Easy Freeze Dried Blueberry Frosting

This easy freeze dried blueberry frosting can be made in 10 minutes. The all natural color and flavor is perfect for frosting cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

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I have been making homemade frosting for decades! This American style buttercream frosting is the least technique sensitive type to make.

When we hit winter, I am always craving the fresh flavors of summer and this blueberry frosting is a great way to add berry flavor to cupcakes, cookies and cakes. I absolutely adore it on top of a lemon cake!

You will love how easy it is to make this not too sweet buttercream, which isn't nearly as sweet as typical frostings!

💗 why you will love this fluffy frosting

• Easy ~ this easy blueberry frosting recipe comes together in about 10 minutes. No making blueberry puree or blueberry sauce!
• Flavor ~ this homemade blueberry buttercream frosting uses freeze dried berries, which adds all natural flavor.
• Not overly sweet ~ this recipe uses much less sugar than a usual American buttercream, which lets the blueberry flavor shine.
• Color ~ look at that beautiful color without any food color! {just a side note, different brands of freeze dried berries can yield slightly different colors due to the natural pigment in blueberries called anthocyanin.}

🛒 ingredients and substitutions

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• Butter ~ a half cup unsalted butter needed at room temperature, so pull it out 1-2 hours before using. If you only have salted butter, leave out the kosher salt.
• Kosher salt ~ just a little to balance the sweetness. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
• Confectioners' sugar ~ also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar. Adds sweetness and thickness to the from scratch frosting.
• Freeze dried blueberries ~ crushing the freeze dried berries to a powder allows us to add a lot of all natural flavor without adding moisture to the frosting. I buy mine at Trader Joe's or Target. They are usually found with the dried fruit or snacks. If you cannot find freeze dried blueberries, ¼ to ⅓ cup of blueberry jam can be substituted. The color will not be quite as vibrant and you may need to reduce the amount of heavy cream.
• Heavy cream ~ helps the blueberry buttercream reach a soft and fluffy texture. You can use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or half and half.
• Vanilla ~ to round out the flavors. If you would like to add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice, that can also add a nice brightness to the frosting.

🥣 how to make homemade blueberry buttercream

Start by crushing the freeze dried blueberries in a food processor or spice grinder to create a fruit powder.

Then using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment {or with a hand held mixer}, whisk the butter and kosher salt on high for two minutes. 

Scrape up and down the bowl and add half of the confectioners' sugar and mix on low until it comes together, then turn the mixer up to high and beat for 1 minute more. 

Now add the 2nd cup of confectioners' sugar, blueberry powder, heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat on low until incorporated and then on medium-high until fluffy.

Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for fluffy frosting

Room temperature butter: we want the butter to be soft enough that it will whip to be light and fluffy. It usually takes 1 - 2 hours for butter to come to room temperature.

Crush the freeze dried blueberries to a fine powder: getting the freeze dried berries crushed as finely as possible will help to have the smoothest frosting. Try to avoid large pieces of blueberry, especially if you want to pipe the frosting.

Use the whisk attachment: using the whisk on your mixer helps to add air and make the frosting extra fluffy.

Get rid of air bubbles: once the blueberry frosting has finished mixing, use a spatula or wooden spoon to push the frosting up against the sides of the bowl. This pushes out any air bubbles and gives us a nice fluffy frosting.

Use heavy cream: half and half or milk can be substituted, but using heavy cream will give you the best creamy and fluffy frosting.

💬 frequently asked questions

what is frosting versus buttercream?

Frosting is usually a thick and fluffy topping that has enough stability so it can be piped onto cupcakes or cakes.

Buttercream is a frosting that uses butter in the ingredients. So, not all frostings are buttercream!

can I use dried blueberries instead?

No, dried blueberries are too chewy and will not mix into the frosting correctly.

can I use frozen or fresh blueberries?

I do not recommend it with this recipe as fresh and frozen blueberries add a lot more liquid and will change the consistency of this frosting.

how do you thicken runny buttercream?

If your homemade frosting has gotten too thin or runny, add a tablespoon or two of confectioners' sugar as needed until you reach your desired consistency.

🫙how to store

This homemade buttercream can be left {covered} at room temperature for up to two days.

Store any leftover blueberry frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

You can also freeze the buttercream in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow the frosting to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then bring to room temperature and re-whip in your mixer before using.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make this Blueberry Frosting. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

🧁 what to pair with blueberry frosting

• Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
• Lemon Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Homemade Lemon Cupcakes
• Vanilla Snack Cake
• Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
• Sugar Cookie Cake

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Easy Freeze Dried Blueberry Frosting

recipe created and tested by:

Tasia Harper

This easy freeze dried blueberry frosting can be made in 10 minutes. The all natural color and flavor is perfect for frosting cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

5 from 3 votes

I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.

Print Recipe rate this recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Frostings

Cuisine American

Calories 187 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Please note

When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.

Ingredients

  

• ▢ freeze dried blueberries 1.2 oz/34g
• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 cups confectioners' sugar 240g
• ▢ 3 tablespoons heavy cream 45mL
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Start by crushing the freeze dried blueberries (1.2 oz/34g) in a food processor or spice grinder to create a fruit powder.
• Then using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or with a hand held mixer), whisk the butter (¾ cup/170g) and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) on high for two minutes (speed 8 on KitchenAid).  Scrape up and down the bowl and add 1 cup/120g of the confectioners' sugar and mix on low until incorporated, then turn the mixer up to high and beat for 1 minute more. 
• Add the 2nd cup of confectioners' sugar, blueberry powder, heavy cream (3 tablespoons/45mL) and vanilla (1 ½ teaspoons) and beat on low until incorporated and then on medium-high (speed 6 on KitchenAid) 4-5 minutes more.
• Spoon or pipe the frosting onto the top of cooled cupcakes, a snack cake, cookies.

Notes

A motar and pestle can also work to crush the freeze dried blueberries.

If the frosting seems too thick, you can add a little more heavy cream. I would add a tablespoon at a time. Fresh lemon juice is also a nice flavor addition and can be used to thin the frosting. If you find the frosting too thin, just add a few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar until you reach the consistency you are going for.

If you like a sweeter frosting, you can add up to one cup of confectioners' sugar (120g), you will also need to add at least a tablespoon more of heavy cream or lemon juice.

Any leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

You can also freeze the buttercream in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow the frosting to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then bring to room temperature and re-whip in your mixer before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 18gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 29mgSugar: 18g

The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Leave a comment and rating below! I love hearing from you!