Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting for Doughnuts

Sep 5, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Extract Easy

Doughnuts finished with chocolate cream cheese frosting on a cooling rack

A swirlable chocolate cream cheese frosting for topping doughnuts. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes enough for 12 doughnuts.

Prep 15 min

Cook —

Total 15 min

Yield 12 doughnuts

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

doughnuts

6.0 oz (170.0 g)cream cheese, softened
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
2.0 cups (240.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
⅓ cup (28.0 g)unsweetened cocoa powder
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
2.0 tbsp (30.0 ml)whole milk, as needed
⅛ tspfine sea salt

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the cocoa powder and vanilla, and beat until combined.
Beat in the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is soft and swirlable, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.
Spread or pipe onto the tops of completely cooled doughnuts.

Tips

Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate frosted doughnuts and serve within 1 day.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make chocolate cream cheese frosting for doughnuts?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep. It makes enough for 12 doughnuts.

How should I store chocolate cream cheese frosting for doughnuts?

Refrigerate frosted doughnuts and serve within 1 day.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

A swirlable chocolate cream cheese frosting for topping doughnuts. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes enough for 12 doughnuts.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

151 Calories / serving

7.1g Fat

22.3g Carbs

1.4g Protein

20.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~1812 cal · 85g fat · 268g carbs · 17g protein · 244g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 151 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 29 min·1.7 mi·~3400 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 20 min·1.0 mi·~2000 steps
Moderate cycling 15 min·3.0 mi
Swimming laps 21 min
Jogging 15 min·1.3 mi·~2400 steps
Stair climbing 14 min·~1250 steps
Dancing 25 min
Bodyweight circuit training 15 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 35 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.

Made with VanillaGoods

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