Add this cream cheese glaze to all of your baking for a simply delicious way to create an elegant drip down your cakes, a smooth creamy frosting for your cookies, or an extra special topping on your pancakes!
Table of Contents
Easy Cream Cheese Glaze
With only 5 ingredients, this fool-proof recipe allows you to play around with the consistency. It’s totally customizable to whatever your needs are, whether it’s a drip, dunk, dip, or spread. Use it to smother your cinnamon rolls, drizzle over elf on the shelf pancakes or apple turnovers or even frost your easy carrot cake.
This quick and easy glaze along with my powdered sugar icing is something you’re going to want to have on hand, especially during the holidays!
Elevate your cookies, donuts, pumpkin cakes or even this cheese danish recipe with this finishing touch! It tastes similar to my cream cheese frosting or cheesecake dip, but with a drippier consistency. We love to use it on a homemade funnel cake, so good!
5 Simple Ingredients
These pantry staple ingredients are always ready to go and make the best cream cheese glaze. Soften your cream cheese and butter ahead of time and this homemade glaze will be ready in minutes!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Cream cheese: Softened. Take it out about half an hour prior to get it to room temperature. It will help with the creamy consistency.
- Unsalted butter: Softened. Also something you want to have at room temperature prior to starting.
- Powdered sugar: Depending on how thick or thin you want your glaze, will determine how much you use in the end.
- Milk: Another component that will determine the final consistency. You can also use heavy cream or half and half.
- Vanilla extract: I use pure vanilla extract. It adds a lovely flavor but also adds a bit of color which turns it from stark white to a more mellow white. For flavor variations, swap out vanilla for citrus extract, almond extract, or even cinnamon!
- Optional salt: If you are using unsalted butter and would like to add more salt, just a pinch will do. I like to be able to add the desired amount myself.
How to Make this Cream Cheese Glaze
The delicate balance of sweetness from the sugar and a slight tang from the cream cheese is complemented by the smooth creamy texture. It is an essential topping to any baked treat!
- Beat: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Can you imagine trying to mix cold cream cheese with a cold stick of butter?!
- Add: To the bowl, add powdered sugar, some of the milk, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Do not overmix.
- Taste: Add a pinch of salt and more vanilla if desired. Add a Tablespoon of milk at a time to reach the desired consistency. The thinner you want it, the more milk you’ll add. If you want it thicker, use less milk and a tablespoon of powdered sugar.
Pro Tip: If you are still finding the consistency is not as thin as you’d like and you find yourself going back and forth between milk and powdered sugar, try warming it up a bit. This should help get it to where you need it.
Recipe FAQs
Cream cheese frosting is thick and fluffy whereas glaze has a thin and glossier look. The frosting is more for coating cakes and cream cheese glaze is used for drizzling and decorating desserts. They both have sweet and delicious flavoring!
The best way to thicken the glaze is to set it in the refrigerator for ten minutes. This helps the butter cool and firm up. You can also add the meringue powder to help the thickening process too.
A cool cake for sure! You will want to make sure the dessert you are frosting with the glaze is completely cool or at room temperature before adding it to it. The glaze will melt off of the dessert if not.
I like to use a spoon and dip it into the bowl with mixed glaze ingredients. Drizzle over top donuts, cookies, scones, or any dessert you are making. To avoid making a mess, set the dessert on a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. Once the glaze has set, simply throw away the paper.
5 star review
“Made this as toppings for our breakfast pancakes and it was such a hit to our kids! It is so good and creamy I highly recommend this.”
-Natasha
Storing Tips
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the milk and cream cheese, it will not keep at room temperature for long.
Do you love a light and creamy glaze recipe!? Then I have just what you are going to love with this maple glaze, orange glaze, or for a savory dish this balsamic glaze. Try these on your favorite sweet or savory recipes!
More Recipes to Use it on
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Cream Cheese Glaze
Video
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar (more or less as needed)
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk (more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons of milk and vanilla. Beat just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt and more vanilla if desired. Add a Tablespoon more of milk at a time until reach desired consistency. If you want it to drip down a dessert, you'll need a little more. If you want it thicker, use less or add a Tablespoon more of powdered sugar.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can i use water instead of milk?
It has not been tested and I don’t think it would taste as intended, but if you try let us know how it goes.
Can you use vegan cheese? I’m allergic to some lactose and sadly that’s one of ’em.
This has not been tested with a dairy free cream cheese. Let us know if you try!
Can I use brown sugar in lieu of the powdered sugar?
No sorry that will result in a very different glaze that will be grainy.
This was delicious! It was the perfect texture for topping some cake batter cookies, too!
Excellent! So glad it worked out for your cookies!
Did this remain soft or semi-set on top of the cookies? I made some cake batter cookies that used a chocolate ganache-type frosting and I’m looking for the same texture in a cheesecake flavor.
For a thicker glaze, reduce the milk added or add another Tablespoon of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
I made the banana nut bundt cake and used the cream cheese glaze recipe. I used 8 ounces of cream cheese before I ,duh, realized that 4 ounces was the recipe. So I doubled the sugar, vanilla and half again as much butter. As I added the table spoons of milk, I quit at the frosting consistancy, it would have drown the cake had I drizzle. All in, the cake was delicious. Moist, tasty and fit for a king. The entire household loved it. I myself am going to add a bit of cinnamon to the cake batter. That would have set it up.another notch. Good eating to all who try this easy, peasy recipe using ripe bananas!
I made the cream cheese frosting to drizzle on spice cake soooii good👍
Substitute 1-2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup in place of milk to make the glaze Shine. Add a bit of lemon juice to tone down the sweetness if desired
Just made this receipe. Made it to put a glaze on apple pie bread.I used less than 3/4C powdered sugar because I wanted it just for the top. I also used apple cider instead of milk, for extra apple flavoring. It is delish.
Could I use lemon juice instead of milk?
I have not tried it with lemon juice as a substitute. Let me know how that turns out!
This is my favorite dessert glaze! I could eat it with a spoon! It’s the best!
I used this recipe to mix up my normal cinnamon rolls a bit and loved the swap! This was such a great addition to my recipe! Thank you!
This is my go to recipe for the best cream cheese glaze! My kids are always fighting over who gets the last little bit. My favorite dish to use it on, is lemon bars. So delicious!
I put this on a batch of cupcakes and it was absolutely delicious! One of my faves. Thank you.
Does it have to be unsalted butter?
You can use salted, no need for an extra pinch of salt.
Does this glaze harden or does it stay soft? Sounds yummy!
It’s a softer glaze :)
Made this as toppings for our breakfast pancakes and it was such a hit to our kids! It is so good and creamy I highly recommend this.
Nothing beats a cream cheese frosting or glaze – I could eat it out the bowl with a spoon!
This glaze is just plain dreamy! SO easy to make and so delicious. We put it on coffee cake slices and it was out of this world good.