Name: Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Freeze Dried Strawberries (approximately); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); ½ cup unsalted butter ((1 stick), softened); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 cups powdered sugar

By: Jill Mills Posted: Feb 6, 2025

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Made with 5 ingredients in less than 15 minutes, this Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is both tangy and sweet, with lots of strawberry flavor in every bite. Perfect for frosting cupcakes, cakes, and more.

A glass jar of strawberry cream cheese frosting

This strawberry cream cheese frosting takes my classic cream cheese frosting recipe to a whole new level. I loved my cinnamon cream cheese frosting so much that I decided to experiment with other flavors. As we head into spring, strawberry seemed like the perfect option. Strawberry is such a versatile flavor because it pairs well with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry desserts. There are really endless ways to use this frosting!

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This was amazing! Thank you!

– Jamison

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Why I Love This Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

I will definitely be making this frosting on repeat this spring and summer. Here are a few reasons why.

Only 5 ingredients. This strawberry frosting is made with freeze-dried strawberries and a few basics like cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. I usually have everything on hand to make it.
Ready in 15 minutes. From start to finish, it takes less than 15 minutes to whip up a batch of strawberry cream cheese frosting. I usually make it up when the cupcakes or cake are almost done cooling and I’m ready to decorate them.
Sweet but tart strawberry flavor. This frosting uses freeze-dried strawberries instead of fresh strawberries to avoid a runny frosting while ensuring there’s plenty of strawberry flavor. Overall, it’s not too sweet but not too tart either. It really has the perfect balance!

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make strawberry cream cheese frosting

Recipe Ingredients

This easy strawberry frosting is made with just 5 basic ingredients. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Freeze-dried strawberries – I found that using fresh strawberries resulted in a too-thin frosting or not enough strawberry flavor. Freeze-dried strawberries really amp up the strawberry flavor without thinning the frosting.
Cream cheese – Full-fat cream cheese is best for making frosting. The kind in the container is too soft.
Butter – I always use unsalted butter in desserts though salted would be okay here as well.
Vanilla extract
Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting and balances the tangy cream cheese flavor while also helping to stabilize it.

How To Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

It takes less than 15 minutes to make this frosting! The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Freeze-dried strawberries in a ziploc next to a rolling pin

Creamed butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl

Crush the strawberries. Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a Ziploc baggie. Use a rolling pin to crush them into a fine powder.
Cream the ingredients. Mix the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, scraping down the sides as needed, until fully incorporated.
Add the sugar. Mix in the vanilla and a cup of powdered sugar on low until the powdered sugar begins to incorporate. Increase the speed to medium to fully combine. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar, until the frosting is smooth without chunks.
Add the strawberry powder. Mix in the strawberry powder on low and then medium until it’s fully mixed in.
Use as desired. The frosting can be spread in between cake layers or scooped in a piping bag for cupcakes.

Strawberry cream cheese frosting piped onto a countertop

Tips for The Perfect Frosting

Here are a few things that I’ve found helpful to keep in mind while making this strawberry cream cheese frosting.

No chunks of strawberry. When crushing the freeze-dried strawberries into powder, it’s normal for there to be a few larger pieces. However, it’s important to make sure they aren’t too big because they can clog the piping tip.
Use room temperature ingredients. The butter and cream cheese should both be softened to room temperature when starting the frosting. If they’re still cold, it’s much harder to cream them and it’s more likely there will be lumps in the frosting.
Mix on low speed. When adding the powdered sugar and strawberry powder, always start on low speed until it begins to incorporate. If you go straight to medium, the powder will fly everywhere.
Do not overmix. It’s important to mix the powdered sugar and strawberry powder in completely but once well combined, avoid overmixing. It can cause the frosting to soften too much and deflate.

Piping strawberry cream cheese frosting onto a vanilla cupcake

Ways To Use It

There are so many fun ways to use this strawberry cream cheese frosting! As you can see in the photos, I love to pair it with moist vanilla cupcakes. It would also be yummy on chocolate cupcakes or white wedding cupcakes. I’ve also used it to make a strawberry vanilla cake!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting on a cupcake

Proper Storage

Fridge. Strawberry cream cheese frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Remove it from the fridge and allow it to soften before using.
Freezer. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge then let soften on the counter before using.

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5 from 2 votes