Look no further for the perfect keto chocolate frosting. This sugar-free recipe is smooth and creamy, with rich chocolate flavor. And it takes only 10 minutes to make!
Every keto baker needs a really good keto chocolate frosting recipe. And this is IT, my friends! This is the magical sugar-free frosting that takes your desserts to a whole new level.
This recipe is everything you want in frosting and nothing you don’t…like unnecessary carbs and sugars. It’s absolutely dreamy and has a rich but balanced chocolate flavor. And unlike traditional American buttercream frosting, it’s not tooth-achingly sweet.
It’s the perfect topping for everything from keto chocolate cake to gooey keto brownies.
And if you’re looking for perfect vanilla keto frosting, I’ve got that too!
Why you need this recipe
What’s the secret to perfect keto chocolate frosting? A little bit of cream cheese! Surprised?
A few ounces of properly softened cream cheese gives sugar-free frosting a smoother consistency. It also provides structure without having to use copious amounts of powdered sweetener.
Just think about it. Conventional American frosting can take upwards of 4 cups of powdered sugar to have the right consistency. 4 CUPS!!! Whereas this keto chocolate frosting takes only two thirds of a cup of sweetener. Which allows the chocolate flavor to really shine through.
The addition of a little cream cheese works for other frosting recipes as well. And it can even help rescue frosting that has split. It’s a trick I’ve known used many times, and now I am passing this bit of low carb wizardry on to you.
So the only question is…what are you going to put it on? How about my keto chocolate cupcakes? They are a match made in heaven!
Reader testimonials
Oh My God, I never thought I could ever enjoy chocolate frosting on Keto. I have tried so many other recipes and finally found a recipe like this. It has a mousse like texture and would be awesome on chocolate cake. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe.I am in heaven!!! — Tess
I bake a lot. This is best chocolate keto frosting I have made,least gritty, best mouth feel due to the cream cheese and whipping cream. It is similar to a whipped cream cheese frosting I make for wedding cakes. Excellent recipe! Thank you! — Stacy
My son has type one diabetes so I was trying to find something that he could have (and would like!) and it seemed impossible until now! So thank you! His birthday will be so special thanks to your recipe. — Ashley
Ingredients you need
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- Unsweetened chocolate: I recommend using good quality unsweetened chocolate such as Ghirardelli or Guittard. I’ve had so many issues with Baker’s brand as it is prone to seizing.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and make sure it’s properly softened.
- Cream cheese: This is the secret ingredient! It gives keto chocolate frosting structure without having to add copious amounts of expensive sweetener.
- Powdered sweetener: I highly recommend Swerve Confectioners for this recipe, as it provides the right consistency. If you use powdered BochaSweet or powdered allulose, you may find the frosting a little softer. Hold back on the heavy cream until you see the consistency.
- Cocoa powder: Use regular or dark cocoa powder, but don’t use cacao powder. It’s often clumpy and doesn’t combine well in a frosting recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Adding vanilla enhances the chocolate flavor. You can also add a bit of espresso powder, which enhances chocolate flavors as well.
- Heavy cream: Use this to thin out the frosting to a nice spreadable and pipe-able consistency.
Step-by-step directions
1. Melt the chocolate: Combine the chopped chocolate and one tablespoon of the butter. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between until smooth. You can also do this in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
2. Cream the butter and cream cheese: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until very smooth. Beat in the powdered sweetener and the cocoa powder until well combined.
3. Beat in the melted chocolate: Add the chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. The mixture will be very thick at this point.
4. Thin it out: Add the cream a few tablespoons at a time until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. How much cream varies depending on the cocoa powder and other ingredients you used.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Frostings made with erythritol sweeteners can recrystallize a little when refrigerated. If you let the cake come to room temperature before serving, it will soften up again.
This recipe makes enough frosting for 12 cupcakes or a single layer cake. For a larger cake, increase the frosting by 25% to 50%.
Dairy-Free Option: I also have a dairy free frosting that is similar to this on my Keto Chocolate Cake.
To rescue split frosting: Gently warm a few ounces of cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the split frosting in small dollops, beating in gently, until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency.
This recipe for keto chocolate frosting has 2.5g of carbohydrate and 1.1g of dietary fiber. Thus is has 1.4g net carbs per serving.
Yes, you can prepare the frosting and refrigerate it until you need it. You will need to let it come to room temperature then stir it again before frosting your cake or cupcakes.
I have frozen this keto chocolate frosting successfully. Transfer it to a freezer safe container and press plastic wrap flush to the surface. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature and re-whip it lightly to lighten it.
How to use it
Get creative with this delicious keto chocolate frosting recipe. Here are some fun ways to use it:
- Pair it with my Keto Devil’s Food Cake. That’s what I did for my last birthday!
- Spread it one one of my Keto Peanut Butter Cookies. Better yet, sandwich it between two of them!
- Spread it on some Keto Chocolate Donuts.
- Pipe it onto a Keto Skillet Cookie for a special birthday dessert.
Keto Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened divided use
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature (give or take a few tablespoons)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and butter together in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- In a large bowl, beat the remaining ½ cup butter and the cream cheese together until smooth. Beat in the powdered sweetener and the cocoa powder until well combined.
- Add the chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. The mixture will be very thick at this point.
- Add the cream a few tablespoons at a time until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
Linda says
This was fabulous! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Creamy, chocolatey goodness right here
Bonnie says
It’s weird, nobody else ever explained why sometimes you need to add more cream than other times. I never knew it had to do with the cocoa and cream cheese. I appreciate you explaining things like this.
This is a really good recipe.
Carolyn says
Welcome!
Tamy says
Hi! I’d like to make this for some keto cupcakes…is there another oil I can use besides coconut oil? I’m not a fan of that oil and I’d rather not buy it if I don’t have to. I’m really excited to try this frosting!
Carolyn says
Try cocoa butter to melt the chocolate with.
Martine says
Is the coconut oil critical in this recipe? I hate the taste of unrefined coconut oil but haven’t gone out to get the unrefined kind that doesn’t taste as strong. Would cacao butter work? or failing that, avocado oil or melted butter.
Sherrie says
Would powdered BochaSweet work for this recipe?
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried it so I think you will need to experiment!
Nikki says
I can’t wait to make this! Just a quick question.. is the butter salted or unsalted?
Thank you 🙂
Carolyn says
Doesn’t really matter. I personally use salted as it brings out the sweetness.
Danielle says
Currently frosting a three layer 6″ keto cake for my friend’s birthday and oh my god. I am not on keto nor will I ever be, but this frosting is delicious!! I quintupled the recipe so I’d have enough to decorate after the crumb coat and final coat (it’s an extra tall cake) but I probably could have quadrupled and been fine. A couple things: adding melted chocolate to any buttercream can be tricky and make it prone to splitting. Less experienced bakers may not know how to fix split buttercream (it can be fixed by melting a small portion and beating it back in until smooth). Second, absolutely no cream was needed. Any thinner and I wouldn’t be able to smooth this on my turntable. Third, it seems prone to discoloration when making lots of contact with a bench scraper. I have sections of my cake that are darker than others. It looks weirdly intentional but it wasn’t. I’m not exactly sure how to fix it nor do I think I’ll be able to. Fourth, it’s important to note that this frosting cannot sit for long without needing to be beaten again. It starts to develop insane air bubbles and gets a very pocked curdly look if left untouched for too long. So your readers may want to know it should be used right away or reconstituted frequently in the stand mixer. Anyway this was my first foray into keto baking, so thank you for the wonderful recipe. It smooths so beautifully and I cannot wait to pipe with it.
Carolyn says
I have never had any of these issues with this frosting and I make it regularly. So not sure what’s going on with yours.
Alicia L Cantu says
I made this chocolate flavor for my bday cake and it was so good! This is my new fav frosting I’ll use even if not doing keto! It was so creamy and rich without being super sweet. My kids love it. Thanks!
Elle says
Thank you, great recipe! The cream cheese really does seem to make a big difference. I found I didn’t need to add any cream at all, it was already whipped to perfection, although I still added in a bit anyway. Delicious. I then put it in the fridge and it hardened, so I added some more cream and that’s when the frosting changed in look and texture. Anyway, no matter, it was still delicious!
Shelley D. Richards says
Great recipe thank you. I have a tip to offer – Start by beating the creamed cheese & butter with a paddle on low-med speed for 5 min. Switch to whisk attachment & beat on medium for 10 min. This procedure builds up a fluffy airy texture. I didn’t need to add any cream at all as the frosting was perfectly light & spreadable after I added the other ingredients in the order per your instructions.
Kelly says
Is powdered monk fruit sweetener an option?
Van says
Seriously so good! Taste better than the chocolate buttercream frosting from my favorite bakery!
AngelaK says
Do you happen to have a VANILLA buttercream recipe?? Hoping to make some keto cookie “doozies” for myself to enjoy during my daughter’s bday party this weekend, and prefer vanilla frosting over chocolate! This does look delicious, though!!! <3
Carolyn says
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-sugar-free-frosting/
GVKW says
Do you have a vanilla frosting that doesn’t require egg whites and a stand mixer? I’m worried that omitting both the chocolate and the cocoa will just make this recipe flop, but I definitely prefer a buttercream texture over swiss meringue…
Carolyn says
Use the frosting from this cake: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-chantilly-cake/
stassi says
can i use jaggery for the sweetener?
Carolyn says
No idea since I don’t use it. You will have to experiment.
Pia Lee says
I just made this and it was so good! I used Lillys chocolate chips for the chocolate part and Hersheys cocoa for the powder stuff. I put it all in a gallon ziploc back and generously frosted 24 cupcakes. So good! Its very VERY rich, I regret licking the bowl because now I have to wait to taste it on a cupcake. Thank you!
Anne says
I’ve been making chocolate frosting with icing sugar, butter, vanilla cream and cocoa since I was 4 years old. I know how it works. The only difference here is a Swerve granulated sugar and cream cheese But I’ve made this twice today, and it split both times. It’s very tasty, but it doesn’t look or feel like frosting should. Any clues on what might have gone wrong?
Carolyn says
Hmmmm, tell me what brand of chocolate you are using? Or the cocoa powder. Could be that, maybe. Hard to say, but I have made this without issue more times than I can count!
Anne says
Thanks for responding. I used bakers unsweetened chocolate, and Rodel cocoa powder. Both products I’ve been using forever in icing. It tasted fine, but the texture was off. I’m going to try it again today. (another birthday), and I’ll see what happens.
Anne says
Well, sorry to cause you concern. I made this again today, and it worked just as I expected it should. Normal creamy texture. I have no idea what went wrong two weeks ago, but it’s clearly not a problem with the recipe… Just some sort of user error.
Carolyn says
Rodelle is fine. Baker’s could be the issue. I’ve had plenty of trouble with them, it’s much more prone to seizing. Ghirardelli works well, as do even pricier brands like Guittard and Scharffenberger.
Tess says
Oh My God, I never thought I could eve enjoy chocolate frosting on Keto. I have tried so many other recipes and finally found a recipe like this. It has a mousse like texture and would be awesome on chocolate cake. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe.I am in heaven!!!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
STACEY ROYLE says
I bake a lot. This is best chocolate keto frosting I have made,least gritty, best mouth feel due to the cream cheese and whipping cream. It is similar to a whipped cream cheese frosting I make for wedding cakes. Excellent recipe! Thank you!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Jaymie says
Very bitter tasting – what am I doing wrong??
Carolyn says
What sweetener did you use?
Pam says
Would this work as a filling for Keto cream puffs?
Carolyn says
Sure!