Sugar-free Icing and Glaze

Having a simple, versatile powdered sugar glaze is essential for your keto baking repertoire. Make this keto icing in about 5 minutes with only 3 ingredients.  Use this sweet drizzle as a bundt cake glaze or make it a little thicker to use as a sugar-free icing or pourable glaze.  You can also customize with flavor add-ins and variations.

There are some baked goods that aren’t complete without a special finishing touch – like a nice drizzle of sweetness to make it come alive and look like it came directly from a professional bakery.  This super easy sugar-free icing and glaze recipe is a sure way to make your baked goods and confections totally irresistible.

This powdered sugar glaze made with a confectioners sugar substitute is a perfect topping for a Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake.  It's great as a bundt cake glaze, or drizzled on Low Carb Pumpkin Bread.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This Low-carb icing is a pourable glaze, or make it thicker for a spreadable icing
• You can alter the recipe and customize the flavors
• Create a classic icing or drizzle without having all the carbs by using a sugar-free powdered sweetener which makes it virtually calorie free!
• Make this easy recipe in about 5 minutes

Ingredients

This basic drizzle icing takes only 3 ingredients:

• Powdered sweetener – I use Swerve Confectioners
• Liquid of choice – I like to use thin coconut or nut milk, lemon juice, etc.  See variations, below for more ideas.
• Vanilla extract – real extract is best, rather than using vanilla flavoring

Instructions

This is probably the easiest recipe ever:

• In a small bowl, add the powdered sweetener.
• Add the liquid one tablespoon at a time and stir with a whisk until a smooth icing forms and it reaches the desired consistency. If using as a pourable glaze, it should be thin enough to easily fall off the whisk in ribbons, but should hold some shape before it melts back into the bowl.
• Add the vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. The resulting icing will have a slight ivory colored tint.
• If you want to make this thicker, more like a classic icing, you can add less liquid or more sweetener to reach your desired consistency.

Using a low-FODMAP sweetener

I typically use Swerve Confectioner’s sugar (which is made from erythritol) as a sugar-free powdered sugar.  Monash University (the authority on the low-FODMAP diet) considers erythritol FODMAP-friendly. However, it has been known to aggravate IBS in some people.  I’m quite sensitive to erythritol, myself, but can tolerate it in small quantities, such as in this drizzle on a serving of cake.

There are several low-FODMAP sweeteners to choose from if you don’t want to use Swerve.  If you find that you’re sensitive to erythritol, you can make your own homemade powdered sugar. Use the granular low-FODMAP sweetener of choice and simply grind it in a coffee grinder or blend in a blender until it reaches the powder stage.  Or, if you’re okay having a glaze for cakes with powdered sugar, you can replace the Swerve I use in this recipe with regular powdered sugar.

How to use a classic icing or confectioners sugar glaze

Use this icing on a variety of baked goods. It's great as a spreadable glaze to decorate cakes, cookies and muffins, as a pourable icing, a bundt cake glaze, or as a drizzle on top of coffee cakes, scones, quick breads and keto glazed donuts (yum!) I find it particularly good drizzled on Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies.

You can use it to add that little bit of something special to store-bought baked goods, as well.  It’s a great way to customize them and adds a homey touch.

Variations

There are so many ways to customize your sugar-free icing.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Add citrus – Substitute some (or all) of the liquid with lemon, lime or orange juice.  Also consider adding some zest for an extra bright flavor.  Making a lemon glaze for pound cake is one of my favorite things.
• Add preserved lemon paste – replace about a teaspoon of the liquid with lemon paste.  Read more about this amazing ingredient in my Preserved Lemon Paste Ingredient Spotlight.
• Use a different extract – almond or maple extracts make a delicious sugar glaze
• Get boozy – add a bit of your favorite liquor or liqueur in place of some of the liquid.  Spiced rum, bourbon, cognac and brandy are always good choices.  If your keto diet has room for a couple of extra carbs, Malibu rum, Kahlua, chocolate liqueur and Baileys are so, so good.
• Add spices – Add some cinnamon or homemade Pumpkin Spice for a special warmth
• Coffee – Use cooled, strong coffee or espresso for the liquid
• Matcha – Whisk matcha powder in with the desired amount of liquid for a special, light green icing.
• Use cream or half and half for the liquid - You can use heavy whipping cream, but it’s best to only use 1 tablespoon and use 1 tablespoon of another type of liquid.  Speaking from experience, if you use 100% heavy whipping cream, as you whisk it together, it will actually become whipped cream.  This could be okay if you want a spreadable icing, but it doesn’t work for a glaze unless you very gently stir the cream with the sweetener and vanilla.

FAQ

Other recipes you might like

• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
• Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
• Low-Carb Whipped Cream
• Low carb Pumpkin Bread
• Matcha White Chocolate Cookies with Almond Flour

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