Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls

This easy cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls is quick to make and can be used as a cream cheese icing on any homemade cinnamon roll recipe!

Hi hi! Just popping in to share my recipe for a cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls! This is a super simple homemade cream cheese frosting, that works on any cinnamon roll recipe. The great thing about cinnamon rolls is that you can mix up the filling and frosting as you like. IMO, cream cheese icing is required for the best cinnamon rolls.

This super quick cinnamon roll frosting can easily be made ahead of time so that you have it ready to go as soon as you want to serve your cinnamon rolls. I use it on my apple cinnamon roll recipe and my small batch cinnamon roll recipe. You can also add other flavours - these brown butter cinnamon rolls have a brown butter cream cheese frosting, and these pumpkin cinnamon rolls have a maple coffee cream cheese icing.

Ingredients in Cream Cheese Frosting

The ingredients list for cinnamon roll frosting is super simple. This is my base cream cheese frosting recipe - you can add things as you like!

• Unsalted Butter. I prefer unsalted butter as it means that you can control the salt level in the cinnamon roll icing. If you only have salted, just reduce or omit the salt quantity.
• Cream Cheese. The star of the show. It is important to use full fat cream cheese, as it is needed for the stability of the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar. Also called icing sugar, this provides both structure and sweetness for your cinnamon rolls.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. This is optional but adds delicious vanilla flavor and if you use paste, will add in vanilla bean specks.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. I use heavy whipping cream (the one you use to make whipped cream) to help my cream cheese frosting smooth out and become a spreadable texture. Hold back on this if you like a really thick cream cheese frosting.
• Salt. I always add even just a tiny pinch of salt to my frosting recipes to help offset the sweetness of the powdered sugar.

How to make Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Making cream cheese icing for cinnamon rolls is super easy - you can make it with either an electric hand mixer in a mixing bowl, or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

1. Combine the butter and cream cheese. This step helps to prevent any cream cheese lumps and makes sure the mixture is well combined.
2. Add powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Mix for 1-2 minutes until completely combined.
3. Add heavy cream and whip for a further 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Either use immediately or store until ready to use.

Why is it important to have room temperature cream cheese?

You will see in the instructions of cinnamon roll frosting recipes to use room temperature cream cheese. This is important to ensure that you do not have any lumps in your cream cheese frosting. It is difficult to whip cream cheese when it is cold, and it may form tiny lumps if it is not warm enough.

Mixing the butter with the cream cheese in the first part of the recipe helps to avoid this, but here is how to fix lumpy cream cheese frosting: keep whipping. Mix the butter and cream cheese until completely smooth and there are no lumps. If you are still having a hard time, you can remove a tiny bit of the butter mixture and warm it, then add it back in to the frosting to help bring the overall temperature up.

How to avoid grainy frosting

The heavy whipping cream will help you to avoid grainy frosting. The extra whipping at the end of the recipe helps to dissolve the granules of powdered sugar slightly, giving you a smooth frosting that is perfect for spreading on your homemade cinnamon buns. If you find it is still a little grainy, keep whipping.

Flavor variations for cream cheese frosting

• Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. This goes well on any cinnamon rolls - add 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup to your frosting and leave out the heavy cream in the mixture.
• Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting. To make coffee cream cheese frosting, whip 1-2 tsp of espresso powder or very fine instant coffee into your frosting.
• Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Frosting. You can brown butter and cool it, and use it for the base of your cream cheese frosting. I use this recipe on my brown butter cinnamon rolls.

Can Cream Cheese Frosting be made ahead of time?

Cream cheese frosting can be made ahead of time - you just need to re whip it before serving. To store your frosting, either transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap, or place in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Briefly re whip before using.

Made this recipe and love it?

If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!

A note on salt and oven temperature

It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.

All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.

Using the double / triple function in the recipe card

You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!

Tools and equipment

For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.

Why is this recipe in grams?

I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!

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