Cinnamon buttercream frosting is sweet, whipped until light and fluffy, and filled with cozy cinnamon flavor. It's perfect for topping your seasonal cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
Recipe summary
Flavor: A classic sweet buttercream frosting that's light, fluffy, and filled with cozy cinnamon flavor.
Yield: About 3 cups
Similar to: Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Less sweet options: Ermine Frosting and Homemade Whipped Cream (add cinnamon to both!)
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter - The base of the buttercream frosting recipe. Make sure your butter is room temperature (not melted or cold) before beginning. Butter is room temperature when it's slightly cool and you can make an indentation with your finger. If you're using salted butter, I recommend omitting the salt listed in the recipe.
- Confectioner's sugar - Necessary to make buttercream frosting. Confectioner's sugar is fine and incorporates seamlessly into the butter without a grainy texture. The confectioner's sugar also adds structure to your frosting. Adding less sugar will result in a soft (or potentially runny) frosting.
- Flavor - Cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract add flavor to your frosting. Omit the salt if you're using salted butter.
- Heavy cream - Whipped into the frosting to create a lighter, fluffy texture. Feel free to add more heavy cream as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
How to make cinnamon frosting
- Beat room temperature butter until creamy.
- Beat in confectioner's sugar one cup at a time then whip at high speed until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Tips and tricks
Use room temperature ingredients - Your butter need to be room temperature (not melted, not cold) before beginning. Set butter out on the countertop for about an hour before beginning to ensure it has time to warm up to about 67 degrees Fahrenheit. You'll know it's ready when you can leave an indent with your finger but it doesn't feel greasy.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer - This frosting must be whipped with a whisk attachment for several minutes, so I recommend using a mixer instead of trying to mix it by hand.
Don't skip the salt - The salt listed in this recipe helps balance with the sweetness of the frosting and enhances the flavor without making it "salty".
Use heavy cream - To ensure your frosting whips up nice and fluffy, use heavy cream. If you need to use milk, make an American buttercream frosting instead (add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the recipe for a similar flavor).
Frequently asked questions
Yes, cinnamon could be substituted with an equal amount of seasoning blend like pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or chai spice blend.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Gingerbread Cupcakes, and Applesauce Spice Cake are all great options for cinnamon frosting.
No, buttercream frosting will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days in a sealed container. It can be refrigerated for up to 7 days or frozen for up to 3 months if desired.
Buttercream frosting is made with two main ingredients: confectioner's sugar and butter. It's popular because it's easy to prepare, no-cook, and made with minimal ingredients. However, because it's mainly made of sugar, it's very sweet. Unfortunately, making it with less sugar means it will begin to taste like butter, the other main ingredient. Instead, I highly recommend making a frosting that's already written to include less sugar, like ermine frosting. You could also add a dollop of whipped cream instead. You can add cinnamon to either of these recipes for a similar flavor.
Yes, this frosting pipes beautifully and can be used for rosettes, borders, and topping cupcakes.
This recipe makes enough frosting to frost these cakes:
- 6-inch three layer cake
- 18 cupcakes with piped frosting
- 24 cupcakes spread with a knife
- 9x13 sheet cake
- 13x18 sheet cake
- 8-inch or 9-inch two layer cake with thin frosting (for thick frosting, make an additional half batch)
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (456 g) confectioner's sugar, sifted/whisked to remove lumps
- ⅓ cup (76 g) heavy cream, cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add confectioner's sugar one cup at a time and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, then whip for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Pipe or spread frosting with a knife onto cupcakes and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Leftovers: Frosting will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before spreading onto baked goods. Stored frosting may need to be rewhipped to achieve original texture.
- How much frosting do I need?: Recipe will frost up to 18 cupcakes with piped frosting, 24 cupcakes spread with a knife, a 9x13 sheet cake, a 13x18 sheet cake, or a round 8 or 9 inch 2-layer cake all over with thin frosting.
- Warm climates: Butter melts around 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and so will your frosting. If your location is nearing this temperature, I'd recommend refrigerating your baked goods until 30 minutes before serving.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!