This Strawberry Buttercream frosting is smooth and creamy with a soft strawberry flavor. The light pink color is all natural from the fresh or frozen strawberries that we use to make this. No red food coloring is used at all! It's sweet and delicious; perfect on so many treats! Best yet, it's gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be made dairy free (vegan)! A must try for all you strawberry lovers!
This luscious Strawberry Buttercream is made with fresh or frozen strawberries just like in my no bake strawberry pie! Many people make strawberry frosting with freeze dried strawberries, but I discovered many companies make the freeze-dried in facilities that also process gluten and nuts. So I decided to make the frosting with a homemade strawberry syrup instead!!! The result is a creamy frosting with a lovely strawberry flavor that isn’t overly strong and so perfect with my Strawberry Filled Cupcakes and in my Strawberry Red Velvet Cake!
It's perfect on my Strawberry Chocolate Cookies, my Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes, my Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes, my Berry Cake, and many more!
For more strawberry recipes, check out my Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, my Strawberry Chocolate Cookies, my Strawberry Sugar Cookies and my Strawberry Jam Cookies!
Reasons to love this Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Allergy Friendly- This frosting recipe is gluten free, nut free, egg free and dairy free (vegan)!
- Smooth & Creamy- Even though we use fresh/frozen strawberries, there are no seeds at all!
- Made with Easy Ingredients- No need to try to find gf/nf freeze dried strawberries. This recipe uses simple ingredients! You can you fresh strawberries or you also use frozen quartered strawberries like I do in my Strawberry Sugar Cookies and my Strawberry Jam Cookies.
- Natural Pink Color- No food coloring is needed to get that light pink hue just like with my blackberry frosting on my Blackberry Cookies!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh or Frozen Strawberries- Quarter them after washing.
- Granulated Sugar- We cook this down with the fresh strawberries to create almost a syrup.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature butter in the frosting. If using vegan butter, make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature. Also, use vegan baking sticks instead of vegan butter from a tub.
- Confectioners’ Sugar- We need about 4 cups to get that lovely sweetness.
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract otherwise the frosting can have a chemical flavor.
- Kosher Salt- Just a pinch to bring the flavors out.
- Water- This frosting uses room temperature water instead of milk! Add it in slowly; you may not need it all.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this into Vegan Frosting
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter in the frosting.
- Only use pure vanilla extract that's made in a gluten free and vegan facility.
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Strawberry Buttercream
Here are the step by step instructions to make this strawberry buttercream frosting!
Step 1: Cook the Strawberries and Granulated Sugar
In a saucepan set over medium heat, cook the granulated sugar and strawberries until they are syrupy. 5-8 min. It will still appear chunky and that’s fine.
Step 2: Strain the Strawberries and Cool
Set a mesh colander over a bowl. Pour the strawberry liquid through the strainer and set aside to let cool.
Step 3: Beat Together the Ingredients
Beat the butter until smooth; about 2 minutes.
Then slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar, salt, the cooled strained strawberry liquid (4 tablespoons) and the vanilla until smooth and combined.
Then beat in the water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use it all.
Expert Tips
- Use Fresh/Frozen Strawberries when Making the Buttercream- Many people make strawberry frosting with freeze dried strawberries. When I was looking for freeze dried ones I discovered many companies make them in facilities that also process gluten and nuts. The safer route is to use fresh or frozen.
- Only Cook the Strawberries for a few Minutes- Cook them over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Since there is no additional water in it, if you cook it too long it will be too syrupy and not enough to flavor the buttercream. Make sure to let the liquid cool before adding it to your buttercream.
- You must Strain the Cooked Strawberries- If you don’t do this step, your buttercream will not be smooth. It will have chunks of skins and seeds all throughout. Straining it gives us that beautiful strawberry liquid without the seeds.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The frosting will be way too runny. If using vegan butter, make sure it is not from a tub and have it be on the colder side.
- Making The Frosting- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to stay put on cupcakes and/or cake and not run off. If the frosting appears too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time. Make sure your butter isn't too soft. It should be room temperature, not softened. If you're using vegan butter, make sure it is on the colder side.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make this strawberry frosting the night before you need to use it. Store it in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge.
When ready to use, let it come to room temperature and rewhip to get the creamy consistency.
If the frosting is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. You want it thick enough to be piped on cupcakes, cookies or a cake.
If the frosting is too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. It should be thin enough to pipe but not sliding all over the place.
The color of your frosting will depend on the strawberries themselves.
If they’re super red and ripe, the buttercream will be more pink.
If it’s off season and the strawberries are white inside when you cut them, your frosting will be a much paler pink.
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting.
That's enough frosting for a 2 layer cake, 16 cupcakes, 12 large cookies or 6 dozen small cookies.
Storing: Store extra strawberry frosting in an airtight container or a bowl covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature on the counter and rewhip to get a creamy consistency.
Freezing: You can freeze the frosting for up to one month in an airtight freezer safe container. To defrost, put the frosting in the fridge the night before. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature on the counter and rewhip to get a creamy consistency.
More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups quartered strawberries , fresh or frozen
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the 1 ¾ cups quartered strawberries and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have liquified a bit and the sugar has dissolved. Use the back of your spoon to mash the strawberries apart.
- Set a strainer or a mesh colander over a bowl and strain the strawberry liquid. You don’t want any of the seeds, you just want the liquid. You should have about 4 tablespoons of liquid.
- With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, beat the ½ cup room temperature unsalted butter until creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat in the 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, strained strawberry liquid (4 tablespoons), 1 pinch kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and combined.Slowly add in the 3 tablespoons water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.If the strawberry liquid solidified a bit prior to using, that’s ok. Just use a spatula to scrape it into your mixing bowl.
Aylin says
This was really amazing ! The strawberry purée was a little more than 4 tbsp - so i put the purée instead of water - the color taste is just perfect oh and i only put 3.5 cups of sugar wish i could post a picture i made rosettes on the cake with the icing
Lee says
So glad!!!! Thank you!
Anne Billman says
This was the best and easiest buttercream frosting I have ever made! The addition of the fresh strawberry syrup put it over the top! Very subtle and very delicious!!
Lee says
Thank you so much!
Steve says
So easy and delicious!
Melissa says
I look forward to making this! I plan to use vegetable shortening (Spectrum or Crisco sticks) in place of the vegan butter as am having a tough time finding one without pea protein. Do you think the consistency would work okay? Thank you!
Lee says
Hi Melissa! I haven't used that so I cannot say for sure. I use Fleischmann's Unsalted Vegetable Oil Spread Sticks when doing dairy free. They have no pea protein according to the label. If you use them make sure to use unsalted as the variety with salt does contain dairy. I hope this helps!
John says
What a quick and easy way to make Strawberry Buttercream Frosting!