No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (4 Ingredients)
This no butter cream cheese frosting is smooth, tangy, and made with just four simple ingredients. If you’re wondering whether you can make cream cheese frosting without butter — the answer is yes. This version is softer and lighter than traditional butter-based frosting and perfect for spreading on cakes, cupcakes, and cinnamon rolls.
Sometimes you simply don’t want butter in your frosting — or you don’t have any on hand. This version relies entirely on full-fat cream cheese for structure, giving you a creamy, slightly softer frosting with a clean tangy flavor.
Why is this the best frosting recipe?
- Made completely without butter
- Only 4 ingredients
- Quick 10-minute recipe
- Lighter texture than traditional cream cheese frosting
- Perfect for spreading and filling cakes
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
- Full-fat brick cream cheese – Do not use low-fat or spreadable tub versions. Full fat gives structure.
- Powdered sugar – Sifted to prevent lumps and ensure smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor depth.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances the tang.
That’s it. No butter. No heavy cream. No mascarpone.
Step-by-step: How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
- Beat softened full-fat cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Mix on low until combined, then increase slightly until creamy and smooth.
- Use immediately or refrigerate for 20–30 minutes if you prefer a firmer consistency.
Flavor Variations
This frosting can be easily flavored. Keep additions minimal to maintain structure.
- Citrus – Add 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest.
- Spiced – Mix in ½ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
- Chocolate – Add 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder.
- Berry – Stir in 1–2 tablespoons freeze-dried berry powder.
What’s the Difference Between Butter and No-Butter Cream Cheese Frosting?
- Butter Version – If you need a more stable frosting for decorating or fondant-covered cakes, try my stable cream cheese frosting here.
- Thicker and more stable
- Better for piping sharp designs
- Suitable under fondant
- No Butter Version (this recipe)
- Softer texture
- Lighter mouthfeel
- More tang-forward flavor
- Best for spreading and filling
Pro Tips for Cream cheese frosting without butter
- Use Full-Fat Cream Cheese – Low-fat versions contain more water and will make the frosting loose.
- Do Not Overmix – Whip just until smooth. Overmixing can break the structure and make it runny.
- Sift the Powdered Sugar – Prevents lumps and ensures a smooth finish.
- Chill When Needed – If the frosting feels soft, refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before using.
Troubleshooting No-butter cream cheese frosting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too runny | Overmixed or too warm | Chill 20–30 minutes |
| Too thick | Too much sugar | Add 1 tsp milk at a time |
| Grainy | Unsifted sugar | Sift sugar next time |
How to use this no-butter cream cheese frosting?
- Stuffed Cookies: Make cookie sandwiches by spreading cream cheese frosting between two cookies. Use oatmeal, chocolate chip, or sugar cookies for delicious combinations.
- Doughnuts: Fill doughnuts with cream cheese frosting for a delightful surprise. Dip the doughnuts in a glaze or roll them in cinnamon sugar for added flavor.
- Cinnamon Rolls: Spread cream cheese frosting over warm cinnamon rolls for a decadent twist on a classic treat. Add chopped nuts or raisins for extra texture.
- Pancakes or Waffles: Instead of traditional syrup, use cream cheese frosting to top pancakes or waffles. Add fresh berries or a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
- Desserts: Use cream cheese frosting as a layer in desserts like trifles or parfaits. Alternate layers of cake, fruit, and frosting for a stunning presentation. Can you imagine cinnamon rolls without cream cheese? The same goes for pastries such as cream puffs, profiteroles, Danish pastries, and puff pastry desserts like Mille Feuille.
- Layer cakes – Red velvet cake, carrot cake, or pumpkin cake are, of course, popular with cream cheese, and for a good reason. Perfect frosting for sheet cakes whether you use chocolate cake or vanilla sheet cake.
- Stuffed French Toast: Spread cream cheese frosting between two slices of French toast for a deliciously indulgent breakfast or brunch option.
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Frequently asked questions
You must use cream cheese with at least 38% fat or more. Cream cheese is not an extra ingredient here, so the powdered sugar must be mixed with the fat in the cream cheese to give us that light, fluffy texture.
Yes. Cream cheese and powdered sugar naturally create a smooth frosting without needing butter. The result is softer than traditional versions but perfect for spreading.
You can pipe simple swirls, but it won’t hold sharp decorative edges like butter-based frosting.
It may be overmixed, too warm, or made with low-fat cream cheese. Chill briefly to firm it up.
You can pipe simple swirls, but it won’t hold sharp decorative edges like butter-based frosting.
Always room temperature. This will give you a smooth texture. Cold ingredients will give you lumpy cream cheese and very sweet frosting because it has not been emulsified enough.
NO!! This frosting is not brand-sensitive but rather fat percentage-sensitive, meaning it must contain at least 38% fat. Of course, the cream cheese has to be unflavored so it does not influence the final flavor of the frosting.
Cream cheese is a perishable product like milk, yogurt, or whipped cream. Hence, it must be treated with the same courtesy.
Similarly, like whipped cream, cream cheese becomes fluffy and a lot of air is incorporated into the frosting. Yet, over time, it loses its volume when kept outside, especially in warmer climates.
No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This no butter cream cheese frosting is light, fluffy and melts in the mouth just like whipped cream. A simple, easy and effortless recipe that gets done in less than 10 minutes. Perfect for cupcakes or your favorite carrot cake recipe.
Ingredients
- 450 g (2 cups) Cream cheese
- 250 g (2 cups) Powdered sugar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Method
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.450 g Cream cheese
- Add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined and smooth.250 g Powdered sugar, ½ tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Allow the frosting to come to room temperature before frosting your cake or cupcakes.
Notes
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!- Italian Meringue or Swiss Meringue Buttercream
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can this recipe be used for macaron filling?
Yes, insook. Thanks
This was soooo good! I was eating it by the spoonful – for breakfast!
I only had a tub of cream cheese, and did not realise there were other size recipes here, but halving it worked just fine anyway.
Thank you 🙂
Thank you, Leanne. Yes, cream cheese frosting is an addiction with me too. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Hi Veena,
You are my go to person for frostings!! I am wanting to try this one now but have a quick question. Is there any salt in this recipe? I saw it mentioned but didn’t see it in the ingredients so I want to be sure before I make it. My husband and grandson love your cream cheese frosting so of course I can’t wait to try this one too!
Thank you, Cindy. yes, there is 1/2 tsp of salt. Glad you are enjoying my recipes. Please let me know what you think of this one. It’s my favorite.
Hi there! I’m just curious how many cups of powdered sugar I use? Maybe I missed something or am reading it wrong but does it say 4 cups in the recipe but only 2 cups in the directions? Thank you!
Sorry, Crystal. That is a type error- It should read until you have used all the 4 cups for sugar. Just fixed it. Thanks
I am looking for a good cream cheese frosting for a wedding cake. One that is smooth and is easy to work with. Would you recommend this one or your classic cream cheese recipe?
Hey Kim, If you use full-fat cream cheese this is smooth and creamy to work with. Having said that unlike butter cream cheese has a soft texture. It will work great to fill and frost the cake but the texture is soft so piping will not be defined. The classic cream cheese is more stable than this as it has some butter but in general, it’s not recommended to pipe. So keep that in mind. I hope this helps.
I would give this 10 stars if I could! Love that I could make it without butter since I’m allergic to butter fat. I added the juice from a whole lemon so I could have a lemon frosting and it is by far the best frosting I’ve ever tasted. My daughter said even Gordon Ramsey would love it!
Aww, Thank you Nicole and a big hug to your daughter. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. I love this over the classic cream cheese as well because I love cream cheese or anything cheese. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Love hearing from those who try my recipes. Wish you a lovely week.
Hii,
I was wondering if i can halve the ingredients to make 2 cups of frosting instead of the 4 that the recipe yields.
If not can you please advise ingredients for a smaller batch of frosting thank you so much
Yes, Leah. You can definitely half the frosting to make a smaller batch. Thanks
So I just made the full recipe and it taste amazing but it only came out to 2 cups. Also it Came out a little like icing instead of frosting. What should I do to thicken it ?
How many cups will I need to frost and cover a two tier cake … two 8” and two 6” both 3 inch deep.
Hey Leah. Yeah, I just looked at the recipe. It’s already a small batch. Good for a dozen cupcakes.
If you need it for two cakes you will need a lot more to fill and frost. There is no butter in this recipe so it’s not going to be as fluffy as buttercream frosting obviously. Buttercream gets whipped up so it becomes more fluffy. Also, the cream cheese you use will determine the consistency of the icing. I usually use this as a filling and for cupcakes. For frosting a cake on the outside I use my recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Hello Veena, thank you ever so much for this recipe. It is just what I had been looking for. I do have a few questions. How long ahead of time would you frost the cake? Does the frosted cake keep at room temp? Or do you have to cover it and put it in the fridge? Thank you again so very much for your advice.
Hey El, Since this is cream cheese it is considered a perishable frosting. Which means it has to be kept in the fridge. Thaw an hour or two before serving. I usually decorate cakes with cream cheese a day before so it has a better shelf life even after it’s cut.
Thanks a lot. So kind of you to take the time to answer questions!!
You are welcome El.
Hi I just finished making my no butter cream cheese frosting. But it came out too liquidy ? I don’t know what to do to thicken it up! I’m making cupcakes for today please help!!!!
Hey Stephanie.. Sounds like your cream cheese has too much liquid in it? The only way to thicken it would add powder sugar which unfortunately will make it too sweet. Is it possible that you can fold in some whipped cream? I mean, whip the cream to stiff peaks then fold it into the cream cheese frosting. (you can also stabilize whipped cream if that helps with the weather). I don’t’ know what the consistency of your cream cheese frosting is so I can only suggest – not sure how it will work at your end.
I would add arrowroot powder (it’s like cornstarch). It’s similar to powder sugar but not sweet.
Yes, arrowroot can be used in place of cornstarch. Thanks Jen
That is one delicious recipe. Tried it with your Carrot cupcakes and they were to die for. Thank you so much for always sharing recipes that definitely work. Your recipes are so detailed they definitely make me want to bake. Thanks
Thank you Mary. Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much. Always love to hear back from people who tried this recipe.
This recipes was so delicious and creamy – the no butter does bring out the rich flavor of the cream cheese. I used Philadelphia and it sure was rich.. sweet and best!! Definitely making it again. Thanks for the recipe
Thank you Lisa. Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much. Always love to hear back from people who tried this recipe.