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The Best Gluten Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (keto and low carb)
Move over betty crocker because I have the best gluten-free frosting recipe that you will want use for every dessert that needs one!
The best type of frosting is one that is creamy, not too sweet and stays firm enough at room temperature that you can not worry about it melting!
I have the best gluten free vanilla frosting recipe for you that will make all of your desserts amazing!
You will not even need to consider buying frosting from the grocery store anymore now that you have this easy recipe! Store-bought frostings can contain gluten and you not even know it.
Those who have celiac disease know that finding a certified gluten free frosting is a feat, so make this homemade frosting yourself so you know it is safe! All of my recipes here on my site are gluten free and low carb friendly recipes.
Not only is this recipe a gluten free version of super smooth frosting, but it is also keto and low carb. It is a great alternative to the classic buttercream recipe that is very popular in the United States.
You can easily make this a dairy-free vanilla frosting if you use vegan cream cheese and earth balance butter. Kite Hill cream cheese is the smoothest dairy free cream cheese that works well in my recipes. When you choose dairy free ingredients you also make this a vegan vanilla frosting as well!
Don’t get the wrong idea about using cream cheese as this is not a gluten free cream cheese frosting! It only contains a bit of cream cheese to maintain the right consistency instead of adding a ton of confectioners sugar.
You know the American buttercream frostings that are so sweet it makes your mouth pucker? This is worlds apart from those types!
You only need a few simple ingredients to get started making this creamy frosting! I recommend a handheld mixer or stand mixer to get the creamy consistency that you want.
I chose to use the whisk attachment instead of the paddle attachment so I could get it whipped up very well. Regular beaters that come with an electric hand mixer would work fine.
To start, you need to make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. If you need to get your butter and cream cheese to room temperature quickly, check out my post here where I give you tips on how to do that.
The secret ingredient in this frosting is the sugar free white chocolate chips! It adds a stability to the gluten free frosting that will allow it to stay firm and keep its shape at room temperature for more than a day or two.
In a small saucepan put your sugar free white chocolate chips over the lowest heat setting on your stovetop. I have a melt setting on mine I use just for this purpose.
It is important to not rush this melting step because if you do it will seize up and turn grainy. It may seem silly to babysit the melting chocolate, but matter of fact, sugar free white chocolate chips are so finicky that you have to stand and slowly stir it while it melts.
A way to get along with the recipe without standing at the stove top the whole time is to put it on the lowest setting and set a timer for 3 minutes. Then when the timer goes off, you can return to give it a little stir with a whisk. Set the timer again, and repeat until it is creamy and smoothly melted like this.
After you get it all melted and smooth, set it aside.
Now, you will start making your perfect buttercream frosting! You must start out with room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese.
This ensures you get a fluffy frosting that will be ultra smooth. I always start by whipping the butter and cream cheese together at high speed to get some air into the fats.
Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl as you go through the recipe so every ingredient is properly mixed.
After the cream cheese and butter are combined smoothly, then add in the coconut oil.
Mix until smooth again. If for some reason your coconut oil is runny and melted, put it in the fridge for a little bit to stiffen up. If it is hard as a rock, then put it in a small ziploc bag and knead it with your hands.
Your body temperature will soften it up enough without melting it. If the coconut oil melts, then put it in the freezer again to harden up to the consistency of room temperature butter.
Now is when you will add in the confectioner’s erythritol, stevia, vanilla extract and vanilla protein powder.
The vanilla protein powder helps take the place of some of the confectioners sugar’s job of thickening the frosting without increasing the sweetness.
I prefer Iconic Vanilla Protein Powder as it is micro fine and mixes up well without any grit. Remember that the protein powder you use will come through in the frosting taste, so choose wisely!
You can of course use whatever vanilla protein powder you have on hand, but be warned, it may cause a gritty texture if the powder you choose is not a fine powder consistency.
Mix the ingredients very well until it is smooth. Don’t forget to stop and scrape down the sides a few times while mixing it.
By this point in time your sugar free white chocolate chips should be melted to a creamy consistency.
If you are using a stand mixer, put it on low speed and stream it into the beater as it mixes.
If you are using a handheld electric mixer, then just scrape it all into your large mixing bowl and mix it up. You will need to stop and scrape the sides at least once to make sure all of the melted sugar free white chocolate chips are mixed in well.
At this point you now have your gluten-free vanilla buttercream frosting completed! It should make a soft peak when you pull the beaters out of the frosting, of course I take a little taste to make sure everything is on point!
If it seems like it needs to be sweeter, then add a few drops more of stevia, or a pinch of stevia. Do not add any more confectioners sugar as this will stiffen it up too much and dry it out.
Going with a pinch of stevia instead ensures you get the little bit more sweetness for a sweet frosting without messing up the recipe.
The Best Gluten Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (low carb and keto)
Ingredients
- 2 oz sugar free white chocolate chips approx. 1/4 cup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup confectioners erythritol or regular powdered sugar if you wish
- 3 tbsp Iconic Vanilla Protein Powder or plain whey, or other protein powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 drops liquid stevia or 1/8 tsp powdered stevia
Instructions
- In a small saucepan on LOWEST HEAT melt the white chocolate. See post for details on importance of melting slow.
- Do not leave unattended and do not try to melt in the microwave or on high. It will seize and separate.
- Once it starts to melt mostly, take off of the heat and whisk until smooth.
- Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter.
- After it is smooth, add in the coconut oil.
- Mix until smooth.
- Now add in the confectioners erythritol, vanilla protein powder, vanilla extract, and stevia drops or powder.
- Mix until very smooth. Scrape down the sides periodically so all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Frosting can be used immediately ONLY if what you are frosting is completely cool.
- Frosting can keep at room temperature for a few days. For long term storage, store in the fridge.
- If it hardens in the fridge, leave at room temperature for 30 minutes and whisk until smooth to return to its original state.
Notes
- You can double this recipe with success if you need more for a double layer cake!
- This recipe is perfect for coloring with different colors to use for decorating for special occasions! Just separate into small bowls and add food coloring.
- You can easily make this a chocolate frosting by using cocoa powder instead of the protein powder and replacing the sugar free white chocolate chips with chocolate chips.
- If you are not worried about being sugar free, you can always sub in regular powdered sugar with good results.
- This is perfect frosting for icing cakes of all sizes! Check out my Low Carb Bahama Mama Cake where I added pineapple extract to the frosting!
- This gluten free buttercream frosting can be used with a piping bag as well! Check out my Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes here where I piped the frosting on the tops!
- If you want to make this a cream cheese frosting where the cream cheese taste comes through, then replace the coconut oil with cream cheese and add in another 2 tablespoons of cream cheese when it calls for it in the recipe.
- Try my Low Carb Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes where I turn it into a chocolate buttercream with a mocha protein powder from Iconic.
It is not required for you to store the frosted cakes in the fridge all the time unless your cake recipe calls for you to. I do store my frosted cakes in the fridge long term. I have only ever let it sit out a day or two during a party or outside event. I will frost the cake the day before to ensure freshness and to save time.
What should I do with leftover frosting?
You can easily store this gluten-free buttercream frosting in the fridge up to 2 weeks. It will harden considerably, but in order to use, just let it sit at room temperature until softened. If it does separate a little, then simply mix it up with a whisk until smooth.
Now go make some gluten free icing for your next dessert!
Don’t forget to PIN this great recipe to your gluten free pinterest board! You can also print it out to have handy in your recipe box!
I am an affiliate with Drink Iconic and other companies. You will find affiliate links throughout my site where I make a small commission when you purchase through these links. This is at no additional cost to you at all. It just helps provide me with a way to continue to bring you great gluten free recipes like this one.
