Dairy Free Keto Icing + 9 Variations
Primal Edge Health participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs and therefore, may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This comes at no additional cost to you, and all the prices and availability are accurate at the time of publishing.
Dairy free keto icing adds an eye-catching finish to scones, cakes, brownies, and bars. Customize the exact consistency you want based on your needs. Use a thick icing for decorative piping or thin it out to a glaze and spoon over blueberry scones. Plus, there are 9 different flavors to try!
Easy Keto Recipes like this one show just how easy it can be to enjoy a sugar free, low carb and keto diet.
Recipe originally published on March 26, 2018. Updated with new pictures and tips in April 2020.
Table of Contents (click to view)
Sweetened with Monk Fruit (Lakanto Powdered Sugar)
Sugar is usually a main ingredient in any icing recipe. Traditional glazes are not keto-friendly. However, with a simple alternative ingredient, icing can be made sugar free and therefore keto approved!
Lakanto’s powdered monk fruit sweetener is the secret to this keto frosting.
Lakanto sweeteners are my preferred sugar substitute because they are made from non-GMO ingredients and taste sweet without any bitter or artificial aftertaste.
How to Make a Sugar Free Icing Recipe
Follow along in this foolproof method to make a thick icing for detailed work like scriptwriting, piping lines, and swirls.
There are only 3 ingredients:
- Powdered Monkfruit sweetener
- Coconut oil
- Coconut milk
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to break apart any lumps of sweetener. Stir until smooth.
The ideal texture for piping is like that of toothpaste. You need some bulk for your shapes to hold together.
It is best to decorate immediately, but if you need to, store this sugar free frosting in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the freezer.
How to Decorate a Low Carb Cake with Icing
Use sugar free icing to decorate cakes, brownies, bars, and cookies. Maybe even a gingerbread house!
Fill a pastry bag with the icing or follow this video tutorial to make one out of a plastic bag.
Attach different tips for different looks. Wilton has some amazing piping techniques from a traditional cupcake swirl to a rosette and spiral border.
For beginners, start with on if the basic tips:
- Round tips – lines, dots, and writing
- Star tips – stars, shells, flowers, decorative borders, and rosettes
- Leaf tips – leaf shapes
- Basket-weave tips – lattices and ribbon-like lines and borders
Modify for Dairy Free Keto Glaze
Glazes are traditionally poured or spooned out over the tops of sweetbreads, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, or hot cross buns. Keto Angel Food Cake looks stunning with a glaze too.
To make this a thinner, spreadable icing, dilute the mix with 2-4 tablespoons coconut milk. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut milk at a time until you get the consistency you want.
The ideal texture for a dairy-free keto glaze is like that of honey where it drizzles but doesn’t run.
Keto glaze will be best to cover large surface areas while keto icing is used specifically to give a decorative flair in specific and small areas.
How to Decorate a Keto Cake with Glaze
Glaze’s trademark look is its glossiness and the way it drips down over the edges of the delicacy underneath.
Are you making a Bundt cake or coffee cake? This will be the sugar free glaze to use!
You can also drizzle it over Keto Blueberry Scones and Dairy-free Pumpkin Muffins or Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.
Icing is always a hit on Keto Chocolate Cake too!
Place a sheet of wax paper under the rack before glazing. The wax paper will catch all the drips instead of your countertop and makes cleaning up easier.
Once your baked good has cooled completely. Pour the glaze or drizzle it with a spoon until the whole surface area is covered.
Dipping the tops of muffins directly into the glass is a faster application but not always quite as fun.
Will this also work as Dairy Free Keto Frosting with powdered sugar?
This easy icing recipe can also replace keto frosting with cream cheese. Keep it on the thicker side and it will be a great dairy-free substitution.
When this combination is thick, it spreads well and can go over cakes and cupcakes. Spread with a knife or use a piping bag. It is a very versatile recipe!
I add keto frosting to Flourless Keto Brownies and Pure Cacao Brownies from The Ultimate Guide to Low Carb Baking.
It’s a toss-up as to which is better, you’ll have to let me know!
9 Variations for Homemade Icing
The basic icing is left unflavored as a way to give full attention to whatever you are using it on. The icing adds a frosting-like texture and extra sweetness but won’t compete with the bread or cake it decorates.
There are several possible flavor variations to use on different types of foods. Customize your keto glaze or icing any way you like.
- Vanilla Icing – add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate Icing – melt 2 ounces of cacao paste with the coconut oil, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix in with the other ingredients
- Mocha Icing – combine 2 teaspoons coffee grounds with 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- Berry Icing – mash 1/2 cup ripe berries (straw, black, blue etc). Combine into the mixing bowl with an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add more milk if needed to thin out.
- Extra Creamy Icing – use heavy cream or coconut cream in place of the coconut (only coconut cream will make a dairy-free recipe)
- Lemon Glaze – use 4 tablespoons coconut milk and 4-6 tablespoons lemon juice, add 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- “On the Lighter Side” Keto Glaze – substitute hot water for the milk. Thin icings are nice for ketogenic Pound Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread and Cinnamon Spice Bread (recipes from The Ultimate Guide to Low-Carb Baking)
- Cinnamon Sugar Glaze – thin to a glaze and sprinkle with a mixture of ground cinnamon and Golden Lakanto over the top while the icing is still wet
- Nutty Keto Glaze – make a glaze and add chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds over the top before it hardens
Dairy-Free Sugar-Free Keto Icing (+ Glaze Option)
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered Monkfruit Sweetener
- ¼ cup coconut oil softened
- 6 tablespoons coconut milk
Instructions
Dairy-Free Keto Icing
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and blend smooth with an electric mixer on medium speed.2 cups powdered Monkfruit Sweetener, ¼ cup coconut oil, 6 tablespoons coconut milk
- Store leftover in the fridge, use on various keto baked goods – cookies, cakes, scones, brownies, and sweet breads. The icing freezes well also, store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Dairy-Free Keto Glaze
- Make the icing recipe and dilute with 2-4 tablespoons of additional coconut milk. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut milk at a time until you get the consistency you want.2 cups powdered Monkfruit Sweetener, ¼ cup coconut oil, 6 tablespoons coconut milk
Variations
- Vanilla Icing – add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate Icing – melt 2 ounces of dark chocolate with the coconut oil, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 4 additional tablespoons coconut milk. Mix in with the other ingredients.
- Mocha Icing – combine 2 teaspoons coffee grounds with 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- Berry Icing – mash 1/2 cup ripe berries (straw, black, blue etc). Combine into the mixing bowl with an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add more milk if needed to thin out.
- Extra Creamy Icing – use heavy cream or coconut cream in place of the coconut (only coconut cream will make a dairy-free recipe)
- Lemon Glaze – use 4 tablespoons coconut milk and 4-6 tablespoons lemon juice, add 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- "On the Lighter Side" Keto Glaze – substitute hot water for the milk. Thin icings are nice for ketogenic Pound Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread and Cinnamon Spice Bread (recipes from The Ultimate Guide to Low-Carb Baking)
- Cinnamon Sugar Glaze – thin to a glaze and sprinkle with a mixture of ground cinnamon and Golden Lakanto over the top while the icing is still wet
- Nutty Keto Glaze – make a glaze and add chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds over the top before it hardens
Video
Notes
- The ideal texture for icing is like that of toothpaste.
- The ideal texture for a glaze is like that of honey where it drizzles but doesn’t run.
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
This was one of our Best Keto Recipes from 2018.
As someone who has been forced to adopt a dairy-free lifestyle due to an adult-onset food allergy, I’m delighted to have this guide as a resource. I made the vanilla for my Christmas cookies and am going to try chocolate next for a dessert during the holidays.
Thanks for the review, Sage. It’s wonderful to hear our recipe has helped with your diet needs.
This icing came out so well! I did the cinnamon version to drizzle over some gingerbread muffins, and it had the perfect consistency and touch of spice.
Thanks, Sandra. Happy to hear the icing was perfect.
I love how I can adjust the thickness for different uses, and the variety of flavors adds a fun twist.
Thanks, Mae – happy to hear the recipe is working well for a variety of needs.
Awesome recipe! I tried it and I chose my favorite flavor, vanilla, and I love it, thanks for sharing, I’ll try the other flavors next 🙂
The vanilla is my favorite too 😉 Thanks for the review, Ruby.
Would this be the full fat coconut milk?
Hi Angela, yes, full-fat coconut milk will be great!
I need to make a dairy free chocolate frosting but your variation says to mix cacao paste with the butter. Do you mean to mix with the coconut oil?
Yes, silly me! I meant coconut oil, I’ll update that to be more clear. Sorry for the confusion!
I love all the flavour and colour variations of this icing. I need to see if I can source that monkfruit sweetener.
I hope you can! This is the ideal recipe to top so many different desserts.
I’m digging the mocha & lemon glaze options! love all the variations
Mocha icing on brownies?? Yes, please!
I’ve never made icing with coconut oil and coconut milk before, but this is a great recipe to master since both are shelf stable, so no need for a grocery trip to get butter or heavy cream for icing. 🙂
So true! I didn’t think of that before Anita. You don’t need to plan ahead too much before making this icing.
This is fantastic. I like how easy it is to make and that you can add other ingredients to change the flavor.
The variations are so much fun Andrea! There’s a flavor for just about everything 🙂
Great to have a dairy free icing recipe to recommend those with dietary preferences. Very detailed post.
You’re right! This would be great to share with people as a way to let them know there are still delicious (and easy) dairy-free recipes to make.
Please can you tell me whether the flavour of coconut is detectable in this icing? I imagine it would be, and I am looking for a dairy free keto frosting recipe for someone who doesn’t like coconut.
I used extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil which is pretty mild in flavor and did not notice a specific coconut taste to the icing. In general, the higher quality oil, the less coconut flavor there is. You can use one of the 9 variations here to mask any lingering sense of coconut if you like. Citrus infused is delicious!
Will this icing firm up to the touch? I’m thinking of using it on some scones and would love for it to “harden”. Thanks!
Hi Jenny, The icing will firm up after chilling in the fridge for a bit. I’m not sure if you will achieve the same texture by leaving it out. It really depends on the temperature of the room. If coconut oil is liquid where you are, the icing will remain runny, if it is solid, it will firm up over time. The fridge is your best bet here and don’t put it on hot scones (or it will stay runny).
Can I use this to decorate like a traditional buttercream frosting?
Yes, it’s great for decorating! I use it on birthday cakes, like this one here 😉 Only note, it has the consistency of icing, not buttercream. That may or may not make a difference to you.
Can this be doubled so I can frost a cake?
Yes it can!
I love you gave variations of the frosting. Very helpful for a newbie like me. Can you tell me how can I make the chocolate icing with cocao butter instead of cocao paste?
It would be a “white chocolate” frosting. If you wanted to do it, probably use the same ratios. Let me know how it comes out! Tag us @primaledgehealth on instagram to share your recipe!