Rich and creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting is a simple cream cheese chocolate icing that takes just minutes to make.
This silky smooth 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.
“This tasted fantastic. After 35 years of buying icing from the store I am done… Thank you.” – Andrew
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- 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 (1/3 less fat cream cheese) will also work. However, I don’t recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: If your powdered sugar (confectioners’ 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 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 vanilla extract if you prefer.
How to make chocolate cream cheese frosting
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: Begin by beating the butter and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer until well-combined.
Tips >> 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.
Step 2: 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 the right consistency and sweetness.
Recipe 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.
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 or chocolate cake, white, or yellow cakes.
It also pairs well with brownies.
Storage
Any leftover frosting should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More frosting recipes!
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Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
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
Instructions
- With an electric mixer (either hand or stand), beat butter and cream cheese together until well-combined, about 3-4 minutes on medium.½ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Scrape down the bowl.
- Add 3 cups powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla.3-3 ½ cups powdered sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 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 (1/3 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 values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally posted August 29, 2017.
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Comments & Reviews
Ann says
This is the best chocolate icing ever! I never thought of making a chocolate cream cheese icing and this one is perfect. A new family favorite! Perfect amount of sweetness. In fact, I have cut back the amount of sugar in my regular cream cheese icing to what is called for in this recipe.
Kate Dean says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!