This Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is creamy, rich and easy to make. Spread it over sugar cookies or cupcakes for an extra layer of decadence!
Cream cheese and chocolate are two of the best things in life. You’ll love this combo in our Oreo Cheesecake Cookies too. Or give our Oreo Cheesecake recipe a try…it’s NO BAKE. Try our cream cheese mints for a delicious candy recipe too.
Why This Frosting is Best
I never pass up an opportunity to make cream cheese frosting. This chocolate variation has all the tangy creaminess of the original but with the added bonus of chocolate for more rich, indulgent flavor.
- Quick and easy to make.
- Made with chocolate syrup for amazing flavor.
- Velvety smooth consistency.
- Easy to pipe onto cupcakes or spread over brownies.
One taste of this chocolate cream cheese frosting and I had to exercise all my willpower to resist eating the rest of the frosting straight out of the bowl. It’s that good!
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese – We start with full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature. It gives the frosting its creamy taste and a hint of tang. Make sure to use the blocks of cream cheese, not the spread that comes in a tub.
- Cocoa powder – The better the quality of the chocolate, the better your finished frosting will taste. We love Ghirardelli brand cocoa in this recipe.
- SECRET INGREDIENT: Chocolate syrup – This is the secret to super silky (and extra chocolate-y) cream cheese frosting. Your favorite ice cream sundae syrup will work beautifully.
- Milk – Adding milk right at the end helps control the consistency of the frosting. Any kind of milk will do! If your frosting is too soft to pipe, refrigerate it for 30 minutes first.
Tips and Tricks
- For thinner chocolate cream cheese frosting: Add more milk, a splash at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Soften the cream cheese and butter: Before making this frosting, set the refrigerated ingredients on the counter for several minutes. Soft butter and cream cheese will blend more easily.
- How to use it: Chocolate cream cheese frosting is especially delicious on these Chewy Sugar Cookies and these Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies. It’s also a tasty swap for regular buttercream on these Chocolate Cupcakes and on these Frosted Brownies.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes enough cream cheese chocolate frosting for 2 dozen cupcakes or one 2-layer cake.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting should be stored chilled in an airtight container. Use within 5 days. If it’s too cold to spread, beat it again with mixer.
Frostings like this one are difficult to make without an electric mixer. You need to beat the ingredients quickly and vigorously for them to come together properly. That’s nearly impossible to do by hand! If you’re looking for a frosting that doesn’t require an electric mixer, give this Chocolate Ganache Frosting a try instead.
In many cases, bakers find that their cream cheese frosting gets watery when they’ve used cream cheese spread by accident. Cream cheese spread contains more liquid than the cream cheese sold in blocks. Make sure to use the regular blocks in your frosting!
More Frosting Recipes
- Sour Cream Frosting
- Vanilla Frosting Recipe
- Marshmallow Frosting
- Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- M&M Frosting
- Biscoff Frosting
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Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon chocolate syrup
- 1 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese for 3-5 minutes, until fluffy.
- Beat in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup and milk. Beat for an additional 3-5 minutes, adding more milk if needed to get desired consistency.
- Use on cake or cupcakes, or spread over chocolate brownies.
Notes
- Makes enough frosting for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
- Perfect for spreading on sugar cookie bars!
- If you want a tangier cream cheese frosting, increase cream cheese to 8 ounce. Skip the milk, and beat until smooth. It may be "softer" but perfect spread on cakes!
- Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days. If too hard to spread, beat with mixer again before using.
Nutrition
Incredibly smooth Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. Add extra chocolatey goodness to your favorite cakes, cookies and brownies with this easy frosting recipe!
This is really one of the best frsoting I’ve tried! Thanks for the recipe!
This is really one of the best frsoting I’ve tried! Thanks for the recipe!
This is our favorite frosting for chocolate cupcakes. I love the tanginess the cream cheese adds.
The BEST frosting ever!! I love to eat it with a spoon! SO YUMMY.