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Get It NowI originally created this keto cream cheese frosting for my keto carrot cake (my favorite spring cake!), but since then, it’s become my go-to for so many treats. It’s so versatile! You can pipe it on low carb cupcakes, spread it on keto cakes, and even use it as a keto icing for cookies… all without any powdered sugar. Grab your hand mixer and make this sugar free cream cheese frosting with me in just 5 minutes!
Why You Need My Keto Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- Creamy, tangy, and sweet – I know many of you love my keto buttercream frosting, but I think this keto cream cheese frosting is even better. And unlike many frosting recipes, mine uses more cream cheese than butter! It’s extra creamy, with a tangy flavor that brightens up any keto dessert.
- Keto friendly and gluten-free, with no aftertaste – I firmly believe you don’t have to compromise between taste and eating better. Even my friends and family (who aren’t low carb) love this stuff.
- 5 ingredients, 5 minutes – My sugar free cream cheese frosting is quick and easy! Just as easy as the regular kind.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free cream cheese frosting recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cream Cheese & Butter – For smooth blending, make sure both are softened at room temperature. I recommend unsalted butter, although you can add a pinch of salt if you like.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Making cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar is pretty much the same as the regular kind, but the problem is that many sugar substitutes can leave a gritty texture. I used to make this keto cream cheese frosting with powdered erythritol, and when it did manage to dissolve (which wasn’t always!), it would crystallize later. That’s why I always use Besti now — it dissolves completely and won’t crystallize. You can also use Wholesome Yum confectioners allulose, but increase the amount to 2/3 cup. I don’t recommend any other powdered sweetener, as other brands of monk fruit and stevia typically contain erythritol.
- Heavy Cream – This thins out the frosting for a creamy consistency. Full-fat coconut milk works as a substitute if you’re out of cream. Avoid regular milk, which isn’t keto friendly.
- Vanilla Extract – I like this brand.
How To Make Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and butter, until fluffy.
- Add powdered Besti and vanilla. Beat them in until the sweetener dissolves.
- Add the cream. Blend again, until your keto cream cheese frosting reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Adjust the cream as needed to get just the texture you want.
My Recipe Tips
- Forgot to soften your butter and cream cheese? This usually takes 30 to 45 minutes at room temp, but it depends on your kitchen temperature. For a shortcut place both on a plate, and fill a large stainless steel bowl with boiling water. After 5 minutes, empty and dry the bowl, and place it inverted over the plate. Your butter and cream cheese will soften from the residual heat!
- Feel free to adjust the cream cheese to butter ratio. I like a 4:1 ratio, which makes it very tangy. If you prefer it milder, reduce the cream cheese to 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) and add an extra 4 tablespoons of butter (for 6 tablespoons total). You can play with any ratio you like — you just need 10 tablespoons total between the butter and cream cheese combined.
- Your kitchen temperature and humidity can play a role. If it’s very warm or humid, this can make your frosting runny as well.
- Don’t beat too long. You want the butter and cream cheese to become fluffy, but beating too long can warm them up so much that your frosting becomes runny, or introduce air bubbles.
- Want to add flavors? Try mixing in a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin spice, lemon or orange zest, or a few spoonfuls of cocoa powder (you can experiment with how much — I use the same amount as my keto chocolate frosting).
- Don’t have a piping bag? I have this set, which includes reusable bags, a variety of tips, and a box to hold them all. But you can easily scoop the frosting into a zip lock bag, snip off a corner, and you’re ready to pipe.
- How to pipe this sugar free cream cheese frosting: For cupcakes or round shapes, start in the center and spiral outward, then spiral back in to finish in the center.
Ways To Use It
You can use cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar in the same ways you would the regular kind! Here are some of my favorite ways:
- Cakes – Like I mentioned earlier, I first whipped it up for my keto carrot cake, but I also use it for my keto yellow cake and keto red velvet cake. You can even spread it on keto chocolate cake for something different!
- Cupcakes & Muffins – I originally made a raspberry frosting for my sugar free cupcakes, but I end up using this one just as often (as pictured on this page). You can also make your keto muffins feel more dessert like with a swirl of keto cream cheese frosting on top.
- Cookies & Bars – I think this frosting pairs particularly well with pumpkin, like my healthy pumpkin bars and keto pumpkin cookies. It also works well on keto sugar cookies and sugar free gingerbread cookies. If you really love cream cheese, spread it over my low carb cream cheese cookies!
My Tools For This Recipe
- Hand Mixer – I’m obsessed with mine! It’s powerful, has great storage for all the attachments, and has many speeds.
- Piping Bag & Tip Set – I love the variety of tips, but what I love even more is they come with a storage box and reusable bags.
Keto Cream Cheese Frosting (Sugar Free)
Make my sugar free, keto cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar in 5 minutes! It’s creamy, sweet, & perfect for your low carb desserts!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and butter for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.
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Beat in the sweetener and vanilla, until the sweetener dissolves. (Note: You can use powdered Besti or powdered allulose, but most other sweeteners won't dissolve well.)
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Add the heavy cream and beat again, until creamy. You can adjust the amount of cream to get the consistency you like.
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.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you prevent runny frosting, my hack to soften the butter and cream cheese fast, several ways to adjust the flavor, and piping tricks.
- Store: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before spreading or piping.
- Freeze: You can freeze this sugar free cream cheese frosting for up to 3 months. I recommend using a zip lock bag — just squeeze out all the air. Thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temp, then give it a quick beat before using.
- Recipe yield: This recipe makes 3/4 cup of frosting. Feel free to double or triple it if you need more.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
313 Comments
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 Caz, You could do either, but freezing separately will be a little better. 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?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stephanie, Xylitol doesn’t dissolve as well as Besti, but better than erythritol. It can work in the recipe as long as it’s powdered.
Elizabeth Doub
0Is there any way to sub coconut cream for the butter?
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.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Elizabeth, I believe this will work, but your frosting won’t set up to be as thick and workable as it would with butter, and you’d have a coconut flavor.
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.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Princesa, Yes, those are my sugar free vanilla 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???
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Monika, It sounds like your ingredients might have been cold (they need to be at room temp), or it needed to whip longer. You can let it return to room temp and try to re-whip in your stand mixer. Powdered erythritol can also cause issues I described in the post above, but not the issues you’re describing.
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.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shayna, It turned out gritty because of your sweetener. Lakanto is over 99% erythritol and will turn out gritty. I hope you get the chance to make the recipe with Besti as written, as that way you won’t have this issue.
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!
Alicia
0I 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
0Can I use Splenda instead of powdered Erithritol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jen, I prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners but from a recipe standpoint Splenda would work fine.
LINDA janson
0Can I use Stevia in the raw. It doesn’t say it’s powdered.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, I don’t recommend Stevia in the Raw, because the bulk of it is dextrose, which is actually a form of sugar.
Michele
0Hi, 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
0Hi 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
0My 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
0Oh 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
0Happy 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
0Phenomenal! Doubled it and increased the butter a touch, then added 4 Tbsp cocoa powder to frost vanilla cupcakes ❤️
MaryAnn
0For some reason it isn’t a creamy texture. Looks crumbly and moisture in bottom of mixing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi MaryAnn, It sounds like your frosting split. Were all your ingredients at room temperature?