Cream Cheese Substitute Options: Beyond the Block

Many recipes call for cream cheese, but not everyone keeps it in their refrigerator. Instead of a trip to the grocery store, why not try a cream cheese substitute?

Also, check out Substitutes for Wheat Germ.

A block of cream cheese substitute on a wooden cutting board with fresh mint leaves and a linen cloth in the background.

Some people have dietary restrictions and avoid foods like dairy, while others are looking for healthier options. If any of these apply to you, read on for cream cheese substitute options you can try.

Why you need cream cheese

The cream cheese gives certain qualities to baked goods, desserts, and savory dishes. You need cream cheese:

It makes pie crusts light and flaky.
Cream cheese adds richness to frostings like those used for carrot and red velvet cakes.
Use it in cheesecake recipes.
Stir cream cheese into a soup to add creaminess and thickness.
It can add creaminess and tanginess to pasta sauce.
Use cream cheese as a base for dips and spreads.
Add it to mashed potatoes to add creaminess and thickness.

Common cream cheese substitute

Always remember that a cream cheese substitute can change the texture, flavor or consistency of a recipe. Having the exact ingredient a recipe calls for is ideal, but it’s not always possible due to allergies, dietary restrictions, or not having it on hand. In such cases, these options are great choices. With the exception of goat cheese, you can easily replace cream cheese with these substitutes in a one-to-one ratio.

Mascarpone cheese

Mascarpone Italian cream cheese is almost identical to cream cheese. It has a higher fat content, which makes it a creamier option — best for desserts and dips. American cream cheese, in comparison, is more acidic, which gives it a tangier flavor. To make mascarpone tangier, add a splash of lemon juice.

“I find that mascarpone cheese is a great substitute for cream cheese for both savory and sweet recipes! I was making a cheesecake and ran out of cream cheese, and I was able to substitute this because its flavor didn’t overpower other ingredients but still had the same fluffy texture.”

— Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju, Urban Farmie

Award-winning Mascarpone Pound Cake

Award-winning Mascarpone Pound Cake is a dense, buttery, and moist pound cake recipe with a fine, tender crumb and a brown, crusty outside and top.

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Neufchâtel

Neufchâtel cheese has a similar consistency and taste to cream cheese but contains higher fat and sodium content. American Neufchâtel comes in 8-ounce bricks like cream cheese. French Neufchâtel is soft but crumbly. Use this substitute in baking, desserts, frostings, savory recipes, sauces, and dips.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is made of curds and whey and has a mild flavor. It is lower in fat and has a chunkier texture. When using cottage cheese for desserts or frostings, add the same amount of plain yogurt, plain Greek yogurt, or heavy cream. Use a mixer to combine and make it smooth before adding to other frosting ingredients. When using cottage cheese for dips, gravies, or cheese sauces, strain the cottage cheese to remove excess water and blend it into a puree. Cottage cheese — combined with plain yogurt, plain Greek yogurt, or heavy cream when necessary — is perfect for frostings, desserts, sauces, dips, and spreads.

Fluffy Cottage Egg Casserole | Crustless Quiche

Delicious and easy to make, Fluffy Cottage Egg Casserole | Crustless Quiche is not only perfect for Easter brunch, but it's fabulous year round!

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Ricotta cheese

Ricotta cheese has a milder flavor and chunkier texture than cream cheese. When using ricotta cheese for dips, add the same amount of ricotta and plain Greek yogurt or plain yogurt to equal what the recipe calls for and mix until smooth. For other recipes, use it one-for-one cream cheese substitute. It is best for dips, sauces, spreads, baking, and savory cooking.

Baked Blackberry Ricotta Cheesecake

Baked Blackberry Ricotta Cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake recipe you’ll ever make. This light and fluffy ricotta cheesecake is sweetened with agave nectar and packed with delicious, juicy blackberries.

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Classic Ricotta Pound Cake

Classic Ricotta Pound Cake is moist, buttery, and rich. This pound cake recipe yields a very dense but moist cake. It’s a smaller pound cake that makes one loaf pan instead of the standard tube or bundt pan.

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Sour cream

Sour cream is thick, tangy, and slightly sour. It is best for sauces, dips, and baking. When baking, add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour to help make the cake firm.

Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

Always a crowd-pleaser, Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe is soft, moist and buttery.

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Sweet Potato Sour Cream Cornbread Recipe

Sweet Potato Sour Cream Cornbread Recipe is a new family favorite recipe. The sweet potatos adds just enough unique flavor with pumpkin pie spice bringing a little kick to make this cornbread outstanding.

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Cream Cheese Substitute: Goat cheese

Goat cheese is soft, spreadable cheese that is tangy and rich. In place of cream cheese, use three-quarters cup of goat cheese for every cup your recipe calls for. Try making this substitution in your spreads, sauces, dips, or to make sweet and savory dishes.

Cashew cheese

Cashew cheese is a vegan substitute for cheese. You usually make it with blended cashews, nutritional yeast, water, and seasonings. Cashew cheese is in natural food stores, organic grocery stores, and specialty cheese shops. Use cashew cheese for savory dishes like soups and sauces.

Hummus

Hummus is dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan. You make it with chickpeas — also called garbanzo beans. It is creamy, tangy, and nutty, making it great for savory dishes, spreads, and sauces.

LOADED LIME GARLIC HUMMUS RECIPE

This hummus is creamy and delicious. It's topped with a variety of pickled and fresh vegetables. This dip is packed with flavor and nutrients and just takes 10 minutes to make.

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Cream Cheese Substitute: Silken tofu

Silken tofu is another vegan option for cream cheese. It is creamier than regular tofu and has a similar consistency to cream cheese. Use it in baking, dips, spreads, and savory recipes.

Plain yogurt

To use plain yogurt as a cream cheese substitute, you need time to make hung kurd, also known as strained yogurt. Full-fat yogurt is best for this, with a similar flavor and texture to cream cheese.

You will need a bowl and a cheesecloth or coffee filter to make hung kurd. Pour the yogurt into the cloth and squeeze it to eliminate the whey. Hang the cheesecloth or coffee filter over a bowl overnight. The longer you hang it, the thicker it will become.

The result has a sour taste that is similar to the tanginess of cream cheese. Add a small amount of honey to sweeten, if desired. Try hung kurd in sauces, dips, savory dishes, baking, sweets and frostings.

Cream Cheese Substitute Final thoughts

When using a cream cheese substitute, it’s important to remember that your recipe may not turn out exactly like the original. Follow the directions above carefully, and although the texture and flavor may be slightly different than when using cream cheese, these alternatives are still worth a try.

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