Brown Butter Buttercream is a classic buttercream recipe with a twist from the extra rich flavor browned butter provides. It takes buttercream to a whole new level!
Brown Butter Buttercream Recipe
Brown Butter Buttercream takes ordinary frosting and turns it into extraordinary. Instead of just mixing butter and sugar like typical frosting, the butter browns in a saute pan first. After the butter cools, you mix it with some milk or cream and powdered sugar.
The added flavor from the browned butter makes the creamy frosting taste like angels churned your butter first.
Of course brown butter, cream, and sugar also create caramel, so think of brown buttercream as having caramel flavors. It just isn’t cooked to the point of turning into the candy.
Brown buttercream has a smooth texture and can be easily piped onto cupcakes, or spread on cakes to turn an ordinary dessert into something spectacular. Take it to the next level with some Brown Butter Cupcakes for intense flavor!
Browning the butter for easy brown buttercream
Heating the butter until it gets that perfect color of golden brown requires some attention to detail. You need to make sure the milk proteins in butter don’t burn before the butter fats have turned that wonderful gold hue.
As long as your stove top burner is not too terribly hot, medium heat is perfect, then you should be fine. The other crucial thing is to make sure to keep stirring. The milk proteins rise to the top quickly and if you skim them off to clarify the butter then that will give you more time and less issues with burning the butter.
However, you don’t have to do that if you can keep stirring. Think of it as just a backup plan if you see the butter has gotten too hot. If you see the white foamy solids brown very quickly then just get the pan off the heat as fast as you can. Then, skim that foam off, lower the heat just a bit, and go back to browning the butter.
That is much better than having to toss all the butter due to scorching it. You definitely don’t want to scorch the butter, because it will taste nothing short of nasty – no matter how much sugar is added. Trust me…I know from experience!
Use brown buttercream frosting for desserts like birthday cupcakes or to dress up a simple box cake mix.
Salted butter or unsalted butter?
For this recipe, I recommend using salted butter but use unsalted butter if you want to make the buttercream a salted caramel brown buttercream.
Yes, I know that doesn’t make sense. But here is the rationale. If you want a salted caramel brown buttercream, then you will want to control how salty it is. With salted butter, you can’t be quite sure. Does it have a little or a lot of salt in it? Using unsalted butter gives you more control over the amount of salt you add.
This way you don’t end up with a herd of deer showing up thinking your brown buttercream frosting is their salt lick.
For regular brown buttercream, using salted butter works just fine and you will not need to add any salt.
What can I do with brown buttercream?
With your basic brown buttercream, you have a base upon which many other flavors can be built.
You can go a savory direction by infusing some savory herbs like rosemary or thyme. Bacon also can be either crumbled and mixed in or just sprinkled on top.
Or you can use fruits like cherries or strawberries, peaches, pears, or apples to create divinely sweet frosting. For adding fruit flavors, you have a few ways to go. You can use canned fruit fillings that are used for making pies. Or, you can use fruit syrups that come in bottles. You can also even use jams and jellies to mix in.
All of those options will add sweetness. If you use a syrup, then you can reduce the amount of milk or cream a bit so that the frosting still has a good consistency and doesn’t become too thin and runny.
Another syrup that works really well is maple syrup!
How do I store brown buttercream?
Definitely store the brown buttercream in the fridge. It will keep for a few days out of the fridge on a cake, but if you haven’t used the buttercream yet, it is better to keep it sealed in the fridge and let it warm to room temp when you are ready to use it.
If you keep it in the fridge, then it should keep for about two to three weeks, no problem.
I don’t recommend freezing it, but you can. If you do, just make sure to keep it in a very tightly lidded container.
What kind of recipes can I do with brown buttercream frosting?
Brown buttercream works as both a frosting and filling for desserts. You can easily pipe it onto cupcakes and brownies. Sandwich some between two cookies. Let the sweet tooth be your guide and you can’t go wrong.
I have a few more suggestions for ways to take advantage of your brown buttercream too:
- Sugar cookies are perfect platforms for all frostings
- Pumpkin cake with brown butter buttercream frosting would be amazing in place of cream cheese frosting
- Take this Cinnamon Carrot Cake to the next level with this buttercream
Brown Butter Buttercream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 c. salted butter
- 32 oz. bag. powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. milk or cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly until it becomes a deep golden brown color.
- Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Refrigerate fro 3-4 hours until solidified.
- Using a mixer, beat the solidified butter until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until well combined.
- Continue beating the frosting on high for 5 minutes to get a light and fluffy buttercream.
- Use to decorate a cake or store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Patrice says
Will this icing work well on a naked cake? And can I add borbon? Making a cake for a Stock the Bar Party.
Marisol Hernandez says
Can I use this frosting to make a cake? Like if I use it as a filling and crumb coat will it be stable enough to hold the cake together? Thanks in advance
Danielle Green says
Yes, you can frost a cake with it, but it won’t hold up as great to piping designs like a traditional buttercream.
Anna ~ ☆The Tipsy Baker☆ says
I do not add as much heavy whipping cream. I only add 1-3 tablespoons. Add the cream at the very end. You MUST pour very very slowly into the icing. Have the mixer on low with the paddle attachment or the whisk attachment. Only add until the desired consistency is reached. Your icing will then be perfect for piping and decorating like a pro! 🫶🏻
Rae says
If I’m going to use unsalted butter, how do I go about making this like a salted caramel icing? I have the thick Fleur de Sel. Would I add that in at the end?
Mandy says
Do you need to refrigerate the cake once it is frosted with this frosting?
Danielle Green says
No need to refrigerate
Janna says
This makes no sense. I have to refrigerate the icing if I’m not using it right away, but I don’t have to refrigerate a cake iced in this icing?
Danielle Green says
I said ‘no need to refrigerate’, meaning you don’t need to refrigerate the frosting. I should have phrased it better.
Renee Delatizky says
Hi – can I color this frosting? Violet?
Thank you!
Renee
Danielle Green says
absolutely, just keep in mind that bright vibrant colors may not be as bright
Tiffany says
This is AMAZING. I was looking for something to go with a carrot cake, as neither my husband or I really like cream cheese frosting. I made as written, plus added cinnamon. My husband is very picky and usually doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but he ate all the leftover just by dipping graham crackers in it. So so good. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Julie says
Would this with with buttermilk instead of milk?
Danielle Green says
It’s such a small amount, I’m sure that would be fine
Hannah says
Would it work to brown the butter and store overnight?
Danielle Green says
Yes!
Autumn says
Would this work with pastel food colouring? I’m worried that the blue might turn green for example or the pink would look off. I want to decorate a 4 year olds cake but also appeal to a grown up palate. Thanks!
Danielle Green says
Yes, just be sure to add very little color at a time to see what direction it is heading and adjust accordingly.
Rebecca says
This this would hold up to adding melted chocolate in? Making a brown butter yellow cake & wanting to do a chocolate brown buttercream.
Danielle Green says
It should, IF you cool the melted chocolate until almost firm and then beat it in. You may need to adjust powdered sugar though.
Fifi says
Can you add food colouring and is this okay to use between cake tiers?
Danielle Green says
Absolutely!
Andres says
Could i freeze this frosting?
Danielle Green says
Frosting doesn’t freeze particularly well in my experience.
Annie says
Would this icing be okay for decorating cookies? Would it dry hard enough so it wouldn’t smudge?
Danielle Green says
It would be absolutely delicious on cookies, but much like my other buttercream recipe, it won’t dry hard. It will likely dry with a slight crust on the outside that protects them from all the smudges. You wouldn’t be able to stack and store them. Totally worth the pain for the amazing taste though!
Alison LaFortune says
Love the taste of brown butter. We’ll be trying it out!
Julie says
This looks perfect! I can’t wait to try it out!
Megan says
I made this frosting to jazz up some simple chocolate cupcakes and the flavor combination was perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Malinda Linnebur says
This buttercream was sooo good!! Made it for a cake I took to work and everyone just loved it!