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    Home » Cakes » Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

    Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

    Published: Aug 31, 2021 · Modified: Aug 31, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Rich and creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe is a simple cream cheese chocolate icing that takes just minutes to make.

    Swirl of chocolate cream cheese frosting on a chocolate cupcake.

    This chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe is a simple cream cheese chocolate icing that takes just minutes to make. It's a delicious twist on regular cream cheese frosting.

    This homemade frosting is rich and cream and chocolaty and goes well with cakes, cupcakes, and brownies.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for chocolate cream cheese frosting labeled with text.
    • Butter: I like to use salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add a pinch or so of salt to the frosting. Also, cool room temperature means that the butter should dent when pressed, but it shouldn't be warm enough that it's losing its shape. 
    • Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the richest frosting. Reduced fat (⅓ less fat cream cheese) will also work. However, I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese. 
    • Powdered sugar: If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sifting the powdered sugar before adding it will help the powdered sugar better incorporate into the frosting. 
    • Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this frosting. 
    • Vanilla extract: The vanilla enhances the chocolate flavor. However, vanilla extract is expensive, so feel free to decrease the vanilla to 1 teaspoon if you prefer. 

    How to make chocolate cream cheese frosting

    Beaten butter in a silver mixing bowl.

    Begin by beating the butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl until well-combined. You want them to really be combined well. It should take about 2-3 minutes on medium-high.

    The ingredients should be at about 70 degrees F or room temperature. I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese in this recipe.

    White beater blade coated with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

    Add in 3 cups of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined.

    At this point, you can continue to add additional powdered sugar to reach desired consistency and sweetness.

    A frosted cupcake sitting on an unfrosted chocolate cupcake.

    Tips

    This chocolate cream cheese frosting is a variation on my chocolate buttercream frosting. It's incredibly easy to make, but there are a couple tips below that ensure that it comes out well.

    • First, the butter and cream cheese should be soft, but you don't want the butter to be so soft that it's melting.
    • Second, if your cocoa powder and powdered sugar are lumpy, sifting them will give you a smoother frosting.
    • Third, the frosting may seem a little soft as you are piping it. It will set up quite a bit once it has been refrigerated, so don't worry if it it's not very stiff as you are piping it on.
    • Fourth, be sure to chill any frosted cake or cupcake or leftover frosting.
    Chocolate cupcake topped with a ruffle of chocolate cream cheese frosting.

    Recipes that go well with this frosting

    I like to use this cream cheese chocolate frosting when I make pumpkin cupcakes. The combination of cream cheese, chocolate, and pumpkin just goes so well together!

    This rich chocolate cream cheese icing also pairs really well with basic chocolate cupcakes, white, or yellow cakes.

    It also pairs well with brownies.

    Storage

    The frosting should be chilled. It will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Chocolate Cream cheese frosting on a cupcake on a cutting board

    More frosting recipes!

    • Peanut Butter Frosting
    • Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    • Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
    • Cream Cheese Frosting

    If you’ve tried this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Swirl of chocolate cream cheese frosting on a chocolate cupcake.

    Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

    Rich chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe
    4.96 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 18 cupcakes
    Calories: 186kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Mixer

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup butter at cool room temperature
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 3-3 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • With an electric mixer (either hand or stand), beat butter and cream cheese together until well-combined, about 3-4 minutes on medium.
    • Scrape down the bowl.
    • Add 3 cups powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla.
    • Mix on low until powdered sugar and cocoa powder are incorporated.
    • If the frosting is too wet or tart, add powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches desired consistency and sweetness.

    Video

    Notes

    • Butter: I like to use salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add a pinch or so of salt to the frosting. Also, cool room temperature means that the butter should dent when pressed, but it shouldn't be warm enough that it's losing its shape. 
    • Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the richest frosting. Reduced fat (⅓ less fat cream cheese) will also work. However, I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese. 
    • Powdered sugar: If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sifting the powdered sugar before adding it will help the powdered sugar better incorporate into the frosting. 
    • Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this frosting. 
    • Vanilla extract: The vanilla enhances the chocolate flavor. However, vanilla extract is expensive, so feel free to decrease the vanilla to 1 teaspoon if you prefer. 
    • Nutrition facts are estimated. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 53mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Originally posted August 29, 2017. Updated with additional photos, tips, and information on 8/31/2021.

    « Apple Crisp Cookies
    Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies »
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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ann Marie

      September 01, 2021 at 11:39 pm

      5 stars
      I know that I will be making this chocolate frosting recipe .who doesn't like chocolate? holidays will be here soon -thanks Kate

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 06, 2021 at 12:19 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Penny Jo Nelson

      September 01, 2021 at 4:05 pm

      Do you have a recipe for dark chocolate frosting? I can't find an easy dark choc. recipe.
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 06, 2021 at 12:20 pm

        Hi! I have a chocolate buttercream recipe. It isn't a super sweet frosting, and you could easily use a dark cocoa powder in that recipe.

        Reply
    3. Lindy

      July 20, 2021 at 3:53 pm

      Brilliant frosting recipe! Added a shot of Kahlúa to the frosting for my Chocolate Butter Cake. Rave reviews from the folks at the office especially for the frosting!

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 20, 2021 at 10:51 pm

        Thank you! I'm glad that it was a hit!

        Reply
    4. Maryann

      June 04, 2021 at 4:28 pm

      How long will this frosting last in the fridge?? 7 days too long??

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 11, 2021 at 9:12 am

        Hi! The recommended storage time for frosting is 4-5 days in the fridge.

        Reply
    5. Laura

      February 27, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      You are the queen of frosting!!! Every frosting has been perfection!!!

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 27, 2021 at 1:28 pm

        That's so nice! Thank you!!

        Reply
    6. Lynn

      November 12, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      I just made this frosting but it’s not frosting. It’s like a dry crumble. What in the world did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 12, 2020 at 7:55 pm

        Hi! To save your current batch of frosting, you can try to add milk or cream to get it to a usable consistency. For next time, the first thing that I would double check that you used the correct amounts of the ingredients. It's really easy to misread an amount (I've certainly had my share of doing that!), and it may have just been a simple error. If you're sure that that wasn't it, I'm happy to help you troubleshoot from there. I also have photos and a video on this post if you find visuals more helpful.

        Reply
    7. Valerie

      September 15, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      Great frosting !

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 16, 2020 at 7:32 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
      • Valerie

        February 02, 2022 at 3:31 pm

        5 stars
        Made this frosting for my birthday cake. It was delicious! Happy Birthday to me.

        Reply
        • Kate

          February 03, 2022 at 9:43 pm

          Yes, happy birthday!!

          Reply
    8. Andrew Corbett Jr.

      August 11, 2019 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      This tasted fantastic. After 35 years of buying icing from the store I am done... Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 12, 2019 at 12:06 am

        Yay!! I'm so glad! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    9. Charlotte

      July 16, 2019 at 4:08 am

      5 stars
      Added a bit of chili powder and cinnamon to use on chocolate cupcakes. Perfect!!

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 16, 2019 at 10:59 am

        Yum! I love chocolate/chili, and that sounds like such a fun twist. Thanks for commenting! =)

        Reply
    10. Dave

      June 17, 2019 at 6:25 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. I used just a bit of heavy cream to get the perfect consistency. My favorite chocolate cream cheese icing ever.

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 17, 2019 at 10:42 pm

        Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked the frosting! I bet the cream was great in it. Thanks for commenting! =)

        Reply
    11. Jennifer

      June 16, 2019 at 12:59 pm

      I used low-fat cream cheese because I had it. Instacart got it for me last weekend when I was making cheesecake and that requires absolutely full-fat cream cheese. I'll just say it was really good, but I bet full fat would be better! I just needed to use up this cream cheese. Wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 17, 2019 at 6:34 am

        Thank you! I'm glad that you liked the frosting! If you try it again with full-fat cream cheese, I'd love to hear what you think. =)

        Reply
    12. Caroline

      February 24, 2019 at 7:45 am

      5 stars
      So Good! Thank yo for a tasty and simple frosting.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 24, 2019 at 8:07 am

        You are so welcome! I'm glad that you liked the frosting! =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!

        Reply
    13. Dee McC***

      February 18, 2019 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      Made it for my birthday today and OMG this stuff is ridiculously delicious! It's like chocolate cheesecake on a cake :D

      I used the icing for a double layer 9" Devil's Food Cake. Had plenty to make a nice 1" layer of icing in the middle of the two cake and cover the top and sides. Will definitely use this recipe again and recommend it to friends and family! I'm generally a buttercream/chocolate buttercream icing girl but I wanted to try something another step up. So glad this was my choice :)

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 18, 2019 at 8:31 pm

        Happy birthday! =) I'm so glad that your cake came out well for you! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!

        Reply
    14. Sara

      February 15, 2019 at 8:08 pm

      5 stars
      A super great recipe! I added a bit of almond extract because I made this for a cherry chip cake & it's fantastic!!

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 16, 2019 at 9:18 am

        Thank you so much! That sounds delicious! =)

        Reply
    15. Cheryl Matty

      February 14, 2019 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today, it was very good I added almond flavoring.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 15, 2019 at 10:18 am

        Sounds like a delicious addition! Glad that you liked the frosting, and thank you for commenting! =)

        Reply
    16. Steph

      February 10, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      I made this to frost brownies, and it was amazing! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 10, 2019 at 8:42 pm

        You are so welcome! I'm glad you liked the frosting. Thanks for commenting! =)

        Reply
    17. Tyrone

      January 06, 2019 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      Made it for my wife's Birthday it was absolutely awesome!! Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 06, 2019 at 4:06 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)

        Reply
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