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There’s something magical about the mix of sweet strawberries and creamy frosting. My Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is smooth, rich, and not too sweet.
This Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my favorite ways to make cakes and cupcakes even more delicious.
It’s made with fresh strawberry purée that gets cooked down to remove the excess liquid and bring out the natural flavor.
That’s what gives it that perfect strawberry taste—without any artificial flavors.
The softened cream cheese and room temperature butter create that dreamy, creamy texture that spreads like a charm and pipes beautifully from a piping bag.
And don’t worry—this frosting is easy to make.
You’ll use simple ingredients you can find in most grocery stores, like powdered sugar, cream cheese, and real strawberries.
All you need is a food processor and an electric mixer and you’re ready to go.
Let’s dig into this strawberry cream cheese frosting that’s just begging to be spread over your favorite desserts!
Some of our other favorite FROSTING RECIPES we have on our site include: Best Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting, The Best Fluffy Buttercream Frosting Recipe, and Smooth Brown Sugar Frosting Recipe.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Real Strawberry Flavor, Not Artificial
We use fresh strawberry purée that’s cooked down to concentrate the flavor. No fake strawberry taste here—just sweet and tangy real strawberries. - Creamy Texture That Holds Its Shape
Thanks to the combination of softened cream cheese and room temperature butter, this frosting is smooth and fluffy. It’s not too soft, so it pipes well and stays on your cake or cupcakes. - No Runny Frosting
Cooking the strawberry purée removes excess liquid, which helps you get thick, creamy frosting without a watery mess. It’s one of the best tricks for perfect results.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Strawberries
- Cream cheese
- Salted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Strawberry extract (optional)
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Place the strawberries in a food processor and process until it is completely smooth.
- Place a fine mash sieve over a large bowl and press the strawberry puree through the sieve to get as much puree out as possible while discarding the seeds. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve for any excess puree. (This is optional; if you don’t mind the seeds, then proceed as written.)
- Pour the puree into a small saucepot over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until it simmers and simmer until reduced to about ¼ cup of puree, 10-15 minutes; take off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Whip together the cream cheese and butter in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth.
- Stir in the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional strawberry extract.
- Stir in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until fully mixed in, scrape down the sides as needed.
- Once all of the sugar is added, place it at medium-high speed and whip for 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
DO I HAVE TO COOK DOWN THE STRAWBERRY PUREE?
Yes, you do! Cooking it down removes water, which helps prevent runny frosting.
The last thing you want is runny frosting!
It also gives your frosting a stronger, fresh strawberry flavor.
Trust me on this. You’ll appreciate the bit of extra effort in the end.
DOES THIS NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Yes, this frosting should be stored in the fridge because it contains cream cheese and fresh strawberry purée.
Keep it cold for food safety and the best creamy texture. More details under “How to Store” below.
ANY ADDITIONS?
Bring on the new flavors and textures! Turn this recipe into what you want.
- Mix in freeze-dried strawberries for extra flavor.
- Add 1–2 tablespoons of strawberry jam for extra sweetness.
- Sprinkle freeze-dried strawberry powder on top for decoration.
- Swirl in a little lemon juice for a tangy twist.
- Use a piping bag to create pretty designs on cupcakes.
- Add pink food coloring for a brighter color.
- Top with mini chocolate chips for a sweet combo.
- Add a touch of almond extract for a nutty note.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
This would work well with other berries too.
I’m thinking blueberries or raspberries.
- Use unsalted butter instead of salted butter. Just add a pinch of salt.
- If you don’t have strawberry extract, add a little more vanilla extract.
- Try dairy-free cream cheese and butter for a dairy-free version.
- Use freeze-dried fruit instead of fresh if strawberries are out of season.
- Replace fresh strawberries with frozen strawberries, thawed first.
- Add a tablespoon of heavy cream if the frosting seems too thick.
HOW TO STORE:
ROOM TEMPERATURE: Leave out for up to 2 hours while serving, but not longer due to the dairy.
REFRIGERATOR: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Let it sit out for 15 minutes before using to soften it a bit.
FREEZER: You can freeze this frosting in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and re-whip on low speed to bring it back to life.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Let the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature so they mix easily and don’t leave lumps.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding it. This keeps the frosting smooth.
- Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.
- Don’t skip reducing the purée. It makes a big difference in flavor and thickness.
- Use fresh strawberries for the best flavor, but frozen ones work too.
- Print the recipe card and save it—you’ll want to make this again and again!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is one of the easiest ways to make your desserts taste like something from a bakery.
It’s sweet, creamy, and full of fresh strawberry flavor from real strawberries—not artificial stuff.
It’s perfect for topping cakes, strawberry cupcakes or vanilla cupcakes, cookies, or even spreading on a graham cracker when you need a quick treat.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Learn more about the author, Dana DeVolk, on our ABOUT ME page!
Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound strawberries stems removed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract optional
- 10 cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the strawberries in a food processor and process until it is completely smooth.1/2 pound strawberries
- Place a fine mash sieve over a large bowl and press the strawberry puree through the sieve to get as much puree out as possible while discarding the seeds. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve for any excess puree. (This is optional; if you don’t mind the seeds, then proceed as written.)
- Pour the puree into a small saucepot over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until it simmers and simmer until reduced to about ¼ cup of puree, 10-15 minutes; take off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Whip together the cream cheese and butter in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth.8 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Stir in the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional strawberry extract.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
- Stir in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until fully mixed in, scrape down the sides as needed.10 cups sifted powdered sugar
- Once all of the sugar is added, place it at medium-high speed and whip for 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature so they mix easily and don’t leave lumps.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding it. This keeps the frosting smooth.
- Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.
- Don’t skip reducing the purée. It makes a big difference in flavor and thickness.
- Use fresh strawberries for the best flavor, but frozen ones work too.
- Print the recipe card and save it—you’ll want to make this again and again!
Nutrition
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These were so much fun to make and tasted delicious.