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Home » Allergy Friendly Dessert Recipes

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting

Published: Jun 16, 2020 · Updated: Nov 13, 2020 by Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

This dairy free frosting is like traditional buttercream frosting but without the top 8 allergens. Plus, it is really easy to make and spreads easily on cakes, cookies, and bars!

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting

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  • Frosting ingredients
  • How to make it
  • Related recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Cookies, bars, cake, and other desserts are good. But they're even better spread with buttery, sweet frosting!

Just because you can't have dairy doesn't mean you can't have frosting just like buttercream.

Frosting ingredients

To make buttercream frosting dairy free, you'll need to make two swaps in a traditional recipe:

Dairy free margarine instead of butter

I like to use Earth Balance buttery spread which comes in both dairy free and dairy free/soy free varieties.

Dairy free milk

You can use any milk substitute that you like. I tend to use soy milk but have also made this rice milk which works really well, too. Just make sure it is safe for you!

How to make it

First, you start with softened dairy free margarine. It works best to let the margarine soften at room temperature for a while. Whenever I try to soften in the microwave, it inevitably melts rather than softens which will make this frosting runny. Patience is key here! If you have a "soften butter" setting on your microwave, that might work fine.

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting

The margarine needs to be whipped so it is smooth and without lumps. I love using my Kitchenaid stand mixer for this job!

Next, you sift in about half of the powdered sugar. This prevents lumps in your frosting. I don't own an actual sifter so I use my mesh strainer. It is a little big so I have to remove the beater from my mixer but it works!

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting

Begin mixing on low speed until the powdered sugar is mixed into the margarine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix some more.

Next, you add dairy free milk and the vanilla. In this recipe, I use ¼ cup of milk and this creates a good consistency for frosting cakes and cookies. If you want an even stiffer frosting for a cupcake, you can reduce the amount of milk. Start with 2 tablespoons. You can always add more at the end if it's too thick.

Finally, you mix in the remaining powdered sugar, sifting as you did before.

If you want chocolate frosting, reduce the amount of powdered sugar by ¾ cup and replace it with cocoa powder.

This recipe will frost two 8-inch cakes, a 9x13 sheet cake, or 24 cupcakes. It also works really well on sugar cookies and pumpkin cookies.

Related recipes

  • Gluten Free Dairy Free Cupcakes {Allergy Friendly}
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  • Allergy Friendly Pumpkin Bars

📖 Recipe

Dairy free butter cream frosting on top of a cupcake

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting

Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD
This is a simple frosting that works well on cake , cookies and bars and is free of the top 8 allergens.
4.95 from 19 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup ”safe” margarine, softened such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread
  • 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup ”safe” milk such as rice, soy, or coconut
  • 1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the margarine until it is smooth and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl periodically. Add the milk and vanilla and beat well.
  • Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar. Add a small amount of additional milk if needed to get to the right spreading consistency.
    This will frost 24 cupcakes or two 8 inch layers.
  • Variation: to make chocolate frosting, reduce the powdered sugar to 4 ¼ cups and add ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

Notes

Nutrition facts for 2 tablespoons: Calories: 150, Fat: 5.5 grams, saturated fat 1.5 grams, cholesterol: 0 grams, sodium: 54 mg, total carbohydrates: 25 grams, fiber: 0 grams, sugars: 25 grams, Protein: 0 grams

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal
Keyword dairy free, egg free, gluten free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free, wheat free
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Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD
Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD
Kristi Winkels is a Registered Dietitian and food allergy mom who helps people navigate dietary restrictions due to food allergies and intolerances. Read more about Kristi and get in touch here.
Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD
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About Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD

Kristi Winkels is a Registered Dietitian and food allergy mom who helps people navigate dietary restrictions due to food allergies and intolerances. Read more about Kristi and get in touch here.

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  1. Sharon Anderson says

    December 23, 2022 at 2:27 pm

    Thank you for this recipe! I just finished making a cake with your frosting, though I did add dairy free eggnog instead of the milk and then added a bit of cinnamon. It's so creamy and good. Can't wait for my family to taste it with the gluten, dairy free carrot cake that I made. SO, THANK YOU! just as good as cream cheese frosting.5 stars

    Reply
    • Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD says

      January 04, 2023 at 7:34 pm

      Hi Sharon! I'm so glad you liked the frosting (and your carrot cake sounds AMAZING!🤩)

      Reply
  2. Tiffany says

    November 20, 2022 at 7:17 pm

    We're not a family with allergies but we ran out of milk and our 10yo felt the need for a boxed cake as dessert this evening. We found your recipe after searching for "non-dairy frosting." As it was a lemon flavored cake, we used 1/4c Greek yogurt + ~ 2tbsp of water. The flavor was delicious and easily spread but our texture was a bit gritty. We may have to play with moisture portions a bit more. Thanks for saving the evening and inspiring us to take a risk!5 stars

    Reply
  3. Alexis says

    September 17, 2022 at 12:59 pm

    This was sooooo good. I did ignore the vanilla extract measurement though, we measure that with our hearts, not utensils 😉

    I could FINALLY have cake at a birthday party again5 stars

    Reply
    • Kristi Winkels says

      September 18, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks for the comment, Alexis! I'm so glad you could enjoy some birthday cake with delicious frosting again! (And, by the way, can completely appreciate measuring certain ingredients with our hearts :))

      Reply
  4. Vanessa says

    May 04, 2022 at 6:20 am

    Can you ad food colouring to this recipe ? Wanting to make it for my litte ones first birthday .. Also would you have a dairy free nut free vanilla cake recipe?
    Thanks x

    Reply
    • Kristi Winkels says

      May 04, 2022 at 6:32 am

      Hi Vanessa,
      Yes, you can add food coloring! If you are only using a few drops or a gel-type food coloring, you don't need to alter the recipe at all - just add the coloring at the end. If you are using more than just a few drops, I would recommend starting with 3 tablespoons of dairy-free milk, add the food coloring, and then add the remaining milk gradually until it is to the desired consistency. Unfortunately, I don't have a white cake recipe (yet!). If you like chocolate, I do have a chocolate cake recipe that never fails! Happy birthday to your little one!!

      Reply
  5. Belynda says

    April 10, 2022 at 5:00 pm

    I am trying to make this so that my daughter can have some for easter on a cake that I am altering to the hilt. She found out last year that she is gluten, dairy and egg sensitive .... SOooo I am trying to come up with a dessert she can eat. I made a pastor cake the other day and everyone here loved it. I will try to use some other flour and maybe applesauce instead of eggs. For the buttercream recipe you mention "safe" margarine. Is that regular margarine? I don't generally use margarine so this will be an adjustment.
    Bonus, with her adjusting her foods she 1. has a whole lot less stomach issues and 2. has lost #100 since February last year.

    Reply
    • Kristi Winkels says

      April 10, 2022 at 5:19 pm

      Hi Belynda,
      Great question! "Safe" means free from the allergens you need to avoid. So, in your case, it sounds like your daughter needs a dairy free margarine. I would recommend Earth Balance Buttery Spread. It works well as a butter substitute and it is the brand I use when I make this recipe. I hope that helps and that your cake is amazing! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sherri says

    March 05, 2022 at 5:23 pm

    Excellent recipe. It is the same consistency as regular butter cream frosting and it tastes great. Thanks for sharing your recipe.5 stars

    Reply
    • Kristi says

      March 05, 2022 at 7:57 pm

      Thanks for your comment and rating, Sherri! I'm glad you liked it!

      Reply
  7. nikki says

    February 25, 2022 at 3:18 pm

    Is this frosting ok for a kid with a tree nut allergy?

    Reply
    • Kristi says

      February 25, 2022 at 3:53 pm

      Hi Nikki,
      Yes, this recipe is tree nut free! The only ingredient I use in any of my recipes that is classified as a tree nut is coconut. If you can have coconut, you can have all of the recipes here! Just be sure to read ingredient lists carefully to make sure there isn't any cross-contact with tree nuts in the ingredients you use. Let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply
  8. Aly says

    December 17, 2021 at 9:12 pm

    I'm going to try this recipe for cupcakes. I was wondering if the frosting will melt if left over the cupcakes at room temperature?
    Thank you!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kristi says

      December 18, 2021 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Aly,
      This frosting will be fine at room temperature. If the frosted cupcakes are in the sun or a warmer room, it might get a little soft but doesn't melt. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Ann says

    September 19, 2021 at 6:54 am

    This frosting is really easy to make! My margarine was very soft so the frosting was not as stiff as I wanted it to be for cupcakes. I just put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes let it firm up and it was great!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD says

      September 19, 2021 at 6:55 am

      Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  10. Betsy says

    October 04, 2020 at 6:53 am

    This frosting spreads so well and tastes delicious!5 stars

    Reply

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