This is the Best Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe you’re going to find. It’s sweet, creamy, peanut buttery PERFECTION made with peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream!
This Peanut Butter Frosting is perfect for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Billionaire Bars, and so much more!
This Really Is The Best Homemade Peanut Butter Frosting!
I love my cookies, and I have so much fun with my cupcakes, but it’s my frosting that’s ON POINT! Sure, a good cake is important, but it’s the frosting that MAKES it.
I’ve learned that a killer frosting can save the day and that it can turn a boring box mix into something AWESOME!
This is the best peanut butter frosting around; it’s so creamy and smooth with the perfect balance of sugar and peanut butter.
What You’ll Need For Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
Unsalted Butter – You want to use unsalted when it comes to most dessert recipes, but especially in this one since the peanut butter itself has a lot of saltiness, and we don’t want this frosting to be overly salty.
It’s also very important that the butter is at room temperature; you should be able to press the back of a spoon easily into the butter.
Peanut Butter – You obviously can’t make peanut butter frosting without peanut butter. You will want to use creamy peanut butter. I personally prefer Jif.
Powdered Sugar – You’ve got to lighten up the salty peanut butter with something sweet and powdered sugar is just the way to do it. Make sure your powdered sugar isn’t old and hard. You need it to be fine and fluffy, so sift it first if you need to.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is such an essential ingredient in the kitchen and especially in frostings. It helps to add a great depth of richness to almost any recipe! Make sure to use a quality vanilla or make your own at home.
Heavy Cream – While this is the best cream form to use, it’s my understanding that it can be hard to find in some parts of the country. In this case, whipping cream will do just fine.
What we’re really after is that thick, rich, creamy component that milk and water just don’t provide.
Using heavy or whipping cream during the mixing process yields a light and fluffy frosting everyone is sure to go crazy for!
This frosting recipe is simple, but it’s important that you follow my tips so that you get delicious and fluffy results!
For mixing, I find it best to make this frosting in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (but a whisk attachment is fine too).
The high power can whip this recipe into the fluffy gloriousness that makes it so great. In a pinch, a hand mixer will do just fine!
How To Make Peanut Butter Frosting
- Cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream.
- Add in the vanilla and whip at high speed for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
I Make This Frosting A Lot! Sometimes, I just eat it straight because it’s peanut butter awesomeness! So I’ve had a lot of practice and have a lot of troubleshooting tips!
How To Store Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
This frosting is considered safe in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.
Does It Need To Be Refrigerated?
Because the small amount of heavy cream is stabilized by the amount of confectioner’s sugar in the recipe, it does not need to be refrigerated. However, it will last for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze frosting?
Yes, I recommend storing it in an airtight container for up to 3 months, letting it thaw at room temperature, and then beating it to remix. I don’t recommend storing it in a freezer bag because it will be much harder to remove and result in a lot of waste.
Peanut Butter Frosting Buttercream FAQs
Did you use Natural Peanut Butter? This is usually the most common reason. Peanut butter that has been sitting for a long time and has separated will cause an oily frosting. I prefer to use JIF creamy peanut butter, and I find it gives the best flavor and texture.
I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you plan on piping the frosting onto a dessert. Stick with creamy for the best results!
This Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe makes about 8 cups. This should be enough to frost 24 cupcakes, a 9×13-inch sheet cake, a 2-layer 8 or 9-in round layer cake, or fill 12 whoopie pies.
Grainy frosting is usually the result of using really clumpy powdered sugar. If you find that your powdered sugar is clumped, I recommend sifting it before using it. It’s also less likely to be grainy when mixed with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer bowl.
Usually, separation is a result of the butter’s temperature. You want to make sure that your butter is really soft but not melting.
Another possibility is the oil in the peanut butter; I find separation is more likely with all-natural peanut butter.
No, the butter should be at room temperature and pretty soft. Preferably having sat at room temperature for at least a few hours before using.
For thicker frosting, you can add more powdered sugar. For fluffier frosting, add a bit more heavy cream and whip at high speed for an additional minute or two.
Favorite Ways To Use This Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
This frosting is so versatile and delicious that you could add it to almost any dessert! We love it most when we frost a moist chocolate cake with it, and it makes a great filling for Whoopie Pies too!
This frosting is also the perfect way to jazz up a basic brownie or even use it as a sweet dip on a dessert charcuterie board.
I hope you try this recipe, and I hope you love it as much as everyone else does! It’s absolutely amazing!
More Delicious Frosting Recipes You’ll Love!
- Salted Caramel Frosting – The perfect mix of salty and sweet!
- Cookie Butter Frosting – Your favorite spread turned into a frosting!
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting – The best version of a staple!
- Cinnamon Sugar Frosting – Sweet and cozy!
- Classic Vanilla Buttercream – The standard go-to!
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 3¼ cups powdered sugar 325g
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butters together and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Add in the vanilla and whip on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
Video
Notes
- Add additional cream or confectioners sugar as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Frosting can be made with a hand mixer but will not be as whipped.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
RuthAnn Richards says
Light and fluffy and so delish!!!!! Great for a peanut butter lover☺️
Rebecca Hubbell says
We love how fluffy it is too! So glad you enjoyed it!
Steve says
OMG!!!!! Great frosting not too sweet, but easy to work with. It’s a keeper
LoveMyPintos says
Great Recipe!! I didn’t want to drag the mixer from the basement so I used a hand mixer. What a light and fluffly frosting! I used all natural peanut butter and it came out with a nice, light flavor. It appeared to make quite a bit. I put it over brownies.
Rebecca Hubbell says
This sounds perfect with brownies – so glad you loved it!
Mubs says
Really delicious. I halved the recipe because I didn’t need so much. The sugar does not overpower the peanut butter, and it comes out nice and whipped. I used salted butter because I have found it doesn’t make a big difference in other recipes and it tastes really good.
Rebecca Hubbell says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Kimberly says
Has anyone tried this with salted butter? Is it really that big of a deal? I don’t have unsalted butter.
Rebecca Hubbell says
I have made it with Salted butter before and it’s not overly salty, still yummy, just a salter flavor.
Jo says
Does this have to be refrigerated or can it sit out on a wedding cake for part of the day until served?
Rebecca Hubbell says
It’s safe to leave out 🙂
Angie says
Hello! This looks amazing! I plan to cover a three layer cake with this buttercream then cover with fondant. Will it hold up/stay put with the fondant on it? Or is it too soft to hold fondant?
Thank you
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Angie, I’m not very familiar with fondant. But this frosting, while a soft and creamy buttercream, does crust up slightly over time. Hope that helps.
Susan says
I had pinned this about a year ago, but hadn’t made it until now. It is soooo good! Didn’t change a thing. Paired it with a chocolate cake (the Deep, Dark, Chocolate Cake” that used to be on a baking cocoa tin – think by Hershey. That cake is so moist & delicious that it is the only chocolate cake I make & this will probably be the only peanut butter frosting I use after I had tried several others.) Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Cheree says
This is always my go to for peanut butter frosting!!
Everyone always raves about it!!!
Janet says
Perfect balance of sweetness and goes perfectly with chocolate layer cake and cupcakes.
Kelly Michele Young says
After my co-workers tasted this frosting (when my husband made it with chocolate cake), one of them begged for more frosting! The next time we made it, I brought her some extra frosting!
FYI -it is really good as a dip to apply slices!
Thank you for sharing!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Well I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
Danielle says
I’m not even a peanut butter dessert fan and that was honestly delicious. Light and fluffy work the perfect taste of peanut butter!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I’m so glad you loved it, Danielle!
Susie says
This frosting is fantastic!
Avis says
3 1/4 cups of sugar seem like a lot. I know sweetness is subjective but is it really sweet? I want to add less sugar, but don’t want to ruin the recipe.
Rebecca Hubbell says
The sugar acts as a binging agent as well as a sweetener. It is not uncommon to find up to 5 cups of powdered sugar in some recipes. I don’t find this recipe to be overly sweet because I think the peanut butter balances it out.
Tanya Schroeder says
This frosting is THE best! It is my go-to!
Alyssa says
Oh my!!! So good on our chocolate cupcakes. Thanks for the recipe
Rebecca Hubbell says
You are so welcome!
Jennifer says
This was so yummy! Just checking for my nutrition, is it correct that 8 cups of icing has 616,000 calories in it?
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Jennifer – there are approximately 616 calories per cup of frosting. What we think of as calories are actually kilocalories which means that “technically” yes, the recipe does have 616,000 calories, but that’s not really how we talk about them in daily life. My nutrition calculator just adds the k because of this.
Jennifer R says
This a wonderful peanut butter frosting. It has great flavor, is light, and works great being piped on to cupcakes. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Rebecca Hubbell says
You are so welcome, Jennifer!
Gloria says
This is a great recipe, simply delicious. I didn’t have the heavy cream, but used Half N Half and it came out great. I did use my hand mixer, but I have a Cuisinart 7 speed mixer, no other hand mixer will work hard enough for me. This is the only hand mixer that cuts through cream cheese recipes like my Kitchen Aid. The frosting came out nice and fluffy. Kudos, this one is a keeper. Thank you.
Rebecca Hubbell says
I’m so glad you liked it, Gloria!
Elizabeth says
I made frosting once in my life…it was a terrible outcome so I was scared to try again. But my goodness! THIS recipe is AMAZING and delicious. We accidentally bought no stir peanut butter and it turned out to be great! I will keep this recipe and explore your others. Thanks for sharing and for the tips! (and the video!)
Elizabeth says
I made frosting once in my life…it was a terrible outcome so I was scared to try again. But my goodness! THIS recipe is AMAZING and delicious. We accidentally bought the kind of peanut butter you have to stir and it turned out to be great! I will keep this recipe and explore your others. Thanks for sharing and for the tips! (and the video!)