As a child, my go-to choice at the ice cream shop was always mint chocolate chip. It's no surprise that my love for this flavor has inspired me to create a delightful mint chocolate chip frosting. This recipe, a dairy-free buttercream, perfectly captures the essence of the classic mint chocolate chip ice cream, transforming it into a delicious frosting. I'll admit, I couldn't resist sneaking a spoonful (or two!) directly from the bowl!
This frosting is the perfect topping for my small chocolate cake, these small batch gluten free chocolate cupcakes or even to spread on top of my perfect gluten free brownies.
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Why You Should Make This Recipe
- It pairs perfectly with chocolate desserts.
- It's got a festive green color, which makes it perfect for holidays like St. Patrick's Day or Christmas.
- It's easy enough for a beginner and only takes 5 minutes to make.
- It's gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
Ingredient Notes
This easy buttercream frosting recipe requires only six ingredients.
- Vegan Butter - I use Country Crock plant butter for this recipe. Any vegan stick type butter will work fine. If you're not dairy free, you can make the recipe with dairy butter in the same measure.
- Powdered Sugar - Make sure to sift your powdered sugar so it combines smoothly with the butter. If you don't sift, you may end up with lumps in the finished frosting.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I use unsweetened coconut milk when making this recipe. Any non-dairy milk will work fine. If you're not dairy free, use regular milk in the same measure.
- Peppermint Extract - Make sure to use peppermint extract - not mint extract. Mint extract will give you a toothpaste flavor.
- Gel Food Coloring - To give this buttercream frosting the classic color, you'll need 2-3 drops of green food coloring. If you don't like food coloring, you can leave it out.
- Chopped Chocolate - I chopped up a semi-sweet chocolate bar into small pieces. Even though this is called mint chocolate chip, chocolate chips are too large for the frosting. I used a bar of Scharffenberger chocolate, which is my favorite brand to use for baking, you can use your favorite.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy butter and milk in the same measure.
- Make it Dye Free - omit the green food coloring, no other changes needed.
- Make it Temperature Stable - If you're serving this frosting in warmer temperatures, I recommend replacing half of the butter with vegetable shortening to keep it from melting.
- Make Mint Frosting - Omit the chocolate to have a nice green mint buttercream frosting.
How to Make Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
A stand mixer or handheld mixer will make this recipe easy to put together.
STEP 1: Add vegan butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until it's smooth and creamy.
STEP 2: Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing it in on the lowest speed.
STEP 3: Once all of the sugar has been mixed in, add the peppermint extract and milk. Continue to mix, increasing the speed and beating for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
STEP 4: Add 2-3 drops of green gel food coloring to the frosting. Mix it again until the color is evenly incorporated.
STEP 5: Add the chopped chocolate and fold it together with a spatula. DO NOT mix the chocolate in with the mixer because it will crush the chocolate too much and your frosting will turn brown.
Baking Tip
Make sure to use room temperature butter for this frosting. You'll want to set out your butter 30 minutes to 1 hour before hand. Using room temperature butter allows the sugar dissolve completely and air to get incorporated to make the frosting light in texture.
Tips for Success
- Make sure you use room temperature butter. This will ensure the butter and sugar combine together in a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Sift your powdered sugar. Using sifted sugar will prevent lumps from forming in your frosting.
- When you add powdered sugar, mix on the lowest speed so the mixture doesn't shoot sugar out all over your kitchen.
- Add the milk a little at a time, so you don't end up with runny frosting. It's easier to add more liquid than to make the frosting stiff again (by adding more sugar).
Recipe FAQs
You will only need ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract for this frosting recipe. Peppermint extract is very potent. This recipe makes enough frosting for a two layer 8 or 9-inch cake, a three layer 6-inch cake, a 9x13 sheet cake or 24 cupcakes.
Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you don't need the frosting right away, you can store it in the freezer for about three months. When you're ready to use the frosting, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight then beat it for a few minutes with your mixer to fluff it up before using.
Yes, you can with a caveat. You will need to use a large tip/couple due to the pieces of chocolate. You'll want a large opening in your piping tip, otherwise you will encounter clogs. Also, the small pieces of chocolate do tend to melt if you're decorating for a long time, which turns the frosting brown. So I recommend adding small amounts to your bag and refilling often.
Other mint recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Vegan Butter room temperature
- 6 Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
- 3 Tablespoons Non Dairy Milk
- ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 2 drops Green Gel Food Coloring
- 8 ounce Semi-Sweet Chocolate finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until the butter is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the bowl.1 ½ Cups Vegan Butter
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Mix on low speed after each addition until the sugar is completely incorporated.6 Cups Powdered Sugar
- Add the peppermint extract. Then add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition. Do not let the frosting become too runny - you may only need 2 tablespoons of milk.½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract, 3 Tablespoons Non Dairy Milk
- Once everything has been mixed in, move the mixer to medium high speed and beat for 5 minutes until the frosting is very light and fluffy.
- Add the green food coloring and mix again just until the color is evenly incorporated.2 drops Green Gel Food Coloring
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the chopped chocolate and fold it in with a spatula.8 ounce Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Use your frosting to decorate right away or store it in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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