Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

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Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is tangy, refreshing, and not too sweet. I use a lot less sugar than most other recipes and find that it tastes a whole lot better this way. It boasts the perfect consistency and flavor for topping cakes, cupcakes, and more.

I’ve always loved cream cheese frosting, but often it’s way too sweet for my liking. So, I did what any food blogger would do… I created my very own recipe! If you, like me, can’t stand overly, almost sickeningly sweet cream cheese frostings, you’re going to love my version with a kick of lemony freshness.

Lemon cream cheese frosting in a stand mixer.

Table of Contents

Why you’ll love this recipe
Tools you’ll need
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make lemon cream cheese frosting
More baker’s tips
Storage
FAQs
More frosting recipes
📖 Recipe card

Why you’ll love this recipe

It isn’t overly sweet – most cream cheese frosting recipes call for up to 6 cups of powdered sugar! As mentioned, my version is made with significantly less sugar than a typical cream cheese frosting recipe you would find out there.
So easy – all you need are 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes.
Refreshing – using real lemon zest, this lemon cream cheese frosting is tangy and refreshing.
Can be used in a variety of recipes – whether you need something to frost cupcakes, cakes, or even homemade cookies, lemon cream cheese frosting pairs well with so many other flavors. I love it on lemon cupcakes, but it would also taste great with carrot cake!

Tools you’ll need

Below are the tools you’ll need to make cream cheese lemon frosting:

A hand mixer with a large bowl or a stand mixer to beat the frosting.
A pastry bag and piping tip, or an offset spatula for decorating.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

Ingredients for cream cheese lemon frosting on a marble surface.

Cream cheese – for the best cream cheese and lemon frosting, make sure to use full-fat brick cream cheese. I don’t recommend substituting light cream cheese or whipped cream cheese here.

Butter – opt for unsalted butter, and DO NOT substitute salted butter. It will make your frosting very salty, especially because this recipe has a low amount of sugar.

Powdered sugar – also called icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar. Don’t try to substitute granulated sugar, as the measurement will be completely different and you’ll likely end up with grainy frosting. Even if you try to make your own powdered sugar by grinding granulated sugar with cornstarch, I don’t think you will be able to achieve the super fine texture of store-bought powdered sugar.

Vanilla – I use just a little bit of pure vanilla extract to add complexity to the overall flavor profile.

Lemon zest – fresh lemon zest is best for that fragrant refreshing lemon flavor. Most store-bought lemons are just fine in this recipe. If you’re using lemons from your garden, check to make sure they have a strong fragrance when you scratch the skin. Depending on the variety, some homegrown lemons lack oils and won’t give you that amazing lemony smell. If you don’t have access to fresh lemon, you can use lemon extract or lemon oil.

How to make lemon cream cheese frosting

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Combine butter and cream cheese

Place the butter and cream cheese into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until they are thoroughly combined and creamy.

Softened butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer bowl.

Tip: Cubing the butter into smaller pieces can help it softened quicker.

Incorporate the remaining ingredients

Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest to the bowl and beat to combine.

Lemon zest and vanilla are added to beaten cream cheese and butter.

Next, add the powdered sugar — this time mix until just incorporated, then gradually increase the speed and beat until fluffy.

Powdered sugar is added and the lemon cream cheese frosting is beaten until creamy.

You can add the lemon cream cheese frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip. Or, you can simply use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread it on your baked goods of choice. Enjoy!

More baker’s tips

Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature, but no warmer. The cream cheese and butter will cream a lot more easily if they’re softened first. That said, don’t overdo it — if they’re too warm, or worse, melted, your frosting will come out too soft.
Follow the ingredient amounts listed – I have tested this lemon cream cheese frosting recipe time and time again. I’ve found that using 2 parts cream cheese and 1 part butter yields the best tangy cheesy flavor. If you use more butter, the flavor of the cream cheese will not come through as strong. And if you use more cream cheese, your frosting could end up with less structure.
Don’t overbeat it – You don’t need to beat your lemon cream cheese frosting for very long, just until everything is incorporated and fluffy. It will only take several minutes. If you let it go for too long, it could become runny.
This cream cheese lemon frosting recipe yields enough for a dozen cupcakes, or even up to 18 depending on how much you add to each one. It would also be enough for a two-layer 6-inch cake, or a two-layer 8-inch cake if frosted sparingly.
Variations – You can try other citrus zest like orange, lime, or grapefruit in this lemon cream cheese frosting recipe instead of lemon zest to create a different flavor.

Storage

I typically only make as much cream cheese and lemon frosting as I know I’ll use, but it does keep well in the fridge. As a note, if you plan to use it right away, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

If you do have leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to use, let it come to room temperature and then re-whip to make it fluffy again.

You can also freeze this frosting if you made too much and know you won’t need to use it for a long while. It will last 3-6 months in the freezer. When ready to use, simply thaw and let it come to room temperature, re-whip until fluffy.

FAQs

Will lemon juice curdle cream cheese?

Yes, the acidity of the lemon juice will lower the pH of the cream cheese, causing it to curdle. That’s why I’m only using lemon zest in this lemon cream cheese frosting recipe. It adds the perfect amount of citrus flavor without any curdling.

Why is my lemon cream cheese frosting runny?

One of two things could have happened: you overbeat your frosting or your ingredients were too warm. Remember my tips from above – use room temperature ingredients but not too warm that they are melted and beat the frosting only until it is just becoming fluffy.

However, if you end up with runny frosting, try popping it in the fridge to firm up first. Half an hour to an hour should do it. If this doesn’t work, try adding cornstarch or tapioca flour to thicken it. Be careful here, though, as too much will make it grainy. And if nothing works, you may just need to start over from scratch.

Can I pipe cream cheese lemon frosting?

It depends on what you want to pipe. As my cream cheese and lemon frosting is made with much less sugar than other types, it doesn’t work for piping intricate designs. That said, you can pipe it with a larger tip for cupcakes or to make simple swirls to decorate cakes.

Once you add it to the piping bag, place it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes so it firms up a little to make piping easier!

Lemon cream cheese frosting is piped on top of a lemon cupcake, decorated with a lemon leaf.

More frosting recipes

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