Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- Is Cream Cheese Frosting Keto?
- How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Without Powdered Sugar
- What If You Don’t Have Powdered Sweetener?
- How To Make Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
- Ingredient Ratios in My Favorite Low Carb Cream Cheese Frosting
- How To Pipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- How To Store Cream Cheese Frosting
- Does Cream Cheese Frosting Freeze Well?
- Ways To Use Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting
- Tools To Make Keto Cream Cheese Icing
- Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Frosting without Powdered Sugar Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
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 allulose instead!
Yep, powdered allulose 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 allulose. In fact, you can use any granulated sweetener you like, like monk fruit or a stevia blend. I have a guide covering all the keto and diabetic sweeteners here, along with a sweetener conversion chart.
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
Tap 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
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.
Instructions
Tap 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.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tbsp
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We'd LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
266 Comments
Liane
0This 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
0Hi 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
0Should I double (or more) this recipe to have enough icing for the red velvet cake recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Carol, Change the servings to 30 and it will yield 3.5 cups of frosting.
Mack
0I have been looking for a keto friendly sweet and I found it. Perfect to satisfy my craving without boosting my glucose. Thank you.
Jay
0This 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
0Can I use powdered Monkfruit with Erythritol? If so, should I use the same 1/2 cup?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Hi! 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
0Hi 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
0Made 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
0Did you use Allulose or Erythritol
Jennifer Semones
0This 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!
Wholesome Yum A
0New to keto. Have never used Monkfruit. I don’t understand the calculator. How much Monkfruit = 1/2c of Allulose?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amanda, 1/3 cup of monk fruit sweetener blend equals 1/2 cup of allulose.
Carol
0Excellent!! What more can I say?
Darcy Matson
0This 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
0Super 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
0Hi CazT, The cake will freeze best unfrosted. Creating frozen piped shapes is a great idea!
CazT
0Thank you!
Roxy Bannerman
0O M G!!!!!!!!!!! This frosting was AWESOME!!!! 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
0Three words only… simple and delicious!
Jany
0Maya, 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, “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
0Hi 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
0Hi, if I was to powder xylitol as the sweetener, would this still work?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Stephanie, Yes, xylitol will work in the recipe as long as it’s powdered.
Elizabeth Doub
0Is there any way to sub coconut cream for the butter?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Can 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
0Hi Noor, Although quark and cream cheese are not technically the same, you should be able to use it in this recipe just fine.
Renee
0This 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
0Hi Renee, Cream Cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated. Hope you enjoy!
April
0So easy and delicious! I did use less vanilla to have a more cream cheese taste. Keto carrot cake is perfect.
Lisa L Germano
0This 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
0OMG this is soooo good! Thanks a million!
Christine Riley
0Hello, I followed the recipe to the T, looks good and tastes good but mushy uncooked in the middle.
Please advice
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Christine, I would like to help, but you commented on a recipe for frosting. Can you let me know which recipe you baked?
AstroTalk
0This cream cheese was fabulous, I still have it in my fridge, I never let this run out. I just love this!
Dianne M
0This 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
0Amazing recipe.
Debbie
0I 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
0Loved 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
0Hello, 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
0Hi 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
0Oh my goodness! Yum!!
Princesa
0Hi, 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
0Hi Princesa, Here is my vanilla cake recipe. It can easily be split into cupcakes.
Monika
0Hi 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
0Hi 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
0I 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
0Hi 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
0Amazing frosting!
Corynne Bailey
0I tried your frosting and I am very happy to say it is delicious!
Matthew
0Perfect, just what I was looking for to go on a carrot cake…. Thanks…. Yum!
stephanie
0This frosting has so much delicious flavor. It’s a perfect recipe for me to eat while on Keto.
Patty at Spoonabilities
0I am really excited about this frosting! I have got to try this!
Anita
0My favorite frosting, and now in low-carb version! Now I won’t feel too guilty using this on everything. 🙂
Heidy L. McCallum
0This recipe was awesome! Best Keto Cream cheese frosting I have tasted to date. will make again
Jayne
0Love this! You had me at Keto!
Todd
0I just made this……ummmm……FANTASTIC!! Now, I just have to find the perfect “cake” recipe to pair it with…..hmmmm…..
Diane K Mattison-Nottage
0Hi, 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
0Hi Diane, You can add food coloring if you like. I’m glad you like it!
Gina
0I 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 taped 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
0Hi 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
0So quick and delicious! Used it for my GF pumpkin muffins. Thank you!
nikki menning
0Very 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
0Watching carbs…missing out on so much….not anymore. Thanks for recipe, it tastes great
Marilyn Nesbitt
0My 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
0Phenomenal frosting! I used almond milk- just a bit less than called for, as that is what I had. Thank you
Nikki
0The first time I tried keto I had a really hard time because I’m legit sugar obsessed. I didn’t know about erythritol. 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
0So 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
0Thank 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
0I 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
0I 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!