Dairy Free Frosting

Creamy and delicious dairy free frosting made with just 4 ingredients! This frosting whips up in less than 10 minutes, and pairs perfectly with dairy free cupcakes, cake, cookies, and more. My step-by-step tutorial and tips are included below!

There’s no question about it—the best part about cake is the frosting. And given that I’ve had a sensitivity to dairy most of my life, I’ve basically become a pro at making all kinds of dairy free frosting recipes. While I love my dairy free cream cheese frosting and paleo chocolate frosting, my absolute favorite recipe is this creamy and dreamy dairy free buttercream frosting made with just four ingredients.

It’s mixes up in under 10 minutes, and tastes heavenly on my famous dairy free vanilla cupcakes and gluten free chocolate cake. You can also absolutely eat it directly from the spoon, too. No judgements here!

All you really need for a solid frosting recipe is sugar, fat, and a liquid. The main ingredient you can tweak is the sugar, which changes the flavor and texture.

While many recipes overload frosting with powdered sugar, I’ve included it in just the right amount to make the frosting sweet, but not overpoweringly sweet. It’s perfect for those who need to avoid dairy, and those who don’t!

Ingredient Notes

• Vegetable shortening – I like to use an organic vegetable shortening made from organic palm fruit oil. Make sure to use a shortening that isn’t a blend and contains pure vegetable shortening.
• Powdered sugar – I typically use an organic powdered sugar made from organic cane sugar.
• Dairy free milk – While any milk will work, I like to use coconut milk for this as it provides a neutral flavor and makes the frosting nice and creamy. Make sure your milk is room temperature so it mixes well.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions

• Vegetable shortening: You can also use a vegan butter. Just make sure it’s softened to room temperature and make sure to beat the butter as directed in the instructions!
• Dairy free milk – you can also use regular milk, cream, or yogurt to make the a little thicker. I recommend always making sure you
• Vanilla extract: Leave it out, or swap it for almond extract for lovely almond flavor.

How to Make Dairy Free Frosting

1. Beat: In a large mixing bowl using the beater attachment, beat the shortening on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
2. Incorporate: Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low until there are no more spots of powdered sugar remaining. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add remaining cups one at a time and mix. Increase speed to medium and mix until fully incorporated.
3. Thin: Add the dairy free milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is met. Mix on medium for an additional 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Decorate: Use a pipping bag to pipe frosting onto cupcakes, or a cake spatula to frost a cake. Add sprinkles or more decorations if desired!

Coloring and Flavors

Over the years I’ve tested many different flavor combinations and used natural food coloring to give frosting a pop of color. Here’s what we know works well:

• Coloring: Use natural powdered or liquid food coloring to give your frosting a beautiful color. Make sure to mix in any food coloring when the frosting is room temperature.
• Sprinkles: Fold in 3 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles for confetti-style frosting, or sprinkle them directly on top of cupcakes or cake after frosting!
• Flavors: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract. Or, leave out the vanilla extract and add just a few drops of peppermint extract to taste for a subtle peppermint flavor.
• Strawberry: Make strawberry dairy free frosting! Just blending 1 cup freeze dried strawberries until it’s broken down into a very fine powder. You should have about 1/2 cup powdered strawberries. Add to the frosting along with the powdered sugar.

Recipe FAQs

Mixing Tips

1. For a smooth consistency, always start with room temperature ingredients. Bring the milk to room temperature by laying it out 30 – 60 minutes before mixing.
2. The biggest mistake people make is mixing on too high of a speed! Mixing on high will incorporate too many air bubbles and give you a gritty texture. Keep your mixer speed on low to medium.
3. It’s best to use a stand mixer for this recipe, however a hand mixer will also work. Make sure to use the beater attachment to make the frosting nice and smooth.
4. If the final frosting is too thick, add a little more milk 1 teaspoon at a time while mixing. If you want the frosting to be thicker, add more powdered sugar 2-3 tablespoons at a time while mixing.
5. If your does end up with too many air bubbles, just press out the bubbles for 1-2 minutes with a spatula in the mixing bowl or shallow storage dish, and press out the bubbles vigorously using a spatula. See tips for creating smooth frosting here. 

Storage

STORE: Store at room temperature for up to a day, or up to two weeks in the refrigerator. For best results, I recommend making the frosting the same day you’ll be using it.

FREEZE: This frosting does exceptionally well when frozen! Just store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. When you want to use it, just lay it out at room temperature until it’s softened. I recommend whipping it again in the mixer to make it light and fluffy.

MAKE AHEAD: If you want to make this recipe ahead time, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to frost your dairy free treats, lay it out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before you’re ready to use it You’ll likely need to whip the frosting again before using it.

More Dairy Free Recipes

• Dairy Free Key Lime Pie
• Dairy Free Cupcakes
• Classic Dairy Free Cheesecake
• 4-Ingredient Dairy Free Caramel Sauce
• Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding with Almond Milk

Recipe by: Noelle Tarr and Kelsey Hite / Coconuts and Kettlebells | Photography by: Casey Colodny / The Mindful Hapa