Healthy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (No Butter)

This easy and healthy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is perfectly sweet, tart, and luscious. We made this frosting healthy by replacing butter with Greek yogurt and using a combination of maple syrup and stevia as the sweetener. You can't tell it's been lightened up! You'll want to eat this frosting with a spoon.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my favorite frostings. And with springtime here, we are all looking to eat a little lighter, so I came up with a healthier version.

Most cream cheese frosting recipes call for a combination of butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar. But I decided to use Greek yogurt in place of the butter, and I use maple syrup and stevia as the sweetener, making this version so much better for you.

But believe me- it's just as delicious. It's smooth, creamy, and perfectly sweet with a hint of tartness.

It's the perfect topping for this amazing healthy lemon cake!

Let's talk ingredients.

Healthy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

For healthy lemon cream cheese frosting (no butter), you will need the following ingredients:

• Light Cream Cheese- To reduce the fat, I use light cream cheese or Neufchatel. Regular cream cheese will work as well.
• Greek Yogurt- Be sure to use unsweetened Greek yogurt, like Fage or Chobani. Regular yogurt is too thin for this recipe.
• Maple Syrup- You are welcome to use honey or agave syrup if you prefer.
• Lemon Juice- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best.
• Cornstarch- A little cornstarch helps to thicken the frosting.
• Vanilla Extract and Lemon Extract- I use the McCormick brand of vanilla and lemon extract to flavor the frosting. You can use a different brand. Just be sure it's extract and not oil.
• Stevia- I use Sweetleaf Stevia Drops and maple syrup to sweeten the frosting. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute with zero calories, and there are many different brands on the market. Feel free to use the one that you prefer. Just be sure to read the label and use the equivalent of ¼ cup of sugar. You can always taste the frosting and add more if desired. Regular granulated sugar will not work in this frosting. So if you omit the stevia, another option is to add ¼ cup of confectioners' sugar.
• Salt- Don't forget the salt. It helps to bring out the other flavors.

Tips for Success

• Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese. If your cream cheese is slightly chilled, your frosting won't be as smooth and may have lumps.

• I use lemon extract for the frosting and not lemon oil. Lemon oil is much more concentrated than lemon extract. So if you decide to use lemon oil, start with a few drops and taste the frosting to see if it needs more.

• This frosting is best served when slightly chilled. It's soft at room temperature, so it's not the best choice for elaborate cakes with lots of decoration.

Want more healthy lemon desserts?

Check out these healthy lemon desserts:

Skinny Lemon cheesecake mousse

Vegan No-Bake Lemon Pie

Please let me know how you like the healthy lemon cream cheese frosting (no butter) in the comments! I love to hear from you, and your star ratings encourage others to give the recipe a try.

Enjoy!