4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (2024)

This is the BEST vegan chocolate buttercream frosting ever!! Even traditional dairy lovers love this vegan chocolate frosting! Just 4 ingredients, ultra rich and lush, super quick and easy to make, and perfect for cakes, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and more!

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (1)

The BEST Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ever

If you’re looking for a dairy free vegan chocolate frosting that everyone in your family will love, vegan or not, then you’ve come to the right place.

Adding to our collection of vegan frosting recipes (we already have vegan vanilla buttercream, vegan peanut butter frosting, and vegan cream cheese frosting!) is this amazing chocolate frosting.

This is THE vegan chocolate buttercream frosting to make. In fact, my entire family requests this frosting specifically for every cake we have at a gathering or family birthday. And they’re not used to dairy free baking, so you can imagine my excitement over the fact that they wanted a VEGAN frosting by choice!

This vegan chocolate frosting is so silky smooth, lush, and decadently rich. It’s made with rich cocoa powder and can be entirely refined sugar free using just powdered coconut sugar!

Use it on vegan cakes, cookies, brownies, cheesecakes and more- it goes great on my gluten free vegan chocolate chip cookie cake recipe in my vegan cookbook!

You’ll just love how easy it is to make your own homemade chocolate frosting. No more store bought!

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (2)

Ingredients & Substitutions:

To make a homemade chocolate buttercream, you’ll need a few key ingredients (actually just 4 at the max!):

  • Vegan butter: I recommend Miyoko’s or for nut-free, you can use Earth Balance STICKS not tub
  • Cocoa powder: you can use cacao powder if desired.
  • Powdered sugar: for refined sugar free, swap in powdered coconut sugar! You can swap in an equal amount of coconut sugar. If you need a sugar free version, feel free to swap in the powdered variety of your favorite no sugar sweetener.
  • Creamy dairy free milk: I recommend soy milk or oat milk here.

Overview: How to make a super smooth and creamy vegan chocolate frosting

The full written instructions, including gram measurements and cup measurements, are found down below in the recipe card. However, let’s go over the basics here!

We’re using a 1:2 ratio of vegan butter to sugar/cocoa powder. This is the classic formula for an American buttercream, the easiest of the buttercream recipes! Only this one is entirely vegan and dairy free 😉

But similarly to a classic buttercream, you’ll simply cream the vegan butter for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Then sift in the powdered ingredients in increments. Use the dairy free milk to help you achieve a super soft and lush texture, then use for your main recipe!

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (3)
4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (4)

This vegan chocolate frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, as a cookie sandwich filling, brownies, and so much more!

More vegan buttercream tips & tricks

  • Read this awesome article for what room temperature butter actually means. Many are confused with this- it actually doesn’t mean that your butter comes to 72F! Like classic butter in baking, vegan butter at room temperature should still feel cold to the touch, but you’ll be able to easily indent it.
  • SIFT the cocoa powder and powdered sugar before beginning. No one likes a clumpy frosting, and trust me, it’s much easier to smooth the frosting onto a cake with a bench scraper without any bumps! Use a mesh pasta strainer or sifter to make sure that there are no clumps of powdered sugar or cacao powder before beginning.
  • Use cacao powder for a richer chocolate buttercream. I adore a deep dark chocolate taste. Plus, cacao powder offers many wonderful benefits. However, all natural coconut powder with have a deeper chocolate color to it.
  • For cake decorating: pair this vegan chocolate frosting with my vegan chocolate ganache for a double chocolate drip cake!
  • If your vegan chocolate frosting is too thick: Add in a tablespoon or two more of dairy free milk to help with the consistency.
4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (5)

I hope you absolutely love this vegan chocolate buttercream frosting as much as I do! If you try it, definitely leave a comment down below as well as a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can hear how it turned out for you!

As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations, so be sure to tag me on Instagram and Pinterest!

Happy frosting making!

More vegan frostings you’ll love:

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream

Best Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (6)

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (7)

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 7 Cups 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This is the BEST vegan chocolate buttercream frosting ever!! Even traditional dairy lovers love this vegan chocolate frosting! Just 4 ingredients, ultra rich and lush, super quick and easy to make, and perfect for cakes, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and more!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 cups (460 g) vegan butter, room temperature*
  • 1 cup (100 grams) SIFTED cocoa powder
  • 3 cups (600 grams) SIFTED powdered sugar*
  • 1/41/3 cup creamy dairy free milk (such as soy milk or oat milk)

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until fluffy and light, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add in the cocoa powder and 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Continue creaming the mixture, adding in the remaining powdered sugar in 1 cup intervals until smooth. Add in 1-2 tbsp dairy free milk at a time to help achieve a creamy texture.
  3. Use immediately on cakes, cupcakes, and desserts.

Notes

Vegan butter: For nut free, and an all around great vegan butter, I recommend Flora Plant Butter. For Paleo vegan, I recommend Miyoko’s Creamery. Other brands that work well for this are Earth Balance baking sticks and Forager Project oat butter.

Refined sugar free: you can swap in coconut sugar for the powdered sugar, and have an entirely refined sugar free vegan chocolate frosting!

4 Ingredient Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for milk in chocolate frosting? ›

Dairy Substitutes for Milk
  • Cream or Half-and-Half. Cream is richer than milk, so to avoid heavier dough or batter use a ratio of about 60 percent cream to 40 percent water. ...
  • Evaporated or Powdered Milk. ...
  • Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt. ...
  • Water (or Water and Butter) ...
  • Nut Milk. ...
  • Soy Milk. ...
  • Oat Milk. ...
  • Rice Milk.
Apr 3, 2023

How to thicken icing without sugar? ›

Add corn starch

If you want to thicken your royal icing without adding additional sugar, you can add a minimal amount of corn starch (less than a teaspoon) to help your icing thicken up.

How to stiffen frosting without powdered sugar? ›

If you are trying to avoid any sweetness to your frosting you could try some cream of tartar or some cornstarch mixed with a little milk. You can also whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the softened cream cheese. People use gelatin to thicken and set whipped cream frostings.

Why is my vegan frosting runny? ›

If you're not adding enough sugar, your buttercream won't be stable enough to hold its shape for long. If you're adding a little plant-based milk to thin the buttercream when frosting a cake, you might be adding too much of it, again, making it too unstable.

What replaces milk in vegan chocolate? ›

Vegan chocolates made with oat milk are an excellent alternative to milk chocolate made with dairy or nuts. Oat milk chocolate has a natural creaminess, reminiscent of traditional milk chocolate. Oat milk tends to be milder than nut milks, which gives room for the cocoa bean flavor to come through.

What can I use as a substitute for milk in frosting? ›

Milk in most recipes hydrates the dry ingredients and adds flavor, and there are plenty of substitutes that can do just that without compromising the final result.
  • Half and half. ...
  • Heavy cream. ...
  • Nondairy milks, like soy and almond. ...
  • Sour cream. ...
  • Yogurt. ...
  • Evaporated milk. ...
  • Canned coconut milk. ...
  • Water.
Dec 3, 2021

What can I use instead of sugar for frosting? ›

Stevia. If you're looking for a substitute for powdered sugar that's lower in calories, you can use stevia or some other type of artificial sweetener. If you're looking for a sugar-free substitute for sugar, this is probably one of the most common ones people use.

What makes homemade icing thick? ›

Most frostings contain powdered sugar, or icing sugar, and the most common way to thicken a runny frosting is by gradually mixing in a bit more powdered sugar to offset the liquid ingredients. Sprinkle in 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 mL) of powdered sugar at a time, then stir it in and check the consistency.

How do you thicken icing without cornstarch or sugar? ›

Dry/thick ingredients like cocoa powder, freeze dried fruit (powder,) and peanut butter will help thicken frosting, while vanilla and brown butter should be added sparingly to make sure it's the right texture.

What can I use instead of powdered sugar in chocolate frosting? ›

Just blend the coconut sugar until it becomes a fine powder. Combine 1 cup of coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot powder if you need confectioners' sugar. Got any hot cocoa mix lying around? Ideally for chocolate desserts, you can use those packets in a one-to-one trade for powdered sugar.

What happens if you use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar for frosting? ›

"Regular sugar has a larger crystal size than powdered sugar," he explains. "This means, cup for cup, there would be more sugar in a cup of powdered sugar than in a cup of regular sugar." In addition to inconsistent measurements, regular sugar won't dissolve and mix as well into recipes like frosting and icing.

How to thicken homemade chocolate icing? ›

If you are making a chocolate frosting, adding more cocoa powder is a great option for thickening it. The technique is basically the same as if you were thickening with powdered sugar, but you want to use a smaller quantity of cocoa powder than icing sugar. Try adding just 1 to 2 teaspoon at a time.

How to thicken up vegan frosting? ›

To thicken vegan icing, you can use a combination of maple syrup, coconut cream and cornstarch. Start by adding 1/4 cup of cornstarch to 1/4 cup of maple syrup in a small pot on medium heat. Stir until it becomes a thick paste and then add in 1/2 cup of coconut cream. Continue to stir until it becomes thick and smooth.

What is the best vegan butter for frosting? ›

Make sure to use a vegan butter you like the flavor of. I think Miyoko's is best, but recently I discovered Trader Joe's vegan butter which is equally amazing. Other brands will work, but just know whatever butter you use will determine the flavor. It needs to be softened to room temperature, NOT melted.

What is vegan frosting made of? ›

Vegan Frosting Recipe Ingredients

Vegan butter – Make sure to bring it to room temperature before you start to cook. Powdered sugar – It sweetens and stiffens the frosting. If you want your frosting to be thick and fluffy, use more powdered sugar. If you want to make a softer glaze, use less.

Can I use water instead of milk in frosting? ›

Thin Consistency: Add 2 teaspoons of liquid (light corn syrup, milk or water) for each cup of buttercream frosting. For pure white frosting, add up to 4 tablespoons of liquid.

Can you use water instead of milk in chocolate cake? ›

Can I use water instead of milk in chocolate cake? You can use water instead of milk but keep in mind that milk contains fat and protein, which add to a cake's texture and flavor. If you go with water, you may need to adjust the other ingredients in the recipe to compensate.

Can you use water instead of milk for chocolate milk? ›

A: Yes you can, just doesn't taste as creamy. You'll also have to adjust amount of Ovaltine to water compared to with milk to get the right taste.

How do you thin frosting without milk? ›

I always thin with water too. I always use water in my buttercream. There is no taste difference.

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