Chocolate Avocado Frosting (Vegan, No Powdered Sugar!)

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Creamy chocolate avocado frosting on a chocolate cupcake

Are you a classic frosting lover or do you scrape it off your cupcakes because it’s too sweet? Some of us at the MB office believe in buttercream or bust, while others welcome a less sweet frosting without powdered sugar. If you’re in the second group, you’re going to love this chocolate AVOCADO frosting!

It’s rich, chocolaty, naturally sweetened, and your guests will never guess the secret healthier ingredient! Even better? It pipes beautifully, holds up well at room temperature, and comes together in just 5 minutes with 5 ingredients. Let us show you how it’s done!

Perfectly ripe avocado, vanilla, salt, maple syrup, and cocoa powder

This EASY chocolate frosting requires just 5 simple ingredients: avocado, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt.

It’s important to use a perfectly ripe avocado to ensure its taste is hidden. You’re looking for one that’s just barely soft to the touch and bright green on the inside with no brown or stringy parts.

Food processor with avocado, salt, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla

Once you’ve found your perfect avocado (buy a few just in case!), add it to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and get blending. And if you get a bunch of winning avocados, make guacamole!

Food processor filled with creamy, pudding-like frosting made without powdered sugar

Soon you’ll have a velvety smooth frosting with a pudding-like texture that somehow works really well on cupcakes and even pipes beautifully using a piping bag. Don’t ask, just trust!

Piping vegan chocolate avocado frosting onto a chocolate cupcake

We hope you LOVE this chocolate avocado frosting! It’s:

Rich
Chocolaty
Smooth
Shiny
Naturally sweetened
& Seriously simple!

It’s perfect for cakes, cupcakes, whoopie pies, brownies, or simply dipping fresh fruit (especially strawberries!).

More Frosting Recipes Without Powdered Sugar

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Vegan chocolate avocado frosting piped onto a chocolate cupcake

Chocolate Avocado Frosting (Vegan, No Powdered Sugar!)

Chocolate frosting with a secret healthier ingredient: avocado! Vegan, oil-free, nut-free, naturally sweetened, and made without powdered sugar!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Chocolate cupcake topped with vegan chocolate avocado frosting
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 (~3 Tbsp servings // to generously frost cupcakes)
Course Dessert, Frosting
Cuisine Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

  • 1 perfectly ripe avocado* (bright green inside, just barely soft to the touch, no brown or stringy parts)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

  • To a food processor*, add all ingredients (avocado, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt). Process until smooth and velvety, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Taste and adjust, adding more maple syrup or cocoa powder if you can taste the avocado. Avoid adding too much maple syrup to keep the frosting thick!
  • The frosting pipes beautifully and holds up well at room temperature for several hours. Use a knife or piping bag to frost your favorite cake, cupcakes, whoopie pies, or brownies. It's also delicious with fresh fruit (especially strawberries!).
  • The flavor is best within the first day, but it does keep stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Not freezer friendly.

Notes

*We used an avocado that was ~235 g before cutting/pitting and 159 g after cutting/pitting.
*We used an 8-cup food processor. If using a larger food processor, you may need to make a larger batch to get it to blend.
*This recipe would likely also work well in a small, powerful blender like a Nutribullet. A narrow base Vitamix would also probably work, or one with a wide base if making a larger batch. Even an immersion blender might work!
*Recipe as written makes ~1 ¼ cups of frosting, or enough to generously frost ~6 cupcakes or lightly frost ~12 cupcakes.
*Adapted from Making Thyme for Health.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 (three-tablespoon) serving Calories: 93 Carbohydrates: 15.7 g Protein: 1.2 g Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 0.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 17 mg Potassium: 207 mg Fiber: 2.9 g Sugar: 10.7 g Vitamin A: 6 IU Vitamin C: 2 mg Calcium: 25 mg Iron: 0.7 mg

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  1. Elizabeth says

    Recipe as written has a silky smooth texture and is amazing delicious. We were happy with this made with Trader Joe’s cocoa powder. Thank you for the amazing Paleo frosting recipe 😀

  2. Patti says

    OMG – this frosting is DIVINE! I’m going to use this to frost your other great recipe, sweet potato brownies! It’s going to be a Happy New Year to Us – thanks to you!

  3. Karen says

    Fantastic frosting for birthday cupcakes. I wasn’t sure how my friends would feel about avocado in their frosting so I didn’t mention it until they oohed and aahed and asked for the recipe! It was helpful to have the note about avocado weight because I ended up using 1.5 avocados because mine was quite a bit smaller.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad it was a winner with everyone. Thank you for the lovely review, Karen! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Yuen, we haven’t tested that, but think the flavor of maple syrup is probably preferable here. It might work though!

  4. Yahel Matodzi says

    I made this…it’s supper soft. I added sweet potatoes for my personal taste & a little ACV as preservation. I use it as a spread for my home made bread and muffins, a dip with strawberries…the ideas are endless!!! But i absolutely love it on my carrot cake. I also intend to use soaked raisins to sweeten as a variety. it’s very versatile, thank you so much for this recipe

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carol. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  5. Michelle says

    I just made this frosting because I’ve been looking for something that is vegan and healthier than pre made chocolate frostings out there. It was so incredibly easy and quick to make! It tastes great- it has a rich chocolate flavor, isn’t too sweet, and has the right consistency for frosting cakes. I made some vegan brownies and iced them with it. I literally made it in 5 minutes- amazing! Thank you

  6. Monika says

    Am very excited to try this Chocolate Avocado Frosting recipe on my mini carrot cake muffins. My grandson loves chocolate, avocados and maple syrup so it sounds like winning combination.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katie, this amount of frosting should just frost the top of an 8 inch cake! We would say an 8 inch cake can serve anywhere from 8-12 people. Hope this helps.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Nelda, they can be kept at room temperature for a couple hours! Any amount of time more than that we would suggest refrigerating.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Andra! We don’t think vanilla would work with the avocado, but we do have a naturally sweetened cashew buttercream here!

  7. Nicole says

    I was JUST looking at healthy-ish frosting for my picky boy who is about to turn 6. This looks perfect for throwing on his dinosaur cake. What would you recommend to thin it out just bit, so that it’s a little more drizzly? More maple?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Moira, we haven’t tried it with melted chocolate and think it might come out more like a mousse with a thicker texture!