Peanut Butter Frosting is rich, creamy, and irresistibly smooth. Ready in minutes for a quick, delicious topping.
This is the perfect finish to any cake, and if you love this frosting recipe, you should also try Classic Buttercream Frosting, Rich Chocolate Frosting, and Cream Cheese Frosting for your next cake!
Sabrina’s Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
Peanut Butter Frosting is rich and creamy, and goes PERFECTLY with any chocolate cake or chocolate cupcake recipe. Plus, you only need 4 ingredients, and it takes under a total time of 10 minutes to make!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- To your stand mixer add the butter and peanut butter and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until fully combined.
- Lower the speed to low and add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with 2 tablespoons of milk (starting and ending with sugar) until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About This Recipe
Forgot to buy the frosting for your homemade cake or cookies? No problem! This recipe only needs 4 ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now so no need to make that extra run to the grocery store. This is a lot like buttercream, but we’re adding creamy peanut butter. You can add this frosting to about any of your favorite chocolate desserts.
Chef’s Note
You can substitute the butter in this frosting with shortening, using the same amount as you would with butter. Remember that butter adds some flavor, so it might taste slightly different, even though we’re adding a lot of peanut butter. But it should also be slightly stiffer and hold up better.
Tips & Tricks
- I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter. It will fall apart.
- Use creamy peanut butter instead of chunky, which will ensure that everything gets mixed together evenly instead of having big pieces of nuts. You also won’t be able to pipe the frosting if you use chunky peanut butter.
- Make sure your frosting and your cake are both room temperature when you’re ready to frost, or the frosting may pull crumbs off of the cake. I take everything out of the refrigerator about an hour before I’m ready to work with it, and it’s room temperature when I go to frost.
- I think it’s easier to make frosting in the stand mixer, but you can use an electric mixer if that’s what you have.
- If you don’t have whole milk, you can use heavy cream or half and half in this recipe.
- If your peanut butter icing is too thin, add in a few tablespoons of powdered sugar at a time until it is the right thickness. You can also try refrigerating the frosting, to see if the butter and peanut butter harden enough to thicken the frosting.
What to Pair With
We all know peanut butter pairs so well with chocolate. You can use this frosting with cakes like Chocolate Cake Roll or Chocolate Lava Cake. One of my favorite ways to pair is with Oreo Cake. Or if your not a fan of chocolate, this frosting also works well with Classic Yellow Cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute the butter in this frosting with shortening, using the same amount as you would with butter. Remember that butter adds some flavor, so it might taste slightly different, even though we’re adding a lot of peanut butter. But it should also be slightly stiffer and hold up better.
Make this dairy-free by substituting shortening for butter and almond milk for milk.
Peanut butter frosting contains butter and milk, and personally, I like to keep any dairy-based frosting in the refrigerator, even though it’s half peanut butter. If you’re piping this onto chocolate cupcakes, store the whole thing in the refrigerator, and bring it to room temperature before serving.
If your peanut butter icing is too thin, add in a few tablespoons of powdered sugar at a time until it is the right thickness. You can also try refrigerating the frosting to see if the butter and peanut butter harden enough to thicken the frosting.
You can also add back in a few tablespoons of milk at a time if your frosting is too thick.
Variations
- Make this a chocolate peanut butter frosting by replacing ½ cup of powdered sugar with cocoa powder or dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- You can also use chocolate peanut butter if that’s what you have.
- Add a mashed banana to this frosting recipe
- If you want more flavor, add a teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract
- Try replacing half of the cream cheese with peanut butter in my cream cheese frosting!
Related Recipes
More Delicious Frosting Recipes
These photos were in a previous version of this post
Out of this world! Have company coming this afternoon so baked a devils food cake and made your icing I’ve been lusting (!) after! I’m diabetic so I don’t make so many desserts anymore. But with guests coming, heck yes! The taste and creaminess is what I’d expect from a pro or bakery. I love all your recipes, Sabrina. Thank you so very much!
You’re so welcome Frank! Thanks so much for your kind words and for the 5 stars!
10 out of 10. Easy to spread and delicious!
I made this frosting with your chocolate peanut butter cake for a party and both were so delicious! I baked the cake in a 9×13 pan and there was a nice thick layer of frosting. Yum!
FYI…..I make chocolate texas sheet cake using cocoa ……………….for the p.butter I
change from cocoa to peanut butter, also very delicious but I am sure you do that but
this is for the readers who don’t know that. (same amount of p.b. as c.) Just saying.
I made peanut butter frosting only and it was so good. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it, Phyll. I appreciate the 5 star rating.
I made this recipe tonight and it is very good. My daughter, who is 8, approves!
I’m going to bake the chocolate peanut butter cake. Can I use cake baking flour? And if so do I need to add the baking soda and powder? Please respond soon I need to make today. Thank you.
So sorry but your question got snagged in my spam folder. When using cake flour as a substitute, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of AP Flour.
This icing is the BEST ! So easy , had everything in pantry and was so light and perfectly sweetened ! I cut recipe in half and had plenty for a two layer cake !
So glad you enjoyed it, Danielle.
I just made this and it’s thick and runny 🙁
I’m not sure how it can be thick and runny. If it’s runny, you could add more powdered sugar little by little to thicken it up. If it’s too thick, do the same with the milk. Hope this helps for next time.
Can this frosting be made with chunky peanut butter as well? We only have this kind available.
Yes 🙂
Will evaporated carnation can milk work?
Yes
Like but too much. Wondering if I can freeze remainder?
Yes, it should last a for a couple of months in the freezer.
Can I sub the milk for something else?
You can sub it for half and half or cream. I haven’t used non-dairy in this recipe but if you try it, let me know how it turns out!
I used almond milk! It was perfect.
How long is the frosting good for after it has been made?
You can store in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Im making a bundt cake and this seems like it will be too much frosting, can I take the recipe down by one half?
Sure 🙂
I’m looking to frost a bundt cake and this seems like it’ll be a LOT of frosting. Can I take everything down by 1/2 the amount?
Yes 🙂
Does it have to be whole milk? We only buy 2% in our house.
That’ll work. 🙂
Oh my goodness ! Both my boys and hubby are a big peanut fan and can have anything which has that flavor! I love baking and I will definitely give this lipsmacking delicious frosting a try!
Perfect!!
I love how easy this peanut butter frosting is to make. Going to add it to my next batch of cupcakes!
Enjoy!
Delicious Frosting for all Peanut lovers. Looks creamy and surely delicious.
I love peanut butter, so peanutbutter frosting sounds amazing!
This will be perfect for you then! Enjoy!
Believe it or not, I have never made peanut butter frosting! We love peanut butter, so I don’t know why! I can’t wait to try to your recipe! It looks so creamy and delicious!
It’s a must try then!
OMG!!! ?????????!!!!
THIS FROSTING IS SOOOO GOOD. IT TASTE LIKE CANDY. I MADE IT JUST NOW, TO PUT ON THE BANANA CAKE I JUST MADE. DELICIOUS THANK YOU.
Woohoo!!