Easy Peanut Butter Frosting
Try this peanut butter frosting recipe for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more! It’s so easy and of course, delicious. If you love peanut butter, you’ll love this sweet creamy peanut butter buttercream!
Are you obsessed with peanut butter? Try my Oreo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies and my Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies next!
Love peanut butter? Then you need this peanut butter frosting in your life! Rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet, this easy peanut butter buttercream is a must-try for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies—you name it.
How to Use This Recipe
In fact, one of my favorite dessert shortcuts is using a boxed cake mix paired with a homemade frosting like this one. Sometimes baking cakes can be time-consuming, so making the process a little easier with a boxed mix and then elevating it with a homemade frosting is the perfect compromise.
Try using peanut butter frosting for:
- Cookies! – I use it on my chewy frosted peanut butter cookies, but chocolate cookies would also be amazing.
- Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes – The sweet-salty combo of chocolate and peanut butter is a classic for a reason.
- Peanut Butter Layer Cake – Slather it between layers of vanilla, banana, or chocolate cake.
- Sandwich between Cookies – Make cookie sandwiches!
- Top Brownies – Spread it over cooled brownies for a rich and indulgent upgrade.
- Dip for Pretzels or Apple Slices – Use leftover frosting as a sweet dip.
- Frost Banana Bread or Muffins – Turn a simple snack into a decadent treat.
- Waffles or Pancakes – Spread leftover frosting onto pancakes or waffles for an over-the-top breakfast treat.
- Layer in Dessert Jars or Trifles – Add texture and flavor to layered desserts.
- Spread on Graham Crackers – A nostalgic, super-simple treat that’s even better with pb frosting!
The recipe makes 2 3/4 cups, so you’ll want to calculate how much your dessert project will need before you get started. You can halve or double the recipe as needed. This handy chart from ChelSweets will help you figure out what you need!
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Recipes by a Real Person in a Real Kitchen
In the age of AI-generated content, I like to share that I am the one creating and testing my recipes. My recipes are hypothesized, baked, taste-tested, and refined by a real human (me!). I only publish recipes I think are awesome.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A few notes on some of the ingredients used in the frosting:
Creamy Peanut Butter – Use a conventional peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. The natural/organic varieties respond differently in frostings and baked goods (plus, they are rather gritty), so I stick with a standard pb unless otherwise noted.
Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted American butter in my recipes. I shop at Costco the most frequently so I often go with their store-brand of butter for baking.
You’ll also need powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and vanilla extract.
Can I Use Natural or Organic Peanut Butter?
I only tested this recipe with conventional peanut butter, so I wouldn’t recommend natural or organic peanut butter. These are highly textured (gritty), thick, and very oily.
However, you are certainly welcome to experiment in your home kitchen to see if you like the final product! Whenever I test recipes I always start with preparing a half-batch quantity. That way, you waste far less ingredients if things don’t go to plan.
How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting
Here’s a summary of how this recipe is made. Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below!
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer (with the beater attachments) to beat the butter until smooth. It’s much easier to get a smooth mixture with the peanut butter when the butter is totally smooth first.
Then add the peanut butter and beat until very smooth. Doesn’t it look good already?
Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
It will get quite thick and stiff as you get closer to adding 2 cups of sugar.
Taste-test and determine if you want to add the last ½ cup of powdered sugar.
Once the sweetness is to your taste, beat in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (salt is optional).
Then, we’ll work on getting the right texture. Now, thin the frosting down by adding small amounts of cream or milk and whipping the frosting until it has reached the desired consistency.
Finally, beat the mixture on high speed for an additional minute or two until light and fluffy.
How to Store or Make Ahead
Store the frosting in the fridge up to 5 days. Allow it to come to room temperature and then re-whip in order to frost your cake/cupcakes/whatever it may be!
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Easy Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (9 ounces) (don't use "natural" or "organic")
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened room temp
- 2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted (8-10 ounces)
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter until smooth. Then add the peanut butter and beat until very smooth.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. It will get quite stiff as you get closer to adding 2 cups. Taste-test and determine if you want to add the last ½ cup of powdered sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (salt is optional).
- Now, thin the frosting down by adding 1 tablespoon of cream or milk and beating until smooth. Continue to add small amounts of cream or milk until the frosting is the desired consistency.
- If the frosting becomes too thin, then add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Beat the mixture on high speed for an additional minute or two until light and fluffy.
