This classic fudgy homemade chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe is rich, smooth, and absolutely perfect for covering chocolate cakes, cupcakes, or eating by the spoonful.
The completely delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting is everything you could ever want in a chocolate dessert.
If you’re looking for an easy frosting recipe that turns out perfectly with just a few basic ingredients, this is definitely the one to try because it is super thick and creamy!
The frosting can quickly be whipped up ahead of time and piped into stiff peaks. And it includes vegan, gluten free, and keto options too.
Also be sure to try this Chocolate Banana Bread
Above, watch the chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe video
Chocolate cream cheese icing ingredients
For the chocolate: this recipe uses regular cocoa powder to get that classic chocolate frosting flavor. If you add the optional 2 ounces of melted chocolate, it becomes even more deliciously dark, rich and chocolatey!
For the sweetener: powdered sugar (or erythritol for keto chocolate frosting) adds sweetness and texture to the icing, so it thickens and forms stiff peaks when whipped.
If you want frosting without powdered sugar, try this Healthy Chocolate Frosting.
The cream cheese: feel free to use your favorite regular cream cheese. For vegan frosting, you can make your own cashew cream cheese. Or use a brand such as Tofutti, Trader Joes, or Kite Hill.
The other ingredients include milk of choice, butter (once again, vegan versions can easily be used for frosting without butter), and pure vanilla extract.
For something completely different, this Chocolate Hummus also makes a great chocolate frosting!
Chocolate Frosting Recipes
Coffee Chocolate Frosting: Whip half a teaspoon of instant coffee into the frosting recipe below. Or use brewed espresso instead of the milk.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Omit the cocoa powder, decrease the pure vanilla extract to one teaspoon, and only add the milk if needed.
Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese: Use coconut milk as the milk of choice, and add a handful of shredded coconut and optional one eighth teaspoon of coconut extract.
How to make cream cheese chocolate frosting
Let the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature.
Beat all ingredients with an electric mixer or or stand mixer. It can also technically be mixed by hand, but that version won’t have as much of a whipped and fluffy texture.
If the chocolate frosting is too thick, very slowly add more milk. Or if it’s too thin, beat in more powdered sugar until it reaches your desired thickness.
The recipe does not need to be refrigerated if you’re only leaving it out for a few hours at a party in a cool room or while transporting a frosted chocolate cake to an event.
Due to the perishable ingredients, I recommend covering leftover frosting and storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Shown above, on this Keto Cake Recipe
Forget the store bought chocolate frosting, ganache, and buttercream. You’ll want to put this chocolate cream cheese frosting over everything!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- optional 2 oz melted chocolate
- 8 oz cream cheese or vegan cream cheese
- 1/4 cup butter or vegan butter
- 1 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar, or erythritol for keto
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 – 4 tbsp milk of choice
Instructions
- Let cream cheese and butter spread come to room temperature. Beat all ingredients with an electric mixer or stand mixer (or by hand, which won’t be as whipped and fluffy but still works). If too thick, very slowly add more milk of choice. If too thin, add additional powdered sugar. Cover and refrigerate leftover frosting for up to a week.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Ways to use chocolate frosting
The most delicious icing I’ve ever had!!! I make it with vegan cream cheese tofutti and Vegan butter and non vegans love it! I love this on your brownie recipes! Another amazing recipe from you! Thank you.
Great frosting, but even with just 1.5 cups of erythritol it is extremely sweet. I will definitely try it out again but with less sweetener.
This makes a ton of frosting. I cut the recipe to make 1/4 (8 servings), and it was the perfect amount to frost her keto chocolate cake recipe, which makes one 8″ layer. The resulting frosted cake has just 165 calories and goes great with coffee or a glass of cold almond milk!
Can I use stevia instead of erythritol?
This is the easiest chocolate frosting recipe I’ve ever made! It is so creamy and delicious!! This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Hi Katie,
My daughter-in-law is Keto and Gluten Free and loves chocolate!!.She only uses almond flour and
a monk fruit blend in her desserts. Do u have a recipe for something chocolate
that would be nice for the holidays that I could make her? Thx