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This healthy chocolate frosting is a delicious option when you’re trying to avoid added sugar. I tested this one for months to make sure it would spread as easily as regular frosting, and you can even pipe it onto cupcakes with a frosting tip!
Over the years, I’ve experimented with using coffee instead of water (yum) and adding a touch of maple syrup to make it as sweet as traditional frosting made with powdered sugar. It’s somewhat easy to customize, as long as you stick to the basic ratio.
I’ll walk you through the process step by step below so you’ll get delicious results on your first try. Pair this with my healthy birthday cake or almond flour cupcakes for a healthier treat that doesn’t taste “healthy” at all.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Best frosting recipe EVER! We use this one at all the birthday celebrations in our family because everyone who tries it is absolutely in love with it! Thank you for this recipe!!” – Brooke
Date Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
- Medjool Dates. Shop for these in the fresh produce section of your grocery store. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Costco always have good ones in my experience. They should look juicy and squishy, like they’d be easy to split apart with your fingers to remove the pit.
- Coconut Cream. This is the solid part in a can of full-fat coconut milk. It’s ideal if you can place a can or two in your fridge the night before you plan on making this, so the cream is easy to scoop out away from the liquid in the can. I recommend chilling two cans, because there’s no guarantee how much cream will be in each can.
- Cacao Powder. I always keep raw cacao powder in my pantry because I read once that it has more antioxidants than regular cocoa powder. But, I think either option will work for this recipe. (Cacao is a little more bitter than cocoa, so if you want a sweeter frosting, go with cocoa powder.)
- Vanilla Extract. This won’t make a huge difference in the flavor, but I like adding it to chocolate recipes. You could also experiment with using other extracts to change the flavor, like almond or peppermint. (Start with a lot less when trying those, though.)
- Maple Syrup (optional). Sometimes I’ll add up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to make this frosting taste sweeter. This is up to you and your tastebuds, so you can leave it out if you want an entirely fruit-sweetened treat.
Note: You maybe able to buy a can of coconut cream, but you’ll still use only the solid cream, not the entire can. There will still be some liquid in this type of can, so chill it before using in this recipe and scoop out the solid cream as directed. This isn’t to be confused for cream of coconut, which is a totally different product!
How to Make Healthy Chocolate Frosting
Step 1:
Start by scooping the solid coconut cream out of a can of chilled coconut milk. You’ll need 1 cup of coconut cream total, which you may need to get from two cans. (The cream in each can may vary, so I like to chill two cans to be on the safe side.
Reserve any remaining liquid for future use. You can use it in smoothies or chia pudding later!
Now that you’ve separated the coconut cream from the can, you’ll need to melt it so it’s in liquid form. I do this in a double boiler, but you can likely microwave it if you prefer.
To make a double boiler: Fill a small saucepan with one inch of water. Arrange a heat-safe bowl snugly over the top of the pan and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the coconut cream and stir often, until it’s liquified.
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Step 2:
Remove the pits from 8 ounces of Medjool dates and add them to a high-speed blender. The dates should be soft, squishy, and very easy to split apart with your fingers. Don’t use dates from the dried bulk section of your grocery store or your frosting might end up a little grainy.
Add 1/4 cup cacao powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water (or coffee) to the blender. Then add the melted coconut cream.
Secure the lid and blend until the mixture looks smooth. Add another tablespoon of water or coffee if your mixture isn’t blending well. It should be thick, but without huge chunks of dates visible. Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine if needed, and blend again.
Taste the frosting and add up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup if you want a sweeter flavor. This is completely optional, and not necessary if you want a 100% fruit-sweetened topping.
Step 3:
Once the mixture looks smooth, transfer it to an airtight container with a lid. Place this in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours. Or, if you’re in a hurry, it will likely chill in the freezer in about 2 hours. It will thicken when chilled, thanks to the coconut cream!
As soon as the frosting looks thick and spreadable, it’s ready to use.
Similar to real buttercream, it may soften and slightly melt if you serve it in a warm room or in direct sunlight. It’s best to serve it chilled or within an hour of removing it from the fridge.
Chocolate Frosting without Powdered Sugar (Fruit Sweetened!)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Medjool dates , pitted (~1 cup packed)
- 1 cup coconut cream (the solid part in a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk)
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water (or black coffee)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional for extra sweetness)
Instructions
- First, melt the coconut cream so that it's liquid. (You want the cream chilled solid first so that you can separate it from the liquid in a can of coconut milk, but then you want to melt it so that it's liquid in the blender.) I melt the coconut cream using a double boiler, but you can most likely use a microwave to do this, if you prefer.
- Add in the melted coconut cream, dates, cacao powder, vanilla, and salt to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until silky smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine to keep everything moving, or use a tamper for the blender if you have one.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, if needed to help thin out the frosting and ensure that the dates are completely broken down. Sometimes I like to use black coffee instead of water for a richer flavor. You can also taste the mixture and add up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, if it's not sweet enough.
- Transfer the blended frosting to an airtight storage container and let it set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight. It will thicken as it chills, and then you can use it to frost your favorite cake or cupcakes.
- This frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. (It turns into a thick ice cream when you freeze it!)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Date-Sweetened Recipes
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience.
This was absolutely delicious! I made it for my mother-in-law, who can’t have sugar or some of the other ingredients in typical frosting, but we all thought it tasted great! I used it on your chocolate almond flour cupcakes, which were also fantastic. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Loved the icing, didn’t feel guilty eating it on top of the cupcakes
Hello! I’m on an anti-candida diet, so dates are not allowable for me. Do you know if a granular stevia sweetener would be an appropriate substitute? Thanks!
I’m not sure how that would work out, so you might want to try my 2-ingredient vegan ganache, using a stevia-sweetened bar, or use an unsweetened chocolate bar and add stevia to taste?
Thank you!!
Wow! This frosting is amazing! Thank you so much for all your experimentation to come up with such a delicious recipe that doesn’t use powdered sugar. Now I can have my cake and eat it too. I really appreciate you!
Came out great!
Could I leave out the dates? Or would that mess up the texture of the frosting?
This frosting is amazing! My 9 yr old said it was better than “regular” frosting. Creamy texture and great flavor. This was my first time using dates but it won’t be the last. Thank you!
AMAZING! My new go to frosting recipe. Thank you!
My coconut milk didn’t solidify, is there something I can use instead?
I can’t rate this recipe yet because I’m in the process of attempting to make it
Mind blown!
I was hoping to make a buttercream type frosting without sugar but didn’t think it would be possible. But thanks to you – I did it! The appearance, texture, and mouthfeel are so spot on. And it’s healthy!
I found it helpful to soak my dates in hot water before adding to the recipe.
Thank you.