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My 3-ingredient fluffy keto frosting recipe is the perfect accent to your favorite keto desserts. Make vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese frosting for only 2 grams of net carbs.
Ready to use your sugar-free frosting? Try it on my keto Boston cream pie, keto cupcakes, and keto cinnamon rolls.
Let’s be real; the best part about dessert is the frosting. But what about those of us rocking that low-carb lifestyle?
Well, friends, my low-carb frosting is here to save the day. It’s every bit as thick, creamy, and sweet as regular frosting, just with some low-carb substitutions.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Adjust the consistency. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, it can be made thick like buttercream or thinned out like a glaze or icing.
- Three sugar free frosting recipes. I give you the base recipe for keto buttercream frosting plus three equally delicious frosting flavors!
- The perfect texture and taste. It’s silky smooth with the perfect balance of sweetness.
- Diet-friendly. It’s gluten-free, low-carb, and with a few swaps, it can even be made vegan!
Ingredients needed
- Powdered sugar. The key to any good frosting recipe. I used homemade keto powdered sweetener made with a mix of allulose and powdered erythritol.
- Unsalted butter. Use room temperature butter, but not melted. Also, avoid using salted butter as it’s hard to gauge the amount of salt added.
- Vanilla extract. A must for frosting!
How to make keto frosting
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, beat the powdered sugar and butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract.
Step 2- Add extra flavors. Add additional flavors and beat until thick and creamy.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Adjust the consistency. For a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner frosting, add a splash of milk or heavy cream.
- Play around with extracts. Add a teaspoon of lemon extract, maple extract, or coffee extract for a different flavor.
- Make vegan frosting. Use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese if you’re making cream cheese frosting.
Variations
- Keto chocolate frosting. Add ½ cup of cocoa powder and 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Keto cream cheese frosting. Add 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Keto vanilla frosting. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
To freeze: Store the frosting in a shallow container and use within 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t want to add more powdered sugar, refrigerate the frosting for at least 30 minutes or add thick ingredients like cocoa powder or cream cheese.
Recipes using keto frosting
Keto Frosting {3 Flavors}
Ingredients
For the frosting base
- 3 cups sugar free powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoon milk of choice * see notes
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1-2 tablespoon milk of choice * see notes
Vanilla Frosting
- 1-2 tablespoon milk of choice * see notes
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.
do you have a keto royal icing recipe for cut out cookies? thanks I loved this one on my cupcakes
I cut the sweetener back WAAAAY back! I couldn’t believe the recipe called for 3 cups!! The thought of that made my teeth ache. Reminds me of the icing they use to bake with in supermarkets that almost crystalized they were so sweet.
I used 1c and 2/3c butter and whipping cream for milk when using the cream cheese recipe
My husband who likes things sweet said it still was far too sweet! Had I had more butter on hand I could have added more butter and less sweetener.
Everything looks great !!!! I got to go shopping, and then it’s time to bake.
Frosted 5 cakes with these 🙂
Arman,
Is there an option to modify the vanilla recipe to make it peanut butter flavor?
I made cakes for my friend’s wedding. She wanted a Keto/gluten free version as well. One of the layers and the bride’s choice was a lavender earl grey. So I made your birthday cake recipe and added hand ground earl grey tea leaves and lavender buds to the batter. I then made your cream cheese icing above and added hand ground earl grey tea leaves and small amount of ground lavender buds (food grade) to the icing.
It was a huge hit! The guests raved that it was just like a full carb version and so moist and perfect texture! The icing was perfect too!
Thank you for these recipes!
PS I find allulose is the best sweetener it is a rare sugar that doesn’t metabolise so no carbs and dissolves just like regular sugar. It’s a 1/3 less sweet so you will need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
Absolutely delicious!!
Fantastic cream cheese frosting! I just wanted to add that I only had about 8 ounces of Swerve left, so I used that instead of 3 cups for the base; and it was still bomb. Everyone loved it. Saving this recipe for future use!
How much is a serving, please?
Arman: Is it OK to substitute buttermilk or coconut milk for “milk of choice”?
Coconut milk works.
Have you tried this with either BochaSweet or xylitol? I don’t like the cooling effect of erythritol.
Try allulose or a brown sugar substitute
Just made this with your keto cake recipe. I had an issue with the butter and sugar coming together, but kept adding more milk and it turned out fine. Also, next time I would cut the sugar, probably by half, but that could just be our personal taste. Thanks for the recipes!
Thank you, Anette!
If I’m making this icing with your birthday cake recipie that calls for 2 cakes but I only make 1 cake. Should I also half the icing recipie too??
No keep the icing the same 🙂
Your butter likely wasn’t soft enough. I placed my bowl in a bowl that had somehot water to warm up the bottom for a couple of minutes to help soften the butter beat it on high and it was perfect! I also called my baker friend and she was helpful l
Yes but the ratio still didnt work well for me sadly
The 3 cups powdered sugar did not mix well with 1/2 cup the softened butter , was this the right measurements?
Did you sift it well?
I read where anything keto we should use parchment paper. I made a pumpkin cupcake and used parchment paper cupcake liners. Seemed to help some.
Oh fantastic- With frosting I don’t need liners but definitely for muffins or cupcakes!
I made the vanilla cupcake recipe today along with the cream cheese icing. It was very good. Very moist and fluffy and the icing perfect. The only problem I had was the cupcake wanting to stick to the paper liner. I barely sprayed each cup as you suggested. I’m hoping to find a remedy. But all in all a very good recipe!
What do you do with the vanilla bean, if you use it?
Add the crushed vanilla beans and blend them into the frosting 🙂
You can also heat the milk/cream and put the vanilla bean in so that it infuses it. Leave it for about 1/2 to 1 hour. Then chill the milk/cream before you make your icing!
This recipe is top notch, delicious. A bit expensive using the sugar free alternative but tasted like frosting. Thank you!
So great to hear that! 🙂
Thank you for confirming, will be trying it this weekend 🙂
It said its made with the sugar free version, so maybe I am reading something wrong. When I went to your homemade version it says 1 carb. Since this recipe said sugar free, I expected a lower amount, and I am guessing it really is 🙂
Hi! I’m so sorry, Kim- I just realised the recipe card wasn’t showing the correct amount for everyone- just to clarify, it is 1 gram net carbs per half cup NOT 25!!!!!! So sorry it isn’t showing the right number, my team are looking in on it!
I cant do 25 carbs 🙁
Guess I’ll stick with other options. It looks awesome though.
Sorry!!! It is 1 gram net carb per half cup!
Is the carb count correct? Seems high for sugar free/keto. Looking forward to trying it though.
It is 🙂 Use my homemade powdered sugar 🙂