Peanut Butter Frosting is rich and creamy, made with ONLY 4 pantry ingredients and ready in under 10 minutes!
This is the perfect finish to any cake, and if you love this frosting recipe you’ll also love Classic Buttercream Frosting, Sugar Cookie Frosting, Easy Mint Frosting, Rich Chocolate Frosting, and Cream Cheese Frosting!
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
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! This is a lot like buttercream, but we’re adding creamy peanut butter to the recipe to make a peanut butter buttercream frosting.
CAN YOU MAKE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING WITHOUT BUTTER?
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.
DOES PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING HAVE TO BE REFRIGERATED?
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 to room temperature before serving.
WHAT TO MAKE WITH creamy PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
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HOW DO YOU THICKEN PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING?
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 milk at a time if your frosting is too thick.
TIPS FOR MAKING PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
- Make this a chocolate peanut butter frosting by replacing ½ cup of powdered sugar with cocoa powder or dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter, because the regular kind has other ingredients that help make everything creamy and hold it together without separating.
- I also recommend using peanut butter that is creamy 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.
- You can also use chocolate peanut butter if that’s what you have.
- Add a mashed banana to this frosting recipe to make peanut butter banana frosting!
- 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.
- If you want more flavor you can add a teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract to this frosting recipe.
- 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.
- You can spread this on brownies or sugar cookies, too!
- Try replacing half of the cream cheese with peanut butter in my cream cheese frosting!
- Make sure your butter and peanut butter are at room temperature when you start, or they might not mix together properly.
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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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!!