I’ve had several requests for a good frosting to use for decorating sugar cookies. I’ve worked on a “sucanat powdered sugar frosting” and will share the recipe in a few days. Obviously that frosting is going to be a bit on the brown side and is probably not quite what you’re looking for in a Christmas cookie frosting (unless you’re frosting Gingerbread Men).
Today I have two Cream Cheese Frosting recipes to share with you. One uses unbleached organic powdered sugar, which has no nutritional value, but at least it’s not bleached or filled with pesticides. It is very much a compromise food, but we’re talking about Cream Cheese Frosting here. At Christmas time. Don’t go crazy, but if you’re gonna frost some sugar cookies anyway, you’ve gotta make sure you really enjoy the taste of the splurge!
The second recipe I’ll share uses honey or real maple syrup for sweetener. This frosting doesn’t work as well on cookies…it’s fluffier and better on cakes. BUT, since it uses honey or maple syrup, it’s one step healthier than the unbleached organic powdered sugar variety.
Powdered Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 1/2 cups unbleached organic powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whip butter and cream cheese with beaters until fluffy. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until mixed thoroughly.
Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4- 1/3 cup honey or real grade B maple syrup (depending on your taste) OR 30 drops liquid stevia
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whip cream with a mixer until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, honey and vanilla until creamy. Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.
You can make your own cream cheese very easily! I do prefer store bought cream cheese in these recipes however as the homemade cream cheese is cultured and therefore a little too sour for my taste in these frosting recipes.
I will admit right here and now that if something has cream cheese in it, I have a hard time staying out of it. I CAN NOT make either of these frostings very often because I love them too much. Are you a cream cheese lover like I am?
Yum! I totally agree. If it has cream cheese in it I can’t stay away. I wont be making this very often.
I was wondering if anyone knows where i can buy organic sprouted whole grain flour? Amazon.com shows it but says it is not available.I was told this is the best kind of wheat to eat.
Sue Gregg’s “An Introduction to Whole Grain Baking” goes into great detail about how to make sprout whole grain flour your self. I found it very helpful and I have been doing it for years.
I love cream cheese too!! We made french toast the other morning with cream cheese spread on one side of the bread then put sliced banana’s then topped with another slice of bread. We then cut it into four slices dipped in egg mixture and cooked like french toast! Yummy!! We drizzled just a bit of maple syrup on top. I also think for a treat it would be good to mix just a bit of powdered sugar in the cream cheese before spreading on bread then you wouldn’t need the syrup!
Next time mix some fruit in it… it’s DIVINE!
I actually am not a big fan of frosting…except when it comes to cream cheese frosting! Love it! Especially on banana cake or pumpkin bars!
The honey granules (I get from Breadbeckers.com) powdered in the blender is great for cream cheese frosting – not too brown, and not as refined as powdered sugar.
I’ve never heard of honey granules. How much would you use for a recipe like these?
You can use honey granules 1 for 1 as a replacement for white sugar (or replacement for powdered sugar if you powder it in the blender first). It is great for recipes where liquid honey doesn’t work as well, since they are dry like sugar. Also, they have a much lighter flavor than the heavier, molasses-flavored sucanat. I use sucanat in place of brown sugar in recipes and honey granules in place of white if I can’t use liquid honey (ie. cut-out cookies, etc.)
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I love love love cream cheese things. I love these recipes. makes me want cheesecake.
This is my husband’s favorite frosting. We add a big scoop of peanut butter and top chocolate cake with it. It’s almost as good as a Reese’s.
That sounds delicous! My husband LOVES Reese’s, will have to try this some time!
I can’t stay out of anything with cream cheese in it, either. As a matter of fact, the first thing I thought of when I looked at the second recipe is “Here’s a math project – let’s figure out how to make it with an EIGHT OUNCE package of cream cheese!” Have you ever tried that? Then you could frost 2 cakes and still have enough left to lick the bowl :)
I am so thankful I do not like cream cheese, sour cream, or condensed sweetened milk. So many recipes call for these items and they are not healthy recipes either. Every where you go someone has a dessert with one of these ingredients. I can leave it alone so that helps me.
Most people I talk to have no idea what sucanat is. Neither did I until about 3 years ago. I went to a class at Bread Beckers and I have been grinding my wheat ever since. People can’t hardly believe it when I say I grind my own wheat and make my own bread. My favorite thing is rolls, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and muffins. I am not crazy about it in a loaf for some reason.
I have taken some of my recipes and used hard white wheat and sucanat and had very good luck.
this is probably a silly question, but I am assuming that when you use this frosting the final product needs to be stored in the fridge?
Not a silly question! But yes, do store it in the fridge! :)
How is the honey one for piping? I’ve been wanting to do one of those rose cakes.
I don’t think it would pipe very well. Tasty, but not great for fancy decorating! :)