Healthier "Cream Cheese" Frosting
This homemade frosting is really easy to make! Luxuriously creamy and smooth, not too sweet, and with the same subtle tang as traditional cream cheese frosting, this “cream cheese” frosting is wonderful for spreading on top of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more. Leftover frosting will keep for at least a few days (if not closer to a week or more!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups (320g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt (see Notes!)
- 6 wedges (126g total) The Laughing Cow Creamy Light spreadable cheese wedges (see Notes!)
- 2 servings (16g) sugar-free, fat-free cheesecake instant pudding mix (see Notes!)
- ¾ tsp liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste – see Notes!)
Instructions
- Add the Greek yogurt, spreadable cheese wedges, instant pudding mix, and liquid stevia to a large bowl. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer for 2 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using. (If refrigerating longer, transfer the frosting to an airtight container with a lid instead.)
Notes
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE YIELD: This recipe yields enough frosting to very generously spread on top of 12 cupcakes, to "regularly" frost 24 cupcakes, to frost one 9x13" sheet cake, or to frost one 8-9”, two-layer cake.
GREEK YOGURT NOTES: I’ve found that FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt works the best when making frosting because it’s thicker than many other brands, which really helps with the frosting’s consistency. (It also has less of a yogurt “tang” to its flavor!)
For more information about the best types of Greek yogurt to use (and which to avoid!), see the “Greek yogurt” header in my blog post above.
SPREADABLE CHEESE WEDGES NOTES: The Laughing Cow Creamy Light wedges do not have a strong Swiss or cheddar taste. (I hate the sharp taste of Swiss cheese, but I love these wedges!) They have a very mellow flavor and mild tang, which means this frosting tastes almost identical to cream cheese frosting! I’ve found them at Target, Walmart, and just about all major grocery stores in the US. (Some grocery stores stock them in the deli section with the fancier cheeses, rather than the regular dairy aisle!)
Unlike cream cheese, you don’t need to soften the spreadable cheese wedges ahead of time. You can use them straight from the refrigerator!
In a pinch, if you can’t find the Creamy Light wedges, then the Creamy Aged White Cheddar wedges would be the next best thing. I haven’t tried any other brands or substitutions, so I can’t personally vouch for anything else. (But if you are able to find light cream cheese, then you can use it to make these regular cream cheese frosting recipes of mine instead!)
INSTANT PUDDING MIX NOTES: Many boxes of sugar-free, fat-free instant pudding mix have 4 servings per box. Since you only need 2 servings, you’ll use half of the box (not two boxes!).
If you can’t find sugar-free, fat-free cheesecake instant pudding mix, then substitute sugar-free, fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix instead.
Instant pudding mix is special because its thickening properties are activated when it’s cold or at room temperature — not when heated (like with cornstarch and regular “cook-and-serve” pudding mix).
Unfortunately, there isn’t a great substitute for the instant pudding mix. I’ve tried using xanthan gum, and while it does thicken the frosting, it also adds a weird texture. Regular “cook-and-serve” pudding mix and cornstarch won’t work because those require heat to activate their thickening properties, and heating the Greek yogurt is not a good idea.
So if you can’t find or don’t want to use instant pudding mix, then omit it – BUT just mix the ingredients together until they’re just barely incorporated and creamy in consistency. Do not beat for a full 2 minutes! That will make your frosting thinner and more runny.
STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: For sweeter frosting, increase the liquid stevia by an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
For the best results, I recommend using the same liquid stevia that I do. (Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for one another!) I buy it online here because that’s the best price I’ve found, and you’ll use it all of these recipes of mine too.
If you prefer not to use liquid stevia, then substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of this powdered stevia. Alternatively, substitute ½ cup of granulated sucralose, Truvia, confectioners’ style erythritol, or regular confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar).
Do not substitute honey, pure maple syrup, agave, or any other similar liquid sweeteners.
HOW TO STORE: Store any unused or leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Depending on how fresh your spreadable cheese wedges and Greek yogurt are, it should last for at least a few days, if not closer to a week or more.
{gluten free, egg free, low fat, low sugar, sugar free, low carb, clean eating option}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amyshealthybaking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.