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Everyone needs a great Fall frosting recipe and this The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting won’t disappoint. Sweet, spicy, creamy, and delicious.

Closeup of three cupcakes topped with The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting sitting next to a bowl filled with cinnamon sticks.

Our The Best Cream Cheese Frosting is delicious and if you can believe it, our The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is even better.  It is sweet and creamy and spicy with just a little tang from the cream cheese.  Yum, yum, yum. What a great way to top those fall cupcakes, cookies, and cakes.  We predict you’ll come back to this classic Fall recipe again and again.

How to Make

Collage image showing how to cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together.

Step 1: To make this yummy Cinnamon flavored Fall version of Cream Cheese Frosting, add softened Cream Cheese, slightly softened butter, and Vanilla Extract to a mixing bowl. “Slightly softened” means the butter is still cold but has warmed up enough so you can press your thumb down into it. Then add 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla.  We start with 2 teaspoons now and then add more at the end if we think we need it.
Step 2: Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed until they are fully incorporated (about 2 minutes.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula before moving on to the next step.

Collage image showing the steps for adding the powdered sugar and the cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting mixture.

Step 3: We use a food scale to measure 1 pound of Powdered Sugar.  (If you don’t have a food scale the equivalent would be 4 cups.) You can sift the powdered sugar if it is really lumpy.  I do not always do this. Instead, I will mix the powdered sugar on low for 30 seconds to break up any large lumps.
Step 4: Add the powdered sugar and the cinnamon to the bowl.
Step 5: Two Sisters Tip: Put a clean dishtowel around your mixer to keep the sugar from flying out when you are mixing the butter and the sugar together.
Step 6: Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the cream cheese/butter and sugar start to come together (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds or until the frosting begins to get light and fluffy.

Closeup on a spatula covered with The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Step 7: This is the fun part of the frosting-making process where you get to taste your icing. You are tasting to determine taste (does it need more vanilla or cinnamon?) and consistency (is it too thin or too thick?)  (Two Sisters note about Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting … it is a thin frosting.  It will never be a frosting that is pipeable or will crust up like buttercream. That being said, as you can see in our pictures, you can do a swirl.) The first thing you should do before using the frosting is put it in the refrigerator for an hour or so, that will help the butter and cream cheese firm up.  Another thing to try if the frosting is too thin is to add EITHER 1/2 cup of powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

How to Serve

Closeup on a decorating bag filled with homemade Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing in front of a batch of unfrosted Chocolate Cupcakes.

How much frosting will you need?  That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake.  If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife.  If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Does the frosting need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Cream Cheese Frosting needs to be refrigerated because of the Cream Cheese. You can leave it out for a couple of hours at a maximum before it needs to be refrigerated again. And be very careful with it outside on a warm day.

How do I store any leftover frosting?

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting will only be good for as long as your Cream Cheese is good so make sure to check the expiration date on the Cream Cheese package before making the frosting. For example, if the expiration date on the Cream Cheese is two days away, the frosting will be good for two days. Store any leftover frosting, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. If you carefully wrap the frosting in order to avoid freezer burn, the frosting should be fine in the freezer for 3-4 months.

What should I do if my frosting is too thin?

Try putting it in the refrigerator for an hour or so. This will help the butter and cream cheese firm up if it got too warm and melty during the mixing process.  If it is still too thin after you’ve tried the refrigerator, you can add EITHER a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.  Mix again and see if the consistency is better.

Closeup of a Chocolate Cupcakes topped with The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting sitting on a cutting board alongside a ramekin filled with Cinnamon Sticks.

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Step-by-Step Video Tutorial

The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese FrostingPrint

The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Everyone needs a great Fall frosting recipe and this The Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting won't disappoint. Sweet, spicy, creamy and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Butter, slightly softened (We use Salted Sweet Cream Butter)
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
  • 2-3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 heaping teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 pound Powdered Sugar (or 4 cups)

Instructions

  1. Add softened Cream Cheese, slightly softened butter, and Vanilla Extract to a mixing bowl. “Slightly softened” means the butter is still cold but has warmed up enough so you can press your thumb down into it.
  2. Add 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla.  We start with 2 teaspoons now and then add more at the end if we think we need it.
  3. Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed until they are fully incorporated (about 2 minutes.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula before moving on to the next step.
  4. We use a food scale to measure 1 pound of Powdered Sugar.  (If you don't have a food scale the equivalent would be 4 cups.)
  5. Add the powdered sugar and the cinnamon to the bowl.
  6. Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the cream cheese/butter and sugar start to come together (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds or until the frosting begins to get light and fluffy.
  7. Taste your frosting. You are tasting to determine taste (does it need more vanilla or cinnamon?) and consistency (is it too thin or too thick?) If necessary add more cinnamon or vanilla and mix again. Too thick? Add a teaspoon of milk. Too thin? Refrigerate for an hour and check the consistency again. If still too thin, add either 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar or a tablespoon of cornstarch and mix again.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Frosting