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    Home / Recipes / Desserts

    Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn Free Frosting Recipe

    8 Comments

    Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn Free Frosting Recipe

    Make perfect Chocolate or Vanilla Gluten-Free + Corn Free Icing with a Dairy Free option too.

    Dairy FreeDessertsKid ZoneVegan

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    corn free frosting recipe gluten free dairy free

    The fluffiest corn free frosting.

    This is a totally delicious cooked frosting recipe for Gluten-Free and Corn Free Frosting with a Dairy Free option - make it with butter or with a non-dairy butter substitute. Either way, it's totally yum - think pillowy clouds of marshmallow goodness.

    I've included a vanilla and a chocolate version - I've been known to throw in a little espresso powder in the chocolate version for a mocha/dark chocolate kick.

    Making strawberry frosting:

    Freeze dried strawberry powder does fabulous things to the vanilla option, but you've gotta be the kind of person who has freeze-dried fruit powder in your pantry to begin with. I'm that kind of person, and I know it makes me odd. But whatever. Top this frosting with sprinkles, fruit, or just make fun, fluffy swirls.

    For fluffy + delicious results:

    Use finely ground sweet or white rice flour (my favorite is from Koda Farms, I use it for everything.) Brown rice flour won't work well here, and a gritty grind with make grainy icing. 

    Since most powdered sugar has corn, the rice flour acts as the binder here. The finished texture of this frosting is actually smoother and has a better mouthfeel than traditional "easy" buttercream made with powdered sugar.

    Flavor it up: chocolate or vanilla!

    Try vanilla bean paste if you haven't already - it's got vanilla extract and vanilla bean specks combined, and it will help take all your baked goods to the next level. It can be used 1 for 1 for vanilla extract in all recipes, and it's a game-changer. It adds a big punch of vanilla flavor to this frosting.

    If you're making chocolate frosting, I like Dutch-processed cocoa, which is also called Dutched-chocolate. It gives a richer chocolate flavor than standard cocoa powder, and certainly better than raw cacao, which isn't roasted. I prefer Droste dutch-processed cocoa, it's my go-to. You can also add a pinch of espresso powder to get a deeper dark chocolate taste.

    red white and blue dessert red cake roll with blueberries

    What can you use gluten-free, corn-free frosting on? Everything!

    This gluten-free, dairy-free, corn free frosting is perfect for icing cakes and cupcakes, but it's not stiff enough for fancy decorating. So give it a few lovely swirls with a spatula and call it good. And it is good.

    Recipe frosts 12 cupcakes liberally or a 9x13 sheet cake. Now you're ready to make cookie sandwiches, party cakes, or attempt and dairy-free version of my friend Kyra's Red, White & Blueberry Cake Roll.

    Once you've whipped up the frosting, you can top it with fruit, flowers or my favorite gluten-free, dairy-free & corn-free sprinkles from Supernatural!

    gluten free corn free frosting recipe

    Gluten Free, Dairy Free + Corn Free Frosting - Vanilla or Chocolate

    K.C. Cornwell
    Gluten-Free and Corn Free Frosting with a Dairy Free option makes pillowy clouds of marshmallow-y frosting goodness. Vanilla + Chocolate versions.
    4.54 from 43 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 223 kcal

    Equipment

    • stand or hand mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup any kind of milk* Coconut, Rice, Soy, Almond or Dairy
    • pinch of salt
    • 5 tablespoons FINELY GROUND sweet rice flour or rice flour
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or butter substitute
    • 1 cup baker's sugar or white sugar

    for Chocolate Frosting, add:

    • 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
    • 5 tablespoons baker's sugar or white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon chocolate extract and a pinch of Espresso Powder 

    Instructions
     

    • In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk flour into milk and heat until it thickens (stir constantly). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt and let the mixture cool to room temp. This is important because if you don’t let it cool, the end result will be lumpy and will separate.
    • Cream the butter (or butter substitute) and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add cooled milk/flour mixture and beat until it resembles whipped cream.

    for Chocolate Frosting

    • Add 4 tablespoons cocoa and 5 tablespoons sugar to the beating process after the butter and sugar are creamed together and beat to combine. Then proceed with the milk/flour process as described above. 
      For extra chocolate flavor, reduce the vanilla extract to 1 ½ teaspoons and add ½ teaspoon gluten-free chocolate extract at the prescribed time. You can add a pinch of Espresso Powder too.

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    Frosts a 9×13 cake or a dozen cupcakes.
    Keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to three days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 1gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 511IUCalcium: 29mg
    Keyword corn free, dairy-free frosting, frosting recipe, gluten-free frosting

    Photos: Meg van der Kruik

    Don't threaten me with a good time. I never met a party cake I didn't like.

    fluffy gluten free corn free frosting

    Frequently Asked Questions about Gluten-free + Corn-Free Frosting:

    How do you make frosting from scratch without powdered sugar?

    You can make frosting with white sugar and rice flour and get a smooth, fluffy texture by cooking the base quickly before whipping it.

    Does all powdered sugar have cornstarch?

    Most powdered sugar has cornstarch. Some brands offer powdered sugar (also called Confectioner's sugar) stabilized with tapioca starch instead. If you see "powdered sugar" listed as an ingredient, you should assume it contains corn unless is specifically says otherwise.

    How do you make frosting from scratch without dairy/milk?

    This recipe can be made with non-dairy substitutes. The plant-based version is equally fluffy and delicious.

    How do you make gluten-free frosting from scratch?

    You can uses sweet rice flour or white rice flour to make a quick, fluffy gluten-free frosting that is corn free too.

    How do you make fluffy frosting from scratch?

    Quickly cooking a "frosting base" made with sugar and rice flour before blending with fats makes a smooth, fluffy frosting.

    Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn Free Frosting Recipe

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    Comments

    1. Brenda Boivin says

      December 01, 2021 at 12:12 am

      I would like to make this gluten free frosting but I have food allergies to ingredients in butter and margarine. Will it work if I use canola oil instead of the butter or will it make it too runny?

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        January 05, 2022 at 8:01 pm

        You should use a butter substitute, like Miyoko's. Oil won't work here. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. D says

      November 25, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      This was great because I can't eat dairy, beans or starch. However it came out runny. I'm putting it in the fridge. Perhaps that will help. Could it be due to not letting the milk mixture cool enough? Or was I supposed to let the butter soften more ?

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        January 16, 2023 at 7:59 pm

        It's definitely not thick enough to pipe with, if that's what you mean. If it was runnier than that, I'd guess you either didn't cook the flour mixture long enough or you didn't let it cool completely.

        Reply
    3. Jennifer Zaccheo says

      December 22, 2024 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      Ok… I made this and followed instruction to the T except I used sorghum flour instead of rice. This frosting is THE BEST FROSTING IVE EVER HAD! It’s very fluffy and whip creme like. I made a chocolate gluten/dairy free birthday cake for my best friend who recently found major allergies including corn which is why I had to use the recipe. The cake was kid/teen/adult approved, everyone loved it and wanted seconds. Birthday girl was really happy 🙂 it feels so good to come through for a friend like that, thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing this recipe for us. Blessings to you and yours.

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        December 23, 2024 at 7:19 pm

        I am SO HAPPY to hear you love this recipe! It's one of my favorites and it is so fluffy!

        Reply
    4. Margie van der Horden says

      May 23, 2025 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      I made your icing last night & it was beautiful! Delicious too. I used coconut milk & sweet rice flour. And I substituted lard for butter. It went on so smoothly! It'll be my forever icing now.

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        June 03, 2025 at 1:43 am

        I'm so happy to hear you love this recipe - we really love it too. Great tip on the lard!

        Reply
    4.54 from 43 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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