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This homemade vegan cream cheese recipe is made using just 5 ingredients, including cashews.
There are tons of vegan store-bought cream cheese that I love - including VioLife, Miyokos, Tofutti...yum. But for those of you that can't find vegan cream cheese at your local grocery store, this homemade vegan cream cheese is sure to satisfy that craving!
Also, it's made with 5 simple plant-based ingredients - no added sugar, oil, soy, or preservatives.
Top Tip
This homemade vegan cream cheese recipe is best used for savory purposes - like, of course, spreading onto bagels or stirring into pasta for a creamy sauce.
It will not work the best for my cream cheese frosting recipe and I have not tried it to make a dairy-free cheesecake. Homemade cashew cream cheese is not completely silky and smooth like we want our frosting, and it doesn't set up quite like the store-bought versions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup soaked raw cashews
- 2-4 tablespoons water (how much you need will depend!)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (tangy!)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (more tanginess!)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
The process for making homemade vegan cream cheese is pretty simple!
First, soak the cashews so they are soft. I put them in the microwave with some water for about a minute and a half, then let them soak for 30 minutes or so. Alternatively, you could soak them in boiled water. Or, soak them in regular water for 3 to 4-ish hours.
Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until relatively smooth. Add more water if the mixture is too thick (but also be careful not to make it too thin!)
You can use a blender, but I'd recommend doubling the batch the blender has more to catch onto. You will also have to scrape down the sides a lot.
Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Adding Flavors!
Add the following ingredients and combinations into your cream cheese for some added delicious flavor! Just make sure not to add any super liquid-y ingredients, and if you do, just add less water to the food processor.
- Freeze-dried strawberries
- Freeze-dried blueberries
- Chives
- Everything but the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's
- Truffle oil
- Jalapenos
- Sundried tomatoes
- Canned green chilis, drained
Now, go enjoy some bagels and report back to me in the comments!
Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked*
- 2-4 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Start out with 2 tablespoon of water and add more if needed.
- Blend until creamy.
- Store covered in the fridge.
Notes
- To soak the cashews, I add them to a large bowl with about a cup of water. Then, microwave for 2 minutes. Let them sit for 20 minutes and drain. See more methods here.
