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This Peppermint American Buttercream is fast, easy and perfectly peppermint! Spread it on brownies, cookies, cupcakes or cakes for a festive holiday dessert!
Look no further for the perfect easy peppermint buttercream recipe! In a pinch you can throw together a frosting for your favorite brownies, chocolate cake or even sugar cookies.
I’m not saying that I’ve given up on my favorite buttercream: my heart still beats for Italian Meringue and Swiss Meringue tbh! But, I do acknowledge that sometimes we crave that familiar crack and crinkle of an American Buttercream. Adding peppermint just bumps up the festive!
To be honest, in my professional life, I rarely use American buttercream. One of the notable exceptions is for icing brownies, which is where this frosting is heading. {Spoiler alert!}
Normally I wax poetic about the nuances behind the recipe and give you lists (man, I love lists) of common pitfalls and solutions. Not here; not today, people. Why? Because the beauty of the American Buttercream (peppermint or otherwise) is its simplicity. I’m sure the French would have something to say about that, “Quelle horreur!”
Even if you forget to temp your butter, no big deal. I do suggest softening your butter though by leaving it out at room temperature or by beating it with the paddle attachment while gently heating the bowl with a kitchen torch. Using that method, you can have a peppermint American buttercream up and ready in 5 minutes.
Oh yeah, like actually 5 minutes.
So tuck this recipe away in your tool kit to pull out at a moment’s notice or when you crave that sweet, cracking buttercream of childhood. ? Pile it on top of some Chocolate Cupcakes or my Best Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe for a cocoa-peppermint fantasy!
Peppermint American Buttercream
Ingredients
- 226 g Butter Softened
- 454 g Confectioner's Sugar 1 lb box
- ½ t Pure Peppermint Extract more to taste
- 65 g Heavy cream more as needed
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together butter, 10x, and extract until light and smooth. Switch to the whisk.
- Add cream and whisk on high until light and fluffy and white.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed cake frosting recipes, or head over to my Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe first!