Small Batch Cranberry Frosting
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Tart and not-too-sweet cranberry buttercream frosting brings a bright, naturally pink finish to cakes, cupcakes, and more. Fresh cranberries simmer into a jam, then blend with cream cheese and butter for a smooth frosting ready in 20 minutes. The small batch fits 6 cupcakes or a 6-inch cake, making it an easy holiday-forward option for smaller gatherings.
Frosting Meant For The Holidays
Bags and bags of cranberries — that’s what’s in my freezer every fall/winter. And there’s only so much cranberry sauce one (me!) can eat every year.
You can pile a bunch on top of shortbread in my small batch of cranberry crumble bars. Make some palate-refreshing holiday cranberry granita. Or, make this delicately tart and rosy frosting for all of your holiday bakes. But you don’t need to limit the frosting to a specific season — especially if you keep bags of berries in your freezer year-round like me. 😉
To get the most flavor in the frosting, I found that reducing fresh cranberries into a jam (think, cranberry sauce) concentrates the flavor and it cooks out extra moisture. I tried just blending cranberries, but that resulted in a super-wet sauce that was light on flavor.
And for a sturdy frosting that doesn’t rely on copious amounts of powdered sugar (that can ultimately overshadow the cranberry flavor), I use cream cheese in this buttercream. It makes it thick and smooth, and the flavor subtly enhances the tartness of the cranberry.
But let’s talk about the color for a moment. That vibrant, natural pink is exactly why I love using fruit — no dye, no tricks, just beautiful berries doing their thing. The frosting is cheering to be swirled on top of a small batch of cupcakes!
And now that I’ve introduced you to the idea of cream cheese + fruit for frosting, try my spreadable raspberry cream cheese cookie frosting next!
How To Make Cranberry Frosting
Cook the cranberries in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes with a little water until they burst and get jammy. Strain the cranberry sauce and make sure to scrape the underside of the strainer to get all the sauce!
Tip! You can skip straining the cranberry sauce if you don’t mind the pulp and seeds. If you leave it unstrained, give it a quick blitz in a blender so the frosting stays smooth.
Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. For a non-grainy frosting, sift in and mix the powdered sugar in increments.
Add the cranberry sauce with the last addition of powdered sugar, and switch to the whisk attachment. Mix the frosting for a few minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth – about 3 minutes. Look at that color!
Tip! If the frosting looks a little loose, the refrigerator is your friend. Chill the bowl for about 20 minutes to firm everything up, then mix again to bring back that fluffy texture.
More Tested Cranberry Frosting Tips
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Canned cranberry sauce has more moisture and will leave the frosting soft.
- Don’t overmix the frosting. Cream cheese can break down if it’s whipped too long, which turns the frosting soupy. Unlike classic vanilla buttercream frosting, this one benefits from a gentler mix.
- Keep the decorations simple. Because of the natural moisture in the cranberry and cream cheese, this frosting isn’t meant for intricate piping. Think soft swirls and swoops — simple, pretty, and very forgiving.
Did You Make It? Let’s Hear About It!
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If this small batch cranberry frosting makes its way onto your cupcakes or a cozy 6-inch cake, let me know below! A quick comment and rating is always appreciated and help others find my recipes.
Small Batch Cranberry Frosting
by Erin Cernich
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the cranberries and water. Cook the cranberries over medium-low heat until they start to burst, and the mixture gets jammy. This may take about 5 minutes. It should be thick and not watery.1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, 2 tablespoons water
- Over a small bowl, push the cranberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer with a spatula to remove the seeds and pulp. Be sure to scrape the underside of the strainer to get all of the sauce – you should get about 2 tablespoons. Put in the refrigerator to cool. Note – If you prefer a chunky frosting, you can skip straining the cranberry sauce and add about 1 to 2 tablespoons to the frosting.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Use a hand mixer with beater attachments to mix until smooth and creamy. Note – See the Notes section for using your stand mixer.2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Add the vanilla and salt. Then, in increments (to avoid spraying powdered sugar), sift the powdered sugar over the butter mix, beating after each addition. Tip – Sifting the powdered sugar will avoid grainy frosting.1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- With the last addition of powdered sugar, add 1.5 tablespoons of the cranberry sauce and switch to the whisk attachments. Mix the frosting for about 3 minutes until it is light and fluffy. Taste the frosting, and if you prefer a stronger cranberry flavor, add more in teaspoon increments. Careful not to add too much, or the frosting will become loose, and you will need to add more powdered sugar.
- Tip – If the frosting seems loose, it may need to chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to thicken. Mix it again for about 30 to 60 seconds after it comes out of the fridge to fluff it. The cream cheese can release moisture as it mixes, so be careful not to mix the frosting for too long.
- The frosting is ready to use right away or can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week. Give it a mix to fluff it after refrigerating.
Notes
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled. This recipe will yield enough frosting for 4 to 6 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you like on your cupcakes) or 1 6-inch cake (single or double layer).
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for the best results. Low-fat and spreadable carton cream cheese will result in a runny frosting.
- Cranberries – I prefer to use fresh cranberries for pure cranberry flavor. However, you can use leftover cranberry sauce from the holidays. I don’t recommend canned cranberries because they will contain too much moisture.
- Stand Mixer – You can use your standard tilt-head stand mixer and attachments with a small 3-quart mixing bowl. Note that when creaming the butter, you will want to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Even though it is a smaller bowl, the butter may want to stick to the sides.
Nutrition Estimates
About the Author …
Hi, I’m Erin! With years of experience baking for two in my own small household, I know about the love for desserts without the leftovers. I’ve tested, written, and photographed every one of the 300+ recipes on my website. And even had some of my desserts featured on Taste of Home, The Spruce Eats, ELLE, Parade, and more! From traditional to gluten free desserts for two, I have the recipe for you.
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