Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting For Thumbprint Cookies

Name: Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1/8 cup cacao powder; 2 tbs honey; 3 tbs cashew butter; 4 tsp coconut cream

Jump to Recipe

It's thick, sticky, and made with only four ingredients! This dairy-free chocolate frosting contains zero processed sugars, has a fudge-like texture and is the perfect option for thumbprint cookies... or to lick off a spoon!

Close up of a spoon with dairy-free chocolate fosting over a bowl of more frosting.

Who would have thought that you could skip the powdered sugar, sticks of butter, the heavy feeling and still have a delicious, chocolate frosting for your thumbprint cookies?

As a Certified Nutrition Coach, this dairy-free chocolate frosting recipe has been used in my house on everything from dairy-free thumbprint cookies, to the top of overnight protein oats, or even mixed into Greek yogurt with protein powder (hehe yum!).

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy to make: Whipped up in just 5 minutes with four ingredients this healthy chocolate frosting is made without much effort.

Healthy: It's naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo which makes it a great choice for a healthy lifestyle.

Tasty: Sweet but not too sweet, the frosting is a great addition to any recipe without being overpowering.

Ingredients You Need

Cacao powder: not to be confused with cocoa powder (though it can be used), cacao powder is a nutrient-powerhouse! Loaded with calcium and antioxidants, cacao powder is a gold mine. Learn more about the difference between cocoa powder and cacao.

Cashew butter: Any nut butter can work but it will alter the flavor slightly. Make sure to use new nut butter so that it's "runny" and not too thick.

Coconut milk: Opt for coconut milk from a can, and only the thick white cream. You only need a hint of it to smooth out the chocolate frosting and truthfully any dairy-free milk will work. The milk you choose will affect the consistency though.

Honey: this is used to sweeten the frosting but also to make the frosting thick and sticky (though you can make this into a vegan chocolate frosting!).

Multiple ingredients like maple syrup, cacao powder, and nut butter in measuring cups with text labels over them.

How To Make Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting

Tan bowl with almond butter and coconut cream in it and a whisk behind it.

Cacao powder in a steel container being poured into a tan bowl with almond butter.

Step 1: In a small bowl whisk together the nut butter, honey, and coconut milk.

Step 2: Add in the cacao powder.

Tan bowl with chocolate frosting and a fork in it and a blue linen and cupcake behind it.

Almond flour coconut thumbprint cookies on a cooling rack topped with chocolate frosting.

Step 3: Mix until combined and sticky.

Step 4: Use immediately on thumbprint cookies.

Important Teaching Tips & Notes

This healthy chocolate frosting recipe is both light and thick. It does spread onto cookies or firm cupcakes. Thus, make sure your cookies are not too delicate!

Because the frosting is thick, it does not pipe well. This is not a "buttercream" kind of frosting. More fudge-like.

Though here is a wicked dairy-free buttercream frosting if you need it (high in protein too!).

To thin the frosting, begin by adding more coconut cream to the recipe if you need to. Just add it in teaspoon by teaspoon until you reach your desired consistency. This will also make the frosting creamier.

This recipe does not and will not store well in the fridge once made. It must be used immediately after making. Once in the fridge, it gets too hard to spread.

Make sure to use runny nut butter to make the frosting, otherwise, the ingredients won't blend.

How To Enjoy It

Use the dairy-free chocolate frosting on anything that you want to make a little extra indulgent.

cookie frosting (like these chocolate frosted cashew cookies)
to top cupcakes with
in smoothie bowls
to lick off a spoon and curb a craving

One chocolate frosted cupcake in a purple muffin liner with another cupcake, bowl of chocolate frosting and blue linen behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make the chocolate frosting nut free?

Cashew butter tends to be super creamy which gives the frosting a great texture. Other nut butters will alter the texture and the flavor. However, to make to frosting nut-free, use Sunbutter in its place. You may want to add a touch more honey to keep it sweet though.

Can I make vegan chocolate frosting?

You can make the healthy chocolate frosting vegan by replacing the honey with maple syrup. However, the vegan chocolate frosting flavor will be slightly less sweet (but still delicious). Similarly, the texture will be a bit thinner. I would recommend making sure to use coconut cream and not almond milk if you want to make vegan chocolate frosting.

Why doesn't this recipe use powdered sugar?

Though most frostings are based around powdered sugar, this is a healthier version. Since the frosting is sweetened with honey, there's no need for powdered sugar.

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