• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Veggie Desserts
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Cake and Desserts
    • Vegan Dinner
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Guides
  • Cookbook
    • About My Cookbook
    • Buy Veggie Desserts + Cakes
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Press
    • Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram Posts
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
×
Home » Recipes » Condiments

Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

Published: Aug 18, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · 6 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
pinnable image
pinnable image - bagel with soft cheese
pinnable image

Make this delicious and creamy Vegan Cream Cheese with just 5 simple ingredients. It's smooth, tangy and perfect on bagels. A perfect, super easy plant-based substitute for traditional cream cheese.

Plate of soft cheese on bagels next to a plant.

 This vegan cream cheese recipe is super easy to whip up from scratch with just a few affordable ingredients and minimal prep. Plus, it comes together in under 5 minutes!

Cream cheese always reminds me of my dad. His go-to evening snack when I was growing up was always a liberal spreading of cream cheese on a few saltine crackers. It's funny the things you remember, decades later!

So although I'm a bagel fan, I also love spreading this creamy cheese onto crackers. Such a great texture balance.

Bagel with cream cheese and chives.

Why you'll love this recipe

If you're vegan or plant-based and you've been missing cream cheese, then this is the recipe for you! You'll love it because it's:

Creamy
Soy-free (if you use soy-free yogurt)
Made with cashews
Only 5 simple ingredients
Make it in just 5 minutes (after soaking the cashews)
Perfect on bagels
Delicious as a dip for veggies

What is vegan cream cheese made of?

Vegan cream cheese can be made with different base ingredients. Sometimes it's made with silken tofu, or else it's more like labneh with strained yogurt.

For this recipe, I've gone for cashews. They're nutritious, easy to get hold of, and I love the texture and flavor that they bring to this recipe.

Plus, after you've soaked (or speed soaked in a pan - see 'Tips' below) the cashews, once whizzed in the blender they get lovely and creamy.

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe!

Cashews - some vegan cream cheese recipes are based on tofu or strained vegan yogurt. I definitely prefer cashews for their flavor and creaminess.

Lemon juice - for a tangy flavor.

Apple cider vinegar - this also gives the classic 'tang'.

Aquafaba - this is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It sounds bizarre, but when you whiz the cashews the aquafaba aerates and makes it extra creamy. Be sure to use the chickpeas for another recipe (like my carrot hummus). If you don't have any, leave it out and replace with water.

Vegan yogurt - go for a plain, unsweetened variety. I prefer soy-based but any work well.

Kitchen Utensils

You only need a few simple kitchen utensils for this dairy free cream cheese recipe.

The main one is a blender. I use a high-speed blender as it whizzes up the cashews quickly. You can use a standard one, you'll just need to process it for a bit longer and scrape the sides down more often.

If you don't have a blender, you can also use a food processor.

Other kitchen tools needed are:

Bowl (to soak the cashews)
Colander or strainer (to drain the cashews)

Cream cheese in a bowl and on a bagel.

Step by step tutorial

This is a seriously easy recipe to whiz up in just 5 minutes. Follow these step by step photos and then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Cashews in a bowl of water.

Soak the cashews in water overnight or for 4 hours.

TIP: Alternatively, put them into a pan of water, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and soak for 15 mins. Then rinse in cold water to cool.

Rinsing cashews in a colander.

Rinse and drain the cashews.

Blender with cashews.

Add the cashews and all remaining ingredients to a blender.

Can of chickpeas.

For the aquafaba (chickpea water), simply take it from a can of chickpeas. Save the remaining chickpeas and aquafaba for another recipe.
TIP: If you don't have any, you can just add water.

Vegan cream cheese in a blender.

Whiz until smooth.
TIP: You'll need to scrape the sides down regularly.

Expert tips

Forgot to soak your cashews overnight? No problem! You can soak them for 4 hours, or, to make it quicker, place them into a pan of cold water, bring to a boil then remove from the heat and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Then rinse and drain.

You'll need to scrape the sides of the blender frequently to ensure they're evenly pureed.

Wondering why there's aquafaba (chickpea water) in this recipe? It's because it aerates in the blender and makes this vegan cashew cream cheese smoother. Be sure to use the chickpeas and remaining aquafaba in another recipe, such as my Pea Hummus.

Looking to add more flavors? Scroll down to the variations.

Be sure to choose an unflavored and unsweetened dairy free yogurt. Anything sweetened will affect the taste of the cream cheese.

Soy-free? Choose a soy-free yogurt.

Bagel with cheese.

Storage and freezing

Store this cashew cream cheese, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days.

This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Variations

One of the beauties of cashew cream cheese is that you can make lots of flavor variations. Just whizzing in a few different ingredients or spices quickly changes the flavor completely. Try this variations!

Chive and Onion: when blended, stir in 1 tablespoon chopped chives and ½ teaspoon onion powder.
Strawberry: Add a few strawberries while blending the cashews.
Pumpkin Spice: Add ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice mix.
Garlic: Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
Smokey Paprika: Add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.

Serving suggestions

This recipe is perfect spread on bagels, crackers or as a dip for fresh raw vegetables. I also love it with strawberries.

Try it on my fun Bread Shapes, in a Rainbow Sandwich, or on a bagel with a bowl of Pea Soup, Zucchini Soup or Tomato Soup.

Bagel with cream cheese on wooden board.

Get the recipe

Veggie Desserts Cookbook by Kate Hackworthy

Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon

📖 Recipe

cream cheese spread on a bagel.

Vegan Cream Cheese

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
Make this delicious and creamy Vegan Cream Cheese with just 5 simple ingredients. It's smooth, tangy and perfect on bagels. A perfect, super easy plant-based substitute for traditional cream cheese.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
SaveSaved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Soaking time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Condiments
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 189 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ cups raw unsalted cashews soaked
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon aquafaba the liquid from a can of chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoon plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (I used soy yogurt)
  • Large pinch sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Add the cashews to a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak overnight or for at least 4 hours.
    Tip: alternatively, add to a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and soak for 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water to cool completely and drain.
  • Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to the jug of a high-speed blender (or food processor) with the lemon juice, vinegar, aquafaba, yogurt and salt and blend until smooth. You’ll need to scrape the sides down a few times.
  • Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy on bages, crackers etc…!

Video

Notes

You can soak the cashews overnight, for 4 hours, or place them into a pan of cold water, bring to a boil then remove from the heat and soak for 15 minutes. Then rinse in cold water.
You'll need to scrape the sides of the blender frequently to ensure they're evenly pureed.
The aquafaba (chickpea water) aerates in the blender and makes the cheese smoother. Use the chickpeas and remaining aquafaba in another recipe, such as my Pea Hummus.
Be sure to choose an unflavored and unsweetened dairy free yogurt. Anything sweetened will affect the taste of the cream cheese.
Storage:
Store this cashew cream cheese, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Variations:
Chive and Onion: when blended, stir in 1 tablespoon chopped chives and ½ teaspoon onion powder.
Strawberry: Add a few strawberries while blending the cashews.
Pumpkin Spice: Add ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice mix

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

More Condiment Recipes

  • Hot honey with chili flakes in a bowl on a wooden table.
    Hot Honey
  • A bowl of plum compote and plums next to it.
    Plum Compote
  • Looking down at a spoon in a jar of hot maple syrup.
    Hot Maple Syrup
  • A wooden table with a glass bottle of rhubarb simple syrup.
    Rhubarb Syrup
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Emily

    August 20, 2020 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    I had never tried vegan cream cheese before but this turned out delicious! What a great recipe!

    Reply
  2. Neli Howard

    August 19, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! I love cashew cream cheese and make it almost weekly around here. I like your trick of adding a few tablespoons of yogurt – I bet it’s awesomely creamy!

    Reply
  3. Tammy

    August 19, 2020 at 5:32 pm

    5 stars
    This looks just like the real deal! My mind is blown..this looks so good and I cannot wait to give it a try! 😀

    Reply
  4. Carrie

    August 19, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    This is amazing! I had no idea you could make your own vegan friendly cream cheese. 🙂

    Reply
    • Samantha

      May 07, 2024 at 7:24 pm

      5 stars
      I used limes instead of lemon, so yummy!

      Reply
  5. Beth

    August 19, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    I love this idea! I can't wait to make this for my family!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. Here you'll find vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes celebrating vegetables, from dinner to dessert! If you love vegetables, you've come to the right place. About Me

Collage of press logos that Veggie Desserts has appeared in, including The Guardian, Marie Claire, Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail, Seattle Times and The Sunday Telegraph.

Popular recipes

  • Stack of naan breads on a plate.
    Easy Naan Bread Recipe (15 Min Yeast-Free Flatbread)
  • Close up of a plate of red lentil dahl with rice and spinach.
    The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
  • A jar of quick, easy and tasty raspberry compote, with a spoonful of it next to a blue and white tea towel.
    Quick Raspberry Compote Recipe
  • Bowl of stewed pears with a serving spoon and a cinnamon stick.
    Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

Vegetable Cake Recipes

  • A cake and a piece of cake sitting on top of a table.
    Apple Kale Cake with Apple Icing
  • Close up of cut loaf cake.
    Parsnip Loaf Cake
  • Cake on a cake stand with slices missing
    Vanilla Spinach Cake
  • A slice of lemon cucumber cake on a plate.
    Lemon and Cucumber Cake

My cookbook

Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About me
  • Contact
  • Work with me
  • Press
  • Veggie Desserts Cookbook

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for newsletter updates

Partner Sites

  • You Say Potatoes

Disclaimers

  • Disclosures & Affiliate Policies
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Kate Hackworthy / Veggie Desserts

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This recipe worked out perfectly!
The whole family loved this recipe!
Easy and tasty!
I'm sure we'll be making this recipe again and again!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.