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This low carb keto cream cheese frosting recipe was originally created for making keto carrot cake, my all-time favorite spring dessert. And I’m so glad I did, because I’ve found so many delicious ways to use this sugar-free cream cheese frosting since then. Pairing beautifully with so many different desserts, it works equally well as a keto icing recipe (that you spread) and a low carb frosting (that you pipe). It’s not just the best cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar… I’d say this is the best one, period.
This keto cream cheese frosting recipe was originally published on February 17, 2018, and was republished in December 2019 to add better photos and better tips. If you’re curious, here’s one of the original photos:
Is Cream Cheese Frosting Keto?
No, regular cream cheese frosting is not keto because it contains sugar. (Lots of sugar.)
Traditional cream cheese frosting is pretty much the opposite of low carb. Fortunately, it’s actually very easy to make keto cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar.
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar
How do you make cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar? Use powdered erythritol instead!
Yep, powdered erythritol works basically the same way as sugar in this low carb cream cheese frosting recipe. It’s even a natural sweetener, too.
The difference is, no powdered sugar means no insulin spike. And, no sugar crash later. Yay!
What If You Don’t Have Powdered Sweetener?
If you don’t want to buy the powdered kind, you can also use granulated erythritol. In fact, you can use any granulated sweetener you like, like monk fruit or a stevia blend. I have a guide covering all the sugar-free sweeteners here.
TIP: If you use a granulated sweetener, you have to powder it in a food processor or coffee grinder. It needs to be powdered before adding it to the frosting, otherwise, your keto cream cheese frosting will be grainy.
How To Make Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
So, how do you make low carb cream cheese frosting? It’s very straightforward.
All you need are five ingredients and a hand mixer!
- Beat together cream cheese and butter, until the mixture is fluffy.
TIP: Make sure both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature first. Otherwise, they will be too stiff and may not mix well.
- Beat in powdered sweetener and vanilla. (This is where you’ll want to grind your sweetener first if it’s not already powdered.)
- Thin out the frosting to a creamy consistency. The way I do it is by adding some heavy cream, and you can adjust the amount to your liking. If you like, you could also use any milk of your choice, such as almond or coconut milk.
TIP: If you want your sugar-free frosting recipe to be keto friendly, don’t use regular dairy milk, which has sugar from the lactose.
Ingredient Ratios in My Favorite Low Carb Cream Cheese Frosting
One thing that makes this low carb cream cheese frosting a little different from most is the ratios. I don’t like a lot of butter in my cream cheese frosting.
My sugar-free cream cheese frosting recipe has a 4:1 ratio of cream cheese to butter.
I prefer to let the slightly tart flavor of the cream cheese shine through. But if that’s not your thing? No problem! It’s super easy to customize.
TIP: If you’d rather have a stronger buttercream frosting flavor or texture, feel free to change up the ratio – you just want 10 tablespoons total. More butter and less cream cheese should work just fine.
I’m pretty sure that almost any ratio in this keto cream cheese frosting would still be delicious! 😉
How To Pipe Cream Cheese Frosting
How to pipe cream cheese frosting will partially depend on what you are using it for. For some uses, such as bars or a regular cake, you can just spread it on, whereas others require a piping bag.
To pipe cream cheese frosting in a pattern, such as for cake decorating or topping cupcakes, transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip.
TIP: If you don’t have any piping bags or tips, you can simply use a plastic bag with a corner snipped off.
For frosting cupcakes or any other round shape, start from the center, forming a spiral outward, and then continue the spiral inward again, ending back at the center.
How To Store Cream Cheese Frosting
You can make low carb cream cheese frosting ahead of time if you like. It only takes like five minutes to make to begin with, so not sure how much you are saving, but feel free if you’re so inclined.
Keto cream cheese icing will store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure to let it come to room temperature before trying to use it.
Does Cream Cheese Frosting Freeze Well?
Yes, absolutely! If you want to make a big batch of sugar-free cream cheese frosting, you can freeze it. Simply transfer it to a zip lock bag and push all the air out before sealing.
Before using frozen sugar-free cream cheese frosting, let it thaw in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature on the counter before using.
TIP: To avoid any texture issues after freezing, beat the low carb cream cheese frosting briefly again (or at least stir or whisk well if that seems sufficient), right before using.
Ways To Use Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting
What are your favorite ways to use sugar-free cream cheese frosting? Here are some of mine:
- Keto Pumpkin Bars – These are my most popular pumpkin recipe, and something tells me the frosting has a little to do with it.
- Sugar-Free Cupcakes – They already have a raspberry frosting, but would be just as delicious with this sugar-free cream cheese frosting instead.
- Keto Birthday Cake – This vanilla cake is so good that my non-keto friends and family can’t tell the difference. 😉
- Keto Mug Muffin – The low carb cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with the cinnamon swirl.
- Keto Carrot Cake – This was the reason I first made this cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar!
If you have ideas of your own, I want to hear about them. I know I’m going to be experimenting with this keto cream cheese frosting a lot. If you use it too, I’d love to know!
And if you’re more of a chocolate fan, try my keto chocolate frosting recipe. You can also make sugar-free peanut butter frosting by using Besti powdered sweetener in place of sugar.
Tools To Make Keto Cream Cheese Icing:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Hand Mixer – This is the one I have and love. It’s super powerful and I like the storage for all the pieces.
- Piping Bag & Tip Set – This set has lots of different tips for adding keto frosting to cupcakes and more!
Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Frosting without Powdered Sugar:
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RECIPE CARD
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Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Frosting without Powdered Sugar
Want to see how to make cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar? It's so easy! This delicious, low carb keto cream cheese frosting recipe has just 5 ingredients. Use sugar-free keto cream cheese icing to frost cupcakes, cakes, and more.
Recipe Video
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PrintIngredients
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Get Keto Sweetener For This Recipe
Meet Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, the keto sweetener that tastes, bakes, dissolves, and browns just like sugar, with NO aftertaste and 0 net carbs.
GET BESTIInstructions
Get RECIPE TIPS in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
- Use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and butter, until fluffy.
- Beat in the sweetener and vanilla, until well incorporated.
- Add cream and beat again, until creamy. You can adjust the amount of cream to desired consistency.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tbsp
Video Showing How To Make Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting:
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Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. (Learn about net carbs here.) We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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196 Comments
New2Keto
Made this for the first time today with a keto carrot cake recipe. I wish I would have seen the comment below about reducing my monk fruit/erythritol sweetener! It came out a little too sweet bc of the sweetener I used but nonetheless it still tasted great! Will reduce the amount of my monk fruit /erythritol sweetener next time and I can’t wait to try it again! 🙂
Heather
Why is this so good
Squeak
This is so yummy. With the leftovers I added some lemon juice and then they were basically my favourite lemon cheesecake fat bomb recipe, so I had it for little sweet treats.
soccer girl
Can I use light, whipped, or neufchatel cream cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Soccer Girl, Yes, but watch for additives in the light or whipped versions. The nutrition may be different on those.
Bonne
Easy to make and delicious, just the right texture for my liking, would definitely make again.
Kristin
Love this recipe! I used powdered erythritol and the texture and flavour came just right. I doubled the batch for your keto / low carb carrot cake recipe. This article says the frosting will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, so I assume once I apply the frosting to the cake, I should refrigerate the whole cake, correct? Thanks in advance!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kristin, Yes, once you frost the cake it will need to be stored in the fridge. Enjoy!
Arpeggio
We used HALF of the sugar listed and it was plenty sweet. We used Anthony’s monkfruit &erythritol powdered sugar sub. Great recipe but cloyingly sweet as written. I recommend starting with half and tasting…you have to take the sweetness of the cake into account. Still, delighted that there are so many excellent options with a diabetic in the house. Who knew we could make Smith Island cakes for Valentines?
Leslie
I made the frosting with the exact ingredients,
It was way to sweet for me. I would cut the confectionery sugar in half. I used the swerve
Confectionary sugar.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Leslie, Feel free to add a bit more cream cheese to your frosting to tone down the sweetness.
Alice
Made this for my diabetic husband and he raved about it! Used it to frost a keto chocolate cake. Thank!
Janna Long
Hi! I made this today to frost the keto sugar cookies, but I added a little too much almond milk to thin it little. What do I use or how can I stiffen it back up?
It tastes amazing either way!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Janna, Feel free to add a little extra cream cheese or powdered sweetener to thicken it back up. Please note, that if it’s not too runny, you can always refrigerate it and it will thicken slightly as well.
Charissa
Very nice icing, used it on the Keto carrot cake. My 3yr old licked the whole bowl clean. You can’t tell it’s keto or non sugar. Thanks for this recipe, I will try this again!
Elena Ramirez
If I only have granulated allulose, can I blitz it into a powder and use that? If so, how much?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Elena, That will work fine. Use the same amount as written to powder.
Audrey
Made this tonight and it’s great. I didn’t have allulose so I just used Swerve confectioner’s, no idea if the ratios were 1:1 but it tastes amazing so I don’t mind. Is it safe to refrigerate or should I use it straight away? Thanks so much!
joan c.mahon
Can I use whipped cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese???
Thank you for answering
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Joan, Sure, that would work fine.
Dianne
I love how you put the ratio do I can make as much as or as little as I want! Thank you
christa a gomez
Can not believe how tasty
Heather
I tried this today . It was God awful! Mind you I used Erythritol so maybe that is why it turned out bitter . Threw it out it was not useable. Very disappointed .!!!! Will not make again
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Heather, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Is this your first attempt using erythritol? Some people notice a cooling or bitterness associated with it. If that’s the case, then erythritol may not be the best sweetener for you to use. Allulose is a good alternative to traditional sugar because it is a rare form of sugar that we cannot digest. It has the same characteristics as sugar (dissolves, caramelizes, and browns) without the carbs or calories. I hope you decide to give this recipe a try again with the right sweetener!
Liane
This tastes great! Can’t tell it is keto. I made extra but can I freeze leftovers and how long will it last?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Liane, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can store this frosting in the freezer. Keep in a freezer-safe, airtight container and it will keep with a couple of months. Enjoy!
Carol
Should I double (or more) this recipe to have enough icing for the red velvet cake recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Carol, Change the servings to 30 and it will yield 3.5 cups of frosting.
Jay
This is by far the most amazing frosting I’ve ever had. Let my friends and family try it on cupcakes and they are amazed how good it tastes A+++ Maya!!
Katya
Can I use powdered Monkfruit with Erythritol? If so, should I use the same 1/2 cup?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Katya, Yes, but you will need to reduce the amount to 1/3 cup + 2 tsp of powdered Monk Fruit Erythritol. I have a handy sweetener conversion calculator you may want to bookmark here: Keto Sweetener Conversion Calculator.
Cressie Mabins
Hi! Was wondering, if you dont eat the whole thing in one sitting, what would the nutrition be for a TBSP of this frosting? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Cressie, The nutrition facts in the recipe card are for a 2 Tbsp serving. Feel free to divide those numbers in half if you are only eating 1 Tbsp.
Jess
Made this for the first time today. Why have I waited?? This is fantastic!! I honestly kept checking nutritional info because I felt guilty eating it….too good to be true type thing….lol. Do yourself a favor and make this frosting!!
Stefany
Did you use Allulose or Erythritol
Jennifer Semones
This is an excellent recipe and OMG well received! I have some of the pickiest eaters in my home but they all LOVED this icing, especially my hubby- the birthday boy!
Amanda
New to keto. Have never used Monkfruit. I don’t understand the calculator. How much Monkfruit = 1/2c of Allulose?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Amanda, 1/3 cup of monk fruit sweetener blend equals 1/2 cup of allulose.
Carol
Excellent!! What more can I say?
Darcy Matson
This was delicious! Perfect for adding onto any kind of sweet treat! My non-keto/low carb husband had no idea this was a keto/low carb recipe!
CazT
Super recipe. I’m freezing some carrot cupcakes and not sure whether I should frost them first or freeze the frosting separately, perhaps as already piped shapes ready to place on the cakes. Any advice welcomed, thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi CazT, The cake will freeze best unfrosted. Creating frozen piped shapes is a great idea!
CazT
Thank you!
Roxy Bannerman
O M G!!!!!!!!!!! This frosting was da BOMB!!!! I made half a batch and it was just enough to cover my brownies!!!!! I even licked the beaters and bowl. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mo
Three words only… simple and delicious!
Jany
Maya, First of all, I am impressed with your site and love your recipes!!!! Sometimes, I like watching a video on the process. In your recipes, you state, “Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It’s the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!” I am sorry, but I cannot find the link. The image below is the Besti image. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Jany
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jany, The video is located in the recipe card, just above the recipe itself. If you can’t see it, check to see that you don’t have your browser’s ‘reader mode’ enabled. It may need to be turned off to view the video. I hope this helps!
Stephanie
Hi, if I was to powder xylitol as the sweetener, would this still work?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Stephanie, Yes, xylitol will work in the recipe as long as it’s powdered.
Elizabeth Doub
Is there any way to sub coconut cream for the butter?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Elizabeth, I believe this will work, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind: 1. Your frosting probably won’t set up to be as thick and workable as it would with butter, coconut cream may cause it to have a loose texture. 2. Depending on the brand of coconut cream you use, you may be adding a strong coconut flavor to your cream cheese.
Noor
Can I use Quark instead of cream cheese? I’m in the UK and our cream cheese isnt as thick – the Quark cheese here appears to have a thicker texture.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Noor, Although quark and cream cheese are not technically the same, you should be able to use it in this recipe just fine.
Renee
This recipe worked, but I just didn’t see the need to add the cream. It was perfect and fluffy and frosting like before, but I wanted to follow be recipe so I added the cream. It made it runnier and thinner. If I do this recipe again, I won’t add the cream.
Can this frosting stay out, or does it need to be refrigerated?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Renee, Cream Cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated. Hope you enjoy!
April
So easy and delicious! I did use less vanilla to have a more cream cheese taste. Keto carrot cake is perfect.
Lisa L Germano
This is the simplest, best cream cheese frosting! I love it and will continue making it!! Oh, by the way, I put it on banana nut muffins and it was like eating a carrot cake.
Lyn
OMG this is soooo good! Thanks a million!
Christine Riley
Hello, I followed the recipe to the T, looks good and tastes good but mushy uncooked in the middle.
Please advice
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Christine, I would like to help, but you commented on a recipe for frosting. Can you let me know which recipe you baked?
AstroTalk
This cream cheese was fabulous, I still have it in my fridge, I never let this run out. I just love this!
Dianne M
This is literally the best frosting I’ve had! I’ve loved all your recipes, I’ve tried thus far! Thank you so much, for making keto easy ❤️
Lina
Amazing recipe.
Debbie
I just made the LOW CARB KETO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING WITHOUT POWDERED SUGAR. It is fabulous! Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband has diabetes and I am pre diabetic so this allows us to have a very good tasting icing without spiking our blood sugar.
Eliza E
Loved them. Made your lemon icing for these and just overate them! Thank you …. Oops I thought I was on your cream cheese cookie recipe. That’s what I used this recipe on! Both are fabulous.
Sandra
Hello, Maya:
Just came across the shortbread cookie recipe today, and wonder if this cream cheese frosting could be used on those instead of dipping them into the chocolate?
Almonds go very well with cherries. I thought of adding a couple of drops of cherry extract to this, and thinning it down just enough to make a “drizzle” using whipping cream right out of the container, again with just a touch of the cream. Does this sound like something that would work?
Your comments & suggestions please.
Sandra W.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sandra, This sounds lovely, but please know that this frosting will not “set” as cookie icing would. Also, please know if you try this, your frosted cookies will need to be refrigerated to stay fresh. Best wishes!
Jennifer Fahsel
Oh my goodness! Yum!!
Princesa
Hi, thanks for the awesome cream cheese frosting recipe! Do you also have a recipe for the cupcake in the main picture? It looks like a vanilla cupcake. I’ve searched your website but can’t seem to find it… There’s only a raspberry cupcake & a chocolate one that comes up.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Princesa, Here is my vanilla cake recipe. It can easily be split into cupcakes.
Monika
Hi there. Thanks for another great recipe. I just made this using my KitchenAid and although it tastes great it has little bits of chunks. Not sure if it’s the powdered erythritol or just the kitchenaid stand mixer didn’t do a good enough job. The icing is the fridge now as it’s late, wondering if there is any way to fix it tomorrow???
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Monika, It sounds like it needed to whip longer. You can let it return to room temp and re-whip in your stand mixer or high powered blender.
Shayna
I used lankanto and powdered it in my Vitamix. However, it still comes out with a gritty texture. I’m a very seasoned low carb Baker for reference. What could the problem be? The sugar feels fine but this has happened to me several times now. And help would be SO appreciated. I also bought their powdered version with the same result. Otherwise followed your recipe.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Shayna, A high powered blender will go a long way, but it won’t get as fine as the store bought versions of powdered sweeteners. If you are sensitive to the grittiness in even the store bought brands, then I suggest melting the butter and combining it with the sweetener before mixing it into the rest of the frosting recipe. It should help cut down on the texture.
Mary Ellen Barker
Amazing frosting!
Corynne Bailey
I tried your frosting and I am very happy to say it is delicious!
Matthew
Perfect, just what I was looking for to go on a carrot cake…. Thanks…. Yum!
stephanie
This frosting has so much delicious flavor. It’s a perfect recipe for me to eat while on Keto.
Patty at Spoonabilities
I am really excited about this frosting! I have got to try this!
Anita
My favorite frosting, and now in low-carb version! Now I won’t feel too guilty using this on everything. 🙂
Heidy L. McCallum
This recipe was awesome! Best Keto Cream cheese frosting I have tasted to date. will make again
Jayne
Love this! You had me at Keto!
Todd
I just made this……ummmm……FANTASTIC!! Now, I just have to find the perfect “cake” recipe to pair it with…..hmmmm…..
Diane K Mattison-Nottage
Hi, just wondering how well this recipe takes food coloring? My granddaughter make decorated Christmas cookies each year. The recipe is great, not too sweet!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Diane, You can add food coloring if you like. I’m glad you like it!
Gina
I had a huge concern with the frosting for this carrot cake, in the ingredients it said to use 1/2 cup of powdered Erythritol, because I didn’t know what that was I clicked on it and it took me to a link and it said Xanthan Gum?? which I bought just for the frosting… their is NO WAY this is correct I had to start all over again and I used 1/2 cup of monkfruit powder and the frosting was how it was suppose to be, please fix this for other people who may make the same mistake I did by following what the link said.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Gina, I am so sorry the link brought you to the wrong product! It has been corrected. Thank you for bring this to attention.
Maryann
So quick and delicious! Used it for my GF pumpkin muffins. Thank you!
nikki menning
Very good and fast and easy to make. I put it on low carb pumpkin bread for breakfast… Dessert… Snack… Lol I eat it often!
Michael Kelly
Watching carbs…missing out on so much….not anymore. Thanks for recipe, it tastes great
Marilyn Nesbitt
My husband and son are both doing keto and I made them a keto chaffle cake with this cream cheese using and they swear it has to have sugar in it. This will be my go to icing for all my keto needs. Thank you so much.
Cindy
Phenomenal frosting! I used almond milk- just a bit less than called for, as that is what I had. Thank you
Nikki
The first timr I tried keto I had a really hard times because I’m a legit sugar addict. I didn’t know about erythritol. And hated the taste of stevia. Once I started again and had done a ton of research before restarting, I was hooked. This frosting saved my keto diet. I make it like once a week and literally just eat little bites with a 1/4 teaspoon after it’s been chilling in the fridge and it’s enough to fix my sweet tooth when it comes on too strong but is thick enough I don’t want to eat too much.
It saved my keto life
Brenda Carina
So quick. So easy. So good. We put it on the vanilla mug cakes and had to cut them in half because they are so filling! Dessert for lunch tomorrow, I guess!
Nicole Dauenhauer
Thank you for this quick, easy and delicious recipe. I tried it tonight for a cake and it is a hit. We will definitely e using it again.
Rasia B Johnson
I just want to say THANK YOU for this awesome recipe. I made some keto brownies yesterday and they were not that tasty. So I followed your recipe and now they are delicious!!! Thanks again!
Pam
I made this to accompany the carrot cake recipe you posted ! Sooo good! I did lower the butter for the cake to a half cup and the sugar to a bit under ¾ cup and added walnuts. So bloody delicious! Thank you!
Alicia
I just made this frosting and added it to your carrot cake recipe.. DELICIOUS!! The combination turned out perfect. All my non-keto family enjoyed it too:) Thank you for sharing.
Jen
Can I use Splenda instead of powdered Erithritol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jen, I prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners but from a recipe standpoint Splenda would work fine.
LINDA janson
Can I use Stevia in the raw. It doesn’t say it’s powdered.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Linda, Yes, you can sweeten this frosting with stevia, but it won’t be in the same amounts. You will have to sweeten to taste.
Michele
Hi, I hope you can help! I used monk fruit mixed with erythritol to make the icing. It’s the first time I’ve used it and I didn’t understand about it being grainy until now. Is there a way to fix it or do I have to start all over?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Michele, Sorry, I don’t think there’s a way to completely save it if you used a granulated sweetener. You could try pureeing it in a food processor but most likely it won’t fully powder it to be totally smooth. You might be able to use the mixture to make cream cheese cookies.
Melissa
My husband and mom love this cake this will be the 2nd time make it. It was so easy. My husband is doing the keto diet and I am doing it a little here or there and I usually do not eat things with sugar substitutes because I always get a nasty after taste but with this cake I don’t get any after taste YUM
Berenice
Oh my…….this cake was so good!!. I didn’t miss at all the sugar!. I been looking for recipes with almond flour and this one it’s definitely a keep one!. Thanks for sharing. Me encantó!!
Genar Beard
Happy days! This was great. I am no cook but wow this turned out really good. It has been a long, long time since I had cake. The texture is perfect. Fellow diabetics and keto friends and family are in for a big treat. Thank you!
Stephanie
Phenomenal! Doubled it and increased the butter a touch, then added 4 Tbsp cocoa powder to frost vanilla cupcakes ❤️
MaryAnn
For some reason it isn’t a creamy texture. Looks crumbly and moisture in bottom of mixing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi MaryAnn, It sounds like your frosting split. Were all your ingredients at room temperature?
Gina
This is delicious! It saved me tonight!! I put it on my chocolate mug cake! I don’t like anything too sweetened (perks of being on keto) so I eased the Swerve in and use about 2/3 – 3/4 of what was called for. I actually used the granulated Swerve since it’s all I have on and it’s still bomb – I don’t mind the graininess at all. So happy about this, it’s my new jam.
Shayna Creeger
Hi. I’m trying to input this recipe in my fitness pal. I’ve tried twice, putting the exact ingredients in, and no matter what I do, it still says 17 carbs per serving. Advise?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Shayna, Our nutrition info comes from the USDA Food Database, which is more reliable than 3rd party calculators. Unfortunately I can’t troubleshoot 3rd party calculators, but the nutrition info on the recipe card is correct.
Mel
I only have powdered stevia or swerve. What would be their portion to use instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Mel, You can use the low carb sweetener conversion calculator here.
Sondra
Total game changer, YUM
Glynis Cole
I Iooove this frosting, thank you. I can’t find powdered sweetener in the shops here in Aus, Natvia used to make one but they said it didn’t sell! I’ve tried grinding the granules in a coffee grinder and with the stick blender, but it still comes out grainy. The only solution I have found us to heat the mixture in the microwave, so it will dissolve. Perhaps I should dissolve the sweetener in water before adding it to the other ingredients – what do you think?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Glynis, I don’t recommend adding water to this. You could try seeing if the sweetener will dissolve in the cream cheese if you heat that a bit, but I haven’t tried it to say for sure. A better alternative might be to use a food processor to grind the sweetener (might work better than your coffee grinder) or order the powdered sweetener online.
Glynis Cole
Hi Maya
Yes, the sweetener does dissolve in the heated cream cheese, but unfortunately I don’t have access to power often as I am a full time traveller and only use 12 volt or rechargeable appliances.
I tried powdering the granules with my stick blender but it still came out grainy. I don’t have a food processor, just the rotating blades on the blender.
The postage to buy confectioner’s (powdered) sugar online is prohibitive and takes too long to arrive as it isn’t available in Australia & I don’t stay in one place for more than a few weeks.
Could I safely heat the cream cheese in a pot on the stove?
Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
You can heat the cream cheese in a double boiler on the stove instead. It might burn if you put it directly over heat.
Anthoinette Palma
I put the granulated swerve in a bullet blender it was amazing it turned into powdered sugar in no time
Tommy
I was easy to make. I used an 1/8 cup of Lakanto powered monk fruit sweetener w/erythritol in it. It was sweet enough with the 1/8 cup. I also used 8oz of cream cheese and about 3-4 oz of Kerrygold Irish butter. It was more like a buttercream. I also used 12 oz of heavy whipping cream and about a tablespoon of vanilla. The flavor kicked A**!!! I’m diabetic , after all the taste testing and licking the whipping blade on my blender, blood sugars hit 115.
I plan on putting the cream on some little Keto Blueberry loaves I made
Jackie
This. Frosting. Is. Incredible! Not incredible compared to other sugar free frosting, but compared to all cream cheese frosting recipes. Wow. My family of four adults gives this recipe five stars. Thank you!
Karen
Carrot cake and cream cheese frosting is one of my all time fave foods. I always disliked too much sugar so this will suit me – I just cut down.
and, this is going to sound strange, but, I have been looking for a butter-cream combo that I can keep warm. Then the keto people – like me – at dinner can pour on the roasted cauliflower along with diced and crisped bacon. It is a bit of a headache but i have one person who is lactose intolerant and another hates sauces of any kind. so, do you think you can help me out here? I have a gravy boat that sits on a candle. thanks for this site
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Karen, I hope you’ll like the carrot cake and frosting – you can find the low carb carrot cake here. As for the sauce, the closest I have right now is this keto alfredo sauce recipe, but it does include dairy. A butter sauce would have dairy by definition, though. If you’d like you can use the Recipe Request link in the top menu to request a recipe if you’re looking for something different.
Susan
This sounds delicious! If I wanted to make a boozy frosting, how much bourbon would need I to add? TIA 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Susan! Sorry, I haven’t tried that. You could just add it to taste, I’m sure, but may need to skip the heavy cream so that it’s not too thin.
Michele
This is amazing thank you! Best sugar-free frosting recipe yet (ps. I used 1/4 cup pure organic stevia instead)
Susanne
This is a brilliant recipe, first one I have made that is near the real thing. I downsized it as I’m getting fed up making desserts no one will eat, wish I had made this bigger!
Kelly
Tastes amazing!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Kelly!
Doreen
OMGoodness!! This tastes so much better than the high sugar version I remember. Thank you Maya! I tried this today as I had a migraine coming on and had a craving for something really sweet – this really hit the spot!! Thank you xx
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Doreen! Thanks for stopping by!
Marcelle
I cannot wait to try this! But do you get a cooling effect from the erythritol? Can you use powdered xylitol to prevent any cooling effect?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Marcelle, I don’t notice the cooling effect since the cream cheese masks it pretty well, but if you find that you notice any powdered xylitol will work fine. You’d need less of it – check the calculator here.
KARI SMITH
DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN!!!! This is thee best recipe I have ever used!!! Made Low Carb Pumpkin Pie and it is a match made in heaven THANK YOU!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Kari! Thank you!
Serina Harvey
Tasty!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Serina!
Julie
This was better than I even hoped for, thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I love to hear that, Julie! Thank you for stopping by!
Claudine Delacour
Have just finished making these and they are delicious. I made mine in a silicone mould made for mini loaves. It made 14 and the frosting is to die for. I have messed up my diet for today as I had to eat one (well maybe two)
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked the frosting, Claudia!
Alison
This is so perfect for the carrot and walnut cake. Love it. Thank you!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Alison! I am glad you liked the frosting and the cake sounds delicious too!
Joyce
Erythritol, I am finding, does not dissolve as sugar does. Mine was gritty! What to do?? 🙁 First I used pure erythritol then went to monk fruit sweetener with erythritol in it. Both were gritty and I need a solution, please.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Joyce, Did you use granulated erythritol? If so, this would make it gritty. This recipe requires powdered.
Joyce
I used granulated monk fruit sweetener which has erythritol. I have had this same problem with pure erythritol in other foods I had used it in and why I switched to monk fruit. I ground it with a coffee grinder which I use for other things such as flax seed, etc. It becomes as fine as powdered. I had also contacted Lakanto and they stated erythritol must reach a higher temperature to dissolve. I feel like I am the only person having this problem! 🙁
Maya | Wholesome Yum
That is interesting, Joyce. I am glad you are happy with the monk fruit sweetener! It’s possible that grinding it yourself isn’t creating as fine a powder as the kind I used. Or, depending on how long the frosting sits, it might be crystallizing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yay! I love to hear that, Margie!
Heather
We just switched to keto and I’ve always been a baker. Love seeing your recipes. I have my own cream cheese icing recipe I use normally, would the amount of powdered erythritol be equal to amount of normal powder sugar I would have used or is there a conversion?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Heather! I don’t recommend using same amount, you’d need less. The conversion for frosting seems to be different than it normally is in my chart. I’d just add it gradually to taste if using a different recipe.
Linda DeLaura
Cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite things in the world! I can’t wait to try this!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope you like it, Linda! Thanks for stopping by!
Dana @ Pretty LIttle Apron
This is a fantastic idea! Can’t wait to try it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope you like it, Dana!
Rita Gresty
Your sugar free, gluten free, low carb carrot cake is the best cake I’ve ever made! Absolutely delicious, so moist! I couldn’t find pineapple extract, but delicious without it. thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked the cake, Rita! Thanks for stopping by! Please come back again soon!
Cat
Delish! This would make really good fat bombs too, if you up the butter content and left our the cream. Yum! A butter cream frosting fact bomb. Probably have to store them in the freezer….. excuse me, heading to the kitchen to make this into fat bombs…..wonder what they would taste like dipped in chocolate…. Great recipe as always, Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Cat! Please come back again soon!
Jo
Is there a way to make a chocolate version of this frosting?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jo, I haven’t tried that yet, but it’s on my list!
Amanda
I just made it. All I did was added two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Tastes great!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you for sharing with us, Amanda!
Aimee
I’m having a birthday party in a couple days and I was trying to come up with a good frosting for my cake that wouldn’t fall apart in a few hours, this is kinda what I was thinking of doing so I’m happy I found this recipe, sounds delicious.
If I put this on a cake and then leave it in the fridge, how long do you think it would stay stable for? I’m trying to figure out if I need to add it to the cake on the same day or if I can do it the day before. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Aimee, Happy upcoming birthday (to you or is it for someone else?)! To be on the safe side, I’d make this the day-of. Sometimes it can crystallize in the fridge. Usually it’s not that quick, and most of the time it’s fine for a few days in my experience, but it can vary. Since it’s for a party, I’d just do same day, just to make sure. If you have leftovers, it’s fine to store in the fridge for a few days.
darra
this.is.so.dang.good.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Darra! Have a great day!
Hoa
Hi, can we freeze the cake to eat later?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
The cream cheese frosting will freeze just fine. As for the cake, it depends on which one you made!
Caroline
Hi, happy to have found your recipe. Can I use this recipe for a little girl with diabetes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Caroline, Yes, absolutely! My kids love this frosting (while they are not diabetic, we limit sugar in our family). As always I don’t give medical advice and recommend consulting a doctor for any medical questions, but in general a low carb diet is great for diabetes. And, this sugar-free frosting is made with a natural sugar-free sweetener.
Caroline El Nagar
Thanks for your answer. Can I change the erythritol to stevia?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
If you change to pure/concentrated stevia it might work but the consistency would be a bit different. If you use a granulated stevia blend, you’d need to powder it first using a coffee grinder or food processor, so that your frosting isn’t grainy. You can use my sweetener conversion chart here to determine how much to use.
Dondra
This is insanely good!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked the frosting, Dondra!
Karyn M.
This frosting has an amazing flavor- it takes exactly like the non-sugar free version. I loved it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Karyn! I’m so glad you loved it.
Donna
Hi, I’m GF, DF and Refined SF, Can I Use DF cream Cheese? And what can I use to replace the heavy cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Donna, Yes, dairy-free cream cheese should work. Not sure about replacing the butter, though. You can replace heavy cream with unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, but would need less since those are thinner than cream.
Esther Erlich
I can’t get powdered erythritol where I live in Australia. Is there any substitute? I can only get erythritol granules. There are no powdered artificial sweeteners at all.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Esther, You might be able to powder the granulated erythritol in a coffee grinder yourself. Also, erythritol is not artificial at all in case you wanted to know – it’s a natural sugar-free sweetener. 🙂
Dondra
I used xylitol with no problem. I’d probably use a little less than the recipe though.
Natalie
Hm, I don’t like the sweetener so is it possible if I make this without the sweetener? I think it’s still sweet with the butter and cream. Also, we will use it with cake, cupcakes or muffin so it would be delish in any case, isn’t it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Natalie, From a consistency standpoint you probably could, but personally I think a frosting needs some sweetener. Up to you, though! If you omit the sweetener, you’d probably need less heavy cream.
Rita
I used Total Sweet pure natural Xylitol from supermarket & it was delicious. I only blitzed a cup for the frosting & used straight from packet for creaming butter for cake. Really worked well! No aftertaste some sweeteners leave. Product made from European birch & beechwood.
Marcia Little
Carrot cake is my all time favorite, please??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Marcia, Carrot cake is coming soon!! 🙂
Ann
Instead of using so much sweeter I sometimes use powdered milk. It helps to gives it the icing a little more volume.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Ann, That’s a great idea! That does add some carbs from the lactose, but I bet heavy cream powder would also work the same way. I do use a lot less sweetener in my recipe than traditional powdered sugar frosting recipes.
Jen Gosnell
Hi Maya! This recipe came at the perfect time, as I’m about to have a kid birthday here. From reading, it sounds like the sweetener has to be powdered. I’m wondering if this is to the exclusion of other sweeteners like liquid stevia. Is there a consistency reason that it needs to be powdered?
Thanks!
Jen
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jen, Yay, I love this for birthdays! Yes, the reason for the powdered sweetener is consistency. A granulated sweetener would make the frosting gritty, but a liquid one would make it runny. The powdered sweetener works to add not only sweetness but also bulk and adjusts the consistency.
Victoria
This looks delicious! However, my body will only tolerate pure stevia, not any of the other sugar substitutes. I have powdered stevia that is very sweet. instead of 1/2 cup of sugar or erythritol, I would use 1 tsp. of my stevia. would that work for this recipe???
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Victoria, I haven’t tested it with pure stevia powder so am not 100% sure. I know granulated and liquid sweeteners will not work well, due to texture issues. Powdered pure stevia will not have the issues of being grainy or runny that granulated or liquid sweeteners would. But, it also would lack the bulk that using powdered erythritol provides. It would probably work ok but the texture would be a little different. Let me know how it goes if you try!
Linda Sutley
My favorite way to use cream cheese frosting is atop a carrot cake with raisins and pineapple in the batter! Do you have that kind of magic up your sleeve, Maya?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yum, sounds amazing! I’m actually planning a carrot cake recipe next month! It doesn’t have raisins and pineapple due to the carb content, though. But, adding raisins will be really easy to do if you decide to do that.