Best Cinnamon Roll Icing

This is the BEST cinnamon roll icing, made with only five ingredients including vanilla and cream cheese.  This perfectly creamy and rich frosting is easy, ready in 10 minutes, and will turn ordinary cinnamon rolls into the ULTIMATE breakfast. 

Looking for another dessert to wow the family? Try Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites, Cream Cheese Lemon Crumb Cake, and Salted Caramel Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies. 

This is it. The ultimate, best ever, perfect in every way, cinnamon roll icing to end all cinnamon roll icings. Step aside Cinnabon.

I’ve been making this scrumptious icing for a few years now. It’s rich, creamy, silky smooth, and just the right texture and spreadable thickness. It’s so amazing I’ve even used it for cakes, cookies, brownies and bars, and for dipping everything you can imagine.

Even though I am this icing’s number one fan, I’m not the only one who feels this way. I’ve had people make cinnamon rolls and phone in a special order of this icing because they love it so much. So I’ve whipped up a batch, or even a double or triple batch, to bring with me to brunches, ready to spread on someone else’s fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls.

So maybe half of the reason I’m sharing this cream cheese cinnamon roll icing recipe with you is to put myself out of a job and be able to bring nothing but my hungry belly to the next brunch. 

Pretty sure all of those people who asked me to make this frosting for them never would have guessed it only requires 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes. That’s it. So what makes it so much better than other icing recipes? One very important step sets it apart. Browning the butter.

All you have to do is melt the butter on the stove (a lot of recipes will call for softened butter, but melting the butter is key here) and after it’s melted, stir it a few extra minutes over medium heat until the color darkens from light yellow to a golden yellow. That browned butter combined with the cream cheese and vanilla is what makes this icing so utterly perfect.

What people are saying about this Best Cinnamon Roll Icing

“This is one of the best recipes for icing! It has a great flavor for pastries, especially cinnamon rolls!” – Alicia

“You are right….this is the best! Thank you for sharing!” – Jen

“Usually I’m not a fan of icing but this one was delicious!” – Brittany

“The absolute best icing ever! Im never make any other recipe!” – Meg

5 from 6 votes

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Best Cinnamon Roll Icing

This is the BEST cinnamon roll icing, made with only five ingredients including vanilla and cream cheese. This perfectly creamy and rich frosting is ready in 10 minutes and will turn ordinary cinnamon rolls into the ULTIMATE breakfast.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Sauce / Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword frosting, icing

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 12 cinnamon roll tops

Author Tiffany

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4-10 tablespoons milk, as needed

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, continue to whisk over medium heat until butter turns from yellow to a golden color. Remove from heat.

2. In a medium bowl cream together butter, cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until very fluffy and creamy.

3. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk after each addition of powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, mix in vanilla and more milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until icing is a smooth spreadable consistency.

4. Spread immediately on cinnamon rolls, or store chilled in airtight container up to five days.

Recipe Notes

Makes enough icing to generously top about 12-16 cinnamon rolls.