Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting

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Easy & delicious homemade vegan peanut butter frosting. In this recipe, coconut oil and peanut butter are combined to make the most incredible dairy-free frosting ever! Serve it on top of brownies, use it to frost a cake, or eat it with a spoon!

photo of vegan peanut butter frosting piped onto a brownie in a rosette pattern


If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be peanut butter. No big surprise.  I currently have an embarrassing number of open jars of peanut butter in my pantry.

When a good friend gave me this recipe for Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting I just about died. I usually like plain peanut butter, but this changed my mind.

What I love about this Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting recipe is that it’s made with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and it comes together in 5 minutes.

Compared to other frosting recipes, this one is much healthier! It’s vegan, gluten-free & dairy free and if make your own powdered sugar (recipe here) it can be refined-sugar free too!

Overhead view of a bowl of homemade vegan peanut butter frosting

Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting: Ingredient s& Substitutions 

  • Peanut Butter: I use a firm peanut butter for this recipe, like a natural peanut butter that is no stir. If you use a peanut butter that is liquid at room temperature you may need to add more powdered sugar to get it to firm up, and/or omit the almond milk all together.
  • Coconut oil. vegan butter or regular butter can be used in place of coconut oil.
  • Almond milk: coconut milk or any other non-dairy milk works in this recipe. I have even used non-dairy creamers with fantastic results.
  • Salt: I love the sweet/salty flavor of this frosting. You can always add a little at a time and adjust it according to your taste. If you’re using a salty variety of peanut butter you many need to add less.
Side view of two brownies frosting with homemade vegan peanut butter frosting piped on in the shape of a rose

How to make Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting

Combine peanut butter & coconut oil

Make sure the coconut oil is softened to room temperature, then either mix by hand or using a hand-held mixer or standing mixer, beat until they are combined.

Room temperature coconut oil. The coconut oil needs to be room temperature or slightly melted (not too warm), if it is hard then it will not mix well into the peanut butter and you will be left with chunks of coconut oil in your frosting.

two photos showing how to make vegan peanut butter frosting

Once the coconut oil and peanut butter are combined and smooth, add the vanilla, powdered sugar and salt and beat until you reach the desired consistency.

Add almond milk slowly. The amount of almond milk needed depends on the type of peanut butter used. Some people have reported not needing it at all. Please add it carefully so the frosting does not become too runny. If that does happen, add more powdered sugar and mix until you reach the desired consistency.

two photos showing how to make vegan peanut butter frosting

Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting: Serving Suggestions

I have a plethora of recipes that are the perfect vehicle for this delicious frosting! Check them out! (Note: the brownies in these pictures are my black bean brownies).

two brownies frosted with homemade vegan peanut butter frosting piped on in the shape of a rose

Store/freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature before using – do not microwave.

It hardens in the fridge. Please note that this Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting gets hard in the fridge. I take it out and set it on the counter about 1 hour before eating/serving time. Do not microwave.

Recipe FAQs

What do I do if my frosting is too runny?

You can remedy this two ways – 1) add more powdered sugar. 2) if the ingredients are too warm it will become runny, so you can chill it in the refrigerator to firm it up a bit.

Can I cut this recipe in half?

I usually make a half recipe to frost brownies and a full to frost a cake. So yes, this recipe halves very well.

How do you pipe the frosting?

I decorate cakes often, here’s a list of the equipment I use to create these roses:
Piping bags – I have both reusable and disposable piping bags and use them all the time. 
Piping tips and couplers – I recommend a great starter tip and coupler set. However I always make this rosette style cake with a Wilton 1M tip and large coupler. 

a vegan peanut butter frosting rose

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Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting

Laura
Easy & delicious homemade vegan peanut butter frosting. In this recipe, coconut oil and peanut butter are combined to make the most incredible dairy-free frosting ever! Serve it on top of brownies, use it to frost a cake, or eat it with a spoon!
4.97 from 29 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 (Enough frosting for a 9×13″ pan of brownies)
Calories 195.8
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Bring coconut oil to room temperature so it is softened or slightly melted.
  • Add coconut oil and peanut butter to the bowl of your standing mixer and beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides a few times to be sure there are no chunks of coconut oil left.
  • Add vanilla and beat until combined.
  • Add powdered sugar and salt. Beat on medium/high speed until well combined, scraping sides to ensure it’s mixed evenly.
  • Add almond milk and beat until light and fluffy. Serve on top of your favorite bars or brownies…or eat with a spoon!
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature (if you will be eating that day) or in the refrigerator. Just take it out and let it come to room temperature before serving.

Video

Notes

  • This makes A TON of frosting. I halve this recipe for an 8×8” pan of brownies or if I’m making it just for my family.
  • I recommend starting with a small amount of almond milk and increasing it until you reach your desired consistency. Some very liquidy peanut butters may require no almond milk at all!

Ingredient Substitutions/Notes

  • Peanut Butter: I use a firm peanut butter for this recipe, like a natural peanut butter that is no stir. If you use a peanut butter that is liquid at room temperature you may need to add more powdered sugar to get it to firm up, and/or omit the almond milk all together.
  • Coconut oil. vegan butter or regular butter can be used in place of coconut oil.
  • Almond milk: coconut milk or any other non-dairy milk works in this recipe. I have even used non-dairy creamers with fantastic results.
  • Salt: I love the sweet/salty flavor of this frosting. You can always add a little at a time and adjust it according to your taste. If you’re using a salty variety of peanut butter you many need to add less.

Store/freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature before using – do not microwave.
It hardens in the fridge. Please note that this Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting gets hard in the fridge. I take it out and set it on the counter about 1 hour before eating/serving time. Do not microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 195.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.6g | Protein: 3.4g | Fat: 13.1g | Sodium: 12.2mg | Potassium: 3.2mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 15.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Even my husband can’t stay away from this when I make it, and he’s not really a peanut butter guy (which at first I thought was his only flaw. However, his indifference towards my favorite food means I don’t have to hide it in the back of the pantry share…so it’s just another one of the many reasons he’s perfect for this lady right here).

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Recipe Rating




93 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love it! I halved it like you suggested to use on 8×8 brownie pan. It tasted great even with just 2/3 cup powdered sugar instead of 1. Thank you!

  2. I needed to make a vegan filling for my pancakes and this recipe was the perfect match. But I don’t understand why salt is added to something sweet or dessert. I did this without the salt and result was amazing, thanks!!

    1. 5 stars
      The combination of salty and sweet really is lovely – you should try it some day.

      Salted caramel is popular for a reason! 😄

  3. 4 stars
    The taste is amazing but the texture was more like cookie dough instead of frosting! I’m not sure what I did wrong. The coconut oil was at room temperature. I’m wondering if it would have worked better to melt it just a bit before mixing.