Vegan Cream Cheese (Tofu Cream Cheese)
This is seriously the best vegan cream cheese you will ever eat! Rich, creamy, and cheesy -no one will guess that you made it yourself! With just a few simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes of your time, you can have any flavor of cream cheese you like. Spread it on bagels, or use it in a dip, in a no-bake vegan cheesecake, or for cream cheese frosting!
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This dairy-free cream cheese isn’t simply blended cashews, it’s made from tofu, refined coconut oil, and flavorings to give it the authentic taste and texture of real cream cheese. Because it contains similar protein and fat ratios as traditional cream cheese, you can swap it out 1:1 and use it for cooking and baking too.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s
This quick and easy vegan cream cheese recipe is the closest thing to real cream cheese that you can make. It can be whipped up in about 5 minutes, plus it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
This tofu cream cheese is a fraction of the price of store-bought vegan cream cheese like Tofutti or Kite Hill. Plus, it’s high in protein and makes a filling breakfast when spread on toast or bagels. It’s easy to make in any flavor that you wish, like garlic herb, chives, or strawberry cream cheese.
Delicious! Had been struggling to find a breakfast with tofu and had tried a “cream cheese” before that I didn’t like. Decided to give this one a try and I love it! I didn’t add any oil, the consistency is creamy, and I made it with scallions and red bell pepper, 10/10
—Veronica
Best of all, this is the only vegan cream cheese recipe that can replace traditional cream cheese 1:1 in your recipes!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Tofu – to give it a creamy plant-based protein that will work like real cream cheese. Firm or extra-firm water-packed tofu works best. For best results, don’t use high-protein super firm tofu or silken tofu.
- Refined Coconut Oil – to give it the fat content of regular cream cheese and make it firm when cold. You can use unrefined coconut oil, but it will have a coconut taste.
- Note: This vegan cream cheese is meant to simulate dairy cream cheese in taste and texture as well as in your cooking and baking. This is not a “healthy” oil-free recipe. (You can use my cashew cheese or cashew cream recipes if you’re looking for that). You have to use coconut oil to make it firm when it’s cold and spreadable at room temperature.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – for a little tanginess and to give it acidity to emulsify. You can replace this with lemon juice if you don’t have apple cider vinegar, but I think that apple cider vinegar has a more authentic flavor.
- Sea salt – for flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast – for a little extra cheesiness and umami flavor. (You only need a small amount, if you don’t have it you can leave it out).
Helpful tools
- A Food Processor or an Immersion Blender – to mix everything together very well. (You can also use a blender, but you will have to stop frequently and scrape the edges).
How to make tofu cream cheese
Step 1 – Drain and press your tofu very well getting out as much liquid as possible. A tofu press is helpful, but not necessary. While the tofu is pressing wash and cut fresh strawberries into chunks.
Step 2 – Break up the tofu and add it to a food processor. Add melted refined coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Step 3 – Blend on high for about 1 minute, then stop and scrape the edges and blend for another minute or two working all the ingredients together until it’s smooth and creamy.
Step 5 – Add any flavorings that you wish, then pulse them a few times to get them mixed in with the cream cheese, or you can stir them into the cream cheese with a spoon or spatula.
Flavor variations
The taste of the flavored varieties is even more authentic! I highly recommend adding herbs, spices, or berries to the vegan tofu cream cheese to jazz it up!
Savory flavors
Garlic Herb – A clove of minced garlic plus 1/4 cup of your favorite fresh herbs like parsley, chives, dill, and green onions, or use 2 tablespoons of dried herbs or seasoning mixes like Italian herb, herbs de Provence, or Mrs. Dash. You can really do any herb combo that you like.
Chives or Green Onions – Add 1/4 cup of fresh chives. (Chives are smaller and have a more mild flavor than green onions).
“Bacon” and Scallion – Add 1/4 cup of scallions (aka green onions) plus 1/4 cup of vegan bacon bits. Many store-bought varieties of bacon bits are vegan or you can easily make your own with my vegan bacon bits recipe.
Garden Veggies – Add 1/4 cup of chopped or shredded veggies of choice like carrots, zucchini, and bell peppers. You can also add a dash of garlic powder and/or onion powder to this.
Sundried Tomato Basil– Add 1/4 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of chopped basil or 1 tablespoon of vegan pesto. (Use the oil-packed sundried tomatoes or soak the dry ones in some water for a few minutes before adding them to the cream cheese).
Olive – Add a 1/4 cup or more of chopped olives, olive tapenade, or Muffalata to your cream cheese for a delicious combo!
Sweet flavors
*For sweet flavors, add 1/4 -1/2 cup of powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you want it. You can also use granulated sugar, but the powdered sugar keeps the cream cheese smooth and creamy. This is optional but recommended for the most authentic flavor.
Berry (Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries work great for this). Cut or mash the berries and sprinkle them with the powdered sugar
Cinnamon – Add 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Chocolate – Add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder plus an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. (The additional sugar is optional, but I find you need more with this flavor since the cocoa is bitter).
*These sweet flavors are delicious on sweet bagels or served on vegan graham crackers. They can also be used as a dip for apples or other fruit.
Pro Tips
This recipe makes a lot of cream cheese (about 2 cups total) so I like to divide it into 2-4 smaller containers and make it up to 4 different flavors. That way everyone can choose the flavor that they like best!
Most of the flavor combos call for 1/4 cup of flavorings so…
- If you are dividing it into 2 different flavors, remember that 2 tbsp is 1/2 of 1/4 cup.
- If you are dividing it into 4 different flavors, 1 tbsp is 1/4 of 1/4 cup.
Storage
Refrigerator: Keep your cream cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezing: You can freeze it for up to 2 months. It still tastes great, however, it does get slightly grainy after freezing.
Frequently asked questions?
If you don’t want to use tofu to make your cream cheese, you can make my easy cashew cheese instead. This spread doesn’t taste as much like real cream cheese, but it is delicious all the same and makes a great dip and sandwich spread too!
Yes! This cream cheese works great in place of regular dairy cream cheese in every recipe that I have tested it in.
How to use this vegan cream cheese
- I love it in my vegan no-bake cheesecake, vegan key lime pie, blueberry cheesecake, or pumpkin cheesecake, It makes it even cheesier tasting than the store-bought versions!
- It’s great in dips like my soy chorizo dip.
- The kids love it in my super easy vegan mac and cheese recipe!
- It’s delicious in my homemade vegan cream cheese frosting!
- Serve it with crackers along with some other vegan meats and cheeses on a vegan charcuterie board.
I can’t say for sure if it will work in everything, but it should work in most recipes.
More vegan cheeses
- The Best Vegan Mozzarella
- Vegan Cheddar
- How to Make Vegan Cheese – Provolone
- Vegan Smoked Gouda
- Veggie Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Halloumi
- Tofu Feta
Check out all of my homemade cheese recipes in my cookbook, The Ultimate Guide to Easy Vegan Cheese Making.
Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
For the plain cream cheese:
- 1 14 oz package extra-firm tofu, (water-packed)
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Drain and press your tofu very well getting out as much liquid as possible. A tofu press is helpful, but not necessary.
- Break up the tofu and add it to a food processor. Add melted refined coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt.
- Blend on high for about 1 minute, then stop and scrape the edges and blend for another minute or two working all the ingredients together until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Add any flavorings that you wish, then pulse them a few times to get them mixed in with the cream cheese, or you can stir them into the cream cheese with a spoon or spatula.
Notes
Savory vegan cream cheese flavors
- Garlic Herb – A clove of minced garlic plus 1/4 cup of your favorite fresh herbs like parsley, chives, dill, green onions, or use 2 tbsp of dried herbs or seasoning mixes like Italian herb, herbs de Provence or Mrs. Dash. You can really do any herb combo that you like.
- Chives or Green Onions – Add 1/4 cup of fresh chives. (Chives are smaller and have a more mild flavor than green onions).
- “Bacon” and Scallion – Add 1/4 cup of scallions (aka green onions) plus 1/4 cup of vegan bacon bits. Many store-bought varieties of bacon bits are vegan or you can easily make your own with my vegan bacon bits recipe.
- Garden Veggies – Add 1/4 cup of chopped or shredded veggies of choice like carrots, zucchini, and bell peppers. You can also add a dash of garlic powder and/or onion powder to this.
- Sundried Tomato Basil– Add 1/4 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes and 2 tbsp chopped basil or 1 tbsp vegan pesto. (Use the oil-packed sundried tomatoes or soak the dry ones in some water for a few minutes before adding them to the cream cheese).
- Olive – Add a 1/4 cup or more of chopped olives, olive tapenade, or Muffalata to your cream cheese for a delicious combo!
Sweet vegan cream cheese flavors
*For sweet flavors, add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to your tastes. You can also use granulated sugar, but the powdered sugar keeps the cream cheese smooth and creamy. This is optional but recommended for the most authentic flavor.- Berry (Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries work great for this). Cut or mash the berries and sprinkle them with the powdered sugar
- Cinnamon – Add 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
- Chocolate – Add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder plus an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. (The additional sugar is optional, but I find you need more with this flavor since the cocoa is bitter).
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
This recipe was originally posted on 8/31/2019. It was updated on 9/28/20 to include a recipe video and more detailed instructions and again on 2/10/24 to include new images and easier instructions.
I’ve been looking for a cream cheese recipe that is similar to Tofutti Whipped Cream Cheese which I can’t find in stores any longer, Wegmans was the only store that carried it but they discontinued. This recipe is it! The taste is almost spot on with a little more than 1/4 cup of added powdered sugar. Thank you thank you for this recipe!
I reduced the coconut oil quantity down to 1/4 cup but followed the rest of the recipe as written and love it!! This will be on a regular rotation as I’m in a super small town where it’s impossible to find brand name vegan options at any of the local markets. Thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome. I’m so glad that this recipe works for you in a small town. That is why I started sharing all of these vegan basics! 🙂
Accidentally made this with the coconutty flavored oil, but the texture and acid is great! Can’t find Tofutti anymore, so this is a healthier alternative. Thank you!
I’m so glad that you like the recipe, Jenn! I’m sure that you will like it even more when you use refined coconut oil. (I have not been seeing Tofutti in stores around me either.)
This is easy and delicious! What a treat for someone like me who can eat so very little!
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe!
I am new to using Tofu. I have been a vegan for about 12 years now – just not a tofu fan, plus I live in a rural area, and finding tofu is not easy. I am anxious to try this cream cheese recipe though. I came across a shelf stable tofu that is “Silken Tofu Extra Firm, velvety smooth and creamy” and supposedly great for everything from dips to fried. I can order this online. Is this something that would work in this recipe? It states you can press out some moisture, and also, you can freeze it to get a more crumbly texture. If not, I will try and get extra firm next time I am in the city (sadly about 5 hours away). I have tried many of your recipes, all of them great. Really missing the joys and benefits of cream cheese! Thanks for your awesome recipes!
It will work with silken tofu, but I do prefer the taste of regular refrigerated tofu in this recipe. I wouldn’t freeze the tofu, it will give it a grainy texture. (5 hours is really far away. I’m not sure how you do it. We are going to be moving to a small town 1 hour away from a grocery store, so I will be doing more recipes with shelf stable ingredients in the future.)
Thanks so much! Good to know about the freezing. I will try this with the shelf stable tofu and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!
You’re welcome!
Hi my second attempt at this recipe. The first time followed recipe closely but liked did not process long enough. Result was an edible spread but grainy and not quite cream cheese flavour.
This time I used olive oil (what I had on hand) and also added a little vegan yogurt. Blend a long time. With basic seasoning plus a little white pepper. Result already tastes fantastic. Can’t wait for it to chill.
I’m glad that you got it to work for you. It needs to be blended for a while to get super smooth. It may be the size of your food processor. I use a very large one.
You have the best vegan recipes! I’m not necessarily vegan, but I am lactose and gluten-free intolerant. Your recipes have Saved my culinary life.
Aww, thanks Tamra! It made my day to read this! I’m so happy that you like them!
Delicious. Only comment is that once it’s refrigerated and the coconut oil solidifies it is hard to spread.
I really like the flavour. However, mine turned out crumbly like Boursin – exactly like Boursin. And I matched the recipe to a T! Wonder what I did wrong? Does the Tofu need to be at room temperature?
I’m glad that you liked the flavor. I usually press the tofu for about 15-20 minutes which allows it to warm up a little from the fridge. I also use hot melted coconut oil that makes it warmer too. If the oil is not warm enough it will start to harden when added the the cold tofu. You also need to blend it for 2-3 minutes until it becomes very creamy.
100% love this recipe. I made half the recipe (just to see if I liked it and the amount is good for one person), and it turned out fantastic. I cannot wait to try this spread on a hot everything bagel with some capers, cucumber and roasted red peppers.
Sounds delicious! I’m so happy that you like the recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I am a Starbucks barista who’s vegan and eating bagels with avocado spread can be a bit tiring. I will try this out!
You’re welcome. Hope that you like it. It would be so nice if Starbucks had more vegan food options!
Love it! Perfect combo for my homemade everything bagels, with a little minced garlic and green onions to top it off.
Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you liked the recipe!
Was skeptical at first given the simplicity of the recipe but it turned out great! Definitely a more whipped texture but I can’t complain since it was tasty regardless. I love the options given the change the flavour to both sweet and savoury.
I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂
I wish I had made this exactly as written instead of modifying it like someone posted in the comments that they added some miso to add unami. I regret doing that, The texture is great, I’m sure I would have enjoyed it much better had I just stuck to the recipe. Oh well, next time! Love the website, can’t wait to try more recipes!!
I’m glad that you liked it. I test all of my recipe many times before publishing and try to copy the taste of the original thing as best I can.
I have a habit of buying over-priced dairy alternatives from big corporations. What prompted me to try this recipe was when I opened my brand new $5+ SO delicious cream cheeze just to find it covered in mold. I was so upset! So, luckily, I had extra firm tofu in the fridge and decided to give this recipe a try. SO EASY AND SO GOOD! Now, I still struggle with the initial tofu flavor, but I think the ACV and nooch ratio really pulled this recipe together! Thank you so much! You saved my breakfast this morning ❤️
I’m so glad that this recipe saved your breakfast. I think the cream cheese tastes a lot better after it has sat overnight in the fridge, so I think that you are going to like it a lot better tomorrow even. 🙂
Yum!! This is delicious. To me it’s more of a whipped tofu spread as opposed to cream cheese but it doesn’t matter because it’s really good!!! I’m not a huge fan of the taste of plain tofu but somehow it really works in this. I’ve been eating heaps of it on bagels and even just as a dip for veggies
I’m so happy that you like the recipe, Alice! 🙂
Can you use a reg blender or food processor if you do not have an immersion blender.
Thanks
You can but it will not blend up quite as creamy.
I’m so happy to have found this vegan cream cheese recipe! I had a couple of hiccups, but it was my first time making this and using my new immersion blender (I couldn’t figure it out. I ended up using my food processor.) Practice will make perfect.
So I’m having this delicious cream cheese on toast and dipping pretzels in it.
Maybe the next time I make it I will share some 🙂
I’m glad that you found it too! I think the immersion blender gives it the best consistency, so I hope that you get it figured out.
Love this recipe! i swapped the coconut oil for Canola to be more neutral tasting as i found the coconut was too overpowering. Thank you!
I’m glad that you liked it. Use refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor if you want. 🙂
This was excellent! I made a batch and used some in a tofu-based vegan cheesecake with an oat-based crust recipe plus an improvised mincemeat / cherry / apple topping… and it was amazing. This homemade cream cheese performed as well as expensive store-bought cream cheese in that recipe.
Also great: I used medium firm tofu to make this cream cheese and don’t have a high-powered blender, so although it had a nice texture it wasn’t perfectly smooth (perhaps I didn’t blend enough?)… that didn’t matter though. It smoothed out during the cheesecake-making process, and the next day the left-over cream cheese I had was like a nice, soft, mild crumbly queso fresco (which I think would fool many people!). For that purpose though I might add a touch more salt and apple cider vinegar to increase that slightly salty tang of that.
Thank you so much Monica for so generously sharing your cooking talents.
I’m so happy that you liked it and you are very welcome! 🙂
I’m back, and must add: This recipe is now my beginner plant-based cheezmaker go-to. It’s produced better results than our first tries at those advanced rejuvelac recipes, and I’m happily trying different mods to it. How can this be this easy?? I bet this costs a fraction of the price of buying a decent vegan cheez, and it’s lower in fat than cashew-based cheezes (and blows dairy-based outta the water). Plus it’s fun and fast to make and eat immediately as a very spreadable cheese. I’ve also noted that salty/acidic elements seem to mellow out the following days.
In case this helps anyone… we just made this with firm (not extra-firm) tofu this time, and added a generous 1/3 cup of fresh *epazote* (common herb in Mexican cooking), 2 small cloves of roasted garlic, about 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. lemon zest, plus a bit more salt and apple cider vinegar… and it was amazing. Great for quesadillas (says Mexican partner).
Also I found that making it with either firm or medium-firm tofu and wrapping the resulting cheez in cheesecloth and suspending it (in something covered in the fridge overnight, like a pitcher/jar, so some moisture can drip out) makes it turn into a compact little ball that can easily be sliced or crumbled (soft feta-like texture). It gets better/drier when stored in the fridge in cheesecloth/on a wooden board. Very addictive, and begs for more tasty flavour-experiments, as you’ve suggested, Monica. I can’t wait to foist this on some unsuspecting omnivore, and then follow with the big reveal that it’s plant-based. Thank you again for this amazing, forgiving, flexible recipe.
I mainly use cream cheese to melt in a tortilla soup. Will this melt well? How would you veganize heavy cream to use in that same soup?
It will melt in hot soup, but you may also want to try using vegan sour cream. Here is how I make it… https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-sour-cream-recipe-nut-free/
Thank you so much! So happy to have found you. How generous of you to share these amazing recipes.
Delicious! Had been struggling to find a breakfast with tofu and had tried a “cream cheese” before that I didn’t like. Decided to give this one a try and I love it! I didn’t add any oil, the consistency is creamy, and I made it with scallions and red bell pepper, 10/10
I’m so happy that you liked this recipe, Veronica! The oil is important if you want it to set in a cheesecake or something, but it’s fine to leave it out if you are just making a cream cheese spread. 🙂
Very nice
Thank you! 🙂
I run a bagel shop and tried out this recipe for our vegans. I would recommend maybe a little more apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast if you aren’t adding a flavor, but my staff loved it too!
I’m so happy that you guys like the recipe! 🙂
This made me sooooo happy! No nuts, no weird ingredients, no required fridge time before using, fast, and utterly delicious. I read the comments first, and made it in my little food processor. Then I divided it in 1/2 and added the scallions and garlic to 1/2, left the other 1/2 plain. Then I had breakfast =)
I had pretty much given up on vegan cheese making and am sick of spending so much money for cashews. But I love tofu! I can’t wait to try more of your cheese recipes THANK YOU SO MUCH!
You’re very welcome, Dina! I’m so happy that the recipe worked well for you! 🙂
Excellent!!!!!!! Better than any of the store brands I have tried. I experimented a little and subbed the nutritional yeast with white miso and really liked the outcome– made the batch a little more savory.
I’m glad that you liked it, Genevieve! 🙂
Thank you Monica
You’ve renewed my faith in vegan cheese replacement! I’ve been having no luck making vegan cheeses either consistency is wrong, taste is off, too gooey, too runny- whatever. This came out fabulous even though I had to use olive oil. I took the advice of another commenter and let it sit in the fridge for a day before using for the flavor to mingle and hands down this is so much better than any store bought vegan cream cheese and so inexpensive and easy!!! Thank you I have several more of your recipes saved to try later and I can’t wait!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you liked this recipe!
I am so glad I found this recipe! It’s so creamy and satisfying.
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe, Lisa.
Hey this looks like a really good recipe and I’m really excited to try it. I noticed that you said the cream cheese lasts in the fridge for 7 days so I wondered if there is a vegan way to make it last longer. Have you tried adding any vegan preservatives to this recipe and if not, do you have any vegan preservatives that you would recommend I try incorporating? Thank you!
I have not tested any preservatives in it, and I’m not sure what would work and not change the flavor or texture.
Freezing is typically the answer. You can freeze regular cheese without issue, and you can freeze tofu, I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze blended tofu. Now if you make the berry one it might be juicier and need to be reblended when it’s thawed quickly, but for the most part they should all just need a regular stir to come back together. I haven’t actually tried this, its just based off the ingredients and other things I’ve made, but there shouldn’t be an issue freezing this at all.
I’d love to try this recipe but extra-firm isn’t available where I live, so I’m thinking of draining/pressing firm tofu overnight or more to half the weight of the original. Do you think it would work? How firm is the tofu should be?
Firm tofu should work, just press it well. I don’t think you have to press it overnight or anything, just get the majority of liquid off of it. Enjoy! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this! How long will this stay good for in the fridge?
It will stay good for about 5 days in the fridge. Enjoy! 🙂
This cream cheese is deeeeelicious, I must say! I did half and half as you suggested, so half of my base cheese I added green onions to for a savoury version. The other half I made a batch using fresh raspberries for a sweeter dessert-style one. Both were so tasty!!! One thing I discovered for me, was that my immersion blender is old and not up to snuff so I ended up putting the ingredients into my mini food processor and it worked out perfectly! Thanks again Monica, for useful,easy tasty vegan recipes!!!
You’re very welcome, Mandy. I’m so happy that you liked the recipe. The raspberry version sounds delicious! 🙂
recipes look good. wish that they just printed out on one page
I wish that they did too. I’ll see what I can do about that, Brendan.
I whish there was a save as pdf option. I have to enlarge the print to read it. I’m always fighting ith the ads that get in the wa since they enlarge twice as much as the text.
This recipe is in my free ebook if you subscribe to my blog. I will then email you a PDF of this and some of my other most popular cheese recipes. Also, if you click the “print recipe” button, it shows the recipes without the ads. I wish that I could have a site without ads, but then I couldn’t afford to run my blog.
This recipe is amazing! Such a great flavor and texture. I did cut the oil in 1/2 but the texture was still perfect. I seasoned with everything bagel seasoning and I can’t wait to try some of your other flavor suggestions. Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, Suzanne! I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂
I would love to know what you think what could be substituted for the coconut oil. As I try to make all my foods oil free. Thanks
You can leave the coconut oil out and it will still taste good. However, the oil is essential if you want to cook or bake with the cream cheese since it makes it solid at room temperature. The fat to protein ratios in this recipe is part of what makes it taste and work like regular cream cheese.
Thanks Monica.
Yes, that is my concern too. I want to use it in a fruit wrap.
Just made oil free, use Oatmilk and it came out good
I am having trouble with the tapioca starch making it thicken. I am using bobs red mill. Can you share what brand you are using? Can’t figure out where I’m going wrong.
What recipe are you trying to make with tapioca starch? This recipe doesn’t use tapioca starch. As a general rule, you want to dissolve it in cold water and then heat it to a boil for at least a few seconds to activate it, then it should thicken your sauce. It will become thicker as it cools down.
Perfect recipe!!
My kids loved this so much that I’ve already made 2 batches in just a few days, the first was devoured in less than 2 days 🙂
I love that it doesn’t need any complicated ingredients and can be whipped up in no time at all.
My husband has a sensitivity to soy products (he noticed since becoming vegan when he started eating/drinking more soy products) so I made him his own spread, substituting the tofu for cashew…it also turned out absolutely perfect!
In short, best vegan cream cheese recipe I’ve found and tried to far!
I’m so happy that you all are liking this recipe! 🙂
I just wanted to mention that glutinous cookies are not vegan they contain egg whites . Looking forward to trying this with the new gluten free Oreos
Just made this recipe and I’m hooked! Absolutely delicious. Love the slight nuttiness the nutritional yeast adds.
I’m so happy that you liked it, Julie! 🙂
yup this is looking delicious because your all other recipes are also very delicious..my question is that can I use olive oil in this because i can not use coconut oil before.
You can use light olive oil if you need to, but it will not be as firm. Part of the reason that I use coconut oil is so it is solid when cold. Enjoy! 🙂
Hello!
What brand of Tofu do you use?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Tifani, I usually buy my tofu at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and use their store brand extra firm tofu. Hope that you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Thank you!!
Hi Monica. Is there a different oil that can be used instead of coconut oil? I am allergic to anything coconut. Thank you. Debra
You can use any neutal-flavored oil, but the final product will be softer. Enjoy! 🙂
I have everything to make this cream cheese except for refined coconut oil. Will it add too much coconut flavor if I use unrefined coconut oil?
It will taste like coconut if you use the unrefined. That may be okay if you are making a sweet variety. If you are not using it for cooking or baking and you just want to spread it on a bagel, you can use canola oil or another neutral-flavored oil. It just won’t be as firm as if you use coconut oil. Enjoy! 🙂
How do you store this? I just made a cinnamon kind
Just keep it in the fridge as you would regular cream cheese. It will keep well for about 5 days. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi can u replace agaragar with xantham gum?
There is no agar agar used in this recipe. If you are talking about using agar agar in my other cheese recipes, the answer is no. The only other thing that works to replace agar agar is kappa carrageenan which is also a seaweed product.
I made this last night. At first, I didn’t love it. It tasted very “tofu” to me. Obviously this is made of tofu so why would I be surprised! I added lemon juice and extra nutritional yeast to try to offset the tofu-flavor but I could still taste it. I also flavored it with garlic and chives. Anyway, fast forward to this morning… it’s really tasty! Like one of the other commenters said, it’s better the next day. I have to agree 🙂 No tofu-flavor after a night in the fridge! This is a very good base recipe to add all kinds of flavors to it; and now I know to always let the flavors marry overnight. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’m so happy that it worked for you, Helene. It’s definitely better after the flavors have some time to marry! 🙂
Can a food processor or high speed blender work just as well as the immersion blender?
Yes, you will just have to stop and scrape the edges a few times. It will need to be a high-powered one though, it is very thick. Enjoy! 🙂
I will be making this for one of my daughters. I need to know the shelf life and also can I freeze it for her? Thank you for putting all of this out here for us.
What a nice mother you are! 🙂 It will last for about 5 days in the fridge. You can freeze it, but it will change the texture a little. Enjoy!
Holy craaaap I am obsessed. I’ve been trying to find a replacement for Tofutti but I can’t find it anywhere now, and it probably has preservatives in it that I don’t need anyway. This recipe is awesome. I mostly want it for all my smoked salmon, but I would absolutely just eat this with a spoon. YUM! Thank you!
I’m so happy that you like it, Lydia. 🙂
This cream cheese was so easy to make and DELICIOUS!! So much better than commercial vegan cream cheese. Thanks to your helpful hints, after mixing, I split into 2 portions and made a sweet batch and an herb batch. Thank you thank you!!!
You are very welcome, Monique! I’m so happy that you like it! 🙂
This is as good if not better than the real thing! It was nice the day I made it but the following day is when it really tasted like the real deal 😁 Trying out some of your other recipes, have extra mature cheese maturing away so can’t wait to try that too. Thanks for helping to make the dairy free life easier 😍
You’re very welcome! I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂
This is good stuff! Wow. I made a green onion and chive. Had it on an everything bagel. Seriously wouldn’t know it isn’t dairy. Thank you!
I’m so happy that you liked it! I think that green onion is my favorite flavor too, although it is hard to choose! 🙂
I’ve been vegan for 4 years now, and have struggled to find a legit vegan cream cheese. The best I’ve found is at local bagel shops, but because of COVID 19, we’ve been limiting our trips out. This recipe is the best! The recipe is quick, simple to follow, and I never need to adjust anything. I’ve made it at least 3 times over the last couple of months, and use leftovers to make a Mac and cheese (which my partner has said is the best vegan Mac and cheese I’ve made so far!). Thank you!
I’m so happy that you liked it, Dinah! 🙂
Hello – would this cream cheese work for a cheesecake? I find anything with cashews to be far too sweet and was excited to find your recipe. Thank you!
Hi Sandra, you can use this for cheesecake. It is not sweet, but it has a cheesier flavor than store-bought vegan cream cheese in the cheesecake. I use this no-bake vegan cheesecake recipe for mine: https://thehiddenveggies.com/no-bake-vegan-cheesecake/
I can’t wait to try this! Just wondering how far in advance of using can you make this up? I plan on using it for frosting.
It will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you are going to frost a cake with it, I would make it a day or 2 ahead of time so the cream cheese isn’t more than 5 days old before you eat up the cake. I hope that makes sense! 🙂
As a non-vegan that is dairy free, I was a bit hesitant to trying a dairy free recipe for cream cheese but this recipe is excellent!! So close to the real thing. Now I don’t have to miss out on one of my favorite spreads!! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe 🙂
You’re very welcome, Nina! My family loves this cream cheese too! I’m so happy that it worked for you! 🙂
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Tasted pretty good even without nooch. Love this!
I’m so happy that you like it, Jun! 🙂
I don’t have an immersion blender, could I use my vitamix or food processor?
Yes, a food processor or Vitamix will both work. You may have to stop and scrape the edges a few times.
Wow this was amazing! Will be my go to cream cheese from now on… Easy, healthier than store bought, great consistency AND flavor! Honestly better than most store bought brands I’ve tried. And customizable?! I will be sharing this with all my vegan friends! Thank you!!
Thanks, Brittany! I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂 We love this cream cheese too! 🙂
Can you do this recipe without oil?
You can leave out the oil if you want, but it will not set up if you use it for things like cheesecake. You can use it as a spread for bagels and it will still taste good though. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! Is there a way to make this soy-free?
Since the base is tofu, you can’t make it soy-free, but there are many recipes out there using cashew cream.
Does it have any smell of apple cider vinegar? I can’t stand the smell or taste of ACV! Any substitutes? I have regular white vinegar, rice and sesame vinegars…
Rice vinegar would be a fine sub
I haven’t tried it, but it should work. It will be sweeter though.
I loved this. I went to the store this morning trying to find tofutti or a plain spread for my cinnamon raisin bagels and they didn’t have it. That brought me here. I followed the recipe exactly and then split it in two. I’ve only tried the sweetened version and I cut the sugar recommendation in half. It seemed like it was just sweet enough for my tastes and it was perfect on the bagel with cinnamon. I’ll probably do garlic and chives on the other half.
I think I’d like to figure out a way to cut back on the fat a little for this but for just two tablespoons it isn’t too bad. Thank you SO much for including the number of servings per batch too. I look forward to checking out your blog. Have a great holiday and thanks for your great recipe!
Hi Jose, Thanks so much. I’m so happy that you liked it! You can reduce the coconut oil if you would like, but if you are using it in a recipe like cheesecake or something, it works best if you follow the recipe exactly so it has the correct texture. Let me know what other flavors that you like! 🙂
Very delicious and easy recipe! Thank you. I used extra firm silken tofu and it had the perfect texture. I’ll be making this again and am planning on making your smoked gouda and cheddar for my upcoming holiday party.
Thanks so much! I’m so happy that you liked it! The smoked gouda is my favorite of all the cheeses I make, I hope that you like it too! 🙂
Can you recommend a substitute for the refined coconut oil……coconut allergy. Thank you
You can use palm oil instead of coconut oil to make it firm at room tempature. If you don’t mind a softer cream cheese, you can use canola oil or another neutral-flavored oil. 🙂
Have a container of unrefined coconut oil. What can I expect? Your recipes are wonderful!
Thanks! I think that you’ll love this cream cheese recipe! I think it’s one of my best homemade cheeses! 🙂
This recipe is great! Mine blended very smooth but was crumbling after a night in the fridge. I’m going to try a softer tofu next time. I’ll definitely be making this again! I flavored it with green onions and salt/pepper. Flavor is excellent. Thank you!
Glad that you liked it Sarah! It will get crumbly when it’s cold right out of the fridge. If you let it warm up to room tempature for a little while or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, it will get creamy again. It’s creamy at room tempature. I’ve found that extra firm tofu works best if you want to use it in a recipe like vegan cheesecake or something. Enjoy! 🙂
I tried it with extra-firm tofu and it never got smooth – would Silken Tofu work better? It is very crumbly…what solutions could you offer?
I definitely like the recipe and it tastes great.
Did you use an immersion blender? If not, that would really help. It takes a while to work it in and get it creamy. Also, there can be a big difference between brands and even batches of tofu. Maybe try the firm version instead of extra firm. The silked doesn’t work as well. Hope that helps. Glad that you like the flavor! 🙂
can I do it without the yeast?
Yes, it only calls for a small amount to give it a slight cheesy flavor, but it tastes good without it too! Enjoy! 🙂
Wow! As a non-vegan who can’t eat dairy, but desperately misses it, this is amazing! Tofutti tastes funny to me, and other vegan cream cheeses are so gosh darn expensive, I basically gave up. So happy to have found this affordable, easy to whip up at home, delicious alternative spread! Thank you!
I spent years trying to make a cream cheese recipe that could replace the store-bought brands! It hit all the marks for my family. I’m so happy that you like it as much as we do! It has been saving us so much money too! 🙂
I’m utterly shocked that it tastes so good! thanks!
So happy that you like it! It is surprising that such simple ingredients can taste so much like cream cheese!
Holy schnikies!!! This recipe is amazing!!! It’s exactly what I remember loving about dairy cream cheese!!! Thank you so much for such an awesome, easy, cheap, and tasty recipe!!! 😆
Bye bye! Tofutti!! 😉
You made my day! So happy to read this! My family and I are obsessed with this stuff too! 🙂
I put an avocado and extra salty seasoning in this recipe and it is absolutely delicious. Love it. Stuffed tomatoes, yum.
Thanks so much Iris! So happy that you liked it. Avacado sounds delicious in it! 🙂
Wow, I love cream cheese so much! I’m for sure going to give this a go soon 🙂 Love all the flavor options you included too!!
Ok. Thats it. My desperate search for vegan cream cheese is over! This is easy to make and much less expensive than buying it in the store. The taste and consistency are the BEST!
I’m so happy that you like it Andrea! I don’t have to buy vegan cream cheese now for anything and it’s so nice! 🙂
I freeze my tofu ….wondering how this will impact making the cream cheese……
I think that it would make it a little gritty. It would also be drier after you press it, which would mess up the consistency a little. I think you will have better luck using fresh tofu that has never been frozen. I have frozen it after I make it and it stays good but just gets slightly grainy. Hope that helps. 🙂
This sounds delicious and quick to make. Thank you for this.
You’re very welcome! Hope that you enjoy it!:)