Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Feb 16, 2022, Updated Feb 19, 2024

5 from 1 vote

1 Comment

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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.

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (2)

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 Recipe (3)

Peanut Butter Frosting: Ingredients & Substitutions

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (4)
  • 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.
Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (5)

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.

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Next, add vanilla and sea salt and beat until combined.

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Then, add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until fully incorporated after each addition.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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.

Hardens in the refrigerator

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.

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Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe FAQs

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, this recipe is easily doubled to frost and fill a large cake.

Can you blend sugar to make powdered sugar?

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.

Can I substitute peanut butter?

Technically any nut or seed butter should work well in this recipe.

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Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (14)

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (15)

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Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe

Laura

This peanut butter frosting recipe 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.

5 from 1 vote

Course condiment, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 servings

Calories 181

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Total Time5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

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

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my peanut butter frosting not smooth? ›

Make sure the butter is softened to cool room temperature before you begin. If the frosting separates and looks grainy, it's most likely because the butter is too cold. Place the bowl in a warm spot for a few minutes, and then beat it again for a minute or two. It should come back together.

What is the secret ingredient that will improve your frosting? ›

But, there are ways to make it more interesting; one such way is to hit it with a shot of vinegar. Don't worry, the icing won't taste sour or like vinegar at all, but the acid will help balance out the sweetness, making it taste more pleasant. Even better, it will make the icing stronger and more durable.

Why is my peanut butter frosting separating? ›

Notes. Peanut Butter: Use a commercial brand peanut butter such Skippy or Jif. Avoid natural, oily, or homemade peanut butters as the consistency will cause this frosting to separate and curdle.

Does Pillsbury make a peanut butter frosting? ›

Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Pillsbury Jif Frosting, Chocolate Peanut Butter, 11 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Why isn't my homemade peanut butter creamy? ›

If the peanut butter is not as creamy as you would like, add in the oil one teaspoon at a time! A little oil will make a big difference, so don't over-add. Because they release their own oil, adding water is a no-go. Oil and water do not mix well, so adding water will only make your peanut butter cease up.

How do you keep peanut butter smooth? ›

Store the jar upside down

This is a long-term solution that prevents the layer of dry, crumbly butter from ever forming, because by the time you get to the end of the jar it will have been flipped enough time for the oil to continually redistribute and keep the nut butter hydrated and smooth throughout.

What is the hardest frosting to make? ›

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

What is the most stable frosting? ›

The most stable of the buttercreams, Italian buttercream is made from a meringue made bystreaming hot sugar syrup into egg whites as they're being whisked.

What frosting holds up best? ›

The Swiss buttercream (made with egg whites) stood longer than its egg yolk-based French counterpart, but it too drooped and melted. Finishing a sun-soaked time in the outdoors, the coconut oil, the butter-based American buttercream, the whipped cream, and the Italian meringue frostings are held up (more or less).

What to do with leftover peanut butter frosting? ›

What to do with leftover frosting:
  1. What to do with leftover frosting: Make cookie sandwiches: ...
  2. Use as a cookie glaze: ...
  3. Make cake pops: ...
  4. As a cinnamon roll glaze: ...
  5. Make peanut butter truffles: ...
  6. Make buttercream mints: ...
  7. Use as a brownie glaze: ...
  8. Drizzle onto ice cream:
Jun 7, 2018

Does refrigerating peanut butter keep it from separating? ›

Natural Peanut Butter

"Because it does not have preservatives or stabilizers, it is best refrigerated to keep it fresh and to prevent the oil from separating out," says Margarethe A. Cooper, PhD, assistant professor of practice and Victor P.

How do you mix peanut butter that has separated? ›

The Spoon Method: The go-to method, wherein you take a spoon or a knife and stir (and stir and stir) the oil and solids together until the peanut butter is once again hom*ogenous.

Is frosting better with butter or Crisco? ›

When it comes to frosting, it's best to lean into the topping's richness. That means using full-fat ingredients like shortening to your advantage. Although butter has a creamy, sweet taste, it still contains some moisture, making it susceptible to melting — cue, shortening.

Should I whip my Pillsbury frosting? ›

Whip it good.

Without even adding any other ingredients, this will aerate the frosting for a fluffier consistency.

Why is my frosting not smooth? ›

Usually it is grainy from the sugar not dissolving into the butter properly. One easy fix is to re-whip the frosting, preferably with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until it becomes smoother. (You can let it go for quite a bit!)

Why is my homemade peanut butter gritty? ›

Homemade peanut butter will always have a rougher texture than the commercially-prepared stuff. That being said, you can achieve creamier peanut butter with a few tips: Use a good-quality food processor. A powerful food processor or blender will make a difference.

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