Sugar-Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
This is the Best Sugar-Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting that is so simple to make with only 4 ingredients! It’s keto, low carb and absolutely delicious with no aftertaste from low carb sweeteners!
SUGAR FREE KETO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
With just 4 simple ingredients you can have a sugar free, low carb, gluten free vanilla frosting for any dessert. Whether you need to frost a cake or cookie, this recipe is so simple a child could make it successfully!
You can easily make this sugar free frosting ahead and have it ready to frost your keto cupcakes or cakes or cookies!
This recipe was first published in December of 2014. I’m re-sharing it today because I felt it needed a video to show how easy it is to make.
This weekend was a perfect Saturday with nothing to do but stay home and bake and that’s exactly what we did! I was so grateful to have a Saturday at home for the first time in a really long time after what seemed to be an endless streak of busy weekends.
BEST SWEETENER FOR LOW CARB BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
My youngest two kiddies and I made two kinds of cookies! The first that you see in these pics today with the frosting is a recipe I originally made with whole wheat flour, my Sugar Free Sugar Cookies and the second recipe is for Gingerbread Men!
I’ve been finding that Swerve Confectioners sweetener is a perfect cooking baking ingredient as it perfectly adds the bulk the sugar would have provided. Although it isn’t as sweet as sugar would be, so adding additional sweetener from liquid stevia or Monk fruit liquid helps to create the perfect balance of sweetness and doesn’t leave an aftertaste!
I’ve made a few delicious frostings that will provide you some variety for all your baking endeavors: Chocolate Buttercream, Cannoli Frosting, Peanut Butter Buttercream, and here’s a collection of 16 fantastic frostings!
BEST NATURAL FOOD COLORING
I’m sure you’re wondering about the food coloring in the cookies right? In October when I made my green Halloween Witches finger cookies I tried using a less expensive brand of natural food coloring I found at Whole Foods instead of purchasing the brand you see above in the picture because it was about $16.00!
We experimented with cookies using the cheaper brand and the taste was not kid approved. This brand, while expensive, is worth every cent because there was absolutely not aftertaste or funny taste at all and the kids loved it.
The red color did not come out as red as I would have liked, it’s more pink but my daughter was thrilled with the pink so we kept it. I think If I continued to add red coloring it would have been closer to a red color.
I used to get deeply frustrated with myself when a recipe didn’t come out perfect on the first try. How silly now that I look back over the last 3 years of this blog.
Trial and error is how I have perfected my skills and testing recipes and having fails, while I hate wasting ingredients, it is all part of the deal when it comes to making sugar free desserts.
So when you see a dessert recipe on this blog you can know for certain that it’s been made more than once and it’s as good as it gets for sugar free baking.
My daughter is just 11 but she is taller than me and looks like a 13 years old and my little man is 8. They love to help in the kitchen and the pretty decorated cookies you see on the plate is ALL them!
They found that using a knife to spread the frosting was difficult so they washed their hands and used their fingers, almost like finger painting on a cookie. Made for a much more smoother look.
HOW LONG CAN KETO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING SIT OUT?
Once you frost your sugar free cupcakes or cake or cookies, they can sit out on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
HOW MANY DAYS AHEAD CAN YOU MAKE IT?
You can make this frosting up to 3 days ahead. STORE in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
REWHIP THE FROSTING when you are ready to use it again for frosting. Simply allow it to come to room temperature for about 2-3 hours on the counter then add back to your stand mixer and mix until nice and smooth.
HOW LONG CAN YOU STORE SUGAR FREE BUTTERCREAM?
This sugar free frosting will last for up to two weeks in the fridge.
CAN YOU FREEZE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING?
YES YOU CAN FREEZE THIS SUGAR FREE FROSTING!
I’m super happy how pretty these turned out and once the frosting set a bit on top of the cookies were were able to freeze them between parchment paper in an airtight container to be ready for our cookie tray assembling on Christmas Eve.
SUGAR FREE BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS
You need just 4 ingredients to make sugar free buttercream frosting.
Butter- you can use salted or unsalted. If you use unsalted I would add a pinch of sea salt to the mixture when mixing.
Swerve Confectioners Sweetener– You need 1 cup but you can mix this frosting up and use more if you feel it’s needed.
Vanilla extract is a must for this delicious vanilla buttercream frosting.
Heavy cream or unsweetened coconut or almond milk.
Optional to balance out the low carb sweeteners so no aftertaste occurs, I highly recommend adding the optional vanilla liquid stevia.
HOW TO MAKE SUGAR FREE BUTTERCREAM
Add all ingredients into a stand mixer and blend on high until smooth.
Continue to add additional cream for desired consistency. Taste and decide if you need more sweetener.
Makes 1 1/4 cup or 10 ounces.
Sugar Free Buttercream frosting does not need refrigeration once on cookies.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS FROSTING DAIRY FREE?
YES YOU CAN MAKE SUGAR FREE BUTTERCREAM DAIRY FREE!
To make this dairy free, the butter could be switched to softened coconut oil and the milk, a non dairy alternative like almond milk.
CAN I SWAP THE LOW CARB SWEETENER USED?
If you prefer to use another low carb sweetener, instead of Swerve for this recipe, you could do that.
You still need a powdered sweetener that would add bulk to create the texture.
Here is my Sweetener Guide & Conversion Chart to help you figure out how much to use for this frosting recipe.
Sugar Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Sugar-Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup Swerve confectioners
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a stand mixer and blend on high until smooth.
- Continue to add additional cream for desired consistency. Makes 1 1/4 cup or 10 ounces.
- Does not need refrigeration once on cookies.
- Unused frosting can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
I make so, so many cookies around Christmas that are sugar-laden. it’s great to have one that is lighter but still so delicious!
Hi Brenda, Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
I actually use salted butter but either is fine.
This is so cool. Firing this over to a friend with diabetes right now. She’s going to love it.
Love the photos of the kids decorating. Such a great tradition.
You are the most awesome sugar free cook! I cannot imagine making frosting sugar free- awesome! Plus that natural food coloring sounds fantastic.
What a great thing! Such pretty cookies …
Aww your cookies are adorable!! Who cares if they’re pink!! Love this sugar free frosting. Such a great alternative!
Wow- that frosting looks perfect! I almost can’t believe they’re sugar free. 🙂
These are so pretty, I just love the muted tone of the colors in your frosting!
Love the picture of your kids. They look like they’re having a blast! Nice recipe. Your frosting looks creamy and delicious!
I don’t understand the recipe. 15 grams of carbohydrates go on one cookie? If so, this can’t be a low carb forum. I need help.
HI Mel, I just wanted to update you, the nutrition site I use for calculations does not subtract the sugar alcohols and therefore it was an error. I updated the recipe. There is no carbs at all in the frosting. Sorry about that!
Awww, your cookies came out adorable! And healthier too. I always learn so much from you!
I love India Tree food colors and have already printed this recipe. My niece is coming to visit and we are going to make this frosting for a cookie day.
Sugar-free buttercream?! You’re my hero!
I usually don’t have the patiences to frost cookies but I’ve been hearing more and more about Swerve – need to check it out!
It’s always great to see your lighter and healthier recipes Brenda! (Especially this time of year when so many of us are indulging in holiday sweets!)
Thank you Martha!
Could Splenda be used in place of the whatchamacalit lol
Or does that take place of the powder sugar?? And do u know if they sell it at Walmart annnd can I taste a dif. From the real thing?.
Right the Swerve I’m using takes the place of powdered sugar. I’ve seen Swerve sold at Whole Foods and online not sure about Walmart. But another sugar free sub should work in its place.
Walmart has it
I definitely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND Splenda! Especially if you have Fibromyalgia! I could not walk on some days even though I was in my fifties. Finally, a doctor read me the side effects of Splenda, and it actually causes Fibromyalgia! I never heard of Swerve. Wonder what the ingredients are.
Swerve is eritherol
Splenda is on the list for “ok” for fibro. I think you may have it mixed up with aspartame and others which can be a problem in *some* people…. Splenda is pretty much the only artificial sweetener that works for me…
I’m don’t think I can make this recipe due to sorta nasty reactions to the ingredient in Swerve, but maybe I can modify it somehow using Splenda…. Or just use sugar but far less (I realize this is a sugar free site).
Brenda I used Splenda for my sweetner and it is so bitter. any way I can save the icing with an addition of something to take out the bitter taste. its gonna ruin my cake!!! HELP please!!!!
Deborah
Oh no! So sorry that happened, I don’t use splenda I didn’t know it would cause it to be bitter. Do you have on hand any Swerve confectioners or vanilla liquid stevia, those would help balance out the flavor.
Wow! I had never heard of that swerve before! Great idea 🙂
Those frosting colors are so pretty! We already started the holiday cookie baking. The kids just love to take over and the sprinkles end up everywhere…which makes it more fun!
What a fabulous way to spend a “free” Saturday with your kiddos. I bet they had a blast applying the frosting with their fingers!
Can’t wait to start decorating our cookies!
Can I used lactose free milk?
yes that would work
Can I use regular almond milk instead if coconut milk?
yes
This is awesome! Amazing you can make it sugar free!
Such a wonderful frosting recipe!
I love India Tree!They are truly the best natural food coloring out there.
I just started my cookies today!! I love a good frosting recipe!
I love the idea of this but I have tried something similar with not great results. I’ve found that Swerve has a cooling effect as an “aftertaste” that my family didn’t like and Stevia has a bitter aftertaste. Have you run into this as well?
When combined it seems to work well and my kids loved the frosting. I’ve tried it with just stevia but can only make a cream cheese frosting with liquid vanilla stevia. For this type of texture as in a typical buttercream it needs the bulk that Swerve provides.
Salted or unsalted butter? Love your recipes, thank you
I use salted in this recipe.
Could Pyure be used instead of Swerve?
Sure!
you could try sukrin
It sounds as though you had a wonderful baking day with your kids! This frosting is something I need on hand when we’re ready for cookie decorating here.
the smiles on the kiddos faces!
My fiance is allergic to coconut, is there something I could use as substitute to the coconut milk?
unsweetened almond milk