Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
The ultimate pumpkin spice buttercream for your favorite fall treats! This light and fluffy Pumpkin Frosting is made with real pumpkin and warm pumpkin spice, with a touch of browned butter and brown sugar for a nutty, caramelized flavor. Whip it up in minutes for topping cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or enjoying by the spoonful.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
When you want to turn gluten free vanilla cupcakes or gluten free chocolate cake into a show-stopping fall dessert, top it with pumpkin frosting! Not your ordinary buttercream, this pumpkin spice frosting combines real pumpkin for authentic flavor, plus browned butter and brown sugar for richness. It’s a step above any other recipes you’ll find out there!
I love making a batch of Gluten Free Sugar Cookies that I top with pumpkin frosting and a few mini chocolate chips for a Halloween treat. But that’s just the beginning. It will instantly elevate cupcakes, shortbread, and whatever else you can think of with the taste of pumpkin pie in frosting form!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Frosting Recipe
I love this pumpkin frosting on anything, especially chocolate cupcakes – it truly stands out from ordinary buttercream. Here’s why…
- Extra-special flavor. This is not an everyday frosting! Pumpkin pie spice paired with creamy pumpkin adds a deep, rich taste and natural color. But it’s that pairing of browning the butter and adding a little brown sugar for a nutty, caramelized flavor that turns it into something extraordinary.
- Adds a little autumn to everything. As mentioned, you can use this frosting to finish all kinds of cakes and cupcakes. But don’t stop there. Cookies and brownies all benefit from a little pumpkin frosting. Or you can even swap the glaze on a batch of fluffy gluten free cinnamon rolls.
- Perfect texture. You’ll love the creamy, dreamy consistency that makes it ideal for piping onto all of your favorite fall treats so that they look as incredible as they taste.
- Naturally gluten free. That’s right, you don’t have to change a thing to slather this icing on all of your gluten free bakes this season!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients that go into pumpkin frosting. Don’t forget to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Butter: For the best results, use unsalted butter so that the other flavors in the frosting are not overshadowed by a salty flavor.
- Brown Sugar: I like to use dark brown sugar in this frosting. If needed, you can use light brown sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree: Adds real pumpkin flavor and a natural orange color. Make sure you use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: My recipe for homemade pumpkin pie spice works perfectly in this pumpkin frosting recipe. But you can also buy a jar from the grocery store.
- Powdered Sugar: To sweeten and stiffen the frosting. You may need to sift it if your has lumps.
- Milk: If needed, to adjust the consistency of the frosting.
How To Make Pumpkin Buttercream
Follow along with my photos below to help you make this easy pumpkin frosting. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Brown the butter. Cook ½ cup of butter over medium-low heat until it’s dark golden brown.
- Cream butter. Beat the remaining ½ stick of butter until creamy.
- Add spices. Beat in the spices, browned butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin. Keep beating until the mixture is well combined.
- Add sugar. Beat in the powdered sugar until the icing is thick and fluffy.
- Use! When the frosting is ready, you can store it in the fridge or use a piping bag to frost cake, cupcakes, and more.
Tips for Success
Read through my tips below before you make this recipe so that it turns out perfectly:
- Cool the butter. After browning the butter, make sure to let it cool before continuing with the recipe. If it’s too hot, it will melt the rest of the butter and your frosting will be goopy.
- Consider blotting the pumpkin. The technique of lightly blotting pumpkin puree with a paper towel helps to remove excess moisture. This can help baked goods and frosting from being too liquidy when you add the puree.
- Too thick? Blend in a little milk to thin it out.
- Too thin? Add a little powdered sugar or, if you think it is already sweet enough, pop it in the fridge to firm up a bit.
- Out of pumpkin pie spice? A good rule of thumb is that for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice called for in a recipe, you can substitute ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon plus ¼ teaspoon of ginger, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg. Or, you can use ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon each of ginger, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg.
Frosting FAQs
How long should I brown the butter?
When you brown butter, you’ll want to watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn as it’s cooking. I brown butter for at least 5 minutes, and sometimes up to 8 minutes if I want it to be a bit darker. Carefully swirl and shake the pan occasionally while it’s cooking so that the butter cooks evenly.
Can I make this pumpkin frosting ahead of time?
Yes! You can make this frosting a few days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. See below for the detailed storage instructions. Just let it come to room temperature and re-whip with a mixer or whisk to fluff it up before using.
Can I use this pumpkin frosting on cupcakes and cakes?
Absolutely! This frosting pipes beautifully and spreads easily, making it perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more. It’s also delicious by the spoonful. See the “What to Make” section below for even more ideas!
Can I make this pumpkin frosting dairy-free?
Yes! Substitute the butter with a dairy-free butter alternative and use a non-dairy milk if needed. Because of the browning step, you’ll want to use a good-quality stick vegan butter versus one in a tub, as those usually contain more moisture. Brands like Violife and Miyoko’s are good options. Also look for ones with nut-based ingredients. The texture may be slightly different, but it will still be creamy and spreadable.
Why is my pumpkin frosting too thin or too thick?
Blotting the pumpkin puree can help avoid a runny frosting. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar a little at a time, or refrigerate it for a bit before spreading or piping – if your browned butter was not cooled enough, it may just need to set up again. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk or cream until you reach the desired consistency.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Buttercream
- Fridge – Store pumpkin frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to use it, you may need to let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to let it warm up so it’s easier to spread.
- Freezer – Transfer the frosting to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the frosting completely in the fridge before using.
Ways To Use Pumpkin Frosting
Here are my favorite gluten free recipes that go so well with this icing recipe:
- Cookies. Spice up Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies by frosting them with this pumpkin frosting recipe. Or, go all-in on pumpkin and add sweet pumpkin frosting to Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies (then sprinkle them with bittersweet chocolate shavings) instead of cream cheese icing.
- Cups and bars. Instead of regular cookies, try piping it into Pumpkin Frosted Cookie Cups or Sugar Cookie Bars with Pumpkin Frosting. Or, try it on Easy Gluten Free Brownies to turn them into an easy fall-flavored dessert.
- As a cupcake topping. Chocolate and pumpkin make such a wonderful pairing, and this frosting is absolutely lovely on my Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes. It also works well on vanilla cupcakes, such as a batch of Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes. It’s also great on Gluten Free Oreo Cupcakes!
- To frost a cake. As mentioned, chocolate cake is a natural choice to serve with pumpkin frosting, The frosting also makes an equally nice filling and frosting for Gluten Free White Cake or covering Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake for double the pumpkin goodness.
More Homemade Frosting Recipes To Try
Pumpkin Frosting
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter divided, ½ stick at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pound powdered sugar , sifted
- milk or additional powdered sugar , if necessary to adjust consistency
Instructions
- Of the ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, set aside half a stick (1/4 cup) to soften to room temperature, then slowly melt one stick (½ cup) of butter in a pan over medium-low heat, then cook slowly until the butter is dark golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Place remaining softened ½ stick of butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy.
- Slowly beat in the browned butter, then add 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, beating until combined.
- Gradually add 1 pound powdered sugar and beat until thick and fluffy, adding additional milk or additional powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.
- Immediately frost a cooled cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc., or store the frosting in an airtight container for later use. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the frosting will keep for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before using.
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