This cream cheese frosting is thick, fluffy, and pipeable. This easy cream cheese frosting is made without powdered sugar and is made with just 4 simple ingredients!
This is the ultimate, light and fluffy cream cheese frosting. It has a nice tang to it that cuts some of the sweetness.
I’ve made a lot of versions of cream cheese icing over the years, but this recipe is my favorite easy, pipeable frosting.
It’s a little different than traditional cream cheese frosting because it’s made without powdered sugar and without butter. Instead, it uses granulated sugar (check out my super popular whipped buttercream frosting recipe that also uses granulated sugar), cream cheese, and heavy cream.
This frosting is so thick and fluffy and creamy that you’d never guess that it has granulated sugar in it.
It’s perfect for topping cakes, cupcakes, or cinnamon rolls!
Ingredients
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream is also called “heavy whipping cream”. It helps to make the frosting light and fluffy.
- Granulated sugar – This recipe uses granulated sugar, not powdered sugar.
- Cream cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese. It’s thicker and richer than reduced-fat cream cheese. I don’t recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
- Vanilla extract – I like to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavoring. However, you can use clear vanilla extract to keep the frosting lighter.
How to make cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar
This frosting is so simple to make! These step-by-step photos will show you how to make this recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: In a chilled mixing bowl, use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer to beat cream on high until stiff peaks begin to form.
Step 2: Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill while you continue.
Step 3: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well-combined, about 2-3 minutes on high. It’s important that the cream cheese and sugar be well-combined, so don’t cut this step short.
Step 4: Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
FAQs
Yes, the frosting is pipeable.
No, the frosting stays soft and doesn’t crust.
Yes, you can mix it up, covered, and chill it until you’re ready to use it.
Yes, cream cheese frosting should be stored, covered, in the fridge.
Yes, you can use less whipped cream to make a thicker frosting.
Storage
Store any leftover cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The frosting will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
Recipes that go well with cream cheese frosting
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Cream Cheese Frosting without Powdered Sugar
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened1
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a chilled bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks begin to form.
- Cover and chill while you continue.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well-combined, about 2-3 minutes on high. It’s important that the cream cheese and sugar be well-combined, so don’t cut this step short.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
- Chill leftovers.
Video
Notes
- The cream cheese should be soft and at room temperature. If it’s too cold, it can clump up when mixed with the whipped cream.
- Nutritional values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Linda says
Love this frosting great with chocolate cake
Kate says
Thank you!
Dixie B. says
I made this icing tonight for the first time. It’s the best cream cheese icing that I have ever had! My husband and son also love it, so, it is definitely a win for all of us! I have already shared it with a friend who commented on it by just reading the ingredients. She said that it sounds like it is wonderful….. She is right, it is! It has that wonderful cream cheese flavor, but is so much lighter than the typical cream cheese icing. This recipe will now be my “go-to” for cream cheese icing! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Matilynn says
This is a 5 Star recipe!! (For what ever reason it wouldn’t let me pick 5 stars).
Wonderful fluffy frosting, nice and thick! Cream cheese and whipping cream, how could it get better! Super easy to make!
Only thing I changed is I used Super Fine granulated sugar.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the frosting!
Nicole says
Love this but it’s not thick enough, am I mixing the cream cheese too long?
Kate says
It may be that you’re mixing it too long or that the cream cheese was too warm to start. If the cream cheese is really soft to start, it sort of melts as you mix it.
Laura says
I needed a quick last minute solution for cinnamon rolls for guests at Christmas. Had no powdered sugar in the house and no time to get. Whipped up a half batch. SO delicious and so fast. Got rave reviews around the table. perfect. Thanks!
Kate says
I’m so glad that the frosting was a hit!
Lennismom says
This will be my go to cream cheese icing! It’s not too sweet, easy to make and tastes delicious. I used it on an apple spiced loaf cake & everyone loved it.
Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Michelle P says
I made this super easy frosting my co-worker’s birthday cake. EVERYONE loved it and needed the recipe. Personally, I do not care for powdered sugar, so it was perfect. Thank you so very much for sharing the recipe.
Kate says
I’m glad it was a hit!
Brittany says
Hi Kate!
This is my go to recipe for almost any cake I make. My family and I absolutely love it! I was wondering if I could make this a chocolate frosting? I bought some Dutch processed cocoa powder to make chocolate frosting, but wasn’t sure how to incorporate it into this recipe. Thanks for your help!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I would try adding the cocoa powder in step 3 along with the sugar. I also have a chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe that uses powdered sugar if you’re interested.
Laura Agigian says
Hi Kate,
I would like to use lemon extract in this recipe to make a lemon-cream cheese frosting. Do you suggest using it exclusively, or would it taste better to use part lemon extract and part vanilla extract?
Thanks!
Laura
Kate says
Hi! That’s going to depend on how strong you would like the lemon flavor to be. Using a little vanilla with the lemon might be nice, but using all lemon extract would give you stronger lemon flavor.
Laura Agigian says
Thank you very much!
Kate says
You’re welcome!
Lori TenHaken says
What are your thoughts on using coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar?
Kate says
The coconut sugar that I’ve used has larger grains than granulated sugar. I’m not sure how well it will mix in, but you may have better luck if you give it a few zips in a food processor or blender to help break it down a bit first. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works out!
Rachel says
Could I add lemon juice or other flavors to this?
Kate says
Lemon juice may cause the dairy to separate or look curdled. You could try using different extract flavors, like lemon or almond, in place of the vanilla extract.
Melissa says
I love this! I used ½ white sugar and ¼ brown sugar and it tastes amazing!
Kate says
Thank you!
Feather says
Really good and suuuuuper easy. Thank you
Kate says
Thank you!
GlutenBGone says
Hello, I was wondering how to half the recipe. Can I just cut the heavy cream and cream cheese each by half?
Thank you!
Kate says
Hi! You can just cut the amount of all of the ingredients in half to halve the recipe.
Pamela Holsing says
Do you have to use sugar at all?
Can I just leave it out?
Kate says
You will have something akin to whipped cream cheese without the sugar, and the frosting won’t be sweet without any sugar. .
GlutenBGone says
I’ve made cream cheese frosting by first making the whipped cream then whipping the cream cheese and folding it in to the whipped cream! There is sugar in the whipped cream but you may not need to add more in the cream cheese! I liked the whipped cream cheese and vanilla mix better before adding sugar. Just a thought. 😁
Nita says
Have you tried making this recipe with honey instead?
Kate says
I haven’t. Honey since honey is a liquid, I’m not sure how well it would work in this recipe.
Jude says
Hi, how much heavy cream would you use if you want the frosting to be thicker ?
Thanks
Kate says
Hi! You could try using 3/4 cup heavy cream. If that isn’t thick enough for you, you could try 1/2 cup the next time.
Jude says
Thanks Kate, I’ll give that a try
Kristen says
Hi there! I’m making a “healthy” smash cake for our very soon to be one year old! I didn’t like the frosting provided in my cake recipe and wanted a cream cheese frosting instead.
Will this recipe suffice? Are there any “healthier” alternatives for baby? I.e using less or a different kind of sugar??
Thanks!
Kate says
Happy birthday to your little one! I’m not sure about healthy frosting for babies, but this frosting isn’t very sweet to start with. However, you could cut the sugar by 1/4 cup if you would like.