Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe

For peanut butter lovers, there's nothing that can take a favorite dessert or snack to the next level like the addition of the creamy, nutty spread. Brownies with a peanut butter swirl? Instantly better. Pretzels dipped in peanut butter? What could be more delicious? A frozen banana wrapped in a coating of creamy nuts? You can't ask for a better after-school (or after-work) snack. 

That's exactly the idea behind this delicious, spreadable, pipeable creamy peanut butter frosting recipe from recipe developer Jessica Morone. She says it's the perfect frosting for your favorite desserts, but that it also makes a delicious dip. Plus, it only takes about 10 minutes to whip up a 2.5-cup batch that's perfect for topping up to 12 cupcakes. That said, if you're making a layered cake or a bigger batch of cupcakes or brownies, you can double or triple the recipe without affecting the prep time too drastically.

If you're familiar with making homemade frosting, you're likely familiar with most of the ingredients you'll need, and chances are you have quite a few of them on hand. Check your pantry or head to the store to gather unsalted butter, powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter, salt, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. 

There are just a couple of things to keep in mind about the ingredients you use. First, Morone advises it's best to use standard, creamy peanut butter for this recipe. "You could use chunky peanut butter, but it won't be as smooth and wouldn't be a good idea if you want to pipe it. Natural peanut butter would also be more oily, so it could work, but I don't recommend it," she says. In her case, she used Skippy creamy peanut butter, but you can certainly use your favorite brand. 

Also, Morone advises against substituting heavy cream for something lighter like milk. "It makes the frosting much fluffier and creamier," she says. 

Grab your stand mixer or an electric mixer with a large bowl (either will work). If you're using a stand mixer, affix the paddle attachment. Then, place the butter in the bowl and beat the butter alone for about 90 seconds, until it's creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar as you mix the butter so the first two ingredients are well-combined. 

With the butter and sugar prepped, add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the peanut butter, salt, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. 

Beat all the frosting ingredients together on a medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. This should only take about three minutes, but if you're doubling or tripling the batch, it might take a little longer. When the frosting has reached the desired consistency, simply use a spoon or fork to remove any excess from the mixer attachments (don't be shy about licking those attachments, too — we know you want to), and get ready to put the frosting to good use. 

The frosting is now ready to enjoy as the pièce de résistance of your favorite sweet treat. Grab a knife to spread a layer across your chocolate banana brownies, spoon it into a piping bag to add a new twist to a recipe for cookie dough cupcakes, or simply post up with a sleeve of graham crackers and pretzels and a bowl of the frosting to get your dip on. For that matter, it's certainly an ingredient you should consider adding the next time you decide to make s'mores. If you like peanut butter, there's really not a way to go wrong with adding this frosting to your favorite desserts.