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    Home » Recipes

    Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This Easy Vegan Cream Cheese recipe is so simple to make and requires just 5 whole food ingredients. It’s savory, tangy, creamy, and insanely delicious!

    Vegan cream cheese in black bowl with chopped green onions and surrounded by bagels.

    I love breakfast foods, more specifically, savory breakfast foods. One of my favorites has always been a freshly toasted bagel slathered in cream cheese with just a hint of onion and garlic. But, after going vegan I resigned myself to the fact this would no longer be a part of my life. Sad day:(

    I tried to fill the void with many different “plant-based” recipes, but most were just BLAH. And, once or twice, I even tried a few vegan options off the shelf. But, those were too expensive and usually contained oil. No Bueno. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

    But, no longer! Bring on the bagels, baby! Because this is the best vegan cream cheese recipe. It’s everything you could possibly want for your morning bread spread. Ready? Let’s roll! (see what I did there)

    Raw cashews soaking in bowl of water.

    First things first. Is this exactly like real cream cheese? NO! Why? Because it’s not real cream cheese.

    But, if you’re finding it hard to give up cheese and dairy and want something that’s rich, creamy, and “hip to the tang” for your bagel, this cashew cream cheese spread is it! It’s an excellent vegan cream cheese substitute for regular dairy cream cheese.

    This recipe uses garlic powder and onion powder to make it savory. But, you can leave them out and make your own version. It’s very easily modified to fit your own taste. So, get creative!

    Food processor with ground up cashews.

    Table of Contents

    • What Ingredients Do I Need?
    • How To Make Vegan Cream Cheese?
    • Can I Change The Flavors?
    • How Do I Store Leftovers?
    • More Vegan Cheese Recipes
    • Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe

    What Ingredients Do I Need?

    This homemade vegan cream cheese is made with whole-food ingredients. All you need is…

    • 2 cups of raw cashews (soaked for 1-2 hours)
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Lemon juice
    • Apple Cider Vinegar
    • A little salt

    How To Make Vegan Cream Cheese?

    Making this vegan cream cheese is so fast and easy. You’ll be “schmearing” in no time.

    • Soak Your Cashews: This is the secret to getting a creamy consistency. I like to soak mine in warm water for about 30 minutes. But, 1-2 hours is optimal. Trust me. Soaking matters.
    • Food Processor: Add all the ingredients to the food processor until it creates a smooth, creamy consistency. You will have to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. But, that’s normal.
    • Enjoy: You can serve right away or store in the fridge until you’re ready. But, you won’t wait.

    That’s it! A delicious dairy free cream cheese guaranteed to make your bagels smile.

    Vegan cream cheese in black bowl on table with chopped green onion.

    Can I Change The Flavors?

    Yes, absolutely! Leave out the garlic and onion and try adding some blueberries or strawberries for a fruitier vegan cream cheese. We love to add a little maple syrup and cinnamon. It’s wonderful on toast.

    But, you can leave out the flavoring altogether and just enjoy a plain cream cheese. There’s no wrong way.

    How Do I Store Leftovers?

    Place any leftover vegan cream cheese in a jar with an airtight lid and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

    You can store it in the freezer for a couple of months. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy it simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

    Black bowl of vegan cream cheese topped with green onion.

    More Vegan Cheese Recipes

    Try these other vegan “cheesy” recipes to satisfy those urges and cravings in a much healthier way.

    • Easy Vegan Cashew Queso
    • Vegan Tofu Ricotta
    • Vegan Cheese Sauce
    • Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Pasta
    • The Best Vegan Mac & Cheese
    • Plant-based Parmesan Cheese
    Bagels on paper sack with bowl of cream cheese.

    I hope you enjoy this Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe. It’s…

    • Easy
    • Versatile
    • Healthy
    • Made with whole ingredients
    • Rich
    • Creamy
    • Tangy
    • Savory
    • Absolutely delicious

    Looking for more healthy dips and spread? Check out my Easy Vegan Tofu Sour Cream, Cashew Sour Cream, Cashew Mayo, & Vegan Sriracha Mayo.

    Bagels with vegan cream cheese.

    If you make this recipe let me know about it. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!

    Print
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    Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    Print Recipe

    This Easy Vegan Cream Cheese recipe is so simple to make and requires just 5 whole food ingredients. It’s savory, tangy, creamy, and insanely delicious!

    • Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
    • Yield: 2 cups 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 cups raw cashews
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • ½ tsp. onion powder
    • ½ tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. salt or to taste

    Instructions

    1. Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes or room temperature water for at least 1-2 hours.
    2. Drain cashews and add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until fairly smooth and creamy and a spread is formed. Stop occassionally to scrape down the sides.
    3. Enjoy right away or store in a glass jar and let chill in the fridge until ready to consume.

    Equipment

    8oz. Mason Jars

    Buy Now →

    Cashews

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    Spatulas

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    Cuisinart Food Processor

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    This specific vegan cream cheese recipe is not good for cooking. It’s purely a spread.

    I have found that food processor is best for this specific recipe. It allows the cream cheese to have a little more texture, yet still, be fairly smooth. If you choose to use a blender just be surea an add a little water as you go to help the process. A blender will give you a much smoother texture similar to mayo.

    • Author: Shane Martin
    • Prep Time: 1 hour
    • Cook Time: 2 mins.
    • Category: Dips & Spreads
    • Method: Blend
    • Cuisine: Vegan
    • Diet: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
    • Calories: 101
    • Sugar: 1.2 g
    • Sodium: 147.9 mg
    • Fat: 7.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 6 g
    • Fiber: 0.6 g
    • Protein: 3.3 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: vegan cream cheese, vegan cream cheese recipe, cashew cream cheese, homemade vegan cream cheese, dairy free cream cheese

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy Darlington

      June 22, 2022 at 8:34 am

      This looks awesome! If only making for one, I can cut the recipe in half. But how long will it keep in fridge?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        June 23, 2022 at 2:35 pm

        Yes, you can do that. It should last for 3-5 days.

        Reply
    2. Beth Ann

      March 04, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      Hi Shane, how do you adapt the bagel recipe from Sweet Simple Vegan? Just wanted to tell you that my husband (not vegan ) and I (WFPB vegan) love your recipes! Keep up the good fight!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        March 06, 2022 at 5:21 pm

        Which ingredient?

        Reply
    3. Kelly

      February 09, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      I made this again, only this time with half walnuts and half cashews. It was still very good and turned out to be a light purple…almost looks like blueberry cream cheese.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Mary

      January 18, 2021 at 7:49 am

      Thanks so much for this recipe. It is my butter substitute for toasted whole-grain bread. I also enjoy it on baked potatoes. I thin it out with a tasty vinegar and drizzle it on.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Kelly

      November 02, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      Absolutely delicious! This is WAY better than the cream cheese we have bought at Trader Joe’s.
      Thanks for another yummy recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        November 02, 2020 at 9:55 pm

        Thank you!!!

        Reply
    6. Jayne

      April 10, 2020 at 3:07 pm

      I adore your blog Shane. Your game day cheese dip and homemade crisps is my go to relaxing with a good book snack.

      I didn’t pick up bagels on my weekly trip to the shops (in the UK we are being advised to shop as little as possible at this time) but next week I’m going to get some and make this cream cheese and snip some chives from my garden to go on top can’t wait!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        April 10, 2020 at 9:46 pm

        Thank you so much for the kind words, Jayne. Stay safe and I hope you enjoy the cream cheese. Blessings.

        Reply
    7. Shane Martin

      April 04, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      Rich, creamy, and so satisfying.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Karla Tourney

      April 04, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      This recipe sounds yummy!Easy too! Thank you so much for all your recipes you post Shane!I have saved many and have made a few too!Take care!

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        April 04, 2020 at 10:43 pm

        It’s my pleasure, Karla! I hope you enjoy this one.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    9. Veronica

      April 04, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      Looks like a delicious recipe, however my daughter is allergic to nuts, I wonder if I couple replace the cashews with something else. Thank you

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        April 04, 2020 at 10:37 pm

        Try using a block of extra firm tofu. NOT Silken, just regular tofu. It should work just fine.

        Reply
    10. Sue

      April 04, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      Where are the actual instructions?
      I see: description, ingredients and notes – but no instructions. So are the cashews soaked first?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        April 04, 2020 at 3:32 pm

        Hi, Sue! So sorry about that. They should be in there now. Please forgive my absent-mindedness.

        Reply

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