Cream Cheese Substitute

Everything you need to know about Cream Cheese Substitute options including how and when to use them! All of these substitutes have instructions for making the best cream cheese alternatives, plus ideas for the best uses in recipes!

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18 Best Cream Cheese Substitutes

There are many reasons for needing a good substitute. Whether it’s thinking that you already have an item on hand, or needing a recipe-specific item that you can’t find at the store.

Even with best-laid plans, it’s easy to run into a missing ingredient when cooking or baking. I don’t know how many times I have done this myself!

Depending on your recipe, you may find that many of the following substitutions will work. I have noted which alternative is best for baking, cooking, sauces, dips, and more in the description of a substitute.

No matter the reason, don’t panic! Here’s my list of fabulous cream cheese substitutes!

The Best Substitute for Cream Cheese

1. Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone is Italian cream cheese and it is almost identical to cream cheese with a few exceptions. The only differences are that Mascarpone has a higher fat content making it a creamier option. American cream cheese is slightly more acidic, which leads to the tangy flavor of cream cheese.

To lighten up your mascarpone, add a splash of lemon juice. This will add your desired tanginess and a fluffier texture.

The best part of this substitute is that it can be used for both desserts and savory dishes! Mascarpone is the perfect creamy addition to risotto recipes, and is equally amazing in sweets like these cheese tarts!

Mascarpone is an ideal replacement for cream cheese and can be used in equal parts as the cream cheese. The only downside to using mascarpone is that may or may not be readily available in your local grocery stores.

Best Used: desserts, dips, baking, cooking, best all-around substitution for cream cheese.

More Great Substitutes for Cream Cheese

2. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is another unprocessed, fresh variety of cheese. It consists of cheese curd ( curds and whey ) and has a mild flavor. Cottage cheese comes in several fat content percentages and can be one of the healthiest cream cheese substitutes.

To use cottage cheese for desserts or frostings, you need to add the same amount of heavy cream, plain yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt with the cottage cheese. Use your hand mixer or stand mixer to mix the cottage cheese ( plus cream, yogurt, or Greek yogurt ) until smooth before adding the remaining frosting ingredients.

For the best results when using cottage cheese as dips and cheese sauces or gravies, strain the cottage cheese of excess water then blend into a puree.

For a quick and easy spread, puree cottage cheese with a splash of milk and add your favorite herbs and spices.

Best Used: desserts, frostings, dips, sauces, and spreads.

3. Almond Cream Cheese ( Dairy-Free, Soy-Free & Vegan )

Using almonds you can make an easy cream cheese substitute. This substitute is best for spreads and cooking, but I do not recommend it for baking. Almond cream cheese can work in no-bake sweets and makes a very tasty fruit dip when a touch of honey is added.

Soak two cups of almonds ( sliced, skinless almonds work best ) – it’s best to let the almonds soak overnight. Next, make a fine paste of the soaked almonds along with 1/4 cup each of olive oil and water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice ( 1/2 lemon should yield 2+ Tbsp ), and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. I usually use 1/4 teaspoon of salt and adjust to taste from there.

For additional flavor, mix in your favorite herbs and spices. Or add a garlic glove when blending to make a delightfully savory spread.

Best Used: spreads, dips, soups, and savory cooking.

4. Hung Curd ( Strained or Kerned Yogurt )

Plain yogurt can be used to easily make hung curd to replace your cream cheese. I would recommend full-fat yogurt to get the best consistency. This is a great option for producing a similar result to cream cheese in both texture and flavor.

To make hung curd you will need some plain yogurt, a cheesecloth (or muslin, or a coffee filter, or a piece of your old torn t-shirt ), and a bowl. Pour the curd or yogurt into the piece of cloth and squeeze it well to get rid of the whey.

Next, hang it for as long as you want. You may want to hang the yogurt overnight, as the longer you hang the curd, the thicker the curd cheese you will get.

The resulting curd has a distinctively sour taste that resembles the tangy cream cheese flavor. To sweeten slightly, use a small amount of honey or pure maple syrup.

Best Used: sweets, baking & frosting recipes as well as savory recipes, sauces, and dips.

5. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is one of the healthier substitutes for cream cheese as it is fat-free and full of protein. Greek yogurt is creamier and thicker than plain yogurt and will yield an even creamier curd than the yogurt-based hung curd above.

Using Greek yogurt as a cream cheese substitute is identical to that of using plain yogurt. You will get around half a cup of cream cheese substitute after hanging 1 cup of the greek yogurt for around 8 – 12 hours.

Best Used: sweets, baking & frosting recipes, savory recipes, sauces, and dips.

6. Neufchatel

Neufchatel is a soft cheese that is almost identical to cream cheese in terms of consistency and taste. Both fresh Neufchatel and processed varieties are available in the specialty cheese section or deli of your local grocery store.

There is also the original style that originated in France. This French Neufchatel is soft like the American version but is also crumbly in texture.

French Neufchatel has a soft rind, is mold-ripened, and is frequently shaped like a heart.

American Neufchatel is typically found boxed and sealed in 8-ounce bricks, just like cream cheese.

Personally, I prefer using fresh Neufchatel. You should also remember to use it in moderate amounts as Neufchatel has a higher fat and sodium content than cream cheese does.

Neufchatel can be used in equal parts to the amount of cream cheese called for in any recipe.

Best Used: sweets, baking & frosting recipes, savory recipes, sauces, and dips.

7. Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta Cheese is another Italian cheese that is a fresh cheese ( like cream cheese and mascarpone ). Ricotta has a milder flavor than cream cheese and does not have the same smooth texture as cream cheese.

To use ricotta cheese for dips, mix equal amounts of ricotta and plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt. To use ricotta as a cream cheese substitute in other recipes, you can simply use the same amount of ricotta as cream cheese called for in the recipe.

Best Used: spreads, dips, sauces, baking, and savory cooking.

8. Hummus ( Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free & Vegan )

Another cream cheese substitute, hummus, is made from chickpeas ( also called Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea ). It is another great low-fat and high-protein option.

This replacement is exceptionally creamy with a tangy and nutty taste. Hummus works best when spread on toasted English muffins and hot bagels.

Store-bought hummus is nowhere near as tasty as homemade, and that will also depend on your tahini quality! To make a great hummus at home, do take a few extra steps to ensure a superior smooth and creamy texture. 

When replacing cream cheese with hummus in your cooking you can use an equal amount of hummus as the cream cheese called for in the recipe.

Best Used: spreads, sauces, and savory cooking.

9. Bean Curd aka Tofu ( Dairy-Free, Vegan )

Bean curd, or tofu, comes in several varieties based on their level of firmness or texture. These 5 groupings are silken, regular, firm, extra-firm, and super-firm when ranked from the softest to hardest tofu.

There are multiple ways to make a truly wonderful cream cheese substitute based on tofu! Each of these methods will depend on the level of tofu hardness ( as illustrated above ) and their water content.

Silken tofu, or Japanese tofu, has the highest water content and can be used pretty much in a 1:1 ratio as cream cheese. You may want to use a liquid like apple cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or nut milk to thin the soft tofu to your desired consistency.

Regular tofu is a bit more firm, but still soft like the silken tofu. Add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar and blend until smooth for a savory dip ( my favorite addition is everything bagel seasoning ). Or add a splash of lemon with a teaspoon of honey for a superb fruit dip!

Firm tofu, just as its name implies, is firmer tofu than silken or regular and not quite as firm as extra-firm or super-firm tofu. Firm tofu is also the most readily available tofu to purchase in your local grocery stores without needing to go to a specialty market or order online.

Firm tofu is also the third and final tofu that I would use as a cream cheese alternative. Since firm tofu is usually water-packed when you get it, you will need to drain and pat the tofu dry. Firmly press as much of the packing water out of your firm tofu as possible.

To make a tofu cream cheese, transfer the drained tofu into a medium-sized mixing bowl ( or use a food processor ). Melt 1/2 cup of refined or virgin coconut oil, then add it to the bowl with the tofu.

Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend using a hand mixer or immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Add any desired flavorings, herbs, or spices. Stir and season to taste.

This tofu cream cheese recipe yields approximately 18 ounces, based on most tofu packages being 14 ounces. It will yield more than 2 cups of cream cheese which is also more than two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese.

Tofu cream cheese can be used in a 1:1 ratio when used as a cream cheese substitute ( equal parts ).

Best Used: a great all-around cream cheese substitute for both cooking & baking.

10. Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche

Sour cream has a tangy taste, which makes your dips and sauces tasty and delicious. Creme fraiche is richer and thicker than sour cream. The taste is not quite as tangy as sour cream, but it does hold up well to heat when cooking!

Best Used: dips, sauces, and baking. *When using in baking – remember to add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour to make the cake firm.

11. Kefir

Kefir is a fermented beverage made of milk with a mild but slightly sour taste. Kefir usually has a note of sweetness, with a slightly tangy flavor that makes it a great option to use as a base for a cream cheese replacement.

To use Kefir in place of cream cheese, you will need to strain the CHILLED kefir ( like the hung curd above ). Note that one difference with kefir is that I folded my cheesecloth into quarters to make a 4-layer straining cloth. *Otherwise the kefir runs right through your cloth!

Your best results will be after 2 – 3 days of straining the kefir while refrigerated.

Use 2 cups of kefir to make 1 cup strained kefir cream cheese.

Alternatively, you can add 1/4 cup of chia seeds to 1 cup of kefir. Refrigerate and leave the chia seeds in the kefir to soak up the liquid or water content. Stir occasionally until you have the consistency needed for your recipe, usually about 30 minutes.

Best Used: dips, spreads, sauces, and added last-minute to savory recipes ( kefir will curdle in high heat cooking ).

12. Gervais Cheese

Gervais is a wonderfully rich and creamy French cheese. Gervais cheese is soft and easily spreadable, with a tangy flavor that has just a touch of sweetness which is very similar to cream cheese.

You can use this french cheese in every possible recipe where you use cream cheese. The only problem is that this substitute is not always readily available for purchase at most local grocery stores.

Best Used: cooking, baking, and can be used in any recipe as a cream cheese substitute.

13. Chèvre aka Goat Cheese

Chèvre, or goat cheese, is a delightfully tangy and rich cheese to use as a cream cheese alternative! The soft, spreadable cheese very closely resembles cream cheese. The only exception being that goat cheese is much denser than cream cheese.

To use goat cheese in a recipe, you will only need 3/4 cup of goat cheese for each one cup of cream cheese. Whip the goat cheese with some heavy cream and confections sugar for an outstanding frosting!

Goat cheese can be spread straight out of the packaging onto bagels and toasted English muffins, just like cream cheese. However, due to the density, I like to add a splash of cream. Mix until smooth, add your favorite spread seasoning and then enjoy this amazingly flavorful cheese!

Best Used: cooking, baking, and can be used in any recipe as an all-purpose cream cheese substitute.

14. Petit Suisse or Double Suisse

Petit Suisse or Double Suisse ( or double petit-Suisse, or Suisse double ) is another French cheese with a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor. You can find this soft cheese in 30g – 60g, or just over 1 – 2 ounces, individual size packaging like yogurt. This smaller packaging is when it’s called petit Suisse.

Larger amounts of the same French cheese are sold as double petit-Suisse, double Suisse, or Suisse double. Petit Suisse cheese itself is very similar to a thick yogurt consistency.

Any size package of petit Suisse that you have or find can be used in a 1:1 equal portion ratio as cream cheese.

Best Used: cooking, baking, and can be used in any recipe as an all-purpose cream cheese substitute.

15. Boursin brand Gournay Cheese or Alouette Garlic Herb Cheese

Boursin and Alouette are both flavored soft cream-cheese type spreads with a very similar flavor as cream cheese. Since both of these brands are offered with herbs and other flavors already added, they have to work with your intended recipe.

Since they are creamy cheese, they can both be used for savory recipes but are best used for replacing cream cheese as a spread or in dips.

Best Used: dips, spreads, sauces, and savory cooking.

16. Cashew Cream Cheese

17. Coconut Cream Cheese

18. Butter Beans ( Nut-Free, Soy-Free &Vegan )

Can I Use Cream Cheese Spread as a Cream Cheese Alternative?

Most definitely! In most cases, there won’t be any noticeable difference. However, and most especially in baking recipes, you may have a resulting texture that is different.

Due to the higher liquid ( milk ) content in cream cheese spread, the resulting consistency of your dish may vary. If using cream cheese spread to substitute cream cheese in a recipe, try to find a spread with over 30% fat content for best results.

What About Using Whipped Cream Cheese as a Substitution for Cream Cheese?

Yes, and no! That will depend completely on what you are making!

For cooking recipes and frosting, I have found whipped cream cheese to be a staple for cream cheese substitution. When baking something that you know should be superbly rich and creamy, like a cheesecake, I would opt for the real deal cream cheese!