Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting with Greek yogurt and maple syrup is creamy and fluffy. It’s low in sugar and holds up well on carrot cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies and cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This healthy cream cheese frosting is so good I could eat it by the spoonful and then lick the bowl after!
It’s delicious and, in my opinion, tastes even better than the traditional cream cheese frosting recipe! There is still that sweet and tangy balance with a hint of vanilla and even maple, but with less sugar and fat.
The secret is to make frosting without butter or powdered sugar, and replace them both with thick Greek yogurt and maple syrup.
The result is light and creamy frosting you can easily spread on cakes and cupcakes without being runny. If you chill it overnight, you could also pipe it!
I use it on top of my healthy carrot cake bars and carrot cake loaf. And very slight variations on almond flour carrot cake and healthy carrot cake.
Reader’s Review
I made this and added freeze-dried strawberry powder. It tastes amazing and isn’t as sweet as most frosting are. Also held up well in the freezer (I froze the frosted cupcakes and dipped them in chocolate. Can recommend!
Juliane
Ingredients for Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the kind of easy recipe where all it takes is a few easy swaps to make something we all love so much better for us. You need just 4 simple ingredients!
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese from a block and not the container, that has been softened to room temperature on a counter for 1-2 hours. Block cream cheese contains less water. You can also use low fat cream cheese but it won’t taste as luscious.
- Greek yogurt: I use at least 2% for a thick creamy consistency. You can use full-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt, the richness will change accordingly. Do not use regular yogurt, it’s too thin!
- Maple syrup: My favorite of all time is maple syrup because it has mild taste, but you can use other natural sweeteners. Honey is a great choice but it will have more prominent taste. Powdered erythritol works great too if you like its taste. I do!
- Vanilla extract: Add classic frosting flavor. I like to use pure vanilla extract for best taste, although it make frosting a slight off-white color which I don’t mind.
How To Make Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
It couldn’t be easier to make a 5 minute cream cheese frosting recipe that tastes just like cheesecake! Here’s how.
- To begin, add all your ingredients into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
- Whip everything together with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, at high speed for about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. There should be no lumps left.
Tips for Best Results
- Make sure to use softened cream cheese: If you use cold one, the texture of your frosting will be lumpy.
- To soften cream cheese quickly: Cutting it into cubes and keeping out for about an hour helps. You can also microwave your block for a few seconds until softened.
- To pipe it: Healthy cream cheese frosting is thick but for piping I recommend to refrigerate it for at least an hour or even overnight is better. This is because the structure of dairy has been disturbed and warmed up during whipping.
- Turn into a glaze by thinning it out: Use a bit more maple syrup or a bit of dairy or non-dairy milk. Then drizzle on top of carrot cake baked oatmeal.
Why Is My Frosting Runny?
This is most likely caused by using the cream cheese that comes in a plastic container, rather than the block. It usually contains more water, making it spreadable and therefore making the icing runny.
If you didn’t follow the recipe and used regular yogurt, it will also be a thinner frosting.
Refrigerate it overnight and it should thicken more.
FAQs
No. Regular yogurt contains much more whey than Greek yogurt resulting in runny frosting. However, if you let it drain in a colander lined with a linen towel or coffee filter for 8 hours, the whey will drain. You will end up with Greek yogurt.
Refrigerate. The longer you keep it in the fridge, the more moisture will evaporate and the thicker the frosting will become. I am talking about 1-3 days. Also you can keep it uncovered to speed up the process. Just stir before slathering.
Freshly whipped frosting is best for slathering on the outside of the cake. If you would like to spread it on the middle layer, I highly recommend to refrigerate it at least overnight. Please see question above. Otherwise, the weight of the top cake layer presses too much making it run out. I like to use my healthy buttercream frosting for that.
To make a low sugar cream cheese frosting, use this keto cream cheese frosting recipe.
How to Use Frosting
This recipe makes enough frosting for a 8-9-inch cake or 12 cupcakes. However, it’s best for frosting the cake on top and the sides.
If you would like to use it in the middle layer, please see FAQs section above.
Here are a few ways to use it:
- Healthy birthday cake
- Healthy zucchini cake
- Healthy vanilla cupcakes
- Healthy pumpkin cake
- Healthy cinnamon rolls
- Carrot cake cheesecake
How to Store Frosting
This healthy frosting doesn’t have any preservatives so keep it in the fridge and not at room temperature. It’ll keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
You can re-whip it before using but I do not find it necessary.
Can You Freeze Leftovers?
You can freeze frosting for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and whip again before using.
More Frosting Recipes to Try
- Greek yogurt frosting
- Healthy buttercream frosting
- Healthy chocolate frosting
- Cottage cheese frosting
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting with Greek Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, I used 2%
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Using an electric mixer on high speed, whip all ingredients until smooth, creamy and no lumps left, making sure to pause and scrape down the sides. Should take about 5 minutes.
- Use frosting on a recipe of choice. This amount is anough to frost a 8-9 inch cake or 12 cupcakes.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate for up to a 1 week. Rewhip before using.
- Freeze: Freeze frosting in an airtight container or up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Cream cheese: It is important to bring it to a room T, otherwise frosting will be lumpy. You can use low fat cream cheese but it will taste less creamy. Vegan cream cheese will work, different taste though.
- Sweetener: Any other sweetener of choice is OK.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Olena! I wanted to reach out to thank you for being so generous with your recipes. I know cooking, and especially baking, is a lot of trial and error. So I appreciate you sharing your hard work with us free of cost. I’m particularly thankful for all the gluten free recipes you develop and share. Your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Wishing you great success and happiness in your professional and personal life.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Marilu! It really means a lot to hear that my recipes are helpful, especially the gluten-free ones. I’m so glad you enjoy them, and your thoughtful message truly made my day.
This was excellent on your Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Rolls! Yum. What a dynamic duo!! Thank you Olena!
So glad you loved it! Sounds like the perfect combo with the cinnamon rolls.
I made this and added freeze-dried strawberry powder. It tastes amazing and isn’t as sweet as most frosting are. Also held up well in the freezer (I froze the frosted cupcakes and dipped them in chocolate. Can recommend!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Juliane. I can envision the beautiful pink color.:)
I want to make cupcakes, frost them, put them in the freezer and then dip them in melted chocolate. Should I use this frosting or the greek yogurt one that has no cream cheese?
I would use the one with cream cheese, it will hold better once thawed.
Is this frosting pipeable?
Yes, please see Tips section in the post.
hi, can you sub maple syrup for honey
Yes.
Is there a way to turn this into strawberry frosting?
Only way is to add finely ground freeze dried strawberries.
Hi!
I bought whole milk Greek yogurt. Does it need to be strained too?
Thank you!
Anita Galliher
No. Not if it is any Greek yogurt.
Easy and delicious! Could eat it with a spoon, but will save it for the carrot cake! 🙂
Definitely agree with that! Glad you like it!