Desserts, Extras

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet and elegant mint pairs perfectly with the silky cream cheese, creating a mouthwatering frosting that’s the perfect flavor balance of sweet, bright, tangy, buttery goodness. Slather it on cakes, pastries, cookies, or serve warm over ice cream. Beautiful and addictive, it adds a little bit of holiday sparkle to your dessert creations.

I created this cream cheese frosting recipe for my Retro Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting. The sweet creamy mint frosting and moist cocoa cake create a divine dessert.

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings: Recipe will fill and frost a 9 inch 3 layer cake.

What'll You Need

16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract – add additional extract, if needed, 1/4 teaspoon at a time
dash flaky sea salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
7+ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
crushed candy canes to garnish the frosting

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese together on medium speed for several minutes until smooth and creamy.
Add the vanilla extract, pure peppermint extract and salt.
Beat well for several minutes until extracts are fully blended.
Lower the mixer speed to low, and gradually the sifted confectioner’s sugar, in stages, to the butter mixture. Add in the cream. Stop mixer and scrape down the bowl occasionally.
Add lemon juice, increase speed to medium and beat until soft and fluffy.
Add additional peppermint extract, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
Add additional confectioner’s sugar if needed for desired fluffy consistency.
Once icing is applied to cakes or pastry, dust with crushed peppermint candy for an unexpected creamy mint bite.

Peppermint Extract is STRONG!

Peppermint extract is VERY strong, and adding to much will result in a medicinal flavor. Add 1/4 teaspoon at at time, checking the flavor after adding, until optimum flavor achieved. Use only PURE peppermint extract.