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The Best Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

By Paula |

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When you’re ready to whip up a batch of this rich and decadent frosting all you will need are four simple ingredients. 

baking sheet with glass bowl of buttercream and spatula. Sifter with powdered sugar, vanilla extract jar and stick of butter in background.

That’s right, just four ingredients are all you need to make this creamy and delicious brown butter buttercream. This rich, fragrant, and flavorful frosting has a bold and nutty flavor from the brown butter. It is everything you love about a traditional buttercream frosting, only better, because brown butter.

baking sheet with glass bowl of buttercream and spatula. Sifter with powdered sugar, vanilla extract bottle and stick of butter in back.

How Long Does it Take To Make Brown Butter?

Depending on the amount of butter you use, it will take approximately 5 minutes from when you start for the butter to turn golden brown. TIP: If you slice the butter it will melt more evenly. At this point it will smell intensely buttery and nutty.

What is The Best Butter For Buttercream? 

I prefer using unsalted butter. This allows me to control the salt content. However, you can use either salted or unsalted butter to make buttercream frosting. When shopping, keep an eye out for a high quality butter with a higher fat content as it will produce the best buttercream possible. 

baking sheet with buttercream in glass bowl and spatula. Stick of butter behind.

Can You Overbeat Buttercream? 

Over beating the frosting will whip too much air (or bubbles) into the mix which will ruin the texture. No one wants a wonky textured buttercream so beat lightly. 

baking sheet with sifter of powdered sugar and bowl of buttercream. Stick of butter and vanilla extract bottle behind.

Should Buttercream taste like butter? 

If you taste the frosting on it’s own it may taste like butter but fear not, when it’s tasted with cake it will be the perfect pair. 

baking sheet with glass bowl of buttercream with spatula. Metal sifter behind bowl.

What Else is Brown Butter Used For?

Once you’ve tasted brown butter buttercream you may just want to use brown butter on a more regular basis. Brown butter adds a delicious, deep flavor to all kinds of savory and sweet recipes—from cakes and cookies all the way to seafood and pasta dishes. So good, you may just want to spoon it over everything.

Brown Butter Buttercream

baking sheet with glass bowl of buttercream and spatula. Sifter with powdered sugar, vanilla extract bottle and stick of butter in back.

Brown Butter Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 4 sticks unsalted butter - cut into equal pieces
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  1. In a medium, heavy bottom pan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter turns a light caramel color and has a nutty toasty aroma. Remove pan from heat.  Carefully pour butter into a separate bowl to stop it from cooking further. 
  2. Allow brown butter to solidify. 
  3. Transfer brown butter to mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. 
  4. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar. Beat until well combined. 
  5. Add vanilla extract and slowly incorporate cream. Beat until well combined. 

Notes

Can make brown butter in advance.  Bring to room temperature prior to mixing.

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© Paula Jones
Category: Desserts

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