Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

Brown butter buttercream frosting is easy to make and unbelievably delicious. Brown butter creates a caramel, nutty, toasty flavor to the brown butter frosting! Perfect for cakes and cupcakes!

Ingredients for Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature unsalted butter.
• Brown butter: Find out how to make brown butter below! Room temperature.
• Powdered sugar: For sweetness and structure.
• Vanilla extract: A pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste adds great flavor.
• Salt: Adds a bit of contrast to the sweetness.
• Heavy cream: To dissolve the sugar and lighten things up a bit!

How to Make Brown Butter

First, we have to make brown butter. Here are the steps!

1. Place the butter in a medium-sized pan and melt over medium-low heat.
2. Continue to cook the butter, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. The butter will start to foam and the milk solids in the butter will start to turn a golden-brown color and create little brown bits. Continue mixing so the milk solids do not burn.
3. Once you achieve a nice, golden-brown color, remove the brown butter from the stove and immediately transfer to a heat-safe bowl.
4. Allow the brown butter to come to room temperature. Then, transfer to the refrigerator to firm up the butter. We are looking for a soft, peanut butter-like texture.

How to Make Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

To make the buttercream, I recommend using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. You can also use an electric hand mixer.

1. Whip the room temperature butter and brown butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Then add the remaining half and continue to mix on low speed.
3. Add the vanilla extract and salt and continue to mix on low until combined.
4. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl after this step to ensure everything is well mixed.
5. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip the buttercream for about 3 minutes.
6. (Optional) Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for an additional 5 minutes to remove air bubbles and made the buttercream silky smooth.

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Brown Butter Buttercream

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Yield: 5 cups

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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Brown butter buttercream frosting is easy to make and unbelievably delicious. Brown butter creates a toasty, nutty, caramel flavor to the frosting! Perfect for cakes and cupcakes!

Equipment

• Stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment/paddle attachment OR
• Electric hand mixer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup brown butter softened
• ▢ 5 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Brown Butter

• Place 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter in a medium-sized pan and melt over medium-low heat.
• Continue to cook the butter stirring occasionally. The butter will start to foam.
• At this point, the milk solids in the butter will start to turn a golden brown color. Continue mixing so the milk solids do not burn.
• Once you achieve the level of browning that you desire, remove the pan from the stove and transfer to a heat-safe bowl immediately.
• Allow the butter to come to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until the butter becomes thick. You will want a peanut butter-like consistency.

Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

• Place the brown butter and additional 1 cup of room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip the butters for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Then add the remaining half and continue to mix on low speed.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt and continue to mix on low until combined.
• Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl after this step to ensure everything is well mixed.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip the buttercream for about 3 minutes.
• Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for an additional 5 minutes to remove air bubbles and made the buttercream silky smooth.

Notes

Brown butter buttercream frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To use, bring the buttercream to room temperature and rewhip using your mixer until light and fluffy. 

This recipe makes enough buttercream to frost a 7-8 inch layer cake or approximately 2-3 dozen cupcakes. 

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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