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READY IN 10 mins

The Perfect Cinnamon Roll Icing

Read Reviews (68)

"After testing many recipes for cinnamon rolls I found that just about any home-made roll can be good if you have the right icing. In too many recipes the cream cheese flavor overpowers the icing. Use this recipe for decadent cream cheese icing on your favorite cinnamon roll and you won't be disappointed!" — Cara M.

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 24 servings Change Servings

2 ounces cream cheese, softened
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

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Directions

Beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and milk, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar and salt until smooth and fluffy.

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PREP 10 mins
READY IN 10 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Note:
If your cream cheese and butter are cold, it won't cream well. Microwave each separately for about 10 seconds and they will be soft enough to work with.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 23, 2011

I made the recipe exactly as stated. It came out perfect. For me, it covered 12 rolls, not 24. I did use buttermilk in the icing only because I had a touch left that I had to use. This was just what I needed--thanks Cara! NOTE: This recipe does not say to sift the powdered/confectioners sugar. I really didn't mess with that but I did run a wisk through it to break down the bigger lumps in the sugar. It just makes for a smoother icing. For those like me who forget to let the cream cheese sit out before using, I let the cream cheese sit in a small bowl on my heating pad (the same one I used to help my rolls rise) on low/medium for 20 minutes or so to soften it up.

—Sarah Jo

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Feb 28, 2011

I like icicing which is fluffy and less thin. This icinig is not creamy but almost the consistency of gloss. I would decrease the liquid next time and also use a little less butter.

—De

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93 Ratings

Feb 22, 2011

Wonderful cinnamon roll icing! It's easy to make and so good you could eat it all by itself. I used a 3 oz. pkg. of cream cheese and decreased the amount of butter a bit. Since I only had skim milk on hand I opted to my husband's half and half. Definitely make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened. I gradually put everything into my kitchen aid mixer and gave it a whirl. This came out so smooth and creamy -perfect for Sunday morning cinnamon rolls. These frost about 12 large rolls, but then again I LOVE icing! Thanks for a great recipe, Cara M.!

—Jillian

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Feb 22, 2011

This is my recipe - just a note, it will cover 24 tiny rolls or 12 large (like the ones frome the mall). I guess that got left out of the description! Thanks for all who try this - it took a lot of trial and error before I came up with this one. My family loves it and I hope your's will too!

—Cara M.

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Feb 22, 2011

i tried this recipe to go with some cinnamon rolls i was baking to bring to work. i made the icing while the rolls were rising, and i started to eat the icing by dipping raspberries. i love it! it's SO good! you will love it too! try it! it's super easy! light and creamy... mmm!!!

—Tartsul

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Apr 11, 2011

This one's a plate licker!!! It is absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe, except that I left out the milk and salt. It made the icing a little thicker, which we like. That allowed the icing to melt into the cinnamon rolls. I will never fix cinnamon rolls again without using this icing! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Cara!

—TOM

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Mar 26, 2012

Perfectly delicious.

—comicfool2

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Mar 30, 2011

Perfect title for the "Perfect Cinnamon Roll Icing". My family loved it. I thought it was delicious! I didn't change a thing! And I still loved it! Perfect!

—Kay-Otic

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Nutrition

Calories
69 kcal
3%

Carbohydrates
7.9 g
3%

Cholesterol
12 mg
4%

Fat
4.2 g
6%

Fiber
0 g
0%

Protein
0.3 g
< 1%

Sodium
56 mg
2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

The Perfect Cinnamon Roll Icing

Serving Size: 1/24 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 69
Calories from Fat: 38

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4.2g 6 %
Saturated Fat 2.7g 13 %
Cholesterol 12mg 4 %
Sodium 56mg 2 %
Potassium 6mg < 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 7.9g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 0g 0 %
Protein 0.3g < 1 %
Sugars 7.8g
Vitamin A 3 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium < 1 %
Iron < 1 %
Thiamin < 1 %
Niacin < 1 %
Vitamin B6 < 1 %
Magnesium < 1 %
Folate < 1 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.