Name: Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature; 4oz (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature; 70 Grams (Scant 3/4 Cup*) Cocoa Powder ( I prefer Dutch-process- Bensdorp Cocoa Powder); Pinch of Salt; 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract; 1-2 Tablespoons Whole Milk or Heavy Cream; 313- 375 Grams (2 1/2- 3 Cups) Powdered Sugar/ Confectioners Sugar

The best easy recipe for chocolate cream cheese frosting! Made with cream cheese, butter, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar this frosting will be your new favorite chocolate frosting. This frosting has a delicious tang from the cream cheese creating a perfectly sweet, not overly sweet frosting recipe!

chocolate cream cheese frosting in a large metal mixing bowl on a white marble surface with a floral linen

To me you need a good cake and good frosting, having a good cake without good frosting is pointless, and the same goes for a bad cake and good frosting.

I often find that American buttercreams are very sweet, in my opinion, sickly sweet. I find that I like a Swiss Meringue Buttercream or a Cream Cheese Buttercream much better.

Cream cheese provides two things, a delicious tang flavor that helps counterbalance all the sweetness, and a luscious creamy texture. So its a win-win in my book.

This frosting is perfect on top of a chocolate, yellow, white, or coffee cake. The options are really endless!

Let's get to the recipe .

What are the ingredients for Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting?

Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature,
Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
Cocoa Powder ( I prefer Dutch-process- Bensdorp Cocoa Powder)
Salt
Pure Vanilla Extract
Whole Milk or Heavy Cream
Powdered Sugar/ Confectioners Sugar

How do you make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting?

I can not stress enough how important it is to make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature.

To speed up the process of softening them I suggest cutting them into small chunks. I find that microwaving either the cream cheese or butter is too risky, you can end up melting the solids.

You can make this frosting in a stand mixer, in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, or by hand- but be prepared for a workout!

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter for 2 to 3 minutes on medium to high speed. The mixture should be light and fluffy and fully combined.

cream cheese and butter in a metal mixing bowl

cream cheese and butter beat together in a large metal mixing bowl

While the cream cheese is beating sift the cocoa powder into a clean bowl and sift the powdered sugar into another clean bowl. Sifting the powders helps prevent a lumpy frosting. You do not have to do this but I find that cocoa powder especially is often lumpy.

The absolute last thing you want is lumpy frosting when you are going to the trouble o making it from scratch. Take the two minutes and sift it! Trust me!

balls of cocoa powder in a metal sifter sitting over a glass bowl

sifted cocoa powder in a large glass bowl

sifted powdered sugar in a large glass bowl on a white marble surface with a floral linen

When the butter and cream cheese mixture is light, fluffy, and fully combined add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat the frosting for one minute, mix it on low with any powders you risk creating a cloud so mix it on low until the powder is incorporated.

cocoa powder added to cream cheese mixture in a metal mixing bowl on a white marble surface with a floral linen

If the mixture is very thick add a splash of milk or heavy cream.

Add in 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar and mix on low for one minute, when the powdered sugar is combined increase the mixing speed to medium-high and let the frosting mix for 3 to 4 minutes.

milk added to chocolate cream cheese frosting

powdered sugar added to chocolate cream cheese frosting in a large metal bowl

If you desire a thicker frosting add the remaining powdered sugar.

Can you make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the frosting and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week before use.

Can you freeze Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting?

Yes! Make sure you store it in an air-tight container. Place the container of frosting in the fridge the night before you want to use it. The next day see how much the frosting has thawed, if you need to let it sit at room temperature for a little bit before re-whipping in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand-held mixer.

Here are some of my other favorite frosting recipes:

Recipe Card

chocolate frosted yellow cake on a white marble surface with a floral linen

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

3.5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Enough to Frost an 8 inch 2 Layer Cake

Ingredients

Units Scale

8oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
4oz (½ Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
70 grams (Scant ¾ Cup*) Cocoa Powder ( I prefer Dutch-process- Bensdorp Cocoa Powder)
Pinch of Salt
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1-2 Tablespoons Whole Milk or Heavy Cream
313- 375 grams (2 ½- 3 Cups) Powdered Sugar/ Confectioners Sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer beat the softened cream cheese and butter for 2 to 3 minutes on medium to high speed. You can also do this in a large bowl with a handheld mixer. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
While the cream cheese is beating sift the cocoa powder into a clean bowl and sift the powdered sugar into another clean bowl. This helps prevent a lumpy frosting.
When the butter and cream cheese mixture is ready add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract and beat for one minute, if the mixture is very thick add a splash of milk or heavy cream.
Add in 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar and mix on low for one minute, when the powdered sugar is combined increase the mixing speed to medium-high and let the frosting mix for 3 to 4 minutes. If you desire a thicker frosting add the remaining powdered sugar.