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!
More Cooking & Baking Substitutions: Marsala Wine Substitute, Sesame Oil Substitute, Arrowroot Powder Substitute, Buttermilk Substitute
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!
Jump to:
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 ¼ cup each of olive oil and water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice ( ½ lemon should yield 2+ Tbsp ), and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. I usually use ¼ 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 ½ 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 ½ 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 ¼ 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 ¾ 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!
Recipe
Cream Cheese Substitute
Ingredients
Option 1 - Mascarpone Cheese
- 1 cup mascarpone
Option 2 - Cottage Cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese (for dips, sauces, and savory cooking)
- ½ cup cottage cheese + ½ cup heavy cream, yogurt, or Greek yogurt (for desserts and frostings)
Option 3 - Cashew or Almond Cream Cheese
- 2 cups cashews or almonds (peeled) (soak overnight in cold water, or 30 minutes in boiled water)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- salt (to taste)
Option 4 - Hung Curd (Strained or Kerned Yogurt)
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Option 5 - Greek Yogurt (Hung Curd)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Option 6 - Neufchatel
- 1 cup Neufchatel
Option 7 - Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (for most cooking and baking)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese + ½ cup of plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt (for dips)
Option 8 - Hummus
- 1 cup hummus
Option 9 - Bean Curd (Tofu)
- 1 cup silken tofu (plus an optional splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or nut milk)
- 1 cup regular tofu (plus 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar for savory uses, or a splash of lemon juice with a teaspoon of honey for sweets and baking)
- 14 oz firm tofu (drained, pressed, and pat dry)
- ½ cup coconut oil (melted refined or virgin coconut oil)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt (to taste)
Option 10 - Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche
- 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (for baking)
Option 11 - Kefir
- 2 cups kefir (chilled)
- 1 cup kefir
- ¼ cup chia seeds
Option 12 - Gervais Cheese
- 1 cup Gervais cheese
Option 13 - Chevre (Goat Cheese)
- ¾ cup goat cheese
Option 14 - Petit Suisse or Double Suisse
- 1 cup petit suiise or double suisse
Option 15 - Boursin or Alouette
- 1 cup Boursin or Alouette cheese
Instructions
Option 1 - Mascarpone Cheese
- Replace cream cheese with equal parts mascarpone cheese.
Option 2 - Cottage Cheese
- Replace cream cheese with equal parts cottage cheese for dips, sauces, and savory recipes.
- Replace each 1 cup of cream cheese with ½ cup of cottage cheese combined with ½ cup of heavy cream, plain yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt for desserts and frostings. Mix the two until smooth before adding the remaining ingredients.
Option 3 - Cashew or Almond Cream Cheese
- Replace each 1 cup of cream cheese with 1 cup of your cashew or almond cream cheese. Use a food processor blender to puree the strained, soaked nuts into a fine paste, adding olive oil, water, lemon, and nutritional yeast as you blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste.
Option 4 - Hung Curd (Strained or Kerned Yogurt)
- Use 1 cup of plain yogurt to strain through cheesecloth, muslin, or a coffee filter. I set my cheesecloth into a fine-mesh sieve that is set over a bowl.Pour the yogurt into the cloth and squeeze as much excess water out as possible, then set in the sieve and leave (or hang) to continue draining off the whey. Overnight is best, resulting in the most cream-cheese-like curd.This method yields approximately ½ cup of cream cheese curd, depending on how long it is strained or hung.
Option 5 - Greek Yogurt (Hung Curd)
- Use 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt to strain through cheesecloth, muslin, or a coffee filter. I set my cheesecloth into a fine-mesh sieve that is set over a bowl.Pour the Greek yogurt into the cloth and squeeze as much excess water out as possible, then set in the sieve and leave (or hang) to continue draining off the whey. Overnight is best, resulting in a superbly creamy curd.This method yields approximately ½ cup of cream cheese curd, depending on how long it is strained or hung.
Option 6 - Neufchatel
- Use 1 cup of Neufchatel for each cup of cream cheese. American Neufchatel more closely resembles cream cheese, right down to the packaging.
Option 7 - Ricotta Cheese
- Use 1 cup of ricotta cheese for each cup of cream cheese in most cooking and baking recipes.
- Use ½ cup of ricotta cheese combined with either a ½ cup of plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt. Add desired dip flavoring. Mix until smooth.
Option 8 - Hummus
- Use 1 cup of hummus for each cup of cream cheese in most cooking, spreads, dips, and sauce recipes.
Option 9 - Bean Curd (Tofu)
- Silken tofu - use 1 cup of silken tofu for 1 cup of cream cheese. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or nut milk to add flavor and to achieve your desired consistency. Blend until smooth.
- Regular Tofu - for savory dishes, add 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and blend until smooth. For sweets and fruit dips, add a splash of lemon juice + 1 teaspoon of honey.
- Firm Tofu - in a food processor or medium-sized bowl, combine the drained tofu, melted coconut oil, apple cider or lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Mix until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add desired flavors or seasoning, stir and adjust salt to taste.
Option 10 - Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche
- Use 1 cup of sour cream or creme fraiche for each 1 cup of cream cheese called for in a recipe. *Add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to achieve the desired consistency in baking.
Option 11 - Kefir
- Use 2 cups of kefir to strain through cheesecloth, muslin, or a coffee filter. I set my cheesecloth into a fine-mesh sieve that is set over a bowl.Pour the chilled kefir into a 4-layer cloth and squeeze as much excess water out as possible, then set in the sieve and leave (or hang) to continue draining in the refrigerator. Overnight is good, but your best results will be hanging the kefir for 2-3 days which results in a superbly tangy, creamy curd.This method yields approximately 1 cup of kefir cream cheese curd, depending on how long it is strained or hung.
- Place 1 cup of kefir in a bowl and add ¼ cup chia seeds. Place in the refrigerator and allow the chia seeds to soak up the kefir liquid. Stir occasionally, use when your desired consistency has been reached.
Option 12 - Gervais Cheese
- Use 1 cup of Gervais cheese for each 1 cup of cream cheese called for in any cooking or baking recipe.
Option 13 - Chevre (Goat Cheese)
- Use ¾ cup of goat cheese (chevre) for each 1 cup of cream cheese called for in a recipe.
Option 14 - Petit Suisse
- Use 1 cup of petit suisse or double suisse for each 1 cup of cream cheese called for in a recipe.
Option 15 - Boursin or Alouette
- Use 1 cup of herbed or flavored Boursin or Alouette for each 1 cup of cream cheese called for in a savory recipe.
Notes
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
OMG!!! I just printed this for future reference, thank you for making this.