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    Home Β» Sweets

    Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

    Published: Apr 14, 2021 by Sherri Hall Β· This post may contain affiliate links.

    pin showing overhead of frosting on red velvet cupcakes

    All you need to make delicious dairy-free cream cheese frosting at home is just 5 minutes and 4 simple ingredients! This vegan frosting is super easy to make and perfect for your favorite cupcakes, cakes and more.

    Jump to Recipe
    overhead of frosting on a few cupcakes

    Why you'll love this dairy-free frosting

    • It's super simple to make in just 5 minutes with only 4 ingredients.
    • This frosting is so creamy, it's hard to believe it's actually dairy-free making it perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike!
    • It's the perfect complement for your favorite home baked goods such as these vegan vanilla cupcakes, vegan chocolate cupcakes, chickpea flour brownies or vegan brownie bites as well as carrot cake, pumpkin bread or cookie sandwiches.
    • This frosting is also great for jazzing up store-bought cake mixes like this gluten-free red velvet mix which is what I used in the photos (FYI - this brand gives instructions on the package for making the cake/cupcakes vegan using aquafaba and coconut oil).
    cupcakes with frosting on a white serving plate

    Ingredients you'll need to make cream cheese frosting vegan

    • Vegan Butter
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Organic Powdered Sugar
    • Pure Vanilla Extract
    overhead of cupcakes with frosting on white serving tray

    How to make dairy-free cream cheese frosting

    Add vegan butter, vegan cream cheese and vanilla to a mixing bowl.

    Beat using an electric hand mixer until just smooth, but do not overbeat.

    • vegan butter, vegan cream cheese and vanilla in mixing bowl before whipping
    • vegan butter, vegan cream cheese and vanilla whipped in mixing bowl

    Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, whipping in between each addition, until smooth and creamy.

    • powdered sugar added to frosting in mixing bowl
    • frosting after being whipped in mixing bowl

    Use as desired.

    holding cupcake with frosting with a bite taken out of it

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the best vegan butter to use for frosting?

    You can use any brand of vegan butter you'd like, but just be sure it is the stick kind rather than the spreadable kind in a tub. The butter sticks tend to hold up to whipping better than the spreads. I used the plant-based Country Crock sticks with avocado oil.

    What is the best non-dairy substitute for cream cheese?

    Luckily, there are so many options today for non-dairy alternatives to dairy products including cream cheese. My personal favorite is the Kite Hill brand, but I would also recommend Miyoko's or Violife.

    How long does cream cheese frosting last in the fridge?

    The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before using. If it is too firm after refrigeration, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

    holding up a cupcake with frosting in the wrapper

    Tips

    • If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes and stir before using.
    • To make this recipe nut-free, be sure to use a nut-free vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.
    • To make this recipe soy-free, ensure you are using a soy-free vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.
    overhead of red velvet cupcakes with frosting on a white serving tray

    More Vegan Sweets

    • Vegan Buttercream Frosting
    • Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • 3-Ingredient Chocolate Nice Cream
    close-up overhead of frosting on a cupcake with parts of others in view
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 4 votes

    Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

    All you need to make delicious dairy-free cream cheese frosting at home is just 5 minutes and 4 simple ingredients! This vegan frosting is super easy to make and perfect for your favorite cupcakes, cakes and more.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Keyword dairy-free, frosting, gluten free, vegan
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 12 -18
    Calories 236kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • Β½ cup vegan butter (room temperature)
    • 8 oz vegan cream cheese
    • 3-4 cups organic powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Add vegan butter, vegan cream cheese and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric hand mixer until just smooth, but do not overbeat.
    • Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, whipping in between each addition, scraping down the sides as needed and continuing to mix until smooth and creamy. Add Β½ to 1 cup more powdered sugar if needed to achieve desired consistency, mixing after adding.

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    Electric Hand Mixer

    Notes

    The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before using. If it is too firm after refrigeration, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
    If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes and stir before using.
    To make this recipe nut-free, be sure to use a nut-free vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.
    To make this recipe soy-free, ensure you are using a soy-free vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 1g
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    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. zoe

      June 25, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      very yummy frosting with nice flavor - cannot tell it is vegan! πŸ™‚ however the viscosity was a little off (too low of a viscosity)
      Also, recipe yields too much frosting. even 6 servings is a ton
      5/5

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        June 26, 2021 at 9:18 am

        Thanks so much, Zoe! Glad you enjoyed the flavor! πŸ™‚ I appreciate your feedback regarding the viscosity and amount of frosting. We tend to go a little overboard here with the amount of frosting we use lol. I know different brands of vegan butter and cream cheese will give different results as far as consistency goes in addition to other factors such as temperature, but I'm thinking perhaps a bit more powdered sugar might help with that aspect. Thank you for sharing your experience as it will be beneficial for others looking to make the frosting. πŸ™‚

        Reply

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    Sherri

    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

    Learn more about me

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