Cream Cheese Glaze

This easy cream cheese glaze is smooth, creamy, and lightly tangy. Add more heavy cream for a pourable glaze or use less for a thicker, frosting-like consistency.
This simple cream cheese glaze recipe comes together in about 10 minutes with just five ingredients. Drizzle it over cakes, muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, and other baked goods.

This recipe is easy to adjust depending on how you plan to use it. Add the heavy cream gradually for a pourable glaze, or use less for a thicker, frosting-like consistency.
This recipe has been kitchen-tested to ensure consistent, reliable results.

What is Cream Cheese Glaze?

Cream cheese glaze is a thin, pourable version of cream cheese frosting made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream. Unlike frosting, it has a softer consistency that makes it easy to drizzle over cakes, muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, and other baked goods.

Why This Cream Cheese Glaze Works

• Quick and easy: It takes about 10 minutes and requires no cooking.
• Adjustable consistency: Make it thick or thin depending on how you plan to use it.
• Versatile: Use it on cakes, muffins, cinnamon rolls, scones, quick breads, and more.
• Doubles as frosting: Reduce the heavy cream for a thicker, spreadable cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.

• Cream cheese: Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature so it combines smoothly with the butter.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter adds richness and helps give the glaze its creamy texture.
• Pure vanilla extract: Adds a subtle vanilla flavor that complements the cream cheese.
• Powdered sugar: Pre-sift it to prevent large clumps and achieve a smooth consistency.
• Heavy cream: Thins the mixture into a glaze. Add it gradually so you can easily control the consistency. It also gives the glaze a rich, creamy texture.

How To Make Cream Cheese Glaze

Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.

1. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until light, fluffy, and smooth.
2. Mix in the vanilla and powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth and fully combined.
3. Add the heavy cream gradually until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.

How to Adjust the Consistency

The amount of heavy cream you add determines whether the mixture is a spreadable frosting or a pourable glaze.
For cream cheese glaze, start with 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Add more as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time, for a thinner drizzle. To make cream cheese frosting, use only 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon: Add finely grated lemon zest for a bright citrus flavor that pairs well with lemon cakes, muffins, or scones. For another glaze variation, try the blackberry glaze on my Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes.
• Milk: Substitute whole milk for the heavy cream. Reduced-fat milk can also be used, but the glaze may be slightly thinner and less rich.
• Warm spices: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or other warming spices for fall cakes, muffins, and quick breads.

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How much Cream Cheese Glaze Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes about 1½ cups of cream cheese glaze, enough to generously drizzle over an 8×8-inch cake or about 12 muffins, scones, or cinnamon rolls. For a lighter drizzle, it can also cover a 9×13-inch cake.

Using It as Cream Cheese Frosting

To make frosting instead of glaze, use only 1 tablespoon heavy cream.
As a frosting, this recipe makes enough to frost the top of an 8×8-inch square cake. For a 9×13-inch sheet cake, double the recipe. For a 2-layer cake, triple the recipe.
For a lighter cake topping, my Chantilly Cream is another option that holds its shape well for cakes and cupcakes.

Make Ahead and Storage Info

Make Ahead: Prepare the glaze up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, let it soften slightly at room temperature, then whisk or beat until smooth. If needed, add heavy cream 1 teaspoon at a time to restore the consistency.
Refrigerator: Store leftover cream cheese glaze in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To help prevent a thin crust from forming, press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the glaze before covering.
Freezer: Freezing this cream cheese glaze is not recommended, as the texture will change once it thaws.

Recipe FAQs

Cream Cheese Glaze

This easy cream cheese glaze is smooth, creamy, and lightly tangy. Add the heavy cream gradually for a thick or pourable glaze, or use less to turn it into cream cheese frosting.

*Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but if you want to know how to adjust the consistency or use the glaze as frosting, scroll back up! Everything you need for foolproof results is in the post.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 134 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 ounces (112g) cream cheese room temperature
• ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (170g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream plus more for thinning

Equipment

• kitchen scale
• electric hand mixer

Instructions

 

• Beat the cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to high and continue beating until smooth.
• Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once you are close to your desired consistency, add additional heavy cream 1 teaspoon at a time as needed. The finished glaze should fall slowly from a spoon in a thick ribbon.

Notes:

It is best to add the heavy cream gradually. Once you are close to your desired consistency, add only 1 teaspoon at a time to avoid thinning the glaze too much.

For a thicker, frosting-like consistency, use only 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

As a frosting, this recipe makes enough to frost the top of an 8×8-inch square cake. For a 9×13-inch sheet cake, double the recipe. For a 2-layer cake, triple the recipe.

This recipe makes about 1½ cups of cream cheese glaze, more than enough to generously drizzle over an 8×8-inch cake or about 12 muffins, scones, or cinnamon rolls, or lightly drizzle over a 9×13-inch cake.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for professional dietary advice

Nutrition

Serving: 26gCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 31mgPotassium: 16mgSugar: 15gVitamin A: 282IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.02mg

Keyword 10-minute recipe, 5-ingredient recipe, cake glaze, cream cheese, frosting, no-cook

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An Easy Glaze for Cakes and More

This cream cheese glaze is an easy finishing touch for cakes, muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, and quick breads. Add a little more or less heavy cream depending on whether you want a thick drizzle or a looser glaze. Try it over my Applesauce Crumb Cake for a sweet, tangy contrast to the buttery crumb topping.
For another homemade dessert topping, try my Caramel Sauce, which can be made with or without salt.