Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
100
Last updated on Jul 07, 2023
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Healthy cream cheese frosting that’s made with Greek yogurt and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. No butter or powdered sugar needed! It’s creamy, fluffy and delicious served on carrot cake, cinnamon rolls or your favorite flavor of cupcakes or cake.
The third and final frosting recipe for you this week! I honestly don’t make cream cheese frosting that much but that’s probably because I didn’t realize how easy it was! I love the flavor and find it to be so versatile.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Everyone needs a classic cream cheese frosting recipe in their back pocket!
- It’s a healthier version of the traditional recipe – no powdered sugar or butter needed!
- This recipe is made with just four simple ingredients.
- It’s light and creamy and perfect for topping a variety of cupcakes, cakes and even cookies.
Upgraded Cream Cheese Frosting
Traditional cream cheese frosting is typically made with a full stick of butter and 2-4 cups of powdered sugar, but in true EBF fashion I decided to make an upgraded version. I swapped the powdered sugar with maple syrup and added Greek yogurt for a little boost of protein! Trust me, this version is just as delicious, if not better than the traditional recipe and it’s made with better-for-you-ingredients.
Here’s What You Need
- cream cheese – make sure you’re using a block and not spread of full fat cream cheese that has been softened to room temperature.
- Greek yogurt – again, I recommend using full fat yogurt. I used plain yogurt but you could try different flavors if you’d like! Greek yogurt is thick and creamy and the perfect yogurt option for this recipe. I don’t recommend using a different type of yogurt, as it might thin the frosting out too much.
- maple syrup – classic cream cheese frosting typically calls for powdered sugar, but I’m using maple syrup to sweeten this frosting. I love the flavor it adds but if you’d like to swap for a different liquid natural sweetener, I’m sure that would work as well.
- vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer that brings all of the flavors together in this frosting.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Before you start making your frosting, make sure your cream cheese has been softened to room temperature. It will take about an hour for your cream cheese to soften fully to room temp on the counter. Alternatively, you can soften your cream cheese in the microwave on a plate for about 20-30 seconds. Just make sure to unwrap the cream cheese from the foil before placing in the microwave and don’t heat too long otherwise your cream cheese could turn out runny!
Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to whip the ingredients together on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed to make sure everything is fully combined. You can also use a stand mixer for this if you have one!
tip! Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature otherwise the frosting will turn out lumpy and not as smooth after beating it.
Tips For Frosting
You can frost this in a variety of different ways! I usually just use a knife or spatula to spread the frosting on cake or cupcakes but you could also pipe it! Scoop the frosting into a piping bag or a plastic baggie. Cut the corner of the baggie and pipe out the frosting on your treats.
How to Use Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe makes enough to frost 18 cupcakes or an 8-9 inch cake. Here are some recipes that would be delicious with this cream cheese frosting:
- Healthy Birthday Cake
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Healthy Vanilla Cake
- Healthy Carrot Cake Bars or Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Easy Strawberry Cake
- Healthy Smash Cake
- Banana Bread or Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Bread or Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Birthday Cake Baked Oatmeal
How to Store Leftovers
If you don’t use all of this frosting right away, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to use, bring it to room temperature and then re-whip with a handheld mixer or stand mixer before using.
More Frosting Recipes
- Healthy Chocolate Frosting
- Greek Yogurt Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
The Most Popular Dessert Recipes
- Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Covered Snickers Stuffed Dates
- Peanut Butter Balls
- Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
- No Bake Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (full fat), softened to room temperature
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, I used plain full fat
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer on medium speed whip all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down the sides as needed. If your frosting is turning out runny, just keep whipping it and it should turn out thick and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.
- Use frosting on desired recipe and enjoy. This recipe will yield enough to frost 18 cupcakes or a 8-9 inch cake.
Notes
- Maple syrup: Feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener.
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temp, otherwise it’ll turn lumpy and not as smooth after beating it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this icing on a Monday just to test it out. It turned out great! Would it still be good that following weekend to decorate my cake? The consistency and taste still seem fine to me.
Thanks for the recipe!
So glad the frosting turned out well for you! If it’s been stored in an airtight container in the fridge and still looks, tastes, and smells fine, it should be totally okay to use by the weekend. Just give it a good stir before decorating your cake. Thanks for trying the recipe and leaving a note!
Hi , Any sub for the cream cheese ? Like cottage cheese or farmers cheese , ricotta or tofu
I never liked cream cheese
Thanks
Hey Eileen! Great question — since cream cheese is the main ingredient and gives the frosting its signature tang and texture, swapping it out will definitely change the flavor and consistency. That said, you could experiment with thick blended cottage cheese or ricotta (drained well), but the texture will be looser and the flavor milder. Tofu might work for a vegan option if you blend it with a little lemon juice and vanilla to mimic the tang. Just keep in mind the end result won’t be quite the same. Let me know if you try a swap — I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Tasted fine, never whipped into a frosting texture for me. The more I whipped it in my stand mixer the thinner it became.
Oh no, sorry to hear the texture didn’t turn out! It can sometimes thin out if overmixed or if the cream cheese isn’t cold enough. Glad it still tasted good, though — thanks for giving it a try and sharing your experience.
Can it be done by hand? I am new into baking and I don’t have a mixer.
Hey Crisha – I haven’t tried it, but it should work. It might just require some arm strength to get everything combined and creamy. The frosting looks liquidy at first, but after whisking it for awhile with the hand mixer it thickens up. Let mw know if you try it and how it turns out.