Want to make icing without powdered sugar? Find out how easy it is to make a healthy, plant-based icing that’s free of powdered sugar and dyes.

WHY I MADE THIS HEALTHY ICING RECIPE

I have a confession to make: I’m not a big icing person. Me and icing have a so-so relationship due to the fact that I find most icings to be too sweet when paired with already-sweet desserts.

But, guess what? It is possible to make a vegan icing that’s not too sweet, because this icing contains no powdered sugar! This recipe for icing with no powdered sugar also happens to be healthy, vegan, plant-based, and delicious!

As a baker, I know the importance of ingredients and the ingredients for this vanilla icing are simply good and good for you.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ICING AND FROSTING?

The terms frosting and icing are often used interchangeably in baking, but frosting usually refers to a thick, fluffy whipped topping while icing is generally thinner and hardens when set.

Think of frosting as something you would pipe with a piping bag while icing can be drizzled onto desserts with a spoon.

While this blog post is dedicated to my icing without powdered sugar recipe, I DO have a recipe for frosting that is made without powdered sugar, too! That recipe can be found here on my Instagram.

SO, WHAT’S THE SECRET INGREDIENT?

The so-called ‘secret’ ingredient for this icing made without powdered sugar is… coconut butter!

Just so you know, coconut butter is NOT the same as coconut oil.

While coconut oil is made by extracting the oil from coconut meat, coconut butter is made by blending dried coconut into a pulp that then forms a thick paste. Coconut butter can be found in most health food stores (HERE is a link to the one I used for this recipe), but making coconut butter from scratch is also super simple.

WHERE CAN I FIND COCONUT BUTTER?

Coconut butter can be found in most health food stores. Here are a few brands that sell it on Amazon:

• Nutiva
• Kevala
• Artisana Organics (this is the one I used for this recipe!)

HOW CAN I MAKE MY OWN COCONUT BUTTER?

If you can’t find coconut butter in stores near you, then you can certainly make your own!

Remember, coconut butter is made by grinding dried coconut into a paste. All you need to make homemade coconut butter is a package of unsweetened coconut flakes, like this one.

Just pour the coconut flakes into a food processor (NOT a blender, it won’t work the same way), and blend it until the coconut breaks down into a paste. To be honest, this take a long time (like 10ish minutes).

If your food processor is loud, as most are, then it’s kind of an annoying task. I did it once, and I’ll definitely stick to just buying coconut butter from now on.

When I made my homemade coconut butter, I was a bit impatient and didn’t wait for it to form a smooth paste so my icing was therefore not as smooth as traditional icing, but I didn’t really mind it. If you want a completely smooth icing, then blend blend blend those coconut flakes in a food processor until it forms a paste.

OR, save yourself the trouble and just get some store bought coconut butter, like this one.

COCONUT BUTTER ICING FAQ

1. Does this icing harden?

Yes, this icing will firm up, but don’t expect it to get hard and crack like traditional icing. It will always be a little bit soft and sticky on the inside, especially if you do a thick layer of icing.

I recommend just a thin layer if you’re using the icing for something like donuts or cakes. Once applied, allow the icing to set at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

2. How long does this take to make?

About 15 minutes. That’s because you have to cook the icing on stove for about 10 minutes to get the icing to thicken. Also keep mind that you’ll want the icing to cool before you use it for your donuts, cakes, loaves, etc.

3. Can I use coconut oil instead of coconut butter for this recipe?

Nope! Don’t try to substitute coconut oil for coconut butter in this icing recipe. It will not work!

4. Help! My icing came out too thick (or too thin)!

Add an additional spoonful of coconut butter if the icing is too thin, or add a bit more non-dairy milk if it’s too thin.

5. Any other tips?

Yes! While this recipe is very easy to make, it can also lead to errors if the icing is cooked for too long, or if the measurements are not followed exactly.

Follow this recipe closely, but also be sure to keep an eye on the icing as it’s cooking on Low Heat and don’t be afraid to add more non-dairy milk than called for if it starts to get too thick. Use your best judgement, and have fun!

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

Find even more of my homemade recipes on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.

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