Level up your fall baking with this rich and creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This cinnamon frosting is takes about 5 minutes to make and is perfect for topping cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies and more.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely love a delicious and decadent cream cheese frosting recipe. My Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting are a few cream cheese frosting recipes from the blog that I adore. This cream cheese frosting with cinnamon is another frosting recipe I can’t get enough of. I know you’ll love it just as much because:
- You love cozy variations on classic toppings. Cream cheese frosting is already incredibly delicious, but using cinnamon makes this butter cream even more amazing, flavorful and cozy.
- Depth of flavor. Cinnamon brings a sweet spiciness that when paired with the sweet, creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting truly elevates any baked treat.
Ingredients
This cinnamon and cream cheese frosting recipe requires only a handful of pantry basics and a little time to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
Gather unsalted butter, cream cheese, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt powdered sugar and milk (as needed).
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this wonderfully delicious creamy cinnamon frosting.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter. Just omit the added salt.
- Cream Cheese: My favorite cream cheese to use is the full fat brick style Philadelphia cream cheese. If you don’t have cream cheese, use an equal amount of mascarpone cheese. Just know that mascarpone cheese has a tendency to split more easily than cream cheese and the frosting will be missing the signature tangy found in cream cheese.
- Ground Cinnamon: Use your preferred ground cinnamon. Just make sure the cinnamon is fresh and very fragrant.
- Powdered Sugar: I like using Wholesome Organic powdered sugar. If you need a lower sugar powdered sugar alternative, I recommend Swerve or Lakanto.
- Vanilla Extract: This provides a wonderful background flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. I highly recommend you keep the vanilla extract.
- Milk: This is used to thin the frosting as needed. Feel free to use an equal amount of heavy cream or milk of choice.
How To Make
Learn how to make cinnamon cream cheese frosting in a few easy steps.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together the butter with the room temperature cream cheese until just combined, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until creamy and well combined, about 2 - 3 more minutes on low speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time, mixing in each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed. Once all the sugar has been added, mix on high until the cream cheese cinnamon buttercream is fully incorporated and your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 - 2 tablespoon (15 - 30 ml) milk of choice, beating until well incorporated.
- Transfer the cinnamon cream cheese frosting to an airtight container or use to top your favorite cake, cupcakes, cookies or brownies.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Make Ahead: This cinnamon cream cheese icing can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for one week or freezer for up to three months.
- Store: Transfer the frosting to an airtight container to store in the fridge for one week.
- Freeze and Thaw: Transfer the cream cheese and cinnamon frosting to an airtight and freezer proof container to store in the fridge for up to three months. Thaw the frosting overnight in the fridge. Then bring the cinnamon icing to room temperature before using in a recipe.
- Serve: This cinnamon cream cheese frosting is perfect for topping all your favorite fall desserts. It would be especially delicious on top of cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, apple spice cake, carrot cake, carrot bread or even brownies. Cinnamon pairs well with just about anything so use this cinnamon frosting any place you would use cream cheese frosting.
M's Expert Tips
- Make sure the cinnamon is fresh and fragrant. For the best, most flavorful results, make sure the ground cinnamon is fresh. Ceylon can be more potent than the standard ground Cassia cinnamon found in most grocery stores, but both will work beautifully. What’s most important is the cinnamon is fresh and very fragrant.
- Use a full fat brick style cream cheese. This is the best kind to make a perfect cream cheese buttercream. I personally love using the full fat Philadelphia brick cream cheese.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened. If the cream cheese is too cold, the icing could end up with a lumpier consistency.
- Wait to add the milk. I use this to thin the cream cheese cinnamon buttercream as needed. If you add too much milk and find the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Chill the cinnamon cream cheese icing. If the frosting is too runny or soft, chill it in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Keep it cool. This buttercream is made with room temperature and cream cheese. Both of these ingredients will begin to soften easily in warmer environments. Once this frosting is applied to a cake, cupcakes, cookies or brownies, keep those baked good in the fridge until it’s time to serve them. If you are topping cinnamon rolls with this cream cheese frosting, it is fine to serve the cinnamon rolls warm. Just make sure to store the cinnamon rolls in the fridge.
FAQs
For the best, most flavorful results, make sure the ground cinnamon is fresh. Ceylon can be more potent than the standard ground Cassia cinnamon found in most grocery stores. More than the variety, what’s most important is the cinnamon is fresh and very fragrant.
If the cream cheese frosting is too soft, chill the cinnamon frosting in the fridge for 15 - 30 minutes.
Depending on the temperature of the room, any baked good with cream cheese cinnamon buttercream should sit out at room temperature for no longer than 2 - 4 hours.
This cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe makes about 3 cups. This is enough to frost a 9 x 13 cake, a (2) layer 8 inch cake or about 18 cupcakes. Alternatively, use this cream cheese frosting to top your favorite cinnamon rolls.
Other Cinnamon Recipes to Try
- Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream
- Cinnamon Roll Muffins
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Cinnamon Pie
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
If you try this Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese frosting, room temperature
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 - 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
- Add the room temperature cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together the butter with the room temperature cream cheese until just combined, about 2 - 3 minutes.8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese frosting, room temperature, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until creamy and well combined, about 2 - 3 more minutes on low speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.2 - 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time, mixing in each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed. Once all the sugar has been added, mix on high until the cream cheese cinnamon buttercream is fully incorporated and your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 - 2 tablespoon (15 - 30 ml) milk of choice, beating until well incorporated.4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, 2 - 3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream, as needed
- Transfer the cinnamon cream cheese frosting to an airtight container or use to top your favorite cake, cupcakes, cookies or brownies.
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