This recipe for peanut butter frosting is one you'll keep forever. Creamy and fluffy this buttercream is full of peanut butter for a finger-licking good frosting. Perfect on chocolate cake, cookies, or brownies!

I don't know about you but I am a lover of peanut butter or a not so lover. I think I tend to OD on it when I am into peanut butter. I have it on everything from an English muffin, to a smoothie, oatmeal (my friend Cheryl's Peanut Butter Oatmeal looks amazing), to a sandwich, to a sauce for my chicken and as a delicious peanut butter frosting for my chocolate cake. (Pictured are Guinness Cupcakes)
This recipe took a little trial and error. I wanted it to be heavy on the peanut butter flavor, but still soft and creamy. Thanks to my best friend, heavy cream, we did just that.
Let's get to the recipe.
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🧁Ingredients
- Butter. For any buttercream, it is crucial that your butter is completely softened to room temperature.
- Peanut Butter. I like to use the creamy kind, not homemade or natural, something like Skippy.
- Icing Sugar. Please, please, I beg of you to make sure to sift your confectioner's sugar aka powdered sugar to prevent a lumpy frosting.
- Cream. You could substitute full-fat milk or single cream but I think the best tasting use heavy whipping cream aka double cream.
- Vanilla. Don't bother with the imitation use pure vanilla extract.
- Salt. Just a pinch.
📖Instructions
You can most certainly make this frosting in a bowl with a whisk but it will take some serious elbow grease, so I prefer to use an electric stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer.
Beat the butter and peanut butter together for 5 full minutes until light and fluffy.
It's impotant not to skimp on the time when making an American style buttercream frosting. You want the butter to get light.
Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps and add half to butter. Beat for 2 minutes. Beat on low at first as you do not want a white storm in your kitchen.
Add the remaining powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt and mix for 3 more minutes, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a time or two to make sure everything is incorporated evenly.
Spread or pipe frosting. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days, let come to room temperature and mix before using.
There you have it my perfect peanut butter buttercream, I love it on a layer cake, cupcakes, and even brownies!
For a peanut butter lovers dessert try this on top of my easy peanut butter cake with my no churn peanut butter ice cream recipe.
🍽Storage
Depending on the temperature where you live this buttercream can be left at room temperature, unless it is quite warm and humid then I would store it in the fridge.
The frosting can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week. Re-whip the frosting before use.
🎂More frosting recipes
If you love frostings try my Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Coffee Frosting, or Baileys Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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Peanut Butter Frosting
This recipe for peanut butter frosting is one you'll keep forever. Creamy and fluffy this buttercream is full of peanut butter for a finger-licking good frosting. Perfect on chocolate cake, cookies, or brownies!
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: Enough to Generously Frost 12 Cupcakes or 1 8 or 9 Inch Cake
Ingredients
- 4oz (½ Cup) Butter, softened to room temperature
- 8.2oz (1 Cup) Creamy Peanut Butter
- 250 grams (2 Cups) Confectioners/ Powdered Sugar
- 4oz (½ Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or large bowl with a handheld mixer beat the butter and peanut butter together for 5 full minutes until light and fluffy.
- Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps and add half to butter. Beat for 2 minutes then add the remaining powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt and mix for 3 more minutes.
- Spread or pipe frosting. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days, let come to room temperature, and mix before using.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peanut butter buttercream, peanut butter icing, peanut butter frosting recipe
Pam says
I made this for my chocolate cupcakes!!! They went perfect! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Sophia says
Mine came out a little runny, any tips? I tried stiffening it with 1/4 more sifted confectioners sugar but still runny. I had room temp whole milk & butter too.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Sophia, thanks for reaching out. I am so sorry you didn't have a great result. If your butter was too soft that could affect the consistency or if your peanut butter was really runny, or even the environment you are making it in if it's very warm, that too could affect it. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if I can help in any way XX Liz
Carol says
This icing is amazing! Fluffy with a great peanut butter taste everyone loved it.
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Aww yay, so glad you enjoyed it, Carol! Thank you so much for coming back to star rate and review the recipe, I truly appreciate the support! Take Care XX Liz