I made this Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting after going down the internet rabbit hole and finding recipe after recipe calling for loads of vegan butter and up to FOUR cups of powdered sugar. Four cups. Respectfully… no. I wanted something lighter. Something that lets the cake shine instead of overpowering it and something that could be ready in 5 minutes flat.
This one skips the unnecessary fat, keeps the sweetness in check, and still delivers that silky smooth, tangy, dreamy frosting experience. It received two enthusiastic thumbs up from kid taste testers (that's basically a Mom Michelin star) and when that happened I knew I had the winning recipe!
I created this frosting to make chocolate cake, carrot cake, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and birthday cakes of all kinds taste incredible without the sugar coma. If you're like me and you love cream cheese frosting but hate when desserts cross into tooth-achingly sweet territory, I feel you. And if it's also loved by kiddos but keeps them from turning into sugar-crazed Minions after dessert, that is a parenting win in my book.
Jump to:
💗Why You'll Love This Lightly Sweetened Frosting
- No vegan butter required – cream cheese frosting does not require a sidekick made of extra fat to be amazing.
- Ready in 5 minutes – and made in one bowl, we want dessert not dishes.
- Silky smooth texture – spreads like a dream and pipes beautifully.
- Lower sugar than most recipes – it takes only a ½ cup powdered sugar to achieve frosting greatness. Oh, and bonus, it is indeed Gluten Free.
- Kid-approved – two enthusiastic thumbs up from the most brutally honest critics.
🥣 Ingredients & Helpful Substitutions
For the full list and measurements, see the recipe card below. Here are the main ingredients and easy swaps.
- Vegan cream cheese – The star of the show. I tested this frosting with Violife and Philadelphia Plant-Based, and both were equally delicious, silky smooth, and perfect for piping. See my FAQ section regarding Kite Hill brand cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar – Just enough to lightly sweeten and smooth things out. This recipe is intentionally lower sugar than most. Taste as you go and, if you want it sweeter, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s perfect for you. Versatility is a beautiful thing. I made this several times and found that one half cup was the perfect amount.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth. Any vanilla works great.
- Plant milk – Any unsweetened variety works (almond, soy, oat, cashew). Used only as needed to loosen the frosting to your ideal consistency.
🥄 How To Make This Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Gather Your Ingredients
You'll need your vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and plant milk.
One bowl. One mixer. Minimal mess.
Add the Cream Cheese
Place the vegan cream cheese into a medium mixing bowl. You can let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it’s very firm, this can help it blend more smoothly.
Add the Powdered Sugar
Sprinkle the powdered sugar directly over the cream cheese. It may not look like a lot compared to other recipes… that’s on purpose.
Add the Vanilla
Pour in the vanilla extract for that warm, bakery-style flavor that makes everything taste intentional.
Add the Plant Milk
Add 1 tablespoon of plant milk to the bowl. Don't worry, as you start mixing you will see it's just the right amount to bring everything together.
Start Mixing
Use a hand mixer to begin blending everything together. At first it will look a little lumpy and questionable. Stay with it.
Keep Beating Until Creamy
Turn it to Medium High speed and continue mixing until the frosting becomes smooth and cohesive. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is incorporated.
Check the Texture
Lift the beaters. The frosting should cling and form soft, creamy peaks.
Smooth & Ready to Use
Once fully blended, the frosting should be silky smooth and spreadable/ready for piping. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed, then frost your cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, or carrot cake like the confident baker you are.
👩🍳 Pro Tip: Make sure your dessert is fully cooled (or cold) before adding frosting so your frosting stays thick, fluffy, and right where you put it.
Add desired toppings and serve immediately!
Want another quick plant based dessert idea? Easily make my One Bowl Banana Bread into banana cupcakes and frost them with your new frosting for healthier dessert that will definitely get rave reviews! Here is my favorite cupcake pan!
🧊 Storage & Meal Prep Tips
Refrigerator: Store frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Before using: Let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes if needed, then give it a quick stir to bring back that silky texture.
Make ahead: You can make this frosting a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to use.
Freezer: Not recommended, cream cheese frosting can change texture after freezing and thawing.
❓ FAQ's
Yes! This recipe is specifically designed to be made without vegan butter while still being creamy, thick, and pipeable. The vegan cream cheese does all the heavy lifting here.
Yes. This frosting holds its shape well for piping. For best results, use only 1 Tablespoon plant milk so the frosting stays thick.
I tested this recipe with Violife and Philadelphia Plant-Based and both produced equally silky, smooth results. I've read that block-style vegan cream cheese will give you the thickest frosting, but I tested the tub-style too and did not see any noticeable difference when piping.
I also tested using kite Hill and while it will not work for piping, it did make an excellent pourable, smooth, thick glaze that would be great on cupcakes or cake or even cookies. Note: you may want to add a bit more powdered sugar though.
Most often this happens if:
-The vegan cream cheese was very warm
-Too much plant milk was added
-The dessert was warm when frosting was applied
If it’s runny before adding it to the dessert, beat in additional powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until thickened. You can also try placing it in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes to help it firm up a bit.
Yes. You can make it up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes and give it a quick stir before using.
Absolutely. Use gel or powdered food coloring for best results so you don’t thin out the frosting.
For Natural, Non-Runny Colorants for Vegan Frosting:
Pink/Red: Freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries (ground to a fine powder in your blender), or beet powder.
Blue: Blue spirulina powder (mixes in without impacting taste).
Green: Matcha powder or spirulina powder.
Yellow/Orange: Turmeric (use sparingly to avoid taste) or annatto powder.
Brown: Cocoa powder or carob powder.
Mix Gradually: Add powders to the frosting slowly until the desired color is reached, as some (like turmeric or matcha) are very potent.
🎨 Flavor Variations for Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate: Add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2–4 more tablespoons powdered sugar (cocoa is bitter, so it needs a little extra sweetness).
- Lemon: Add 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or lemon zest plus 2–3 more tablespoons powdered sugar for balance.
- Strawberry: Add 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (or blend freeze dried berries in your blender then add to the bowl) plus 1–3 tablespoons more powdered sugar.
- Cinnamon: Add ½–1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and, if desired, 1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
- Vanilla Bean: Add seeds from ½ vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (no extra sugar needed).
👩🏻🍳 Want to see some behind-the-scenes fun (and maybe a little kitchen chaos)? Keep scrollin’ — it’s all happening below the recipe card!
Print
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 cupcakes or 1 layer cake 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
Silky, lightly sweet vegan cream cheese frosting made without vegan butter and ready in 5 minutes. Perfect for anyone who loves cream cheese frosting without the sugar overload.
Ingredients
8 ounces vegan cream cheese (block-style preferred)
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened plant milk
Instructions
- Add vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon plant milk to a mixing bowl.
- Beat with a hand mixer on medium/high until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust sweetness by adding powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.
- Use immediately to frost cooled cakes, cupcakes, or other desserts.
Notes
Color Variations: For Natural, Non-Runny Colorants for Vegan Frosting:
Pink/Red: Freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries (ground to a fine powder in your blender), or beet powder.
Blue: Blue spirulina powder (mixes in without impacting taste).
Green: Matcha powder or spirulina powder.
Yellow/Orange: Turmeric (use sparingly to avoid taste) or annatto powder.
Brown: Cocoa powder or carob powder.
Mix Gradually: Add powders to the frosting slowly until the desired color is reached, as some (like turmeric or matcha) are very potent.
Flavor Variations: Chocolate: Add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2–4 more tablespoons powdered sugar (cocoa is bitter, so it needs a little extra sweetness).
Lemon: Add 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or lemon zest plus 2–3 more tablespoons powdered sugar for balance.
Strawberry: Add 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (or blend freeze dried berries in your blender then add to the bowl) plus 1–3 tablespoons more powdered sugar.
Cinnamon: Add ½–1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and, if desired, 1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
Vanilla Bean: Add seeds from ½ vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (no extra sugar needed).
Cooling: Make sure desserts are completely cooled before frosting or the frosting will melt. This is my favorite cupcake pan.
Sweetness: This frosting is intentionally not overly sweet. Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time if you prefer it sweeter.
Storage: Store frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes and stir before using.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Desserts
- Method: No Bake, No cook
- Cuisine: American, Confection/Candy
⭐Did you enjoy this Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting recipe?
If you give this Cream Cheese Frosting a try please leave a comment and rating below! Justin and I read every one! Your feedback helps more people find my recipes and keeps the delicious messy chaos going in the Fresh Fun Flavor kitchen. Plus, we just love hearing from you!
👩🏻🍳Creating the shot: A behind the scenes look
That look when he’s deciding if today is the day he risks it all for frosting.
Production assistant. Lighting supervisor. Cupcake security detail. Zero actual help.
What Really Happened
I wanted to make cupcakes for Chris's birthday, but I always make a super healthy cashew based frosting. It’s fine. It’s responsible. It’s just… not exactly thrilling. So I wanted to try and find something really yummy. I started searching for a cream cheese frosting and everything I found was loaded with butter and sugar. Like… a lot of butter and sugar. Time for a frosting recipe.
I didn't want to deviate too much from my 'keeping it healthy-ish' goals, but I also wanted it to taste incredible. I knew one thing had to be certain, a good frosting CAN be made without a pound of butter and blizzard of powdered sugar.
What I ended up with was a very light, fluffy, silky, creamy, smooth, completely delectable frosting that I will definitely be making every time we have cake. You'll be licking the beaters after making this one!
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting is an estimate calculated using Nutrifox, an online tool. Please note that this information is for general guidance only and should not replace advice from a qualified professional. Additionally, this page may include affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Fresh Fun Flavor!
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