Keto Frosting Recipes {3 Flavors} (2024)

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Learn how to make three keto frosting recipes to frost your cakes, muffins, brownies, and more! Vanilla frosting, chocolate frosting, and a simple cream cheese frosting. Low carb, sugar free and quick and easy!

Keto Frosting Recipes {3 Flavors} (1)

See, I’ve got plenty of keto desserts that can ALL be taken up a notch by adding a thick layer of frosting, or a thinner icing.

After making a chocolate mug cake, I thought adding a chocolate icing would make it even better. I wanted one that could be as thick or thin as needed and as such, I HAD to create a sugar free frosting.

Is frosting keto?

Traditional frosting or icing recipes are not suitable for a keto diet. The main ingredient for any frosting recipe is powdered sugar, which is definitely not keto or low carb. However, by using keto powdered sugar, you can replicate all your favorite frosting flavors, that taste just like the real deal!

This sugar free frosting is so quick and easy to make, you will never leave a dessert unfrosted again!

It’s sweet, creamy, and can be made thick, like a buttercream, or thinned out, like a glaze or icing.

As much as I love a good chocolate frosting, I am also a fan of the classic vanilla and cream cheese frostings. With just ONE recipe base, you can easily create at least three frosting flavors, that are perfect for various kinds of desserts.

Here are the frosting flavors-

  • Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
Keto Frosting Recipes {3 Flavors} (2)

How do you make keto frosting

There are three main ingredients that go into all three frosting flavors. After you’ve selected which flavor you want, all you need to do then is just add the extra 1 or 2 ingredients and you will be done!

The Ingredients

  • Powdered sugar– The key to any good frosting recipe. I used homemade keto powdered sugar, which is ridiculously quick and easy to make at home.
  • Butter– Use room temperature butter, but not melted. Also, avoid using salted butter, unless you want your frosting to have a slightly salty tinge.
  • Vanilla extract– A must for any dessert recipe.

The Instructions

Start by beating together your powdered sugar and butter on low, until combined. Add in your vanilla extract, followed by the additional ingredients (based on which flavor you are going for). Continue to beat until thick and creamy. If you’d like a thick frosting (than can easily be piped),

Flavor Variations

For all three frosting options, make the base frosting first, then add the extra ingredients as listed.

Chocolate Frosting

  • Basic frosting
  • Cocoa powder
  • Milk of choice
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Vanilla Frosting

  • Basic frosting
  • Milk of choice
  • Vanilla bean pod (optional)
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Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Basic frosting
  • Cream Cheese (full fat or dairy free)
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Can I make vegan frostings?

All the frostings can easily be made dairy free, especially if you want a vegan frosting. To make them vegan, make these substitutions-

  • Butter– Use dairy free butter for all flavors
  • Milk of choice– Use a plant based milk, like almond milk or soy milk
  • Cream cheese– Use a dairy free cream cheese, preferably from a block (not a spread).

Tips for the best keto frosting

  • For a thicker frosting, do not add any extra milk or water. If it isn’t thick enough to your liking, add more sugar free confectioners’ sugar.
  • If you’d prefer a thin frosting, or want to a more ‘icing’ like texture, add more milk or water.
  • Add some flavor extracts to change the flavors further- Lemon extract, strawberry extract, and coffee extract can all be added to the vanilla base.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer or hand mixer, you can mix by hand. However, make sure your butter is room temperature and that your sugar has been sifted.

How do you store frosting?

  • To store: Regardless of which flavor you make, you must store them all in the refrigerator, in a sealable container. They will all keep well for up to 1 week. Be sure to let your frosting sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, before using.
  • To freeze: If you’d like to freeze leftover frosting, store it in a shallow container and use it within 2 months of freezing. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature before frosting a cake or other dessert.
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Ways to use frosting

  • Cakes– Any of the frostings would be great with some keto birthday cake, chocolate cake, or a flourless chocolate cake.
  • Brownies– Use the cream cheese frosting in cheesecake brownies, the chocolate frosting in flourless brownies, and the vanilla frosting in the cookie dough brownies.
  • Muffins– Add some on the tops of breakfast muffins or fudgy chocolate muffins.
  • Cupcakes– I used the cream cheese and vanilla frostings on keto cupcakes and the chocolate frosting on the vegan cupcakes.

Keto Frosting Recipes {3 Flavors} (7)

Keto Frosting {3 Flavors}

5 from 541 votes

Learn how to make keto frosting using 3 ingredients and with 3 flavor options- Chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting, and cream cheese frosting! These sugar free frosting recipes are made with low carb ingredients!

Servings: 12 servings

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Rate This Recipe

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Ingredients

For the frosting base

Chocolate Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1-2 tablespoon milk of choice * see notes

Vanilla Frosting

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat your powdered sugar and butter until combined, and smooth. Add in your vanilla extract.

  • Add your flavor ingredients and continue beating until the desired texture is received. For a thinner texture, add more milk.

Notes

1 serving is 1/2 cup.

For vegan frostings, replace the butter with dairy free butter and dairy free cream cheese.

* Start with 1 tablespoon and add more, as needed.

TO STORE: Regardless of which flavor you make, you must store them all in the refrigerator, in a sealable container. They will all keep well for up to 1 week. Be sure to let your frosting sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, before using.

TO FREEZE: If you’d like to freeze leftover frosting, store it in a shallow container and use it within 2 months of freezing. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature before frosting a cake or other dessert.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSodium: 100mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 368IUCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 1g

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Arman Liew

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Keto Frosting Recipes {3 Flavors} (2024)

FAQs

What are the three types of frosting? ›

When considering the many different types of frostings there are for cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods, you can think about them in six broad categories: buttercream frosting, cooked frosting, whipped cream frosting, royal icing, ganaches, and glazes.

How do you thicken keto frosting? ›

You can thicken buttercream without sugar by using coconut flour or almond flour! Add a little until it looks to be the consistency you desire. Most bakers typically use flour, which works as well, but coconut flour or almond flour keep your icing lower in carbs.

Can you add flavoring to canned frosting? ›

Adding Flavor to Store-Bought Frosting

Adding extracts, fruit or peanut butter are some of the easiest ways to take your store-bought frosting up a notch! To give your vanilla icing that homemade taste, try mixing in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

What is a good substitute for buttercream frosting? ›

Ganache, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream frosting, fondant, and meringue frosting are all excellent options that are easy to make and delicious to taste. With the right recipe and techniques, you can achieve a beautifully iced cake without using buttercream.

What is the most popular frosting? ›

Buttercream is the most popular type of frosting largely because of its few ingredients and easy application. Classic buttercream requires beating butter into icing sugar until you reach a frosting consistency.

What is the hardest frosting to make? ›

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

How can I thicken my keto without flour? ›

Still, even without the flour, you can make a rich, thick gravy. Though there are plenty of keto-approved flour replacements (coconut flour, almond flour, flaxseed meal, and sunflower seed flour to name a few), none can create quite as creamy a sauce as xanthan gum.

Is cornstarch good for keto? ›

If you love cooking, you're probably used to recipes that call for cornstarch as a thickening agent. But cornstarch is typically forbidden on Keto, with a whopping 116g of net carbs per cup. That's enough to knock you and your 5 best friends out of ketosis.

What flour is keto? ›

Almond flour has been a number one keto flour for a long time. This is for good reason! It creates a soft crumb with a good structure in cakes and cookies, plus almonds are nutrient rich and naturally gluten-free.

How do you make frosting taste like bakery? ›

7 Ways to Make Canned Frosting Taste Homemade
  1. Whip the frosting. arinahabich/Getty Images. ...
  2. Thin it out. Since canned frosting is typically super thick, another way to get it to taste homemade is to make it thinner. ...
  3. Flavor with extract. ...
  4. Make it extra smooth. ...
  5. Add a pinch of salt. ...
  6. Give it more texture. ...
  7. Add color.
Apr 2, 2021

Can you add Jell-O to frosting for flavor? ›

Add this to chocolate frosting for a real flavor boost. Dry Jell-O powder. 2 teaspoons, or more to taste. This is also a good way to tint white frosting.

Can you add almond extract to canned frosting? ›

Almond extract is the perfect addition to make canned frosting taste wonderful. Add about 1/2 to one whole teaspoon per 2 cups of canned frosting for a rich and complex flavor.

What is a cheap alternative to buttercream? ›

Egg whites and confectioner's sugar beaten together, a dash of lemon juice as a stabilizer. It's quick and easy to make, holds its shape beautifully and if it dries out you can always add water to revive it. Perfectly white, easy to color and easy to clean, too.

What are the 7 types of frosting? ›

GUIDE TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FROSTING
  • SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • FRENCH BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • GERMAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. ...
  • ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING. ...
  • SEVEN-MINUTE FROSTING.

What is the difference between icing and frosting? ›

You'll be glad to know there is a distinction between the two. In broad terms, frosting is thick and fluffy, and is used to coat the outside (and often the inner layers) of a cake. Icing is thinner and glossier than frosting, and can be used as a glaze or for detailed decorating.

What are the main types of frosting? ›

GUIDE TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FROSTING
  • SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • FRENCH BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • GERMAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. ...
  • ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM. ...
  • WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING. ...
  • SEVEN-MINUTE FROSTING.

What are the four types of frosting? ›

4 Common Types Of Frosting For Desserts
  • Cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese frosting and red velvet cake are traditionally paired with one another. ...
  • Ganache. ...
  • Basic buttercream frosting. ...
  • Whipped cream frosting.
Dec 29, 2016

What are the 7 general types of icing? ›

A Comprehensive Guide to Different Kinds of Icing, Glazes &...
  • Buttercreams. One of the most common and versatile cake toppings and fillings, buttercream actually covers a fairly wide array of different cake toppings. ...
  • Caramel icing. ...
  • Ganache. ...
  • Glaze. ...
  • Gum paste. ...
  • Fondant. ...
  • Fudge icing. ...
  • Marzipan.
Dec 22, 2015

What kind of frosting do most bakeries use? ›

Most commercial bakeries are using a buttercream made with shortening rather than butter, because it is more stable, especially if it gets warm.

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