Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (2024)

January 7, 2019

posted by Marina Delio | 7 Comments

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Creamy spreadable dairy free vegan cream cheese perfect for bagels and sandwiches is easy to make with cashews and so delicious! If you’re ever in need of a cream cheese substitute, you’ll need this recipe!

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (1)

Over the past few years I’ve had so much fun trying new (to me) dairy-free “cheeses” made with nuts. The store-bought versions have gotten so good, and more and more of us are making them at home too.

Like my Vegan Ricotta recipe, this vegan cream cheese was inspired by several store bought versions that blew my mind. Kite Hill and Miyoko’s are my favorite, so I checked the ingredients and figured out how to make it myself. Both are made with a cashew base and real food ingredients. I’ve made about 5 batches of vegan cream cheese now, and my family likes it just as much as the dairy version. Maybe more. Here’s the step-by-step method for making your own batch of dairy-free vegan cream cheese.

How to Make Dairy Free Cashew Cream Cheese

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (2)

Start with Raw Cashews

I’ve worked with raw cashews quite a bit to create the creamiest, most delectable dairy-free recipes. Cashew cream is what makes my Broccoli Soup and Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip creamy, and blended cashews make an incredible no-bakeVegan Chocolate Cheesecake. In all these recipes it’s important to use raw, rather than roasted, cashews to avoid a nutty flavor.

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (3)

Soak the Cashews

The trick to making cream cheese out of cashews is to use raw cashews, soak them for at least 6 hours, and blend with a high powered blender. If you’re in a hurry, you can pour very hot water over the cashews and blend them after about 3 hours. Older cashews may need a longer soak. Wait until the cashews are soft and easy to break in half with your fingers.

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (4)

How to Culture Vegan Cream Cheese

Once the cashews are blended into a smooth and creamy spread the “cream cheese” will be lovely, but won’t have that classic tangy element. To get the tang, we need to culture the cream cheese, which means adding live cultures from dairy-free plain yogurt or a probiotic capsule. This is similar to making yogurt at home. I tested this recipe both ways and preferred the flavor of the yogurt cultured version to the probiotic. Some people culture with sauerkraut juice orrejuvelac ,I haven’t tried those yet though.

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (5)

Transfer the cream cheese to a clean (you can sanitize in a hot dishwasher) small glass storage container. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours while the live cultures from the yogurt incubate and do their tangy thing. The cream cheese will firm up during this time, and even more after chilling in the refrigerator, so don’t be alarmed if it seems too loose. I’d also like to mention that I learned this cheese culturing technique from queen vegan cheesemaker Miyoko Schinner, who has a couple of cookbooks you may be interested in (these are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you order through them): Artisan Vegan Cheese and The Homemade Vegan Pantry.

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (6)

Store your vegan cream cheese in the refrigerator, covered, and it should last about a week!

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (7)

Homemade Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Variations

I like this cream cheese as-is, but you can have fun with various flavors too. Here are some ideas for mix-ins.

  • Cinnamon and Coconut Sugar
  • Apple or Pumpkin Butter
  • Chives
  • Dill
  • Truffle Salt

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (8)

How to Use Your Vegan Cream Cheese

  • Use as a spread for veggie sandwiches (cucumber and cream cheese is a tea time classic).
  • Spread on a slice of Vegan Banana Bread
  • Use to make Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting on these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffinsor Carrot Cake Muffins
  • Bagels!

Yield: About 1 cup

Vegan Cream Cheese

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Additional Time1 day

Total Time1 day 15 minutes

Spreadable homemade dairy free vegan cream cheese made with cashews. Use this easy cultured vegan cream cheese on bagels, in sandwiches, and for cream cheese frosting!

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (9)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup coconut cream
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon plain nondairy yogurt (Kite Hill recommended)
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Cover and let soak at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
  2. Place the soaked cashews, coconut cream and water in a blender. Blend until very smooth and creamy, which may take a few minutes or more depending on your blender. Add the yogurt and blend to combine. Season to taste with salt.
  3. Transfer to a clean small glass storage container and cover.
  4. Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature to culture for about 24 hours. During this time the cream cheese will thicken slightly and develop a tangy flavor. Chill for at least two hours in the refrigerator.
  5. Store your vegan cream cheese covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

This vegan cream cheese lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

I add the yogurt last to avoid killing the cultures if the blender heats up.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10Serving Size: 1/10 recipe
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 99Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 63mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 3g

Recipes Vegan vitamix

posted January 7, 2019 by Marina Delio

7 Comments//Leave a Comment »

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7 comments on “Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe”

  1. hannah April 15, 2019 @ 11:20 pm Reply

    how long does the cream cheese keep?

    • Marina Delio September 21, 2019 @ 9:11 pm Reply

      Store your vegan cream cheese in the refrigerator, covered, and it should last about a week

  2. Keeley Leakos September 21, 2019 @ 8:38 pm Reply

    Just made this yesterday and now it has pink dots all over it. Not sure if it is the Himalayan salt or mold. Looks like mold.

    • Marina Delio September 21, 2019 @ 9:13 pm Reply

      Oh what a bummer 🙁
      There’s always that risk with live cultures, but it shouldn’t happen if all equipment and containers are sterile. I have no way of knowing if it’s your salt or mold, unfortunately, so I’d have to recommend tossing it.

  3. Roshani Ranjana May 29, 2020 @ 1:24 am Reply

    Just wanted to know why we have to add coconut cream?

  4. molly babsbabs October 6, 2022 @ 9:44 am Reply

    molly is watching

  5. Happy wheels June 9, 2023 @ 6:32 am Reply

    I appreciate that the product is derived from cereals.

Leave a Reply

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the vegan substitute for cream cheese? ›

Unsweetened Plain Yogurt (vegan)

But, there are a few that meet the WFPB criteria are usually made with soy, almond, or coconut milk. It's great for making dips and spreads, but it's also a great substitute for cream cheese when you want to make a frosting.

Why is my vegan cream cheese frosting runny? ›

The firmer the cream cheese, the less likely your dairy-free cream cheese frosting will be runny! A note about vegan butter: Make sure that you're using room temperature vegan butter as well! This does not mean melted butter. Allow the butter to come to room temperature for about an hour or two.

What are the ingredients in plant-based Philadelphia cream cheese? ›

Cashews, Coconut Milk, Cultures, Filtered Water, Kosher Salt. Contains Cashew, Coconut.

Does vegan cream cheese need to be refrigerated? ›

If you have vegan cheese which needs to be kept cool, hence refrigeration is required, we would recommend not having it out more than a few hours.

How healthy is vegan cream cheese? ›

Vegan or not, cream cheese is calorically dense and high in fat, and “healthy” is a relative term. Because it does not use cow's milk, it does not contain trans fat and tends to be lower in saturated fat than an animal-based schmear.

What replaces milk in vegan cheese? ›

Soy-Based Cheese: Soy-based cheese is made from soybeans and is a popular alternative to dairy cheese. Soy-based cheese has a more firm texture than nut-based cheese, making it suitable for slicing and grating. Tofu-Based Cheese: This is made from tofu and is a popular choice for vegans due to its versatility.

Why is my vegan cream cheese frosting grainy? ›

Start by beating together the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese with the vanilla. You want them close to room temperature – not warm, not cold. If the cream cheese is really cold, it's more likely going to give you a lumpy, grainy texture as it wont incorporate into the icing sugar fully.

How do you thicken dairy free cream? ›

The amount of cornflour you should use depends on the amount of cream you're trying to thicken of course but 1-2tsp is normally plenty. Other methods that work: gelatine powder/leaves (careful not to add to much or your mixture will end up too gelatinous)

Can I use cornstarch to thicken cream cheese frosting? ›

One of the great things about cream cheese frosting is that it isn't as sweet as other types of frosting. Cornstarch is a good way to thicken the frosting without increasing its sweetness.

Is Walmart plant-based cheese vegan? ›

Availability: Great Value Plant Based Cheese Shreds are sold exclusively at Walmart stores. Certifications: Great Value Plant Based Cheese Shreds are Certified Vegan.

What is the difference between vegan cheese and plant-based cheese? ›

Vegan cheese, which is alternately referred to as dairy-free cheese or plant-based cheese, is a product that mimics some of the properties of cheese. These include its texture, its flavor, and to some extent its melting ability, even though vegan cheese is made without using any animal-based ingredients whatsoever.

What do vegans use instead of cream cheese? ›

Our goal was to find the one closest to what we remember dairy-based cream cheese tasting like.
  • Wayfare Dairy Free Original Cream Cheese.
  • Trader Joe's Plain Classic Vegan Cream Cheese Alternative.
  • Daiya Plain Cream Cheeze Style Spread.
  • Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese Plain.
  • GoVeggie Classic Plain Cream Cheese Alternative.
Apr 5, 2021

Is it okay to eat expired vegan cheese? ›

We have personally had vegan cheeses last months in the fridge and when consumed before there best before date have been perfectly fine, and as good as they would have been if eaten immediately after purchasing. We have also had vegan cheeses after there sell by date and still been very happy with their quality.

How to tell if vegan cheese is off? ›

If you look closely, you will see small downy hairs. Mould reproduces via spores and these can be present throughout the cheese, even if it is only visible on the surface. Since some moulds can produce strong toxins, it is very important that you dispose of all the cheese.

Is there a plant-based cream cheese? ›

Don't fear the shmear – say a big “hello!” to 100% dairy-free and vegan Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original. You're welcome. Bring rich creaminess to your sandwiches or whip up thick, smooth icing with Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original.

What do vegans use instead of cream? ›

Soy milk and olive oil

For a vegan dairy-free alternative to heavy cream, try mixing soy milk with olive oil. Much like the pairing of milk and butter, olive oil adds fat to the soy milk for a flavor and function comparable to heavy cream.

Is Neufchatel cheese dairy-free? ›

Neufchâtel is an unripened cheese made with cow's milk, and can be ripened to develop a soft rind. The cheese has a soft yet slightly grainy texture. The French version of this creamy cheese uses only milk while the American version uses milk and cream.

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