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Healthy Frosting Shots?
Maybe you’ve heard of the popular bakery, Sprinkles? At this bakery, they sell something known as a frosting shot. It’s genius… How many times have you eaten a cupcake, only to say, “Gosh I wish this cupcake had less cake and more frosting”? Enter the frosting shot: a small glass filled to the brim (and beyond!) with—you guessed it—frosting.
Yesterday, I made my own frosting shots:
Thick Chocolate Frosting…
Try this on my delicious Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes.
Or skip the cupcake, like I did, and simply serve yourself a big glass of unadulterated chocolate bliss. Cupcakes? Who the heck needs ‘em when there’s rich, chocolatey frosting around? They’d just get in the way!
Chocolate Mousse Frosting
(or just chocolate mousse)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup plus 1 T cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- sweetener to taste (I used a little stevia, but any dry sweetener will do.)
Open the coconut milk, and leave the can (or transfer to a bowl) uncovered in the fridge overnight. (Don’t shake the can before opening.) It should get very, very thick. (If it doesn’t, you’ve gotten a bad can that won’t work for the recipe. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen, or especially Thai Kitchen Organic.) Once thick, transfer to a bowl (you can opt to leave out the watery bit at the bottom of the can, if you want it even thicker) and whip in your cocoa, vanilla, and sweetener with a fork, or even beaters if you want to be fancy. (For the photos on this page, I didn’t use beaters. But I did pipe the mousse out using an icing tip.) Stored uncovered in the fridge, the mixture gets even thicker.
Click if you’d prefer a recipe for: Healthy Vanilla Frosting.
I know that not everyone prefers chocolate!
Frosting or cupcakes?
What would you rather have?
Side note: I just updated My FAQ Page.
I was surprised how many people were asking the same question: Is chocolate vegan? Oh goodness, yes. Chocolate most definitely is vegan!! If you learn just one thing from reading my blog, let it be that! 
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Being a diabetic and then seeing this gives me a little hope for a sweet treat.Diabetics are continually looking for recipe tips,because we crave sweets,thanks!
Just FYI – Thai Kitchen uses BPA in their cans, and BPA leeches especially into acidic and fatty foods (like tomatoes and coconut milk). Native Forest is the only brand that uses BPA free cans, and is a far superior product anyway in taste and texture. I heard that the Whole Foods brand (365) is phasing out BPA, but I’m not sure if they have yet.
This is a great recipe! I must say i’ve had much better luck mixing in the cocoa, and then refrigerating. The mousse is never mousse-like enough until after the entire thing has set up awhile. No matter, I think its even easier that way. I serve this with red raspberries and its great–and impressive looking too!!! Thanks!!
Wondering if most of the can should get thick or just some. My can rendered half cream and half watery milk. I still made baby shots and they were yummy. I used the watery milk and made hot cocoa, came out awesome. Thanks so so much for these recipes, I could never stick to Low carb without them.
Depends on the can. Some have a lot more “cream” than others. Not sure why.
This recipe looks awesome. I’ll be making it tomorrow, absolutely. Wondering how it would taste if frozen? I was referred over to you by the young lady at “I Wish I Were Vegan” on WordPress. You should check her out as well.
No idea if it ca be frozen, but it sounds like a really fun experiment!
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And I will be sure to check out the blog. Thanks
Yes, it can be frozen! somewhere up the page someone posted about doing it. I also posted that I had frozen it in Tupperware Popsicle molds. I only did one to try. I won’t do that again, but only because it was too hard to get out of the mold. I ended up eating it out of the mold! Maybe you could spray the inside with “Pam”, but I personally would just as soon eat it as Mousse. It was good frozen tho.
Tastes kinda like a Fudgecicle (I think, it has been YEARS since I ate one). Someone said it tasted like a McD Frosty to them, but I think it is a little to chocolaty to ME to taste like a Frosty. But that’s me.
Holy moley! This is good stuff
I could definitely taste the coconut but maybe that was just the brand of coconut milk I used. It tasted EXACTLY like a Mounds bar. I’m thinking next time I’ll put some crunched almonds on top. Almond Joy in a bowl…. Whoa, yeah, that’s gonna happen!
I have coconut milk at home that comes in the cartons, like the Soy Delicious Coconut Milk, but I’m guessing this isn’t the same thing?
It needs to be the full-fat canned kind.
For the people who were worried about the open can in the frig – it works perfectly fine if you just stick the unopened can of coconut milk in the frig! Just made it and it is great!
Yum! I made this today. It is more dip/pudding consistency because I incorporated the liquid stlll in the bowl. I think if I had drained that off then added cocoa powder, etc, it would have been more the consistency of frosting like in your gorgeous photos! Either way it tastes delish!! My kids think it tastes coconutty, but I do not. It is just yummy!!!
I just made this and I used a can of cream of coconut and the liquid part stayed at the bottom of can,so I was able to just scoop out the top half and use it. Its delicious! My question is I hate to throw away the liquid part,any ideas on what it could be used for?
Put it into a smoothie or shake, or drink it straight up!
Hello coconut milk, where have you been all my life? I cannot believe how AMAZINGLY yummy this is, or that I had never even held a can of coconut milk in my hand before…I am greatful to be able to still have desert even though I am changing my lifestyle and eating healthy. Your blog is the first place I go when I want something sweet! =)
Okay, now I’m truly a fan. As a recovering sugar/flour addict, frosting was my “drug” if I didn’t have anything in the house. Just spoons of it. (horrible, yes?) So, this recipe is going to be tried SOON!
How many calories/fat grams are these?
This recipe is sooooo good. Even our 4 year old couldnt get enough of it. Just wanted to say Thank you!
Can you use the kind in the carton?
I don’t think so.
This looks divine, but do you think if would be possible to further lighten this recipe up by incorporating an agar base like in your vegan whipped cream? I haven’t tried either recipe yet, I’m guessing it would make the frosting less thick, but for me that wouldn’t be an issue. Do you think it would work?
Hey, why not try? Edible experiments are always fun
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Oh what a find! Loving your website and adding coconut cream to the shopping list for tomorrow to give this a go!
WOW! This is just what I was looking for. I’m on a total cupcake frenzy right now and making them healthier would be JUST the thing! Thank you!
Katie, I just wanted to say “Thank you” I started the Bariatric program a few mths ago and keep finding myself craving chocolate and stuff that’s just not good for the body. Today I tried your “frosting shots”. I can’t believe how wonderful it is and it’s safe for me to have. I will be trying more of your recipes soon. Also, on this diet protein is very important and I hate red meats & most other meats however with your recipes I think it will be easy to incorporate protein into my diet. Once again, thank you very much from a soon to be much healthier person in Southern Indiana! Dawn
I was looking for a coconut milk icing for my daughter’s birthday cake and found this on Pinterest. I made a practice run with it tonight and it turned out fabulous! I love that it isn’t nearly as sweet as regular frosting. I used about 1/4 cup organic cane sugar and it was just the right amount of sweet I was looking for. All of the other coconut frosting recipes I looked at were a lot more complicated than this, so thank you for such a simple and healthy recipe.
Found via Pinterest and tried tonight.
I bought a can of Thai Kitchen (original) and placed it in the fridge more than overnight (maybe about 36 hrs?); I did not open it, just put it in the fridge. Followed the recipe exactly, but used real granulated white sugar. (Start at 2T for real granulated and continue to mix, taste, add, mix, taste, add until you reach your preferred sweetness is my suggestion if you use sugar.) I also think next time, I will use powdered sugar. I could have this time but wasn’t thinking. Anyways, it was a cross between super thick pudding and mousse, which got softer the longer it was not refrigerated. My toddler and I loved it. He is autistic and lactose intolerant. You could only taste rich chocolate, no coconut, which I enjoyed. We usually do the whole ‘chocolate avocado pudding’ thing, but now we also have this…thanks for sharing it’s truly a delight and I can’t wait to make it again.
You will not want to keep this out of the refrigerator for long periods of time. Like cream, it will spoil.
Is there a difference between canned coconut milk and the coconut milk in a carton? I used So Delicious brand of coconut milk without a good result. The milk had thickened, as you suggested. Perhaps not long enough?
There is a huge difference between the canned and in the carton (So Delicious or any other brand). You have to use canned and it it has to be full fat, meaning not Lite/Light! you can use canned coconut cream, but not light! (Even some cans will not give good results. I got hold of one the last time I made it. I had VERY thin pudding. Still tasted good, and I still ate it!!! But not mousse. I don’t think of it as frosting, I think of it as Mousse!)
You should have some good chocolate milk there!
No matter how long you chill the So Delicious, it won’t thicken enough for this recipe.
Note: I always mix mine with my mixer like I’m making whipped cream. I can’t imagine getting as good of results just stirring or mixing with a fork. If you have a good can of “milk”, it really whips up nice & fluffy. (My last can was very runny, and as I said above, resulted in a thin pudding,,, after adding some cream to it. It was good tho, just thin. Probably the brand. I’d never even seen this brand before. Can’t remember now what the name was.)
hey katie, i tried this tonight, but the coconut milk turned rock solid in the fridge. is that normal? should i let it unthaw a bit and then try to mix it? right now it’s just like ice..
Hmmm… was it in the back of your fridge? It sounds like your fridge is too cold! Every now and then, things freeze in the back of my fridge…
uhm nevermind, i put it in the freezer and not the fridge ;D will try again
I transferred it to a bowl but I mixed in the water at the bottom. I just saw that you wrote not to shake the can. Will it still thicken mixed?
Before I put it in the fridge I transferred it into a bowl and stirred together the water and milk. I just realized that you said not to shake the can.. will it still thicken overnight if I mixed it together?
Sorry, I don’t know… It might re-thicken, but I really don’t know!
It depends on how MUCH “water” it has in it. The 2 batches that I made that did thicken, and whip up nicely, I added in all the water, even tho it had separated.
I had one can (different brand) that was just super runny. It didn’t even separate when refrigerated. I made it up anyway (I have a post about it here somewhere), and it was very thin pudding consistency. Bottom line is, if it was a thick enough “milk”, it will thicken, if not it probably won’t. Not every can, even the same brand will come out the same.
Someone posted here somewhere today that they had used the same brand that I had good luck with, and theirs was too thin. (And I added the liquid – used the full contents of the can.)
There is just no definitive answer.
Will honey or syrup not work for this recipe? I no longer use dry sweeteners, such as stevia or sugar. Is there another one I am unaware of? Thanks. ~ Justin
I’ve tried maple syrup and agave, both with good results
.
I tried this with a can of Chaokoh coconut milk (from Thailand) and ended up with soup. I will have to try again with Thai Kitchen
for anyone who hasn’t tried this, it is definitely a strong coconut flavor. I added 1/4 cup confectioners sugar which was the perfect sweetness for me.
Jane, That is the brand that I DID have good luck with. It whipped up nicely, and thick. I even added in the “watery liquid” from the bottom.
And I could barely if at all, taste the coconut. But that being said, my taste buds are weird, and I can’t taste a lot of things very well. I use coconut oil all the time, and barely taste it (if at all).
I have made this at least 3 times (I’ve actually forgotten), and I may have used the Chaokoh for all the successful ones. I KNOW I did at least one. And I know it was a different brand that was so thin.
So, if I do use this recipe to frost cupcakes how many would one can frost? (I skimmed through the comments but did read each one so forgive me if this has already been answered.) Recently changed our diets to gluten free, and the natural progression of this healthier diet is taking us even further…possibly vegan! Ha, whatever…as long as I can still have my CHOCOLATE!!!
It actually depends on how much “cream” is in your can… not all cans yield the same amount of thick cream, so it’s impossible to say an amount.
Totally Yummers!!! Dipped some cinnamon graham crackers in it tonight
I used light organic coconut milk & it worked perfectly!!!
Hi, we would like to try this easy recipe and review it on our blog, with credits to your website and name. Do you allow us to do so?
Sure thing
I just made this and WOW! It is amazing! A perfect chocolate mousse for a friend with egg allergies! I’m planning on trying this with canned pumpkin and spices for a pumpkin custard (since she loves pumpkin pie, but can’t eat the eggs). THANKS!
I totally have a sweet tooth, but not for cake or frosting. They are not usually my weapon of choice! But, now that I have kids and birthdays, I have tried many different healthy options in place of sugar-loaded box mixes. I made your chocolate cupcakes with this frosting and I was in LOVE. With a little bit of powdered sugar it tasted like ice cream to me. I was licking it off of every surface…bowl, spoons, knife, the counter!! Your website has provided me with a LOT of recipes and snacks for my family, and for that I thank you!!!
Just popped my can of coconut milk in the fridge to make this tmrw!
But wondering if i could use agave syrup for my sweetener?? Or does it HAVE to be dry? I live in a pretty secluded area and its nearly an hour to get to any grocery store.
I think it depends on just how thick your particular can of coconut milk gets. Some cans get super-thick, but some don’t get very thick at all.
Yummmmmmmmmmy!!!!! I just made this on a whim this morning because I had some coconut milk in the fridge for extra toppings for my pumpkin bread in a bowl brekkie!
I am now eating the frosting as a pudding with my 3-year-old! 
I just doubled the vanilla extract, and added honey as my sweetener instead. It tastes fantastic! Thanks again Katie!! 
Your recipes are always a winner in my household!
How many frosting shots does one 15 oz. can of coconut milk make? Also, do you think replacing the separated liquid with Kahlua or a different kind of alcohol would work?
It depends on your particular can of coconut. Some have more “cream” than others.
Sorry, I never know how a substitution will work unless I try it. But it sounds like a fun experiment!
How about adding Peanut Butter Powder (PB2) to the Chocolate Mousse?
Sounds like a really awesome idea to me!
Hi,
Would you mind if I used this recipe and picture in my blog next Friday? I will be happy to give you credit and list your blog url, although I have to be careful about linking. I write for Beliefnet and they are picky about sending people offsite.
Thanks!
Susan Jordan Brown
Beyond Gorgeous
Hi Susan,
I’d be honored if you use my photos
. However I do ask that people link to my recipes instead of copying out the actual recipe onto their blogs.
But as I said, please do feel free to use any photos!
This looks so delicious but unfortunately I’m allergic to coconut, which is really inconvenient since it’s become such a fad food. I’m trying to think of something I could use instead. I wish they made almond cream too!
I think you can make your own!!
Ive done it with pecans… you just soak the nuts for a few hours (at least 4) and then drain. Blend with a little almond milk (and some vanilla and sweetener if desired… you can also add a little banana if you want). Then put it in the fridge uncovered and wait a few hours… it gets really thick!
Love these great recipes! I make this all the time but use honey instead. I also don’t refrigerate it first, just dump the can and ingredients in a tall cup and mix with mixer and then refrigerate. Also, I just found at Walmart in the asian section a cheap brand of canned Coconut Milk with no sulfites, thickeners, preservatives….just coconut and water. Its called GOLDEN STAR COCONUT MILK, green label and only $1.50 instead of $2.50 or more for the other and works fantastic! You must use the canned Coconut Milk for this recipe. The boxed refrigerated milk is mostly water and will not give a thick consistency but is good for making homemade ice cream. Thanks for such a great site!!!
Looks amazing! I only have light coconut milk. Not sure if that will work but I’ll give it a try!
Does the frosting have to stay refrigerated? If I ice a cake with it?
You can ice a cake, but I’d do it right before serving if possible. Because coconut is perishable and this has no preservatives, I don’t think it’d do very well for hours on end out of the fridge… but then again, I could be wrong!
OMG, you are a chocolate goddess!!! I used dark chocolate cocoa powder because I prefer dark chocolate, but it just wasn’t perfect quite yet. So I decided to take a handful of chocolate chips and chops them up and mix them in. Somehow it still wasn’t enough, so I took some fresh strawberries and added them in. I’m in HEAVEN right now! How on earth will I keep myself from finishing the entire bowl?!? So much for self-control….
LOL good luck! I can’t help you… self-control doesn’t go very well with chocolate, does it?
I got one of those “bad cans” that didn’t thicken, but I didn’t want to waste it, so I mixed it up according to the recipe and stuck it in the freezer until it got kind of slushy. Tastes really good, but can’t wait to get a new can because I want to try it like frosting!
Hey Katie,
I just made this recipe, but I don’t need it right now (I just needed to try it out). Do you think it would freeze and defrost well? I really have no idea.
I am wondering if this recipe would work using melted chocolate, and if so what kind would be best?
I’m sure it’d be good, but I haven’t tried it so I don’t have any recommendations.
So, I have a question. How much does this make? I’m thinking this might be really good as a “filling” in some cupcakes I’m making soon. Is it think like a chocolate mousse?
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, thick like chocolate mousse. The amount depends on how much fat happens to be in the particular can you get. I recommend Thai Kitchen Organic.
This sounds REALLY tasty, Katie!!
Wow! That’s delicious! My store sells the Thai Kitchen in a little 5.3 oz can (2 servings). I used that with just 1.5 tbsp of cocoa powder, a little agave, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 tsp instant coffee! YUM, thank you!!
Is there anyway you can make this recipe thicker? I keep hearing everyone describe it as “mousse” and just wondering if there is anything I could add to make it more dense and less fluffy. Thanks!
Leave it in the fridge uncovered longer? It gets thicker and thicker the longer it sits, and I highly recommend Thai kitchen organic, because that one doesn’t have water in the ingredients.
So, I opened a can of full fat Thai Kitchen coconut milk, but there’s a layer of fat on top, so I mixed it all together and put it in the fridge. It’s not really thickening, but its only been a few hours. Is this wrong? Does it matter if we mix the milk together? Or, does one not mix it until it thickens, and then we mix it all together??
Love these recipes! I check your blog constantly and make many of them! You are so innovative!
Thanks!
I have a question about your “bad can” comment. If it doesn’t thicken up, is it just “bad” for the recipe but still usable for other recipes? Or is it really a bad can that should be tossed out?
Just a bad can for this particular recipe. Sorry for the confusion!
How about this without coconut milk? I’m allergic
What’s another option?
Well, I jus made this, it didn’t really go right, it was utterly divine but more like a thick milkshake than frosting/icing. Not that I care I’m still inhaling it! I don’t know if I just had a bad can, or if it’s the brand (I’m in the UK so used Blue Dragon full fat) or if I should have left the watery bit out, looks like I’ve got some experiementation head of me! Gutted!
I have recently gone vegan, and as the weather is so horrible outside tonight..I have found myself wandering to the fridge and freezer looking for comfort food.
I just whipped up a batch of this and it hit the spot perfectly. Will be using from now on for all cake frostings etc!
Thankyou!!! x
Well, I left the can in the fridge last night. I guess I got a bad can
. So sad….But, I’m drinking it like chocolate milk! hehe I used special dark cocoa powder and no sweetener. Still addicting!
It worked! I put the whole can in the fridge, and this morning all the water was in the lower half of the can. It only works if you dump out the water and just use the top thickened cream half.
I am on a program where I need to count calories. Any idea what 1 TB of this stuff would be calorie wise? The nutritional label on the can is for all of it mixed together, so wonder what it would be without the water.
Sorry, no idea. It also depends on each particular can.
Sorry, I can’t answer the calorie question, but I will say that it depends on the can of CC “milk” as to whether it only works with the cream half. I have made 2 or 3 successful “batches”, and I used both the cream & the watery liquid in each of them. (I’ve also made an unsuccessful batch, but it didn’t even have any thickened cream in it. It was all runny (and I had chilled it).
Each time I started out with just the thick cream, started whipping (I whip it in my mixer like whipped cream) & then started adding the watery liquid. (Could not do this with the “bad” can, it wouldn’t even separate.) With each of the good batches, I was able to add all the liquid & still have a good whipped cream/mouse consistency.
Just sayin!!
Hi Katie,
I tried to make this a month ago, but my milk didn’t get thick like you said. Can I use the coconut milk from a box as well?
No, it will be even thinner than the liquidy can!!
You will only get chocolate milk. It will not whip.
I tried this last night and it worked! Actually, when I opened the can, the mixture was already separated and thick – I used Thai Kitchen. I still put it in the fridge all day while at work. I used (dare I say it on this site) Splenda as a sweetener and also added mini chocolate chips. I’m not a big fan of coconut and this did have a bit of the flavor, but it wasn’t overwhelming. I’m motivated to try it again by all the comments on what other people added – peanut butter, instant coffee, mint!! The only thing holding me back is the amount of fat in one serving. 5 servings per can and (if I remember right) 14g of fat per serving. I’m not a fat-phobic person, but that is alot, especially considering I only separated it out into 3 servings before I realized it was supposed to be 5. This will definintely be a once in a while treat – it’s a good thing it only makes a small amount.
Hi Katie,
I used a ‘bad’ can that didn’t thicken up, so I added 2T of melted coconut oil with the cocoa, stirred and put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes. It worked PERFECTLY!
Good to know!!! Thanks!
I haven’t been able to get a can of coconut milk that will thicken but I froze them as fudgicicles and BOY ARE THEY DELICIOUS!
I live in China and can only find certain brands over here
That’s okay though, I continue to make them!
Wow, now I definitely want to try!
I used to live in China too… Shanghai. I miss it!
I bet that would be good on your single-lady cupcakes. How long will it stay good in the fridge? or Can it be frozen?
According to the person above you, it CAN be frozen
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First, I love love love your blog, and have been having great fun creating fabulous treats for my allergy ridden family. I used this recipe to frost brownies and cakes recently, even leaving out the cocoa powder and adding vegatebale or fruit based food coloring as needed. This frosting makes pretty covering and is a hit with my taste testers. Thanks again for all you do for us readers!
what is the nutritional info on this frosting????
This has never worked for me. I’ve tried it 3 times now. Never gets thick.
As it says in the post, I highly recommend Thai Kitchen Organic for best luck getting a good can!
Just got a post on Facebook from Lucky Leaf Applesauce with your recipe featured — MAMMA MIA!!! This sounds AWESOME, and I’m delighted to have found your blog! Hubby and I are recent Stevia converts, and I can’t wait to try this recipe and MORE! Thanks so much for sharing ;D
Aw, I’m so glad you found me
.
I tried this recipe with coconut milk from a carton. It didn’t thicken at all, any suggestions?
So I’ve tried this 3 times now. My coconut milk does not get thick. I’ve tried 3 different brands. Help me!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love this recipe and have made it a bunch of times since pinning it a couple months ago. I am sharing it and linking to your blog today at my blog Ever Never Again. Thanks!
This may have been addressed- but is there a difference with the canned coconut milk and the carton? I have been drinking coconut milk and have a carton in the fridge, but it sure doesn’t seem thicker since opening.
Thanks!
yes, fat content.
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