Brown Butter Frosting Recipe

Cream cheese on a square of cake being held by a metal spatula.

5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Frosting Recipe

This Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is the easiest one out there! Instead of fretting over when the butter has softened to the right texture, we chill it and use it from solid (no second guessing or constant checking). Our family, friends, and work colleagues alike will testify that it turns out so deliciously creamy and nutty! It pairs perfectly with cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Cooling Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: batch covers a 9x13 cake

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

skillet or pot
stand mixer or hand mixer

Ingredients

½ cup butter
12 oz cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-5 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking it for 5-8 minutes, stirring often, until it turns a medium brown color. It will sizzle and foam as it cooks, but the foam will begin to subside once you remove it from the heat. *See the post for a full tutorial and alternative methods to brown the butter.
Once brown, pour it (and all the little toasty bits) into the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, then place the uncovered bowl in the fridge to cool until it is solid.
½ cup butter
Once solid, use a butter knife or plastic utensil to loosen it from the sides of the bowl. When I do this, the whole “disc” of butter pops off the bottom of the bowl.
With a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cold butter on high speed until it is creamy and smooth, pausing to scrape the bowl often. Don’t worry - it will whip up nicely if you give it enough time!
Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until everything is evenly combined. The mixture should be smooth and getting more fluffy.
12 oz cream cheese
Add the vanilla and the first 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat it on low for 30-60 seconds to avoid making a mess, then increase the speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add an additional ½-1 cup of sugar if needed to reach the desired consistency.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4-5 cups powdered sugar

Notes

*One batch of this recipe is enough to frost one 9x13 cake or one batch of 12 cupcakes, if frosted with a spatula. If you are planning on piping the frosting tall on cupcakes, you will need 1.5-2 recipes depending on your technique.

Tips and Tricks

Cook the butter until it is truly a rich golden brown color. If you stop too early, you'll miss out on all the delicious nutty flavor.
Make sure to whip the frosting long enough. A common mistake is to stop mixing after 30-60 seconds when it all looks combined, but giving it an extra 2-3 minutes on high speed adds lots of fluffy texture.
Only use full-fat brick cream cheese. Using low fat or spreadable versions that come in a tub will make the frosting too loose, lacking in flavor, and noticeably less creamy.

Storage: Store frosting in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Allow to come to room temperature, then whip it for 1-2 minutes to restore some of the fluffy texture before using.

Nutrition