as it gets fluffy. Otherwise, you risk overmixing and causing the frosting to break. 
4. You can also use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (do not use the beater) to mix the ingredients at medium speed, but do not walk away! It is important that you monitor the frosting to avoid overmixing.
5. Chill the frosting for 30 minutes before decorating your baked goods for the best results.
6. This recipe yields enough frosting for approximately ten cupcakes or a small two-layer cake, but you can always multiply or divide the portions to make a different amount.

❓Recipe FAQs

🍰 How to use peanut butter cream cheese frosting

You can use this frosting to frost cupcakes, fill cakes, decorate brownies, or fill cookies. Or, why not make my super moist and easy peanut butter cake?

🧁 More frosting and filling recipes

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