Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting without butter is a silky, whipped frosting made from peanut butter and cream cheese. Light and creamy, it’s perfect for frosting cupcakes, cakes, brownies, or using as a dip for snacks.
For me, frosting can make or break a cake or cupcake. If a cake is a little dry, a great frosting saves the day. I often prefer a higher frosting-to-cake ratio—more frosting please!
After the warm response to the previous frosting recipe without butter, I wanted to create a lighter, better version that blends peanut butter and cream cheese for balance: peanut butter’s richness and cream cheese’s tang.
Why Peanut Butter Frosting with Cream Cheese
Peanut butter frosting is delicious but can be overly sweet or heavy. Cream cheese adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness and lightens the overall flavor. Combining the two yields a frosting that’s flavorful yet not cloying.
Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting
Traditional cream cheese frostings often include butter for structure, but butter can make the result dense. Replacing butter with cold whipping or heavy cream gives the frosting stability while keeping it light and airy. Whipping the cream into the mixture creates stiff peaks and a whipped texture that’s ideal for piping and spreading.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (250 g) cold cream cheese – use full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub style.
- 130 g (1 cup) icing (confectioners) sugar
- 1 cup (approx. 240–270 g) smooth peanut butter
- 150 ml (3/4 cup) cold whipping or heavy cream – must be cold to whip to stiff peaks.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
What type of Peanut Butter is best for this frosting?
Smooth, creamy peanut butter is best for a silky, pipeable frosting. Crunchy peanut butter will make the texture uneven and can clog piping tips. Natural peanut butter with lower fat content is less ideal because it can affect consistency.
Cream Cheese – Cold or Room Temperature?
Although many recipes call for room-temperature ingredients, using cold block cream cheese works better here. Cold cream cheese holds up while you beat the mixture and reduces the risk of a runny frosting. Overbeating soft cream cheese or adding sugar to already-warm cream cheese can release moisture and thin the frosting.
How to avoid runny frosting
- Start with cold cream cheese so you have time to work without it becoming too soft.
- Do not overbeat—about a minute for initial mixing is sufficient.
Step By Step Instructions
Sieve the icing sugar twice and keep it ready.
In a bowl, beat the cold cream cheese on medium speed just until smooth and lump-free, about a minute. Add the smooth peanut butter and mix until combined, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the sifted icing sugar and mix until incorporated; the mixture will thicken. Finally, add the cold whipping cream and vanilla, then beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
This frosting comes together quickly and is a must-try for peanut butter lovers.
Storage Instructions
- Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerated, it will keep up to one week.
- Freeze up to three months; thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- If the frosting separates after storage, chill briefly and then stir or beat until smooth again.
Baker’s Tips
- Use cold, full-fat block cream cheese and whip just until lump-free for the best texture.
- Sieve the icing sugar at least twice to avoid grit and ensure a smooth finish.
- Scrape the bowl periodically while mixing to fully incorporate ingredients.
- Use smooth peanut butter for a consistent, pipeable frosting.
- If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment rather than the whisk to avoid over-aeration.
Different Ways to use the Frosting
This versatile frosting can be used to fill and frost cakes, pipe swirls on cupcakes, spread on brownies, or serve as a dip for pretzels and fruit. It pairs especially well with chocolate cakes or cupcakes and works beautifully with banana, cinnamon, or peanut butter cakes. You can also use it to top cheesecakes or cookies for a peanut-butter-forward finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes enough to fill and frost a two-layer 8- or 9-inch cake or to pipe swirls on about 12 cupcakes.
Yes. When whipped to stiff peaks, the frosting holds shape well enough for filling, frosting, and piping decorations.
The frosting is lighter than classic cream cheese or buttercream frosting but will hold its shape. To thicken, ensure the cream cheese is cold and beat the cream until you reach firm peaks; you can reduce the cream slightly if you need a stiffer texture.
Common causes: using tub-style or low-fat cream cheese, starting with cream cheese that’s too soft, overbeating the cream cheese, adding too much powdered sugar and overmixing, or using warm whipping cream that wasn’t whipped to stiff peaks.
Often it’s difficult to fully rescue runny frosting. Try refrigerating for 30 minutes, then briefly beat it again. Adding more powdered sugar usually won’t help and can make texture worse.
Related Recipes:
- Easy Frosting Recipe without Butter
- Stiff Cream Cheese Frosting
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
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Easy Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting without butter
Ingredients
- 130 g (1 cup) Icing Sugar
- 8 oz (250 g) Cream Cheese cold
- 240 g (1 cup) Smooth Peanut Butter
- 150 ml (3/4 cup) Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
Instructions
- Sieve the icing sugar twice and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cold cream cheese for about a minute until smooth and lump-free.
- Add the peanut butter and beat until combined, then add the icing sugar and mix through.
- Add the cold whipping cream and vanilla, then beat until stiff peaks form.
- Use to fill, frost, or pipe decorations on cakes and cupcakes.
Notes
- Use cold, full-fat block cream cheese and whip until lump-free for the smoothest texture.
- Sieve the icing sugar at least twice.
- Scrape the bowl periodically while adding ingredients.
- Use smooth peanut butter for best results; if using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
- Nutritional information refers only to the frosting portion shown per serving.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 17 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 21 g