Posted: · Updated: by Melissa
This post may contain affiliate links
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
This is the best cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls! It's fluffy, creamy, and has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Whip it up in one bowl, in under 10 minutes!
Save this Recipe!
Enter your email below and I'll send this recipe to you.
Why I Love This Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon rolls need frosting: There are some baked goods that can go without being slathered with frosting, but cinnamon rolls aren't one of them. This cinnamon roll frosting is the perfect finishing touch, and we all know that cinnamon rolls with cream cheese have much better flavor than the ones with a quick glaze!
- It's tried-and-true: This cinnamon bun frosting is from my Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe, so it's a well-tested favorite. You can't go wrong!
- It's easy: You'll love that this cinnamon roll frosting recipe comes together in a matter of minutes.
- It tastes amazing: You might even like it more than the Cinnabon icing recipe! It's creamy, sweet, tangy, and the perfect complement to pillowy soft cinnamon rolls.
Tip: To make it closer to the Cinnabon frosting recipe, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
Tips & Ingredient Notes
This is just an overview,click hereto jump down to the full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed recipe instructions.
- Butter – You'll want to use unsalted butter here, which gives you more control over the saltiness & flavor of the frosting.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls starts with full-fat cream cheese—the kind that comes in bricks, not tubs. Low fat also works, just know that your frosting will be a bit runnier.
- Powdered sugar – This might seem like a lot, but once you mix it in, the volume decreases and helps keep your frosting thick & spreadable.
- Vanilla extract - don't skip the vanilla!
- Salt – Just a pinch will balance the sweetness in the frosting.
Tip: Want to make a copycat Cinnabon cream cheese frosting? Use the recipe below and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls
- Let 4 ounces of cream cheese and ¼ cup of butter sit at room temperature until they soften.
- Place the cream cheese, butter, 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Slather the frosting onto cinnamon rolls, or use it however you like!
Looking for more of a glaze than a frosting? Simply add milk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency or use my more pourable cinnamon roll icing!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?
Yes, if not eaten within 1-2 hours the cream cheese cinnamon rolls should be stored in the refrigerator or the frosting can go bad. While they're best eaten right away, they can be refrigerated for a few days or even frozen (see below).
Can I freeze cream cheese frosting?
Yes, cream cheese frosting can be frozen in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before you use it.
I also love wrapping the frosted cinnamon rolls individually, freezing them, then microwaving them for 20-30 seconds when ready to eat!
Can I make cinnamon roll icing without cream cheese?
Yes, you can make a buttercream frosting without cream cheese by using my cinnamon roll icing recipe! It's more of a quick, pourable glaze.
What is the frosting on cinnamon rolls made of?
There are a variety of ways you can make cinnamon roll frosting but my favorite is definitely this recipe with cream cheese! It contains butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. If you're looking for a cinnamon roll frosting without cream cheese, use my cinnamon roll icing.
Easy Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
The best cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls! It's easy to make, creamy and fluffy, and it has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
This recipe makes enough to generously frost a 9x13 pan of cinnamon rolls.
4.97 from 114 votes
Print Pin Rate
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Servings: 16
By: Melissa Rose
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (i.e. ½ stick) softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened, use the cream cheese sold in a brick, not in a tub
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted butter (¼ cup), cream cheese (4 ounces), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and salt (⅛ teaspoon). Use an electric mixer to beat for 20-30 seconds until combined.
Slowly add powdered sugar (1 ½ cups) and beat until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Slather on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
Nutrition is auto-calculated and for frosting recipe only; based on 16 servings. This recipe makes enough to generously frost a 9x13 pan ofcinnamon rolls.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Roll | Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 11mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.01mg
More Frosting
- Easy Chocolate Ganache (without cream!)
- Cinnamon Roll Icing
- Best Cookie Cake Icing
- Easy Brownie Frosting
Reader Interactions
Comments
HBWell
Super easy to make and it’s delicious ❤️Reply
Marianne Parisio
I have made this cream cheese frosting for my cinnamon rolls for the 5 or 6 batches. It comes together perfectly, I do add a little more vanilla because that’s how I like it! Thanks it’s now one of favorite frosting.Reply
Hannah
OBSESSED with this frosting. It is a go-to, most requested thing in my house right now.
Reply
Robi
Absolutely delicious yum is a perfect complement to my homemade strawberry center of the bun treatsReply
Liz
I love this recipe. The only thing I do differently is use 8 oz. of cream cheese vs 4 oz. I like more of a cream cheese flavor to the sweet. Thank you for sharing!Reply
Melissa
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Liz! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Reply
Patsy Johnson
Just what I wanted! Perfection! Thank you!Reply
Melissa
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Patsy! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Reply
Colleen
Just perfect!Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Colleen! I really appreciate it!
Reply
Diana
Love this recipe, it's my go to and it's very simple. I add a little bit of the cinnamon sugar mix to it.Reply
Suzanne
So good and creamy and easy to make!Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Diana! I really appreciate it!
Reply
Bill Mashburn
My favorite!!Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Bill!
Reply
Karen O
Wonderfully creamy and easy to make. A few simple ingredients that if you choose, you can modify to your own taste. I like the recipe with no changes!Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Karen! I really appreciate it!
Reply
Eliche
The best cream cheese frosting recipe I've ever made!Reply
Melissa
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Reply
Gayle
Tastes great! Simple recipe with just a few ingredients.Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Gayle!
Reply
LaDonna Sokolowski
Delicious! It's a keeper. I added a little bit more vanilla just because I like vanilla.Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, LaDonna!
Reply
Danielle Schrader
Very good recipe. I used some orange juice and zest to make it the orange flavor for my cinnamon rolls. VERY GOOD. If you are a vanilla lover, I also made a batch with vanilla paste. WOW. Pretty intense and goes great with this recipeReply
Melissa
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Danielle! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Reply
Lela Spencer
Omgosh, this recipe is the best ever, super easy.
Perfect!Reply
Melissa
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Lela! So glad to hear you love this recipe! :)
Reply
SherryH
Easy 5 stars to give. Easy recipe to make. Tastes amazing! I bought store pre-made orange flavored cinnamon rolls that didn't have icing. Without the icing they were maybe a 5 or 6, but with the icing they were a 10/10!Reply
Melissa
Yay, I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Sherry! It is much appreciated!
Reply
Leave a Comment
« Older Comments
