Easy Keto Cream Cheese Frosting

This keto cream cheese frosting will make you feel better about your indulgences.

Cream cheese icing can be traced back for many years as a delicious treat, in the early 1900s cream cheese was seen as an affordable and sweet cheese that could be used to accentuate everything from a bagel in the morning to a sweet after dinner treat. There are many delicious desserts that traditionally use cream cheese frosting, however if you are trying to cut sugars to be keto it’s difficult to have anything frosted. This keto cream cheese frosting recipe however uses sugar substitutes to sweeten the frosting to make a low carb, zero sugar, and delicious alternative. While a traditional cream cheese frosting is thick and creamy this recipe yields an almost mousse like frosting that can also be eaten with a spoon like a yogurt with berries.

Cream cheese frosting is versatile and can easily be flavoured using additives like cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin, and more. While traditional frostings core ingredients are liquid, often cream based, butter, and sugar. With a cream cheese frosting the use of cream cheese makes it a thicker consistency due to the cheese curds inside of cream cheese.

You may wonder, how is a delicious treat made with cream cheese keto, and it may surprise you that cream cheese itself is entirely keto, all it takes to make the frosting keto is to remove the sugar used in its production. Use this recipe to make a delicious keto carrot cake, keto pumpkin cookies, or any keto friendly spiced cakes.

How do we sweeten without sugar?

I’m sure you’re wondering how we make the frosting sweet now that we’ve removed the sugar from the recipe. The sugar is replaced with stevia glycerite which is a zero-calorie liquid sweetener alternative to sugar. You might wonder if that takes away from the sweetness or makes the frosting watery, the simple answer is no, stevia has been widely used as a sweetener for centuries and blends with the cream cheese to simply smooth it. Stevia is a natural sweetener which the body can process naturally and easily. With all that being said, it’s time to get down to business.

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese softened and cubed for easy mixing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for a hint of warm flavor
1 1/2 teaspoons stevia glycerite equivalent to 1/2 cup powdered sugar for a keto-friendly sweetness

How to Make Keto Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: If it’s not already softened, remove the cream cheese from its packaging, cut it into cubes, and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second bursts. You want it soft but still holding its shape, not melted.

Step 2: To the softened cream cheese, add the vanilla extract and the stevia. You can substitute Stevia with a powdered keto-friendly sweetener of your choice.

Step 3: Whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy. If you use an electric mixer, start on a low speed to combine the ingredients, then ramp up to medium. It should take around 1 minute. Don’t forget to pause and scrape down the sides.

Step 4: Spoon the frosting onto your cupcakes or cakes. Use a piping bag for a professional touch.

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

After you have made your frosting, you can frost your desserts and if kept refrigerated should be good for 5 to 7 days. If you’re not going to use the frosting right away it will still be good for 7 days if kept refrigerated in a sealed container. You also have the option of freezing the frosting and it will last for about 30 days in a sealed container.

What Is the Best Cream Cheese to Use?

The best option is to use a full fat cream cheese that comes as a brick as opposed to a low-fat option or a tubbed cream cheese. Since this recipe does not call for butter, you need the fats in the cream cheese to aid in the thickening of your icing so that it better holds its shape and texture.

How Much Frosting Will This Recipe Yield?

This recipe will give you enough frosting to frost six cupcakes or a single layer cake, it is easily doubled or tripled if you need more, this recipe is quick and simple enough that you can always increase your recipe for more frosting without a lot of extra time.

Sweet Tip to Enjoy

While this recipe is noted for keto carrot cake, I highly recommend enjoying it on a delicious (keto?) cinnamon roll for an additional treat.

Serving Suggestions

Once your frosting is ready, set it aside until you’ve baked your cake, cupcake, or other dessert and let it cool. You never want to frost a warm cake because your frosting will melt, and you’ll end up with a mess. Once your desserts are ready you can either use a spreader knife to hand decorate your treats or put your frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto your desserts. For an additional touch you can garnish with crushed nuts or a light dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg to have a perfect dessert to enjoy.