Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Vegan, gluten-free, no bake/raw
Yield
2 cups (500 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This sweet and tangy vegan cream cheese frosting is so easy to make, and it’s the perfect topping for my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. It keeps well in the fridge, so you can make it in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you need it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100 g) vegan butter*
- 1/2 cup (110 g) vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260 g) powdered icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) almond milk, or as needed
Directions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Slowly add in the powdered icing sugar, a bit at a time, and beat until smooth. Add almond milk, a teaspoon at a time, to thin as desired; beat after each addition. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Tip:
* If your vegan butter is very firm, you can leave it at room temperature to soften a bit before starting this recipe.
If the frosting becomes too thin, add a bit more icing sugar and beat again.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
This cream cheese looks so yummy, I can’t wait to try it on the new cinnamon roll recipe you posted!!
Angela, can you recommend a vegan cream cheese to use for this?
Hi Natalya, I used Daiya brand for mine, but any should work as long as it’s unflavoured/plain. I hope you enjoy the cinnamon rolls! :)
Love this blog! How about a vegan butter rec?
Thanks, Julie! I tested my vegan cinnamon rolls with Melt and Earth Balance. Both worked great!
Can you offer a way to make these without the powdered sugar?
Hi Holly, Feel free to leave off the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting–the cinnamon rolls will still be tasty without, I promise! If you still want some sort of extra topping for the rolls, though, you could try serving some vegan butter on the side (spreading little dabs on here and there as you eat), or maybe even coconut whipped cream. I’m not sure how the vegan cream cheese frosting could be made without using icing sugar, as I haven’t tested out any alternatives yet, but you may be able to find some ideas online. If you decide to try anything, please let us know how it goes!
Hi Holly, sometimes I blend cream cheese and raisins to make “icing” for my daughter. It’s decent, especially if the cake or bun you’re putting it on is already sweet. You could try googling a version of that if you don’t want to use icing sugar.
A quick suggestion – I recently discovered Kite Hill brand (almond based) cream cheese. OMG, I’ve not tasted anything this good since I ate the real thing! It’s a bit pricey, but inside the cover of the “cream cheese style spread – Plain cover/wrapper is a coupon for $1.00 off! I’ve only found it at Whole Foods & there, the cashiers will ask if you want them to use the coupon! It comes in a few flavors and so far I’ve tried the Plain, Chive & Ricotta and none of them disappointed, AT ALL! Do yourself a favor and look for the Kite Hill brand! And NO! I’m not being paid to promote them, I just LOVE their products!
Thanks for the rec, Marcia!
This is my favorite cream cheese too!
This is amazing! Cream cheese frosting was always my favorite and I am so happy to have a vegan substitute :) I used Miyoko’s Kitchen butter and Go Veggie vegan cream cheese. This makes more than enough to handle the cinnamon roll recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Kiah! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Hi Angee, I just tried to pin this frosting recipe but the pic will not come up and recipe will not transfer. Just letting you know there’s a problem with this, thank you!
Cheese is my all time favorite and to see a vegan substitute i was so very excited.. it tasted so yummy…
So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks really good! I have never used icing sugar so this will be a new experience! Thanks!
I topped my vegan cinnamon rolls with a slight variation of this recipe and it was delicious. I only added 1.5 cups of powdered sugar though, and that was plenty sweet I would not have wanted to add 2 cups it would have overdone it. I also added about twice as much vanilla. For those without electric beaters like me, no fear, hand beating worked just fine! Just sift your powdered sugar beforehand. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your tips Monica…love the doubled vanilla in there!
I have tried this recipe today and I love the taste. Frosting was finger licking.
How long does this last in the fridge for? x
Hi Rachel, Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
i tried this today. it was really good.
Woo Hooooo! That is great news, Angela! So happy for you-you have worked sooo hard and you deserve to be recognized. Can’t wait til you can get them sold here in the UK!! ;-)
Thanks so much for the kind words!
This recipe for the frosting is delicious, the perfect addition to the cinnabons!
Hey Angela!
I was wondering, because I can’t seem to find a recipe anywhere, if you knew how to make vanilla icing without the powder sugar.
I would love to use maple syrup or a different healthier, natural sugar. Do you have any recipe ideas?
I was thinking maple syrup, coconut butter, vanilla extract, milk, or maybe a banana for the sugar so it’s white…what are your thoughts?
Hi Amanda,
Oh such a great question. I have tried to make one with a cashew butter base but I never landed on one that I really felt was a great replacement. I may have to revisit the recipe this season! :) Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Angela, I am so grateful for this dairy-free “cream cheese” frosting recipe! Thank you ?
Just FYI, though, that this page will not “pin” to Pinterest ? I have bookmarked it, but having this recipe readily available through Pinterest would be great!
Thanks again ?
So glad you enjoy it Cassandra! We’re working on a new blog redesign and I hope to have a pin it button again soon :)