Peanut Butter Frosting
Posted Feb 16, 2022, Updated Aug 17, 2023
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This peanut butter frosting recipe (peanut butter buttercream) is easy to make in 5 minutes. It’s silky smooth, made with more peanut butter than butter and is flavored with vanilla & sea salt. It pipes well and tastes delicious on top of chocolate cupcakes and brownies and chocolate cake.
Chocolate and peanut butter is my favorite dessert flavor combination. You name it, I love it (chocolate peanut butter ice cream, puppy chow, etc).
This peanut butter frosting recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes. It’s silky smooth, made with more peanut butter than butter and flavored with vanilla & sea salt. It pipes well and can convert your favorite chocolatey baked goods into a chocolate-peanut butter treat.
It tastes delicious on top of chocolate cupcakes and brownies and chocolate cake (to name a few)! Don’t forget to try our favorite chocolate buttercream frosting too.
Peanut Butter Frosting: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Creamy Peanut Butter: I use a firm peanut butter for this recipe, like a natural peanut butter that is no stir. If you use a peanut butter that is liquid at room temperature you may need to add more powdered sugar to get it to firm up, and/or omit the milk.
- Salted butter. vegan butter, coconut oil or unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter (check out my vegan peanut butter frosting).
- Vanilla extract. the seeds of 1 vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste can replace the extract.
- Fine sea salt: The amount may depend on the saltiness of your peanut butter, so you can always add a little at a time and adjust it according to your tastes. If you’re using a salty variety of peanut butter you many need to add less, unsalted peanut butter may require more.
- Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.
- Whole milk: half and half, heavy cream and 2% milk are suitable substitutions for whole milk.
How to make peanut butter frosting
This recipe is fairly simple to make, and the most important piece of advice I have to offer is to make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. Don’t forget to watch the video!
Begin by beating the peanut butter and butter together until the mixture is smooth. This is very important to ensure there are no lumps in your peanut butter frosting.
Next, add vanilla and sea salt and beat until combined.
Then, add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until fully incorporated after each addition.
It’s important to make sure all the powdered sugar is incorporated, and adding it a little at a time will prevent the powdered sugar from spilling over the sides of your mixing bowl.
Lastly, if necessary (which will depend on the consistency of your peanut butter) add whole milk one tablespoon at a time to achieve your desired consistency.
Serve
Finally, use this peanut butter buttercream to frost your favorite baked goods! I have a treasure trove of recipes that pair well with this recipe!
- Brownies: Slather it on the best homemade brownies, chocolate peanut butter brownies, flourless brownies, zucchini brownies, etc.
- Cookies: spread it on peanut butter cookies, double chocolate cookies, brownie cookies, etc.
- Bars: Add it to these Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies, chocolate chip cookie bars, etc.
- Cake: use it to frost and fill your favorite cake. I suggest this homemade chocolate cake or yellow cake.
- Cupcakes. swirl it on top of these chocolate cupcakes.
Store/freeze
Store leftover peanut butter buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature before using – do not microwave.
It hardens in the fridge. Please note that this peanut butter frosting becomes quite firm in the fridge. So you should remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature before using/serving. Do not microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe is easily doubled to frost and fill a large cake.
Yes. Making your own powdered sugar is very easy. You can follow this healthy powdered sugar recipe (which uses coconut sugar) and use any granulated sugar you’d prefer.
Technically any nut or seed butter should work well in this recipe.
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Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk room temperature
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together peanut butter and butter until smooth.
- Add vanilla and sea salt and beat until combined.
- Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Add 1 tablespoon whole milk and beat. If necessary, add an additional 1 tablespoon milk to achieve your desired consistency.
- Use to frost a chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, brownies, etc.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Creamy Peanut Butter: I use a firm peanut butter for this recipe, like a natural peanut butter that is no stir. If you use a peanut butter that is liquid at room temperature you may need to add more powdered sugar to get it to firm up, and/or omit the milk.
- Salted butter. vegan butter, coconut oil or unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter (check out my vegan peanut butter frosting).
- Vanilla extract. the seeds of 1 vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste can replace the extract.
- Fine sea salt: The amount may depend on the saltiness of your peanut butter, so you can always add a little at a time and adjust it according to your tastes. If you’re using a salty variety of peanut butter you many need to add less, unsalted peanut butter may require more.
- Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.
- Whole milk: half and half, heavy cream and 2% milk are suitable substitutions for whole milk.
Store/freeze
Store leftover peanut butter buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature before using – do not microwave. It hardens in the fridge. Please note that this peanut butter frosting becomes quite firm in the fridge. So you should remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature before using/serving. Do not microwave.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The photos in this post were taken by Angelina from Baked Ambrosia.
