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5.0 from 6 votes

Vegan Cream Cheese

Vegan Cream Cheese is a creamy dairy-free alternative, and it tastes better than any of the store-bought options! All you need is a few simple ingredients to get started.

Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 107 kcal
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews (not roasted or salted)
  • 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil , melted
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
  • ½ teaspoon white miso (optional)
  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the cashews, oil, lemon juice, salt, miso, and water to a blender, and blend until very smooth. Be sure to blend long enough that there are no pieces of cashews remaining, at least 60 full seconds in a high speed blender. (If you don't have a high-speed blender, blend the cashews first to break them down, then add in the other ingredients and blend until smooth.)
  2. Taste the mixture and adjust the flavor to your liking. You can add a little more lemon juice, or a touch of apple cider vinegar, if you'd like a more tangy result. Pour the mixture into an airtight container with a lid, and store in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours to help it thicken up. It should have the texture of "whipped" cream cheese after 4 hours, but it will be even thicker overnight.
  3. Serve this vegan cream cheese cold from the fridge, as it will become softer if it sits at room temperature for too long. See the notes below for making a more firm cream cheese. Store this in the fridge for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Nutrition info is for roughly 2 tablespoons. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
  • Use refined coconut oil to avoid a coconut taste in the cream cheese. It should say "expeller pressed" on the front label, or highly refined on the ingredient label.
  • For a more firm cream cheese, add 1 more tablespoon of coconut oil to this recipe. You can also omit 1 tablespoon of water, if you want it extra firm. (The texture reminds me almost of a vegan butter if you omit that tablespoon of water, FYI.)
  • Update Note: This recipe was updated in March 2023 to make a slightly larger batch that's easier to blend in most blenders. You can find the original recipe here.

Nutrition Information

Calories 107kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 4g (1%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Sodium 188mg (8%) Potassium 88mg (3%) Fiber 0.4g (2%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 0.4IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 5mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 107

% Daily Value*

Calories 107kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 188mg 8%
Potassium 88mg 2%
Fiber 0.4g 2%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 0.4IU 0%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 5mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.