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Home / Cakes & Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Glaze

A delicious glaze made with cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

02/17/2021
5 from 12 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep: 8 minutes mins
Cook: 2 minutes mins
cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake
cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake
cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake
Cream Cheese Glaze being spooned onto a cake
cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake
A creamy cream cheese glaze being placed on a cake with a spoon.
cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake

cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake

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This delectable cream cheese glaze is great for anything from cakes to buns. It’s so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!

cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake
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Whether you’re glazing a Red Velvet Bundt Cake or Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, nothing compares to a smooth, creamy cream cheese glaze to finish it off. This is the ideal topping for any sweet treat, and it’s easily made with just a handful of ingredients!

Why This Recipe Works

  • The cream cheese adds a tangy, rich flavor.
  • Butter adds richness and gives it a silky smooth consistency.
  • Vanilla adds an extra depth of flavor.
  • A little salt cuts the sweetness and seasons the icing.

This glaze is perfect for when you want to add a sweet and tangy topping to your baked goods without overwhelming it with frosting. It’s the perfect accompaniment for buns and sweet rolls, donuts, muffins, quick breads and more!

What Cream Cheese Is Best

a block of cream cheese with a foil wrapper

For this recipe, it’s essential you use full-fat cream cheese as low fat and fat-free cream cheese will not set properly and could leave you with a glaze that stays wet.

How To Quickly Soften Cream Cheese

Cut the cold cream cheese block into small chunks and microwave it in a microwavable bowl for 30 seconds at a time until soft enough to run a whisk through it.

Ingredient Notes

butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and salt
  • Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese. Be sure it’s well softened. Take it out about an hour before using it to get it to room temperature (or follow the instructions above to soften it quickly).
  • Butter: I use salted butter in all of my baking, but that’s a personal choice, and unslated works just as well. If you do use salted butter, you can omit the salt.
  • Powdered Sugar: I suggest sifting your sugar to avoid clumps in your glaze.
  • Milk: Any milk will work here from skimmed to full fat. How much you need will depend on the consistency you’re looking for.
  • Vanilla Extract: Use anything from imitation vanilla flavor to pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Just keep in mind vanilla bean paste may change the color of the glaze offering a tinge of brown.
  • Salt: I always add a pinch of salt to my glaze as I think every dish can use a little seasoning, but this can be left out if you’re not a fan.

How To Make Cream Cheese Glaze

  1. Mix the softened cream cheese with melted butter in a bowl until smooth.
  2. Add sugar, milk vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.  

Step By Step Instructions

Add the softened cream cheese to a bowl with warm, melted butter.

Melted Butter and cream Cheese in a glass bowl

Add sugar, vanilla, milk and a pinch of salt.

The sugar, vanilla and milk added to the bowl with the butter and cream cheese

Mix together until smooth.  

The smooth icing in a glass bowl

Use to top cakes or glaze a wide range of desserts.

Cream Cheese Glaze being spooned onto a cake

Erren’s Top Tips

  • Use the melted butter while hot. It helps to easily mix the glaze together.
  • Sift the sugar to avoid a lumpy glaze.
  • To thicken let stand for 15 minutes or add more sugar as needed.
  • To thin out the glaze, add milk until it reaches the desired consistency or microwave for 10 seconds at a time and mix in between until it reaches the desired thickness.
  • Use heavy cream, whipping cream, or half and half for a richer flavor.

Quantites, Storing & Freezing ?

This recipe makes enough icing to top a large bundt cake or 8-inch pan of cinnamon rolls, but can easily be doubled to glaze a batch of donuts.

Store at room temperature for up to eight hours. Anything longer, refrigerate in an airtight container for three to four days.

Freeze in a freezer bag for up to three months.

Other Great Cake Toppings

  • Chocolate Glaze
  • Orange Glaze
  • Butter Frosting
  • Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Rate This Recipe

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cream cheese glaze being spooned onto a cake

Recipe

Cream Cheese Glaze

A delicious glaze made with cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
5 from 12 votes
Print
Prep Time: 8 minutes mins
Cook Time: 2 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Serves 1

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter (melted)
  • ½ cup cream cheese softened
  • ¾ cup confectioners sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 to 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • Add the milk as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until it is the desired consistency.
  • Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with the icing and serve.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 1184 | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 86g | Saturated Fat: 52g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 251mg | Sodium: 830mg | Potassium: 237mg | Sugar: 94g | Vitamin A: 3015IU | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg
Created by Erren Hart
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5 from 12 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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18 responses

  1. Valerie B Avatar
    Valerie B
    07/27/2021

    I made the Rum to pour over a spice cake. It was wonderful and very easy to make. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      07/27/2021

      That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Abigail Avatar
    Abigail
    05/08/2021

    Super simple tasty and the pinch of salt balances the sweetness perfectly.

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      05/08/2021

      That’s great to hear!! Glad the recipe was enjoyed! 🥰

      Reply
  3. Kim Avatar
    Kim
    04/19/2021

    My new favorite icing! I could eat it on it’s own! Delicious!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      04/19/2021

      That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Lonna Avatar
    Lonna
    03/31/2021

    This was definitely quick and I liked it a lot. I didn’t measure everything but just dumped and that worked well enough. YUM!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      03/31/2021

      Glad you made it work, Lonna!

      Reply
      1. Brenda Williams Avatar
        Brenda Williams
        12/16/2021

        This is a wonderful recipe! So easy & delicious. I’m hooked. Thank you so much. God Bless. Happy holidays to you and yours

      2. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
        Erren’s Kitchen
        12/16/2021

        Thank you so much Brenda, happy holidays to you and your family too 🙂

  5. Nikki Avatar
    Nikki
    03/04/2021

    So delicious, I drizzled this all over my cinnamon rolls, yum 😋

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      03/04/2021

      I’m glad you liked it Nikki 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy
    02/20/2021

    I made this with a lemon cake. It was amazing. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      02/20/2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathy!

      Reply
  7. Susan Avatar
    Susan
    02/20/2021

    I used this for your orange cake. It was outragous!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      02/20/2021

      Music to my ears, Susan! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Emma Avatar
    Emma
    02/18/2021

    I used this to glaze my cinnamon buns today, absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/18/2021

      Thank you, I’m glad you like it 🙂

      Reply
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