Need a frosting without butter? Here are three easy vegan frosting recipes that skip butter entirely, with no dairy-free butter substitutes either, so they work for allergy families, for dairy-free birthdays, or when you’re simply out of butter. There’s a simple powdered sugar frosting for cookies and cupcakes, a thick coconut oil vanilla frosting for layer cakes and piping, and a fudgy avocado chocolate frosting sweetened with maple syrup. All three are dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free as written.

Jump to: Powdered Sugar Frosting · Coconut Oil Frosting · Avocado Chocolate Frosting

Which Frosting Without Butter Should You Make?

Allergy Notes for These Vegan Frostings

• Nut-free: Use a nut-free milk like oat or rice milk (or water or juice), and vanilla extract rather than almond extract.
• Powdered sugar: Some cane sugar is processed with bone char. If you’re strictly vegan, look for sugar labeled vegan or organic.
• Cocoa: Check for milk and nut cross-contact warnings.
• Coconut: The FDA lists coconut as a tree nut for labeling purposes, but many people with tree nut allergies tolerate it. Ask your allergist if you’re unsure.

What You’ll Need

• A hand mixer or stand mixer
• A food processor or high-speed blender (for the avocado frosting)
• Piping bags and tips, or an offset spatula
• A silicone spatula for scraping the bowl

1. Simple Powdered Sugar Frosting Without Butter

This is the simplest frosting without butter or oil: powdered sugar, a nut-free dairy-free milk (or water or juice), vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low so you don’t get a sugar cloud, and adjust the consistency one teaspoon of liquid at a time. It sets up nicely as it sits, so frost right away. It makes about 2 cups.

Simple Dairy-Free Vanilla Powdered Sugar Frosting

A light, spreadable frosting made with just powdered sugar, dairy-free milk or water, and vanilla. No butter or oil.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4-1/3 cup dairy-free milk, water, or juice use oat or soy milk (not almond) for nut-free
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt optional

Method

 

1. Add everything to a bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud.
2. Too thick? Add liquid 1 teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Sprinkle in more powdered sugar.
3. Spread or pipe right away. It sets up as it sits.

Notes

Store in the fridge up to a week; bring to room temperature before using.

2. Coconut Oil Vanilla Frosting (Thick and Glossy)

Softened (not melted) coconut oil gives this vegan frosting structure and a subtle tropical note. It gets very thick as you add the powdered sugar, then loosens with a slow drizzle of water or dairy-free milk. Coconut oil melts with heat, so work quickly and refrigerate the frosted cake to set. It makes enough for a two-layer cake.

Coconut Oil Vanilla Frosting (No Butter)

Thick, glossy vanilla frosting made with softened coconut oil instead of butter. Enough for a two-layer cake.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 1 two-layer cake

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup coconut oil softened, not melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups vegan powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons filtered water or a nut-free dairy-free milk for extra creaminess

Method

 

1. With electric beaters, cream the softened coconut oil and vanilla until smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed. It will get very thick.
3. Slowly drizzle in the water (or milk) while beating until spreadable. Work quickly, since coconut oil melts with heat. Frost, then refrigerate to set.

Notes

Keeps in the fridge 5 to 7 days; soften at room temperature if needed.

3. Avocado Chocolate Frosting (No Powdered Sugar)

Ripe avocado blends into a fudgy, creamy chocolate frosting with cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. There’s no powdered sugar and no butter. Blend until ultra-smooth, taste, and add more maple if you like. It thickens a little as it chills, and it makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Avocado Chocolate Frosting (No Powdered Sugar)

Fudgy chocolate frosting made with ripe avocado, cocoa, and maple syrup. No butter and no powdered sugar.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 1.5 cups

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium ripe avocados about 1 packed cup of flesh
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup maple syrup adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Method

 

1. Halve and pit the avocados and scoop the flesh into a food processor or high-speed blender.
2. Add the cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.
3. Blend until ultra-smooth, scraping down the sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more syrup if desired.
4. Use right away; it thickens slightly as it chills.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days and stir before using.

Tips for the Best Dairy-Free Frosting

• Start with room-temperature ingredients for smoother mixing.
• Too thin? Add powdered sugar (or cocoa for the avocado frosting). Too thick? Add liquid a teaspoon at a time.
• Need it stiffer for piping? Chill it briefly.
• Coconut oil frosting too firm straight from the fridge? Let it soften at room temperature.
• Flavor ideas: Vanilla, citrus zest, cinnamon, or allergy-safe food coloring.

What to Frost

Try the powdered sugar frosting drizzled over rice krispie treats without butter, or a layer cake filled with my strawberry raspberry chia jam and frosted with the coconut oil frosting. Serve with a scoop of oat milk ice cream for a fully dairy-free birthday.

Storage

• Powdered sugar frosting: Fridge up to 1 week. Bring it to room temperature before using.
• Coconut oil frosting: Fridge 5 to 7 days. Soften before using.
• Avocado chocolate frosting: Fridge up to 3 days. Stir before using.

Frosting Without Butter FAQ

How do you make frosting without butter?

Mix powdered sugar with a little liquid and vanilla, use softened coconut oil as the fat, or blend avocado with cocoa and maple syrup.

Is powdered sugar frosting vegan?

It can be. Use a dairy-free liquid and a powdered sugar not processed with bone char.

Can I pipe frosting made without butter?

Yes. The coconut oil frosting pipes best. Chill it briefly if it gets soft.

Does avocado frosting taste like avocado?

The cocoa and maple are the main flavors. Taste it and add more maple or cocoa to suit your family.

Does frosting without butter need to be refrigerated?

Store leftovers in the fridge. The coconut oil and avocado frostings especially need to stay cool.

Allergy note: I write these recipes with allergy families in mind, but every allergy is different. Always check labels on every product, every time, for allergens and cross-contamination (“may contain” or shared-facility) warnings, since formulations change. When in doubt, check with your allergist.