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This simple peanut butter frosting adds a rich, luscious touch to your favorite treats. This creamy frosting comes out light and fluffy every time. Perfect on chocolate cupcakes, cookies, brownies and more.
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients in Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
- How to Get Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
- How to use Peanut Butter Frosting
- Storage for Leftover Peanut Butter Frosting
- Vegan or Dairy Free Options
- More Frosting Ideas
- Why is My Peanut Butter Frosting Grainy?
- How I Fix Separated Peanut Butter Frosting
- More Peanut Butter Desserts and Treats
- How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting
- Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
Peanut butter lovers, this easy peanut butter frosting recipe is for you! Rich and creamy peanut butter, whipped with butter and powdered sugar is perfect to spread on cakes, cupcakes, chocolate cookies, or eat by the spoonful! Each spread and swirl is packed with peanut butter flavor but isn’t too heavy or overpowering.
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
Luscious, rich, sweet, and velevety smooth, this peanut butter buttercream frosting is easy to whip up and tastes so delicious on all kinds of recipes! Here’s all you need:
- Creamy peanut butter – Three quarter cup of creamy peanut butter. Any brand will work.
- Butter – half a cup, or one cube unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- Vanilla – one teaspoon of your favorite vanilla extract.
- Powdered sugar – two cups, or a little more, depending on how thick you like your frosting.
- Heavy whipping cream – about three tablespoons of heavy cream makes this the best peanut butter frosting. You can use whole milk or half and half if you like also.
- Salt – just a pinch, or a quarter of a teaspoon.
How to Get Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
To create fluffy, spreadable peanut butter frosting, you just need an electric hand mixer, a stand mixer, a a paddle attachment and a bowl. Here’s what to do:
- First and foremost, make sure your butter is softened to room temperature but not melted. This will make it easier to whip into a fluffy consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and creamy peanut butter until it’s well combined and fluffy. I like to whip it for at least a couple of minutes.
- Next, add the vanilla extract to the peanut butter mixture and mix it in well.
- Then, slowly stir in the powdered sugar. Make sure your machine is on low speed, gradually add the sugar in, one half cup at a time.
- Use your heavy cream to adjust the consistency of your frosting. If it’s too thick, add more cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time. If you find the frosting is too thin, add one or more cups confectioners’ sugar.
- Then let the mixer do its thing! Whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Finally, use a spatula to push out all the air bubbles in the frosting. Then you’re ready to top cupcakes, sheet cake or layer cake, chocolate cake, cookies, brownies, and more!
How to use Peanut Butter Frosting
Use a spatula to stir out any air bubbles in the frosting, then you’re ready to decorate all kinds of desserts!
- Fill a pastry bag with peanut butter frosting to add a dollop on top of chocolate, vanilla, butter pecan or yellow cupcakes.
- Use an offset spatula to layer two 9-inch round cake with a thin layer of frosting in between each layer, then cover the entire outside of the round cakes. Decorate with a piping bag or simply serve.
- Spread peanut butter frosting between two cookies to create a cookie sandwich. Oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies or chocolate cookies work great for this.
- Use a butter knife to swirl peanut butter frosting on top of brownies for a decadent twist. The fudgy richness of brownies complements the creamy peanut butter flavor perfectly.
- Dip pretzels, apple slices, or banana chunks into this fluffy peanut butter icing for a sweet and salty snack.
- Try it on our Costco Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie or on any chocolate pie for a peanut butter twist!
Storage for Leftover Peanut Butter Frosting
To store your tasty homemade peanut butter frosting, keep it covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it back to room temperature by removing it from the fridge and re-whip it before using it again.
Vegan or Dairy Free Options
You can make a dairy-free or vegan option to this peanut butter frosting recipe. Simply switch out regular butter for one stick of room temperature vegan butter. And instead of using heavy cream, you can use a few tablespoons of almond milk, soy milk or coconut milk. It can change the consistency slightly but add more or less powdered sugar as needed for texture.
More Frosting Ideas
Why is My Peanut Butter Frosting Grainy?
Your frosting could have a grainy texture if you use clumpy powdered sugar or crunchy peanut butter. It’s recommended that you sift your confectioners’ sugar before using it and use a creamy peanut butter. Also, it’s less likely to be grainy if you use a whisk attachment with a stand mixer.
How I Fix Separated Peanut Butter Frosting
Sometimes if the frosting sits for a while or the butter is too cold, it will start to separate. Just whip up the frosting with electric beaters and it should come back together. The frosting needs to be at room temperature for this to work.
READ NEXT: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas
More Peanut Butter Desserts and Treats
From popcorn to pie, candy to cake, peanut butter is one of those ingredients that elevate regular sweets into decadent desserts! Try some of our very favorite recipes:
How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting
Peanut Butter Frosting
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, vanilla and heavy cream together on medium speed.
- Add powdered sugar and beat on medium high speed for 2 minutes until it's light and fluffy.
- Use a piping bag and decorating tip to create a beautiful swirl on cupcakes.
Notes
- Spread peanut butter frosting between two cookies to create a cookie sandwich. Oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies or chocolate cookies work great for this.
- Use a butter knife to swirl peanut butter frosting on top of brownies for a decadent twist. The fudgy richness of brownies complements the creamy peanut butter flavor perfectly.
- Dip pretzels, apple slices, or banana chunks into this fluffy peanut butter icing for a sweet and salty snack.
