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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

    Published: Aug 4, 2024 by Cara · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.
    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.
    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.
    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.

    Lemon Cream Cheese Icing is a tangy, soft, and fluffy frosting filled with fresh lemon flavor. Delicious spread or piped on your favorite cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. 

    I love this lemon frosting on these Strawberry Jam Cookies and Lemon Shortbread Cookies. 

    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.
    Jump to:
    • ​❤️You're Going to Love These
    • 🍋Ingredients
    • 🥣How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
    • ☑️Tips
    • 🎁Storage
    • 🎆More Delicious Recipes
    • 💌Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    I didn't know it was possible to love cream cheese frosting any more than I already do. Until I added lemon to it. The delicious lemon flavor is fresh and bright, and the tartness of the lemon knocks down the sweetness a little bit. 

    This lemon cream cheese buttercream frosting is light and fluffy and the perfect frosting for your favorite lemon desserts. We love to slather it on these soft Lemon Shortbread Cookies. Or try it on lemon cupcakes, carrot cake, cinnamon rolls, pound cake, even chocolate cake! 

    ​❤️You're Going to Love These

    • Fast, easy, fluffy cream cheese buttercream that takes just minutes to make 
    • Made with 5 simple ingredients you might already have: butter, cream cheese, fresh lemon, confectioners' sugar, and salt. 
    • Tangy lemon cream cheese frosting adds fresh lemony flavor to your favorite baked goods.
    • Easy to pipe or spread onto cookies, cakes, and cupcakes.

    🍋Ingredients

    See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.

    lemon cream cheese icing recipe ingredients.
    • Unsalted butter. Use room temperature butter that is still firm enough to leave an indentation when pressed but not so soft that your finger would press through it. 
    • Softened cream cheese. Your cream cheese should also be room temperature so it whips up smooth and creamy without any lumps. 
    • Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. I use one large lemon to get a full tablespoon of lemon zest. I don't recommend bottled lemon juice. Use fresh for the best lemon flavor.  
    • Salt. A pinch of salt knocks down the sweetness a bit. 

    🥣How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

    whipped butter and cream cheese in a clear bowl.

    Step 1: In a large bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it has a fluffy texture with no lumps. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

    lemon cream cheese icing in a clear mixing bowl with beaters.

    Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Start on low speed, slowly increasing to medium-high as the powdered sugar is incorporated, and the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. 

    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.

    Step 3: Use a piping bag or ziptop bag with the corner snipped off to pipe frosting onto cupcakes, cakes, and cookies.

    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.

    Step 4: Or spread the frosting on in an even layer with a knife or offset spatula.

    👉Top Tip: If the frosting is initially too soft to pipe, put it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up. 

    ☑️Tips

    • Use softened cream cheese so it whips smoothly without any lumps.
    • This cream cheese frosting recipe yields about 1 ⅔ cups, enough frosting to ice 24 cookies (1 tablespoon each), 12 cupcakes (2 tablespoon each), or an 8 or 9 inch cake. Double the recipe for a 9 x 13-inch pan or a 2-layer cake. 
    • If the frosting is initially too soft to pipe, put it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up. 
    • Instead of a piping bag, use a plastic ziptop bag with the corner snipped off. You can also position a piping tip in the hole in the bag (I do this all the time). 

    🎁Storage

    Store leftover lemon cream cheese frosting covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

    Freeze lemon cream cheese frosting in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator. You may need to rewhip the icing once thawed. 

    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.

    🎆More Delicious Recipes

    • a lemon cut out cookie with a bite taken out stacked on another cookie on a blue and white towel on a wooden cutting board.
      Lemon Cut Out Cookies
    • strawberry jam cookies on white parchment paper.
      Strawberry Jam Cookies
    • candy cane shortbread cookies on white parchment paper.
      Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
    • sugar cookies decorated with buttercream frosting that hardens.
      Buttercream Frosting for Cookies That Hardens

    💌Let's Stay in Touch

    Follow Midwestern Holidays on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    cut out cookies decorated with lemon cream cheese icing.

    Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

    Cara Lanz
    Lemon Cream Cheese Icing is a fast, easy recipe for the most delicious tart, tangy, fluffy frosting ever. Pipe or spread it on your favorite cookies, cakes, and cupcakes for a burst of fresh lemon flavor. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24
    Calories 72 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
    • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Whip butter and cream cheese at medium-high until smooth and fluffy.
      Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice, then the powdered sugar and salt until smooth and creamy.

    Notes

    This recipe yields about 1 ⅔ cups, enough frosting to ice 24 cookies (1 tablespoon each), 12 cupcakes (2 tablespoon each), or an 8 or 9-inch cake. Double the recipe for a 9 x 13-inch pan or a 2-layer cake. 
    If the frosting is too soft to pipe, firm it up by briefly chilling it in the refrigerator or freezer. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 0.3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 8mgFiber: 0.03gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 122IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.01mg
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    Cara Lanz midwestern holidays

    Hi, I'm Cara! Here at Midwestern Holidays, every day is the most wonderful time of the year. Let's celebrate with fast and easy recipes for all the holidays and special moments in life.

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