Today we’re going to take a look at how to make amazing dairy free frosting. In fact, you don’t even need dairy-free milk to make a frosting that’s rich in flavor and incredibly delicious.
Traditional buttercream frostings use dairy butter from a cow, which many people are allergic to, intolerant to, or are unable to eat for another reason. Knowing that, I’ll be showing you how to make the perfect dairy free vanilla frosting recipe, sometimes called American Buttercream Frosting. This homemade frosting can be used on your favorite cakes, sugar cookies (if you like them with thick frosting), and with other desserts.
Dairy-free frosting is easy to make and with a simple ingredients we will have a sweet, rich, buttery spread (aka frosting) that you can use on just about any vegan dessert (or non-vegan if you don’t need that feature). This fluffy vegan buttercream frosting also holds up well on layer cakes, which is an important note. Not all frostings will work in that scenario, so make sure you’re using one that will.
Ingredients For Your Easy Dairy Free Frosting
- 112g Dairy Free Butter, room temperature (4 ounces)
- 680g Organic Powdered Sugar (24 ounces, sometimes called confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 4 – 5 TBSP Water, room temperature (start with 4 TBSP)
Tools to Make Vegan Frosting
- Large Mixing Bowl or Stand Mixer Bowl
- Paddle Attachment
- Flexible Spatula (don’t use a wooden spoon as it will be much harder to scrape down the bowl)
- Measuring Spoons
More Amazing Dairy Free Frosting Recipes
If you’d love to dive into the world of dairy free and vegan frosting recipes, I’ve got you covered. Here are just a few recipes that I know you’ll love, and you can find more here on RAISE.
- Chocolate Vegan Buttercream Frosting (an award winning chocolate frosting)
- Peach Dairy-Free Buttercream Frosting (amazing vegan recipe)
- Vanilla Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (great for cinnamon rolls)
- Sunflower Seed Butter Frosting (a play on vegan peanut butter frosting, great for those with a peanut allergy)
- Strawberry Frosting Recipe
- Cherry Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting Recipe
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How to Make Your Vegan Vanilla Frosting
Place your diary free butter into your stand mixer mixing bowl along with your sea salt. Use a paddle attachment to whip. This helps fluff up the frosting by adding air into the dairy free butter. Whip on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. It’s important to use the paddle attachment, not the whisk attachment, as the latter won’t whip up the ingredients properly.
Next add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and 3 Tablespoons of water to start. Turn the mixer back on low speed and mix until a good amount of the sugar is wet (this doesn’t take long). Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip for 2-3 minutes. Your frosting will start to come together beautifully.
You can add up to another 6 teaspoons (2 Tablespoons) of water as needed. My frosting generally takes 4 Tablespoons of water, but sometimes it’s a little more depending on the weather and state of the dairy free butter. If you add 4 Tablespoons, switch to adding water 1 teaspoon at a time, as it’s easy to go over and ruin your frosting.
After whipping, scrape down the sides of the bowl, give the frosting a good stir, and whip again for a few moments to ensure all of the ingredients are well incorporated. That’s it! I hope you love your frosting, but also see how easy it is to make at home from scratch. You’re now ready to use your frosting to decorate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.
Frosting Tip: To create a richer mouthfeel, use 170g/6 ounces of dairy free butter instead of the 112g/4 ounces. I’ve done this and people go WILD for it.
Amazing Cake Recipes
- Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe (like the birthday cake you ate as a kid)
- Baby Smash Cake Recipe (a gluten free and vegan cake recipe that adults love)
- Gluten Free Hostess Cupcake Copycat Recipe (makes amazing chocolate cupcakes as well)
- Raspberry Upside Down Cake (an easy recipe if you’re new to baking cake)
- Vanilla Sheet Pan Cake Recipe (an over the moon delicious vegan vanilla cake recipe, you can also use this for top 9 allergy free vanilla cupcakes)
- Brown Sugar Peach Bourbon Cake Recipe (a delicious dairy free, gluten free, egg free cake recipe)
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An Important Note on Water
Always, always, ALWAYS start on the lower end of the required amount of water. Even if you’ve made the dairy-free frosting a hundred times, still start on the low end. It’s easy to add more. It’s a lot harder to fix the consistency of a frosting that’s gone runny. Not impossible, but a lot of work that’s avoidable.
Furthermore, temperature affects everything. Making frosting in the summer vs winter time will have small differences. The temperature of your dairy free butter REALLY matters.
This is a practiced thing. Over time, as you make more frosting, you’ll really know what to LOOK for and what to FEEL for. I can even hear when frosting is ready, as it m\gives off a very specific frequency. Since I operated a bakery, it’s pretty easy for me to spot frosting that’s ready. However, when the kids help, it’s almost always off. So, know going in that practice makes perfect.
How to Store Your Dairy-Free Frosting
The great thing about this frosting recipe is that it’s freezer friendly. I usually decorate my cake or cupcakes, then freeze them whole. I know some people like to freeze whole blocks of dairy-free frosting, but I prefer to freeze it in its finished state.
When I’m in a baking mode and using frosting regularly, I leave it out on the counter. During summer months and hot days, frosting is stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to allow for a full thaw before using. The worst thing you can do is take cold dairy-free frosting out of your fridge and add a bit of water to mix it so it’s “softer”. Once it comes up to temperature, it’s going to run like its in a marathon. In a pinch, use a culinary torch to warm up cold frosting before using.
Should you choose to freeze a whole block of frosting, I don’t recommend using a freezer bag when storing your frosting. Whilst it’s disposable, your frosting will stick to the bag, so you’ll lose some. It’s also harder to work with when you’re trying to scoop out frosting to load your piping bag. Instead, use a freezer safe container with a lid.
Looking for a Step-by-Step Tutorial?
If you’d like to make more gluten free and allergy friendly cake and frosting recipes with step-by-step video tutorials, check out my Free-From Cake Bundles. Here are a few of the options available:
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Cake Tutorial
- S’mores Cake Tutorial
- Construction Cake Tutorial
- Lemon Berry Blast Cake Tutorial
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Each one is gluten free, top 9 allergy free (no milk, egg, soy, etc.), vegan, and more. All from an award winning bakery!
Answering Your Dairy Free Frosting Questions
Is there a non-dairy milk I can use in place of the water?
Yes, you can use coconut milk, oat milk, rice milk, almond milk, soy milk, and any other dairy free milk. If you plan to use coconut milk, use the boxed variety that’s more watery, not the full fat can type. Also, make sure it’s a plain/unsweetened milk.
Can I make this with a hand electric mixer instead of a stand mixer?
An electric hand mixer could work for this recipe. Make sure your dairy free butter is at the proper temperature before starting, or I imaging this could be a difficult task for you. I also suggest using a large bowl that’s a bit bigger than what you need to reduce the chances of making a large mess.
Would I be able to make this dairy free frosting recipe mixing by hand?
No, I don’t recommend it. It’s difficult for the human hand to produce the force and speed needed, for as long as needed, to end up with a light fluffy frosting. If you don’t have a stand mixer and aren’t ready to invest in one, you can purchase an electric hand mixer at a much lower cost.
Would palm shortening work in place of the dairy free butter?
Yes, it will, just make sure you manage your expectations. You can use shortening as a 1:1 substitution, however, the flavour profile is wildly different. You’re going to lose the rich butter flavour and generally, your frosting will be more stiff. That’s just the nature of palm shortening. You’ll still be happy with the results, just remember, they’ll be different results.
Can I use coconut oil in place of the dairy free butter?
Maybe, as there are limits. The biggest issue is that coconut oil has a different melting point when compared to dairy free butter. Additionally, even on a hot day, dairy free butter will still have some body to it whereas coconut oil becomes totally liquid.
The saving grace is that coconut oil is solid at the right temperature. As long as you work within the right temperatures, it can work. However, you’re going to taste the coconut oil. If you’re serving this to friends and family who may not enjoy the taste, you’d be better off with something like palm shortening which is much more neutral in taste. But maybe you’re making a tropical cake and want the coconut flavour. Either way, make a half batch to start. This way, if it doesn’t work out and you need to toss it, you lose less ingredients.
Can I use Smart Balance butter for this recipe?
Honestly, I can’t vouch for that brand. You could always cut the recipe in half and give it a go. If it doesn’t work out, you’re only losing half the ingredients.
Can I use extra powdered sugar in this recipe?
No, don’t add more sugar to this recipe. It’s already considered a very sweet frosting. If you need more frosting for some reason, make a double batch and store the leftovers in an airtight container.
I’ve added too much water and the frosting is weird and runny. Can I fix it?
Maybe. It really depends on how much extra liquid you added. If it’s just a little and the frosting is *just* starting to separate, add tapioca starch and powdered sugar. Start with 2 Tablespoons of each and mix. You’ll need to assess and continue to add more flour/sugar to correct the imbalance.
In some cases, it’s gone too far and there’s no saving it. I mean, you could, but it’s much easier to cut your losses and start over. If you don’t want to waste the ingredients, you could pivot and convert what you have into an odd glaze, or a dipping “sauce” for things like pretzels and plain cookies.
Is there a way to powder sugar at home?
Yes, you can make powdered sugar in your blender at home. To do this, you’ll use white cane sugar and a starch such as arrowroot, tapioca, or corn starch. I often make my own powdered maple sugar for decorating refined sugar free cakes. I use 2 cups of organic maple sugar and 3 Tablespoons arrowroot. Sift (for best results), then blend on high speed until a good powder has formed, then use it like you would regular powdered sugar.
Is Earth Balance a good brand for vegan butter?
Yes, it’s a great option. Keep in mind, if you’re more than dairy free, some of their products contain major allergens (and they don’t always highlight them in bold so read carefully). I suggest purchasing the sticks, not their whipped products.
I have seed and dairy allergies. What would be the best vegan butter alternative for me?
You’ll want to use coconut shortening, palm shortening, or vegetable shortening in place of the vegan butter in this recipe. Be warned: the texture and overall flavor are going to shift. However, have hope! You’ll still have a dairy free frosting with the correct consistency, and you’ll be able to use it on cookies, cupcakes, and for cake decorating.
I’m trying to apply sprinkles to the frosting but they won’t stick. Have any tips?
The key to getting your sprinkles to adhere to your dairy free frosting is to add the sprinkles right after piping the frosting. You need the frosting to still be wet and fresh, rather than dry from sitting out. Once the very top layer of your frosting is no longer fresh, as it “dries” a thin “crust” forms. You’ll really notice this if you look closely when putting a fork or spoon thru the frosting after a while.
All of that to say, once the “crust” forms, nothing will properly adhere to the cake (sprinkles, candies, cookies, etc.). So, to make sure your sprinkles look great, decorate and apply them right away.
I follow a low sodium diet. Can I leave the salt out?
Yes, you can leave the salt out to adhere to your low sodium diet. Know that the flavour is going to shift a little as salt can help balance out recipes. I’d suggest adding a little extra vanilla extract, or even something like a teaspoon of organic ground cinnamon. The cinnamon (and other flavouring agents) can help distract the palate from reading the frosting as super sweet.
Can I add cocoa powder to this recipe and have chocolate frosting?
You could add cocoa powder, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you how much as it isn’t a product I work with. For chocolate frosting, I prefer to use organic cacao powder (more rich and intense, plus less processed) when I make my chocolate frosting. You can find my vegan + dairy free chocolate buttercream frosting recipe here on RAISE for members.
My daughter needs a high protein diet. Could I add protein powder to this icing recipe?
To make a high protein frosting/icing that meets her needs, I’d suggest swapping out 15% of the powdered sugar for a protein powder that tastes amazing. If the protein powder doesn’t taste good, it will ruin your frosting, even in small amounts.
Whilst this isn’t something I’ve personally done, you should be able to start with a 15% protein powder swap and still have dairy free frosting that functions well and can be used for decorating.
Can I substitute almond extract for vanilla extract?
Honestly, I’m not sure, and that’s because I’ve never worked with almond extract before. Given all the different food allergies my recipes accommodate, I tend to use minimal ingredients that are super allergy friendly.
If almond extract has a super powerful taste, I’d suggest swapping out half the vanilla extract. If it has a more subtle taste, you could try swapping most or all of the vanilla extract.
If this is your first time using almond extract in a dairy free frosting recipe, I’d encourage you to make half the recipe, just in case it fails. Better to lose have the ingredients than all of them, given the price of free-from food.
