Dairy
Vegan alternative to cream cheese: the best substitutes
Everything you need to replace cream cheese with a plant-based substitute — which one to use, the exact ratio, and the mistakes that ruin the result.
Short answer
Key takeaways
- Best all-round swap: Cashew cream cheese (bagels and cheesecake).
- Ratio: 1:1 by weight.
- Pro tip: For baked cheesecake, pick a firm block-style vegan cream cheese — tub spreads have too much water and will crack.
- 3 tested vegan alternatives to cream cheese in total.
Why cream cheese isn't vegan
Made from cow's milk and cream.
Best vegan substitutes
| Substitute | Best for |
|---|---|
| Cashew cream cheese | Bagels and cheesecake |
| Almond-based spreads | Lower fat option |
| Tofu + lemon + salt, blended | Budget homemade |
How to substitute cream cheese, step by step
- 1
Pick the right substitute for the job
For most recipes use Cashew cream cheese — bagels and cheesecake. If you need a different texture, Almond-based spreads works for lower fat option.
- 2
Measure using the correct ratio
1:1 by weight. Weigh rather than eyeball it — small errors show up much faster when replacing cream cheese.
- 3
Adjust the method
For baked cheesecake, pick a firm block-style vegan cream cheese — tub spreads have too much water and will crack.
- 4
Taste and correct
Plant swaps are usually a little less salty and less rich than cream cheese. Season at the end and add acid (lemon, vinegar) or umami (miso, nutritional yeast) if the dish tastes flat.
Mistakes to avoid
- Swapping by volume when the recipe measures cream cheese by weight — check the ratio above first.
- Using a sweetened or flavoured version in a savoury recipe.
- Ignoring the method change: For baked cheesecake, pick a firm block-style vegan cream cheese — tub spreads have too much water and will crack.
- Assuming every packaged product labelled "plant-based" is vegan — some still contain milk powder, honey or egg. Scan the barcode to be sure.
Conversion ratio
1:1 by weight.
Pro tip
For baked cheesecake, pick a firm block-style vegan cream cheese — tub spreads have too much water and will crack.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best vegan alternative to cream cheese?
- Cashew cream cheese is the closest all-round swap — bagels and cheesecake. 1:1 by weight.
- Why isn't cream cheese vegan?
- Made from cow's milk and cream.
- How much do I use instead of cream cheese?
- 1:1 by weight.
- Any tips for getting it right?
- For baked cheesecake, pick a firm block-style vegan cream cheese — tub spreads have too much water and will crack.
Not sure if a product contains cream cheese?
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