This Protein Cream Cheese Frosting is the sugar-free frosting that actually tastes like the real thing, and it uses protein powder instead of powdered sugar. If you've been skipping frosting because it tanks your macros, this is your fix. Two tablespoons, 6.4g protein, 63 calories, and it pipes like a dream.
I originally posted this a while back when I was deep in my "protein powder as powdered sugar substitute" phase (a phase I have never actually left, NGL), and it became one of those quiet little recipes that just... worked. For everyone. It started ranking on Google, readers kept coming back to it, and I kept slapping it on everything I baked.
So when I made my Cranberry Bliss Bars and needed a frosting that could hold up, I finally pulled this recipe back out, shot it properly, and gave it the post it deserved. If you want to try it on something first, my Carrot Cake Protein Loaf, Protein Red Velvet Cake, and Healthy Pumpkin Bars are basically made for it.
Why Use Protein Powder in Frosting?
Using protein powder in this cream cheese frosting allows you to create a sweet, stable frosting without any refined sugar, significantly lowering the carbs and boosting the protein content.
Why You will Love this Sugar Free Cream Cheese Frosting?
- Smooth & Creamy: The ideal consistency for spreading and piping.
- Tangy & Sweet: That classic cream cheese frosting flavor everyone loves!
- Sugar-Free: Since it's sweetened with stevia-sweetened protein powder
- High Protein
- Easy to Make: Just one bowl and spoon needed; No special equipment needed.
- DELICIOUS!
Ingredients for this small-batch high protein cream cheese frosting
- Reduced Fat Cream Cheese - To keep the calories and fat low and make this a lot healthier than the normal. This is also known as Neufchâtel, and you can find it right by the regular cream cheese.
Substitute: Use regular full fat cream cheese!
- Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt - To amp up the protein.
Substitute: Use regular Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt instead. You can also sub with 3 tablespoon milk. - Whey-Casein Vanilla Protein Powder: This replaces the powdered/confectioners sugar in your typical frosting. Whey-Casein blend from Quest Nutrition is my recommendation.
Substitute: Use whey isolate if needed. Make sure you also reduce the yogurt to 42g instead.
To make Vegan and Dairy Free Frosting
Use dairy free cream cheese, coconut yogurt(or almond milk) and plant based protein (like this one from KOS) for a vegan high protein cream cheese frosting. Be sure to taste and add a bit of vanilla extract and stevia sweetener to reduce the earthy flavor.
How to make this easy healthy cream cheese frosting
Making this healthy cream cheese frosting recipe is incredibly easy!
- Add Protein Powder: Add the vanilla protein powder and mix thoroughly until you have a smooth, thick, creamy frosting.
- Tip: Taste the frosting and add vanilla extract and/or sweetener as needed.
- Tip: If your frosting is too thick for spreading or piping, add milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Add extra milk if you prefer a protein cream cheese icing.
- Soften Cream Cheese: Place the cream cheese in a medium-size bowl. If it's straight from the fridge and solid, microwave it for about 10-15 seconds to soften it slightly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the Greek yogurt and mix it using a spoon or hand mixer until combined.
FAQ
Yes, but reduce the Greek yogurt to 42g instead of the full 85g. Whey isolate absorbs liquid differently and the full amount will make your frosting too thin to pipe or spread.
It adds protein and helps loosen the cream cheese into a spreadable consistency. You can swap it for 3 tablespoon of milk if you don't have Greek yogurt on hand, though you'll lose a bit of protein.
Cold cream cheese is almost always the culprit. Give it 10-15 seconds in the microwave before you start mixing and it'll smooth right out.
Yes. Swap in dairy-free cream cheese, coconut yogurt or almond milk, and a plant-based protein powder. Just taste it after mixing and add a little vanilla extract and stevia to balance out the earthier flavor that plant-based protein can bring.
It pipes well straight from the bowl. If it's too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.
Storage Tips for Protein Cake Frosting
- If you've used this frosting on a baked good, it will keep at room temperature for 2 hours, after which you need to keep them in the fridge.
- You can keep unused frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
- If you'd like, you can freeze the frosting (airtight container again) for about 2-3 weeks.
Some ideas to use this healthy protein powder frosting
This heatlhy cream cheese frosting can be used anywhere you'd use a regular frosting - on top of a carrot cake, spiced cupcakes, red velvet anything, even cookies maybe!
Here's some of my recipes to try it on:
- Carrot Cake Protein Loaf
- Healthy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gingerbread Protein Brownies with Amazing Cream Cheese Frosting
- Protein Red Velvet Cake
Healthy Protein Powder Cream Cheese Frosting (Sugar Free)
Ingredients
- 3 oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese, 84g
- 3 oz Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt, 85g
- ⅓ cup Vanilla Protein Powder, 30g, Whey-casein recommended
Are you Making This?
Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ comment below letting me know what you think! This supports my page so I can continue to give you free recipes. Even 1 sentence is enough 🙂
Instructions
- Place cream cheese in a medium-size bowl.If cream cheese is solid, microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften.
- Add in yogurt and mix together with a spoon.
- Add protein powder and mix to combine.If too thick, add a little a teaspoon at a time of milk.Taste and add sweetener or vanilla extract as needed.
- Use as you would a regular frosting!
Notes
- Reduced fat cream cheese is also known as Neufchâtel.
- Nutrition details are calculated using products recommended below.
- See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.
- Quest Nutrition Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder
- Servings: ¾ cup aka 12 tablespoon | Serving size: 2 Tbsp
- Calories: 63 cal
- Fat: 3.1g | Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 1.4g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0.7g
- Protein: 6.4g
Mollie says
I made this for Easter to go on top of Haley's "Protein Carrot Cake Cheesecake". It was a perfect icing for that cake. I doubled the recipe and had some left over. I used the leftover icing to stuff into hulled strawberries and used those as a garnish around the carrot cake. After reading other reviews, I was worried about the icing being too runny, so I used one less tablespoon of almond milk. The icing was super thick, so I think I could have added that last tablespoon of milk and it would have been just fine. Thanks again Haylee for all of your fabulous high protein recipes!
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Hi Mollie, I am definitely going to try this with strawberries the next time! So glad it didnt turn out runny for you!
Patty says
Can I use plant-based Orgain organic vanilla protein powder?
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Hi! You can try it with plant based protein, but I also recommend adding in a bit of extra sweetener!
Sarah says
I made this with regular cream cheese and used 2 TB of almond milk. I also added about 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract and rainbow sprinkles. Delicious and not runny at all.
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
omg I love the idea of adding sprinkles! Something I want to try too! Glad you loved it!
Lorrie says
I doubled the recipe and it was so runny. Had to add another scoop of protein powder and the whole tub of light cream cheese (total 340 g) and still runny. Im pretty sure I only added 6 tbsp of almond milk total so next time I’ll hold off on any liquids until the end.
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Hi Lorrie!
I'm so sorry you had trouble with this recipe.
Did you use a whey-casein protein powder?
I know from experience that whey works different in recipes; It absorbs less liquid, and could be the reason you had a runny frosting.
I've tried this recipe multiple times with the brand I recommend, and it always works out.
Let me know!
Caroline H. says
Love this recipe! I used it to frost some healthy carrot cake muffins and it was perfect. Such great macros!
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Thank you Caroline! (protein) Cream Cheese Frosting + Carrot Cake Muffins sounds like a beautiful combination! I think I need to add that to my list now. And I'm all about those macros here too 🙂