This paleo chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is luscious, decadent and full of fabulous, real food ingredients. Use it on cupcakes & cakes, to fill a pie or as a dip for fruit. The buttercream is quick and easy to whip up, refined sugar free and paleo.
What's great about this paleo chocolate buttercream frosting recipe?
This buttercream is so dang decadent and luscious, you are going to want to just eat it with a spoon.
Tim does all the time. Whenever he sees it in the fridge, he always asks how much he can take because he knows what it is immediately and understands I'll be needing it for a recipe.
Let's get into why it's so wonderful:
- It has a short, real food ingredient list.
- It's a bit versatile as you can use coconut cream or heavy cream.
- Use it to frost a cake/cupcakes, in a pie or as a decadent dip for fruit/snacks.
- It is refined sugar free and paleo, too!
What ingredients do I need in this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe?
The list is short. You can scroll down to my notes section in regards to any substitution questions.
- Grass-fed butter
- Dark chocolate
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut sugar
- Coconut cream
These specific ingredients were selected in order to produce a very rich, perfectly balanced and sweet, decadent frosting.
I'd recommend sticking to the ingredient list as closely as you possibly can! 🙂
How to make paleo chocolate buttercream frosting
Gently heat up the chocolate: in a microwave on medium power (about 60-120 seconds, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds) or on the stove top using a double boiler method on medium-low until melted. Whisk in the vanilla extract and set the chocolate aside to cool.
Scoop the coconut cream out of the can(s) of coconut milk into a medium mixing bowl. If you are using heavy cream, place it directly into the mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (usually 2-3 minutes.) Cover and refrigerate the cream.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute.
Add in the coconut sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides every minute or so. Pour in the cooled chocolate to the mixture and beat until well incorporated.
Add 2 out of 3 of the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add in the last egg and beat for another 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
Fold the chilled coconut/heavy cream into the chocolate filling until no there are no visible white streaks left.
What can I use this chocolate buttercream frosting for?
You could use this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe in many ways:
- Frost a fabulous vanilla or chocolate cake/cupcakes with it. It would be insane on my grain free chocolate cupcakes!
- Fill a pie. Whip up your favorite crust, fill the pie and let it set in the refrigerator.
- Use it as a dip for fresh fruit.
- Mix it into yogurt or on top of ice cream.
- Eat it with a dang spoon... it's that good!
Recipe questions & substitutions
- Get your butter soft by letting it sit at room temperature for about 1-1.5 hours (depending on the temperature of your house.)
- Feel free to use either heavy whipping cream or chilled coconut cream.
- The coconut sugar cannot be substituted for regular, granulated sugar.
What kind of dark chocolate should I use?
I recommend using between 70-80% dark chocolate.
How long can I store the buttercream?
It will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
You cannot. However, you can use ghee so as long as it's the texture of softened butter.
More paleo chocolate dessert recipes you'll love:
Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
5 Minute Chocolate Chip Blondies
Flourless Chocolate Tahini Brownies
Dairy Free Keto Chocolate Cake
Paleo Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces good quality dark chocolate see notes.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup coconut cream or heavy whipping cream see notes
- 6 ounces grass-fed butter softened, see notes
- 1 cup coconut sugar see notes
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Gently heat up the chocolate: in a microwave on medium power (about 60-120 seconds, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds) or on the stove top using a double boiler method on medium-low until melted. Whisk in the vanilla extract and set the chocolate aside to cool.
- Scoop the coconut cream out of the can(s) of coconut milk into a medium mixing bowl. If you are using heavy cream, place it directly into the mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (usually 2-3 minutes.) Cover and refrigerate the cream.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Add in the coconut sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides every minute or so. Pour in the cooled chocolate to the mixture and beat until well incorporated.
- Add 2 out of 3 of the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add in the last egg and beat for another 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
- Fold the chilled coconut/heavy cream into the chocolate filling until no there are no visible white streaks left.
Notes
- Feel free to use either heavy whipping cream or chilled coconut cream.
- The coconut sugar cannot be substituted for regular, granulated sugar.
- I recommend using between 70-80% dark chocolate.
- Get your butter soft by letting it sit at room temperature for about 1-1.5 hours (depending on the temperature of your house.)
Suzanne says
I followed the directions using heavy cream and it is perfect. I have a friend who has dietary restrictions for her family and this recipe has helped make the cake turn out so well. Thanks.
omg yum yum yum, i absolutely love this buttercream too!
Veronica says
I made this recipe exactly as described, but it was grainy from the coconut sugar and greasy due to all the coconut cream. I'm not sure why yours looks so good Monica, and mine doesn't, or what I did wrong ... but this just tastes overpoweringly of coconut. I don't taste chocolate at all. What a waste of time and ingredients!
Anne says
thanks for the recipe! Does the coconut sugar not leave the frosting a bit grainy? I see other recipes that call for "powdered coconut sugar" but can't seem to find such a thing.
I don't think the frosting tastes grainy at all. I run coconut sugar through a blender or spice grinder and then it's powder form 😉
Alishba says
Hi! Can I use normal unsalted butter instead? Would it be a 1:1 ratio? Thanks!
Hi, yes!!
Joanna says
Was all set to try this today, and happily pulled out my hard to find and precious can of all coconut cream, not milk with the skimmings off the top (which I'm suspecting is what you may have meant by cream - the stuff that rises to the top of the coconut milk?). It was fairly thick, not runny, and though I beat it for many minutes, it never became fluffy. Not sure I want to open several cans of the milk just to get a little cream off the top enough for the recipe, even though the recipe sure looks yummy. I've been looking for a good df, gf, scd type icing recipe, too. Thanks for sharing it.
Had you full fat coconut milk sat in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours? I'd like to help you troubleshoot!
Suzanne says
Want to try this, but am wondering about the eggs. Have never seen that in a frosting recipe. Isn't it unsafe to eat raw eggs?
Other than that, it looks delicious, but eating raw eggs seems to go against everything I've ever learned about food safety.
So, I totally do not have a problem with eating raw egg in mayo or buttercream so long as I know it's a high quality source. Most traditional buttercream recipes actually do call for raw eggs. If you are feeling uneasy about it, I recommend making my keto buttercream frosting instead... it is vegan, so no raw egg! 🙂
Sarah Weber says
This was and is amazing frosting! Soooo tasty. Thank you for sharing this!
OH GOOD YAY, it's so rich and buttery. You'll have to try my vanilla frosting next. What did you eat it with?