Name: Sugar Free Icing Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups Swerve powdered sugar (also called Swerve confectioners); 3 tablespoons milk (regular milk or almond milk); 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Food coloring or gel

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If you’re looking for a simple sugar free icing recipe, this one is about as easy as it gets — but let’s be honest right away. It’s not technically 100% “sugar free” because it includes a tablespoon of honey.

However, it is free from processed sugar, cane sugar, and all the typical traditional sugar options we’re all trying to reduce. Think of it as a great option for lowering sugar intake while still decorating your favorite cake, sugar cookies, or birthday cake with something delicious.

This dip icing uses Swerve Confectioners, a powdered sweetener made from alternative sweeteners that don’t spike blood sugar levels the same way. Please do your own research to conclude if it's right for you.

With just a few simple ingredients, this comes together in minutes and gives you a creamy frosting with the perfect sweetness and the right consistency for a cookie glaze, piping bag, or even a simple royal icing alternative.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Equipment
Storage
Top Tip
FAQ
Related
Pairing
Sugar Free Icing Recipe

Living a mostly sugar-free lifestyle has become such a natural part of our home that I honestly forget it’s unusual until someone asks, “Wait… you really don’t have any regular sugar in your pantry?” Nope. Not a single grain of traditional cane sugar lives here. Instead, we bake and cook with the things that actually make us feel good — stevia, monk fruit, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and honey. We even grow our own stevia in the garden, and it’s become my favorite for sweetening hot drinks on busy homeschool mornings.

Now, don't think we are some sort of freaks, because I have sweets in my pantry from Costco right now. We've bought traditional granola bars (filled with nasty sugars) when we need to, and I'm not opposed to everyone getting a dessert at a buffet that, of course, has terrible amounts of sugar.

However, I do not bring traditional bagged sugar into my home for any of my from-scratch recipes.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with countless recipes, trying to find that sweet spot (pun intended!) between nourishing ingredients and treats my kids still get excited about. Our society is absolutely permeated with sugar — it sneaks into everything — and most of us end up eating way more of it than we ever intended. So creating processed-sugar-free versions of classics has become kind of a hobby around here.

This icing recipe was born out of one of those cozy December moments: five little boys gathered around the table with Christmas music playing, sugar-free sugar cookies cooling on the counter, and me wishing I had a frosting that didn’t undo all the work we put into reducing sugar in our home. After more than a few attempts (and lots of cheerful taste testers), this one finally stuck. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it lets us enjoy Christmas cookie decorating without the sugar overload — which is always a win in my book.

Ingredients

2 cups Swerve powdered sugar (also called Swerve confectioners)
3 tablespoons milk (regular milk or almond milk)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Swerve powdered sugar and milk.
sugar free icing recipe

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Swerve powdered sugar and milk.

Step 2: Add the honey and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, stirring until smooth.
- sugar free icing recipe

Step 2: Add the honey and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, stirring until smooth.

Step 3: If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of milk (½ teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sweetener.
sugar free icing recipe

Step 3: If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of milk (½ teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sweetener.

Step 4: Add food coloring one drop at a time until you reach your desired color. sugar free icing recipe

Step 4: Add food coloring one drop at a time until you reach your desired color.

Step 5: Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store until ready to frost. sugar free icing recipe

Step 5: Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store until ready to frost.

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Hint: If you are 'into' label reading, you may question the 'natural flavor' ingredient in Swerve Powdered Sugar. My logic for 'being okay' with this product is that I don't use it often, and when I do, I need it to be budget-friendly. I don't want to use traditional powdered sugar, so this is where I've landed.

Swerve also indicates on their website that the 'natural flavors' are to help with the taste and is derived from citrus.

If budget is not a concern, my favorite sugar-free powdered sugar is by far Monk Fruit Powdered Sugar. The taste is unmatched.

Substitutions

Use almond milk, coconut milk, or heavy cream instead of regular milk.
Add ½ teaspoon almond extract or lemon juice for extra flavor.
Swap vanilla for orange zest if decorating a chocolate cake or a carrot cakes.

Note- In traditional icing recipes, corn syrup is used to help the icing set on cookies. Honey does set, but it has a softer finish, which means it may be more difficult to layer the cookies in storage.

Equipment

You only need a few basics — which is the best way to bake with kids around!

Measuring cups and spoons
Mixing bowl
Whisk, hand mixer, or electric mixer
Airtight container

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Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

Refrigerate for 3–4 days.

If it stiffens, whisk in a tiny bit of hot water or extra milk to loosen it.

Stir well before using because alternative sweeteners and free sweeteners can settle.

Top Tip

A little bit of milk goes a long way. Add liquid slowly to avoid thinning it too much. This icing comes together fast, but alternative sweeteners can change texture quickly. Start thick and work your way to your perfect topping.

FAQ

Is this icing actually sugar free?
Not 100%. It contains honey, but it’s free from refined sugar, cane sugar, and artificial processed sweeteners. It’s a great option for those watching sugar intake or weight loss efforts.

Can I make this fully sugar-free?
Yes! Replace the honey with extra milk plus a few drops of zero-calorie sweeteners like liquid stevia or monk fruit.

Can this work on cookie recipes?
Absolutely. It makes the perfect sugar-free cookie glaze and sets beautifully on sugar cookies.

Can I pipe this onto cakes?
Yes — just thicken it with more powdered sweetener until it reaches stiff peaks or a thick American buttercream style.

Does it work for keto diets?
Yes, if you swap the honey for a keto-friendly sweetener. You’ll have an easy sugar-free icing that works well for keto dessert lovers.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

This icing is PERFECT on my sugar-free sugar cookies — soft, sweet, and just right for decorating with kids.