A SUPER EASY vegan cream cheese recipe you can make at home!
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The Best Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe
Oil Free
Paleo
4 Ingredients
Keto Option
Soy Free – NO Tofu!
Spread it over bagels, muffins, or this Healthy Banana Bread.
While regular dairy cream cheese contains close to 30% of the RDA for saturated fat in just 2 tbsp, this version has less than half that amount (plus more protein!), so it’s a great option for both vegans and omnivores who want to lower the amount of saturated fat they consume in general.
How To Use Cashew Cream Cheese
I’ve also been using it in recipes that call for regular cream cheese, and so far it’s worked in everything I’ve tried – including this Vegan Cheesecake Recipe!
And while it definitely doesn’t taste exactly like Philadelphia cream cheese (and isn’t supposed to), you can use it in many of the same ways as you would regular cream cheese.
Try it plain, or I’ve also listed three variations of the basic recipe below… because why eat plain cream cheese when you can have strawberry!?
If you’re short on time or would prefer a dairy free cream cheese without cashews, the following brands make vegan cream cheese you can buy in stores (some of which are nut free): Trader Joes, Tofutti, Daiya, Kite Hill, Follow Your Heart, Heidi Ho, Violife, Go Veggie, and Miyoko’s.
You can find some of these at health food stores and Whole Foods, but they’re also becoming increasingly available at places like Target, Walmart, Publix, Kroger, and other regular grocery stores.
Vegan Cream Cheese Flavors
Strawberry Cream Cheese: Blend in 1/2 cup strawberries, and optional 1/8 tsp vanilla extract and sweetener of choice to taste. If desired, stir in extra diced strawberries after blending.
Everything Bagel Cream Cheese: After blending, stir in 2 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning.
Chive & Onion Cream Cheese: Blend in 1 tsp onion powder. After blending, stir in 3-4 tbsp chopped chives.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese: Omit the water from the base recipe. Blend in 2 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, sweetener of choice to taste, and 1 can pumpkin puree.
Also Try This Coconut Whipped Cream
Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup raw cashews or macadamia nuts (150g)
- 1/4 cup water OR nondairy yogurt
- 1 1/2 tbsp white or cider vinegar
- salt (see note below)
Instructions
- *Salt amount will depend on your personal tastes and the flavor you’re making, as well as if you’re eating the cream cheese plain or using it as part of a cheesecake or frosting recipe. If using as a spread, I like 1 tsp, but some people will want less. Recipes for different flavors are listed earlier in this post!For smoother results, I like to soak the cashews in hot water for 2-6 hours then drain and pat dry before starting the recipe. To make the vegan cream cheese, simply blend together all ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. The longer you process, the smoother it gets. If you have a Vitamix, it should only need a few minutes, or a food processor will take around 10 minutes to become super smooth. (I haven’t tried a regular blender.) Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen to use at a later date.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Ways To Use This Cream Cheese:
Pumpkin Cupcakes – with Cream Cheese Frosting
Spice Cake – With Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Swirl Cake Bread – from the Hello Breakfast ebook
If using macadamia, do you still recommend soaking before blending?
I am wondering this too! 🙂
I’m planning to make the keto cheesecake and I’m trying to keep the carbs as low as possible.
Soaking 2 hours should do the trick!
Would sunflower seeds work for a nut free version?
I would like to know this as well please!
This is so much better than the store-bought vegan cream cheese! Guilt-free and so so yummy!
Non-Vegan here. I am currently trying to see if I can live dairy-free and was very excited to find this vegan cream cheese recipe. I made a garlic version with garlic powder and a bit of “vegan parmesan cheese” (nooch, salt, and garlic) earlier today. It was pretty tasty, but definitely not cream cheese (I know, I know, the author stated that it is not the same). I tried it as a replacement for garlic cream cheese on a french dip sandwich and I was very disappointed. I would not make this recipe again, but I want to stress that this is NOT a bad recipe. It just isn’t remotely close to real cream cheese.
Hi, if you want something that tastes more like dairy cream cheese, I’ve found that Tofutti is pretty good. Also Miyokos. (I’m not vegan either :))
Violife is the way to go. It’s the best store bought vegan cream cheese I’ve ever had.
Katie, just had to tell you how much I appreciate your posting. I am a vegan and so many of your recipes I have used. I love the fact that you break down the calories, etc. Makes it so much easier to point out for weight watchers also. Just wanted to let you know that when I’m looking for something, I have your website bookmarked and that’s my first and usually last stop! Keep it up!
Wow!! Trying to make this but the AcV is WAY overpowering and nothing we add will help much-vanilla, honey powdered sugar. Help?!
I’ve never had an issue with the amount of acv, but you can easily leave it out and the texture will still be fine (I know this won’t help you for this time but if you want to make it again – maybe your tastes just prefer less tangy than mine do)
Jason
Thank you for sharing this recipe. 5 stars all the way! I love that it only requires 4 ingredients! I used rice vinegar because that’s what was available in the cupboard and it turned out delicious! It’s very comparable to Myoko’s and for me that’s a high bar because I love Myoko’s. I can attest to your tip about it getting creamier the longer you blend it with a food processor. I was skeptical at first but I just had to be patient and let the food processor work its magic. I blended for 15 minutes and an extra 5 for good measure. I’m excited to play with other flavors!
Do you think this would work with vegan sour cream instead of yogurt?
You mentioned 1 tsp of salt if making as a spread, how much would you recommend if making this to be used for a cheesecake? I appreciate your recipe, cannot wait to try it out!
I had neither dairy free yogurt or cashews but I did have pistachios and oat milk so I modified the recipe slightly and it turned out as a delicious creamy pistachio spread. I put it on a bagel and it completely satisfied my cream cheese craving. Would recommend!