I’ve been eating this by the spoonful or perhaps with a raspberry friend because I kid you not, it tastes like cheesecake. What a dream. Happy Valentine’s Day to me! This is the sister recipe to my beloved Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting and Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, which is divine on just about anything. Chocolate recipes are my whole heart, so of course I had to gift you a chocolate version. There’s a time and a place for classic frosting of course (balance!), but as a dietitian, I love making healthier alternatives. While most frosting recipes have cups of powdered sugar, this uses just half a cup of maple syrup. It’s lower in sugar and it tastes incredible. Winning!
Key ingredients
Cream cheese: Full fat brick-style that’s been softened to room temperature. Yogurt: Greek or regular plain yogurt work, but Greek makes thicker frosting. Use 2% or whole milk for the best mouthfeel. Vanilla yogurt works for sweeter frosting! Maple syrup: My favorite liquid sweetener used in place of powdered sugar. Vanilla extract: A must for flavor! Cocoa powder: Natural unsweetened baking cocoa adds yummy chocolate flavor. You can also use cacao powder.
How to make (step-by-step process)
How to soften cream cheese
Room temperature cream cheese is crucial to the success of this recipe. If you beat cream cheese right out of the fridge, the frosting will be lumpy and the consistency won’t be as smooth.
Slow soften method (recommended): Unwrap cream cheese from foil. Place it on a plate and let it sit at room temperature on the counter for 1-2 hours. Quick soften method: Unwrap cream cheese, discard foil, and set it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for about 20 seconds. It should not feel hot. If it’s too warm, the frosting may be runny.
Can I use a different sweetener?
I love using pure maple syrup to sweeten my recipes since it’s an unrefined liquid sweetener that has trace minerals. Readers have substituted honey with good results! If you’d like sweeter frosting, beat in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time. Adding more maple syrup will make it too runny. More on that below!
Why is cream cheese frosting runny?
Runny frosting is no fun! If you use a cream cheese spread or whipped cream cheese in a tub versus brick-style (which have a lower water content), there will be more moisture and you may end up with runny frosting. This frosting is very thick so you shouldn’t have any issues with it being runny.
What to serve it with
On cupcakes On baked oatmeal: Delish on these Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups! On muffins or Banana Bread On cookies and brownies: I even smeared some on these Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Storage
Frosting will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can be kept at room temperature for 2 hours, but be sure to refrigerate anything frosted after that.
Why does cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?
Since this is made with cream cheese and yogurt, it’s prone to spoiling if not kept cold. This frosting is also much lower in sugar that traditional frosting, which acts as a preservative to prolong shelf life. That’s why frostings with lots of sugar can last 3-4 weeks.
Can you freeze cream cheese frosting?
Yes! It can be frozen for up to 6 months. If you’re freezing baked goods with frosting, I’d let the cupcakes freeze with frosting for 1-2 hours then place in a freezer baggie.
I hope you’re as obsessed with this fun recipe as I am!
I’d be super grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a quick star rating and review below. Comments mean the world to me and your honest feedback helps me to continue to share recipes you’ll crave!
If you’d like sweeter frosting, use vanilla yogurt. You can also beat in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time. Adding more maple syrup will make it too runny. This recipe yields enough frosting for a dozen cupcakes or brownies.
