Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Without Butter

Welcome to my go-to healthy cream cheese frosting recipe without butter! No vegetable shortening. No powdered sugar. No heavy cream. This easy recipe is made with 4 simple ingredients and leaves you with a delicious frosting anyone would love! If you are looking for a healthier alternative to traditional homemade buttercream, this is it!

Frosting recipe without butter

If you’ve seen any sweets here on Fit Mama Real Food, you’ll notice a theme. We take traditional recipes and change them up in a better way.

Often the sugar is lowered and swapped with a more natural choice (maple syrup here!). We try and add extra goodness in where we can, and overall make them healthier choices that are still just as delicious.

That’s what you get with this healthy cream cheese frosting! It goes amazingly well with my applesauce cupcakes.

A perfect pair for my no-sugar healthy smash cake recipe if you want an alternative to the fruit juice sweetened frosting that the recipe calls for.

It would also be a tasty topping for these almond butter zucchini muffins!

You can instantly elevate any muffin recipe and turn them into a healthy cupcake just by adding this frosting!

It’s a favorite thing to do and surprise my kids with a breakfast treat. Little do they know they’re getting a MUCH lower in sugar breakfast dessert that you’d typically find when you think of cupcakes.

What makes this frosting a healthy choice?

I wanted a butter-free frosting that still had the right consistency that I like on my favorite desserts.

Nothing too runny. And also not overly sweet, which I find in store-bought but also many homemade frostings.

This mix of cream cheese, plain yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract are the perfect combo!

This recipe uses way less sugar than your average frosting, but the best part is that it’s still giving you the best flavor.

What you need for this healthy cream cheese frosting

• full-fat cream cheese
• plain yogurt
• pure maple syrup
• vanilla extract

How to make this no butter cream cheese frosting

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.

1. Into the mixing bowl of a standing mixer, or into a large bowl to use a hand mixer, add the softened cream cheese, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
2. Using a whisk attachment, turn the mixer on at medium speed to begin mixing the cream cheese mixture. After 1 minute, increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix.
3. Continue whisking until the frosting is getting a smooth texture and looks fully combined.
4. To use, spread with a knife onto the top of cupcakes, or using a piping bag.

Watch me make my go-to homemade frosting recipe

The full how to video can be watched below, or on my YouTube channel!

Pictured in the video: piping the frosting onto my healthy applesauce cupcakes. A fun and festive fall treat!

How to prep this frosting in advance

Whenever I’m prepping for one of my kid’s birthday parties, I love to prep whatever I can in advance.

I pre-bake the cake, and also make the frosting ahead of time too.

To do this, make a batch of this perfect frosting whisking until it’s a smooth texture.

Add it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When you’d like to frost your dessert, remove the cream cheese mixture from the fridge 1-2 hours in advance to bring it slightly up to room temperature.

Re-whip the frosting with an electric mixer or stand mixer, or simply use it as is without the extra whipping.

How much frosting will this make?

You will have enough frosting for 18-24 cupcakes.

If you are frosting cakes, it will be enough for a small 2-layer cake.

Spread the vanilla frosting on with a knife, or use a piping bag.

If you don’t have a piping bag on hand, here’s a hack: Add the frosting into a plastic bag seal, and cut a small corner off.

Boom, an instant piping bag when you need one!

It does really well on cinnamon rolls (or cinnamon roll oatmeal), carrot cake cupcakes, birthday cake, red velvet cupcakes, and any pumpkin desserts.

If a recipe calls for vanilla buttercream, try this healthier alternative with it. You will love this quick frosting!

Substitutions

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this frosting recipe without butter. 

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Cream cheese frosting – Cream cheese is used in place of the butter in a traditional vanilla buttercream frosting. An alternative to cream cheese would be to use unsalted butter or ricotta cheese.

Plain yogurt – Plain greek yogurt is a good alternative to plain yogurt. You will be left with a thicker fluffy frosting. If you’d prefer to thin it out slightly, add in 1-2 tablespoons of milk.

Maple syrup – The purpose of adding maple syrup is for sweetness. You can substitute other liquid sweeteners equally for the maple syrup – try honey, agave nectar, or date syrup. For a non-liquid sweetener, try coconut sugar or powdered sugar.

Vanilla extract – Try almond extract (but use half the amount), lemon extract, or lemon juice for a different flavor profile.

More recipes you’ll love with this healthy frosting

• Gluten free carrot cake
• No sugar banana cake
• Almond flour oatmeal muffins
• Gluten free applesauce cupcakes

If you try this healthy cream cheese frosting recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather