Super easy, crazy delicious homemade vegan peanut butter frosting. In this recipe, coconut oil and peanut butter join forces 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!
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 straight up peanut butter, no funny business. But this. This frosting is amazing.
Even my husband can’t stay away from it 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}.
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 crazy fast! {Like 5 minutes fast}!
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!
How to make Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting
- Room temperature coconut oil. Seriously this recipe is SO easy! The only trick is to be sure that the coconut oil is room temperature or slightly melted, 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!
- Let the mixture cool. I do this by microwaving it for 15-30 seconds, then adding the peanut butter and stirring until smooth. Be sure to let the mixture cool to room temperature before adding powdered sugar!
- Add almond milk slowly. The amount of almond milk needed depends on the type of peanut butter you use. Please add it carefully so the frosting does not become too runny. If that does happen, simply add more powdered sugar and mix until you reach the desired consistency.
- It hardens in the fridge. Please note that this Homemade 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. I do not recommend putting it in the microwave! I have tried this too many times, and always end up with melted frosting all over my brownies. {sad, but still delicious}.
Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting: Substitutions
- Peanut Butter: I use a firm peanut butter for this recipe, like a natural peanut butter that is no stir or even sometimes Jiff. If you use a super liquidy peanut butter you may need to add more powdered sugar to get it to firm up, or use less almond milk.
- Almond milk: Feel free to substitute coconut milk or any other non-dairy milk. 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.
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Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting
Super easy, crazy delicious homemade vegan peanut butter frosting. In this recipe, coconut oil and peanut butter join forces 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!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup almond milk
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.
Recipe Notes
This makes A TON of frosting. I halve this recipe for an 8x8” pan of brownies or if I’m making it just for my family.
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 the first ones listed below}!
Black Bean Brownies {Pictured in this post! gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free}!
Vegan Peanut Butter Black Bean Brownies {Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar free}!
Flourless Paleo Brownies {grain/gluten-free, refined sugar free, dairy-free}!
Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies {grain/gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free}!
Greek Yogurt Brownies {gluten-free, refined sugar free}!
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies {gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free}!
Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies {gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar free}!
Question: How do you feel about peanut butter? Love it or leave it?
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CakePants
This looks wonderful! I’m not a big fan of buttercream (too much dairy and it kind of just tastes like eating butter to me), so I’m always looking for alternatives. I’ve already got all the ingredients for this…now I just have to make something to put it on!
Laura
I couldn’t agree more! I LOVE frosting but most of it is just butter and shortening and it wreaks havoc on my digestive system! Please let me know if you give it a try! Try out my recipe for black bean brownies…the combination won’t disappoint! 😉
Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood
Yum! This looks tasty! While nursing my son I couldn’t have soy or dairy, so this would have been a Godsend! THanks for sharing!
Laura
Thanks Morgan! I completely understand the limitations of nursing! 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Carrie Bowers
The pictures look delicious! It makes me want some now!!! Thanks for linking up with us! Please come back next week! #BloggersSpotlight
Laura
Thanks so much Carrie! 🙂
Sandy Walter
this frosting is the bee’s knees.
Tori
What! This looks so amazing! And to think you even topped the brownie with it! Drooling over here lol It looks like you have so many delicious recipes I am going to have to check out. A friend of mine, and fellow blogger, are hosting a Monday link up if you are interested. I can’t wait to read your future posts.
Best,
Tori
Collette
Oh yum, definitely going to try this! So glad I saw this post on the link up! I make banana bread muffins with peanut butter frosting but this will make them muuuch healthier!
Laura
That sounds like an amazing combo! Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂
Lela
This frosting sounds great! I always want to take brownies with PB frosting to potlucks and dessert parties but I am always worried that it may not enjoyed by everyone. The fact that this is vegan makes it a great alternative! Thanks for sharing at Inspiration Thursday!
Laura
How could someone not enjoy the chocolate peanut butter combo? They’d have to be crazy! 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Bethany @ athletic avocado
Peanut butter frosting? YES PLEASE! I’d put this on EVERYTHING!
Laura
LOL Bethany! I DO put it on everything! Brownies, cookies, animal crackers, a spoon directly into my mouth. I almost always have some of this on hand in the fridge! 🙂
Hannah
I made this tonight to frost a diary free chocolate cake. It is amazing!! However, does this frosting freeze well? I don’t want an entire cake in the fridge all week haha! Thank you!
Laura
Hey Hannah! I’m so {SO} glad you love it!!! I honestly am not sure about freezing the frosting! I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t freeze well…but then again it never lasts long enough in my house to be frozen! If you tried freezing it let me know how it went pretty please!
Hannah
It freezes fine! I just set out a slice to come to room temperature before eating!
Tricia
Do you think I can sub coconut milk for the almond milk? It’s what I have on hand.
Laura
Hey Tricia! I have not tried using any other milk besides Almond…it will definitely have more of a coconutty taste…however I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Maybe try adding it slowly (1 TBS at a time) to ensure the perfect consistency!
Stefanie Duggan
I made this tonight and while it tastes good, it is very runny – before I even added the almond milk, which I omitted. I tried adding more powdered sugar but it didn’t help. I have it sitting in the fridge hoping it will thicken up a bit. Any idea why it would turn out so soft? Definitely couldn’t get it to pretty like you did in the cup.
Laura
Hey Stefanie!! I am SO sorry that this happened! It’s always such a disappointment when a recipe doesn’t turn out the way it is supposed to! A few questions to help troubleshoot….1) What kind of peanut butter did you use? 2) Did you make sure to let the peanut butter and coconut oil mixture cool completely before adding the powdered sugar? 3) Did you use coconut oil (I know, silly question, but I have actually used coconut milk on accident when I should’ve used coconut oil before)! Let’s start there and see! This stuff absolutely hardness in the fridge because of the coconut oil…so that might help get it to firm up.
Stefanie Duggan
I used Natural Jif, I did let it cool and I did use coconut oil. I put them decorated in the fridge and it did firm up nicely, I just couldn’t get the icing to look as pretty as I wanted. 🙂 Tasted great though. Put the icing on top of dairy/gluten free chocolate cupcakes so my daughter could have a dessert at a party last night and I barely was able to grab one for her before they were gone!
April
I had the same problem with the Natural Jif. I think it’s the peanut butter, it needs to be a more natural peanut butter with less or nothing added to it. I was able to thicken it with extra powdered sugar though, and it was delicious regardless!
Laura
I’m sorry that this recipe can be a bit temperamental! I’ve used lots of different peanut butters with success….it is important to make sure your peanut butter/coconut oil mixture is at room temperature!
Arianne
Are you supposed to use natural peanut butter for this recipe? Or a firmer non natural version like skippy?
Laura
Either one works! You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar to get it to firm up if your peanut butter is super runny!
Veronica
Yummy! Was concerned the coconut oil flavour may come through ’cause my husband doesn’t like it. It didn’t!
Alterations: I used 3/4 of the sugar amount and used water instead of almond milk. Also added a bit more salt to resemble more the flavour of a Brazilian candy called “passoca”. It was a success!
Laura
Hey Veronica! Yes my hubby is crazy about things tasting like coconut too and he loves this stuff! 🙂
Deryn | Running on Real Food
It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada this weekend and I’m doing a big vegan brunch for the fam, this looks like a great addition for pancake and all my baking…a little decadent but hey, that’s what holidays are all about 😉
Sonali- The Foodie Physician
Love it! Peanut butter rules! And so does this frosting! Looks delish!
Rachel
This sounds and looks amazingly delicious. My son’s bday is on Saturday — looks like I know what kind of frosting I’ll be using on his cake!
Jessica @ Small Bites by Jessica
This looks amazing! I’d be putting this on everything! 😀
Taylor Kiser
This looks so delicious! Great vegan option!
Sarah
I’m still drooling over this and I’m not a frosting person. My mini me LOVES peanut butter and her birthday is later this month. Unfortunately we’ll be traveling so I was upset I couldn’t make her a big cake but I may have to find time to whip up cupcakes and top with this frosting!
Whitney @ To live & Diet in LA
Oh my goodness – could these be any prettier?! As a peanut butter fanatic, this recipe is going to the top of my must-make list! Love that they’re vegan too!
Lorie
I’m right there with you, peanut butter for life! I cannot WAIT to make this!!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
I need this in my life ASAP! What a delish combination and so cool that it is vegan.
Liz
These are so beautiful Laura! I love how simple and peanut buttery this frosting is— just how I like it 🙂 Can’t wait to try this!
Susan
Do you have any suggestions for a powders sugar alternative? We are trying to remain refined sugar-free for my husband’s dietary needs.
Thanks!
Laura
Yes! I make my own powdered sugar out of coconut sugar! See the link here: Paleo Powdered Sugar!
Aninda
Hey! Just wanted to check if the coconut oil can b substituted with another oil like olive oil or other flavourless ones
Laura
I do not recommend using an oil that is a liquid at room temperature. Your frosting will not set up or harden. You can substitute butter or ghee (not vegan) or vegan butter like Earth Balance. Shortening can be used as well. However, the coconut oil really adds a special flavor! You might want to try it and see what you think….make a half or fourth of a batch and test it out!
Julie
Do you think this could be a good filling in a chocolate truffle? I’m not the biggest ganache fan and would like a lless dense filling, This looks and sounds just like what I need. Pipe-able peanut butter joy.
Laura
Hey Julie! It would be delicious and hardens as it chills! I’d chill it then roll into balls!
Megan
I made it and it clotted, I couldn’t pipe it at all, could it be from using natural peanut butter? Tastes freaking awesome though
Laura
Hey Megan! This recipe can totally be a little temperamental depending on the ingredients you choose! When you say it “clotted” can you explain that a little more? I’d love to try to help you troubleshoot to get it to the consistency you are looking for! Most of the times I make this recipe I don’t care what it looks like, I just scoop it out of the mixing bowl and plop it directly onto brownies and they go immediately into my mouth lol! But it CAN be pipe-able (as seen in these photos)! Did you make an substitutions in the recipe?
nicole
Mine keeps coming out crumbly. any idea why?
Laura
Hey Nicole! Do you many any substitutions in the recipe?