Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipe (0 Net Carbs!)

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If you like to bake keto (or just healthier) treats, this is an important skill to know: How to make sugar free buttercream frosting! It doesn’t take much to make professional-looking keto buttercream frosting, either… just a few simple, quality ingredients, just one large mixing bowl, and an easy technique. Once you learn this recipe, you’ll be able to add an instant fancy upgrade to all your favorite sugar-free desserts!

For the absolute best buttercream, you need the best butter — no question! I only use Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter for this recipe, because it creates creamier, fluffier results than any other butter. That’s because it comes from pasture-raised cows, uses a slow churning process, and contains more butterfat than many other brands. Try it and I know you’ll taste the difference!

Learn More About Danish Creamery Butter

(Including stores near you that carry it!)

What Is Buttercream?

Buttercream is a common type of frosting that uses creamed butter, powdered sugar, and flavoring agents to create a thick and fluffy topping for desserts. While some variations of buttercream use a meringue base with whipped egg whites, American-style buttercream needs no eggs whatsoever.

Traditional buttercream recipes are high in carbohydrates because of their sugar content. With the right powdered sweetener, though, it’s easy to make a keto version that tastes like the original!

Why You’ll Love This Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Classic sweet vanilla flavor (with 3 other flavor options below!)
Fluffy, creamy texture
Uses 5 simple ingredients
Ready in only 5 minutes
0 net carbs
Naturally gluten free
The perfect topping for low carb treats!

Keto buttercream frosting in a bowl with spatula

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for sugar free buttercream, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter – The best butter makes the best buttercream — none other will do! This one creates a rich flavor and mouthfeel. Make sure it’s softened at room temperature before you begin.
Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – A powdered sweetener keeps the frosting smooth. Besti tastes just like sugar (adding sweetness with no aftertaste), and blends like powdered sugar (so frosting stays grit-free), with 0 net carbs. If you want to use another powdered sweetener, check the sweetener conversion calculator, but many other powdered sugar substitutes don’t dissolve fully.
Vanilla Extract – Use a high-quality vanilla for the best flavor.
Sea Salt – Balances the flavor to keep frosting from tasting overly sweet. You can’t use salted butter to take its place, as you won’t be able to control how much salt is added.
Heavy Cream – Thins out the frosting to reach the right creamy consistency. You can substitute any kind of keto milk here, so if you’re just slightly sensitive to dairy and can tolerate butter but not cream, coconut or almond milk can work instead of the cream.

Buttercream frosting recipe ingredients in bowls

How To Make Sugar Free Buttercream Frosting

This section shows how to make keto buttercream with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Cream butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer, whip butter and sweetener together in a large bowl, until fluffy and pale yellow. (You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.)
Add remaining ingredients. Add cream, vanilla, and salt, and continue to beat the mixture at low speed.
Whip. Adjust the electric mixer to high speed (or medium-high speed is okay too) and beat frosting for 2-3 minutes, or until fluffy and creamy. If needed, beat in an additional tablespoon of cream at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency.

Full buttercream frosting recipe whipped in a bowl to become fluffy

Tips For The Best Keto Buttercream Frosting

It only takes a few ingredients, but buttercream also needs the right technique! Make it perfect every time with these tips.

Use room temperature ingredients. If butter is too cold, for example, the frosting will be lumpy.
Don’t over-beat. Once ingredients are fully incorporated, stop whipping! Over-whipping creates air bubbles and alters the texture.
Chill (or don’t). Use room-temperature icing to pipe or spread onto cooled cakes. If you’re in a warm climate, keep final frosted desserts in the refrigerator until serving to avoid melted buttercream.
Check for doneness. Press a spatula into your frosting and pull straight up. If it forms a soft curl at the end, it’s the correct thickness.

Sugar Free Buttercream Frosting Recipe Variations

This recipe creates a sugar-free vanilla buttercream frosting that makes the perfect topper for just about any dessert (or just plain on a spoon). If you’re looking for other flavors, try these swaps!

Keto chocolate buttercream frosting – Mix 1/4 cup of cocoa powder with sweetener before adding butter. Taste and add an additional tablespoon at a time as needed.
Lemon buttercream frosting – Add zest and juice from 1 lemon at the same time as adding vanilla extract.
Strawberry buttercream frosting – Use a blender or food processor to blend up to 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Add to the recipe at the same time as powdered Besti.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make keto buttercream frosting without heavy cream?

Yes, you can replace heavy cream with coconut milk or almond milk, but it will change the final flavor. Start with just a tablespoon, then add more as needed.

Buttercream vs. cream cheese frosting: What’s the difference?

Cream cheese frosting uses a combination of butter and cream cheese to create a fluffy topping, while buttercream relies on butter as the main fat source.

Storage Instructions

Short term: Vanilla frosting on recipes (like cupcakes) can keep at room temperature for up to 2 days (Besti sweetener is a natural preservative, for the short-term).
Medium term: If you haven’t used it on a recipe yet, store frosting in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 1-2 weeks.
Long term: For storing for longer, you can freeze buttercream! Place in a freezer bag, push out extra air, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then soften to room temperature before using.

Sugar free buttercream on top of a cupcake with sprinkles

Ways To Use Sugar Free Buttercream

If you have a keto dessert recipe that needs frosting, it will work beautifully with buttercream! Try these:

Cakes – Use sugar free buttercream icing for cake recipes like keto birthday cake, chocolate cake, strawberry lemonade cake… or even a vanilla mug cake!
Cupcakes – Pipe buttercream onto keto chocolate cupcakes or keto vanilla cupcakes for a dazzling finish.
Cookies – Use it to top sugar cookies, or as a filling for keto macarons and keto oreos.
Sugar-Free Sprinkles – The perfect garnish!

More Sugar Free Frosting Recipes

Why stop at buttercream? Use your frosting making skills on these other keto frosting recipes:

Keto Chocolate Frosting
Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
Sugar-Free Vanilla Cupcakes – With a recipe inside for raspberry buttercream!

Recommended Tools

Danish Creamery European Style Butter – Makes the creamiest, dreamiest frosting (the butterfat is the secret)!
Hand Mixer – Helps whip the frosting to fluffy perfection.

Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.

1 1/2 cups Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter (softened at room temperature) ▢
1 cup Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend ▢
1 tsp Vanilla extract ▢
1/8 tsp Sea salt ▢
1 tbsp Heavy cream (adjust as needed) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Using a hand mixer, cream the Danish Creamery Butter and Besti together for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and light yellow. (Start at low speed, then increase speed once the sweetener is incorporated.)
Beat in the cream, vanilla, and salt at low speed.
Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until the desired consistency is achieved.
If your sugar-free buttercream is too thick, beat in more cream, one teaspoon at a time, until you get the consistency you want.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 3 tablespoons

Entire recipe makes about 2 1/4 cups, or enough frosting for 12 cupcakes if using 3 tablespoons each. For a cake, double the recipe.

The ingredients on the recipe card are for keto vanilla buttercream. For other flavor variations (chocolate, lemon, and strawberry!), see the blog post.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 205

Fat 16.4g

Protein 0.1g

Total Carbs 0g

Net Carbs 0g

Fiber 0.1g

Sugar 0.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: keto buttercream frosting, sugar free buttercream

Calories: 205 kcal

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23 Comments

Ruth
0 March 4, 2023Reply

I was super excited to try out this frosting to use for my birthday cake – my first since being diagnosed with stage 2 diabetes. But, sadly, living in a state where ‘room temperature’ does not go above 60 degrees, the butter does not get soft enough to blend. Instead, I end up with just a large lump of butter that leaked out all the liquid. Can anyone give me any tips about how to get the butter ‘room temperature’ soft and stay soft until I can mix it with the powder? I’ve been struggling with this going on 3 years now since our family moved from Florida. So frustrating 🙁
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 March 6, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Ruth, To get the butter soft, you may need to leave it out of the refrigerator longer. Also, I find that if I leave the butter on the stove while the oven is heating up, it helps it soften more.
Linda Smith
0 February 17, 2023Reply

I have to say I didn’t care for this frosting… too much butter for me. Is there a reason so much butter vs powdered sugar was used? Regular buttercream has about 1 stick of butter and maybe 3 cups of powdered sugar. Just wondering since it’s rare that I don’t care for a wholesomeyum.com recipe
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 February 20, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Linda, Sorry you didn’t like this recipe, I find that kind of butter cream to be too sweet, but if you try it please let me know your results.
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 February 20, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Linda, Sorry you didn’t like this recipe, I find that kind of butter cream to be too sweet, but if you try it, please let me know your results.
  - Linda Smith
    0 February 20, 2023Reply
    
    I’ll definitely try it again but with less butter 😊
Sun
0 October 10, 2022Reply

Really good, I also added a splash of almond extract. My family loved it.
Lisa
0 September 27, 2022Reply

Maya, I am getting married in less than 2 weeks and making my own 3 tier keto wedding cake. I plan on using this buttercream frosting recipe. However, I want the color to be ivory/off white. I was thinking of adding a little espresso powder for this reason. Do you think this will work well or should I just add a touch of brown food coloring instead? I also plan to make some of the frosting burgundy and teal to pipe roses. I was thinking I probably need to multiple this recipe by 6 to make enough frosting but that’s my best guess. What do you think? My cake is going to be a double layer 12″, double layer 10″, and double layer 6 “.
Thank you so much for all your recipes! I have been keto for over 4 years now and lost over 170lbs! Your amazing recipes have been a huge blessing in my keto journey!!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 September 28, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Lisa, I would suggest the food coloring because espresso powder will change the flavor of the icing. I would like 6x would be good; I have never made that much, but having extra would be better than not having enough. Congratulations!
Adri
0 June 23, 2022Reply

This was so delicious, light and fluffy. I blended whole earth sweetener in my nutri bullet to turn it into powdered sweetener, and it worked great!! Thank you for the recipe.
Patti
0 February 22, 2022Reply

Would Swerve confectioner’s work well in this recipe?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 February 23, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Patti, You could try it, but it usually won’t dissolve and can crystallize if not consumed right away, so you may have a gritty result. Besti Powdered works better for this reason — it dissolves like powdered sugar would.
Andrea
0 December 13, 2021Reply

So delicious! You would not know this is a Keto recipe!
Wilhelmina
0 December 10, 2021Reply

This frosting is perfectly creamy and sweet, and it whipped up so fluffy! It is a bakery quality frosting perfect for any treat.
Anne
0 December 10, 2021Reply

This frosting has the PERFECT texture! Super smooth and creamy, and just thick enough. I couldn’t stop eating it by the spoonful!
Toni
0 December 10, 2021Reply

What a fun holiday keto treat!! This is so good! Thank you!
Amy L Huntley
0 December 3, 2021Reply

This is the creamiest and tastiest buttercream frosting. Using it on all of my cakes and cupcakes.
Glenda
0 December 3, 2021Reply

So creamy and delicious! Perfect for our birthday cupcakes. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Kristyn
0 December 3, 2021Reply

Tastes amazing!! Buttercream frosting is my fav & I love adding it to so many desserts. This is quick & so easy to make. You won’t be disappointed!
Matt Taylor
0 December 3, 2021Reply

This keto frosting is awesome!! Such a great low-carb recipe and incredibly easy to make. If you can’t find keto frosting, just make it! haha 🙂
Taylor
0 December 3, 2021Reply

This frosting is just perfect! So smooth and creamy. I made the lemon version and frosted it over vanilla cupcakes. Perfection!
Tracey Giordano
0 December 3, 2021Reply

Seriously the best frosting ever! I could eat it with a spoon!
- Linda
  0 January 25, 2022Reply
  
  Thank you so much Maya for the time you put into sending these recipes to us. The frosting is so amazing!!