11 Cream cheese substitute items | Easy cream cheese substitute guide

Cream Cheese Substitute Guide to cheer up your special meals!

Finding out the unexpected absence of cream cheese is the typical scenario faced by many of us! Also, just like you, I become anxious about running for the best cream cheese substitute, which won’t alter the flavour and saucy texture of my recipe!

So, stay tuned, your heart will be mesmerized by this complete cream cheese substitute list which has the most suitable cream cheese alternatives for your recipe.

This cream cheese substitute guide not only mentions the perfect and easily accessible cream cheese substitutes but also shades a light upon the health-packed benefits these super ingredients bring with them!

This usual question might strike upon your mind, “what ingredient would make the best cream cheese substitute?”

As we all know that the texture, flavor, and taste of cream cheese is utterly distinct, so the style and type of your recipe hold significant importance to choose the best alternative as the best cream cheese substitute.

This frantic task might crack up the mind of many people! Keep your worries away as I have shared the most suitable cream cheese substitute items for you that you can match with the taste and texture demands of your recipes!

So, let’s explore ultimate Cream Cheese Substitute list:

French cheeses like Gervais, Neufchâtel, little Swiss are many times preferred as the perfect cream cheese substitute options; apart from these ricotta cheese also makes a good substitute for cream cheese.

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Other most often used substitute items are cottage cheese, hung curd, almond cream cheese, coconut cream cheese, bean curd AKA tofu, cashew cream cheese. Keep exploring with me, as you will be ending with some of the ideal cream cheese substitute items that were hiding closest to you in your pantry!

By the time you end up reading this list, you will also be glad by the full health-promoting benefits of these cream cheese substitute items! If some of you are unaware of the delicious cheese cream, I’ll throw light upon your doubt before we start exploring our super alternatives!

Cream cheese is infused in many recipes very often; this ultimate roll-on is must make all baked recipes and dips for a desirable taste! Cream cheese has wholesome goodness in taste but brings upon many unwanted fats at large. For this specific reason, cream cheese is eluded by some diet freaks!

People who pick allergies form dairy should also keep away from it. There are no worries to bring in your mind; I am here with the perfect guide to find your most suitable cream cheese substitute.

These cream cheese substitute items are delicious, and all the diet followers can happily include them in their recipes without sacrificing diets!

Best Cream Cheese Substitutes for Your Recipes

In my opinion, the versatility and adaptability make the cream cheese perfect and how effortlessly it gets fitted in the different variants of recipes is the reason cream cheese is included in many methods.

After many experiments, I have picked these 11 cream cheese substitute items that you can stream in any of your recipes.

RICOTTA CHEESE

Ricotta cheese is much mild and refreshing in taste than many varieties of cheese; this cheese originally inherits from Italy. It leaves some of the milk like after taste in the recipe.

Ricotta has a soft feel and can be easily used as a cream cheese substitute; you should merge it with the same amount of yogurt to get the perfect texture or create tasty dips or for baking.

However, you can use it directly without any additions when you are using it for gravies. Mix up an equal amount of heavy cream to get the perfect texture and taste for the frosting of cake or cheesecake. Some additional sugar is always preferred as there is natural sugar present in the ricotta cheese.

EXPLORE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF RICOTTA CHEESE:

• In a single serving of ricotta cheese, you can get 50% calcium of the required amount of single day.
• There is an excellent amount of protein in ricotta cheese that is beneficial for growth.
• Ricotta cheese is abundant in vitamins like A, B-12, zinc, and phosphorus.
• It has lesser salt content as compared to other types of cheese, so it makes an ideal food for people having blood pressure issues.

PERFECT RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 2 cups of cream cheese for baked goods and dips – Ricotta cheese 1 cup + yogurt 1 cup

For 2 cups of cream cheese to make frostings and cheesecake – ricotta cheese 1 cup + heavy cream 1 cup

HUNG CURD

These cream cheese substitutes are abundant in numerous nutrients. You will only need plain yogurt.

Whenever I opt for this, I go for a full-fat milk yogurt, as you can get the final thickness that is suitable to mimic real cream cheese, with a lovely cream and texture.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED:

• Plain yogurt
• Cheesecloth
• A bowl

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take a cloth and put a cup of yogurt in it, and to make the whey separate and drain out, squeeze it pack tightly.
2. Keep it over the bowl for the duration you desire (If you keep it for a longer time you will get thicker curd)
3. Once you have the desired consistency and all why has drained out, it is all prepared.

Note: When you strain it for 8 to 12 hours, a single cup of yogurt creates around half a cup of hung curd. If hung for more than two days, so you will get 1/3 cup of cream cheese substitute in a single cup.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF HUNG CURD:

• Unlike cream cheese, Hung curd is full of proteins.
• You can fulfill your daily calcium requirement by 15%.
• Its low sodium content makes it best for people dealing with high blood pressure.

SOFT BEAN CURD

Soft bean curd is much famous by the name of tofu, and it’s a perfect cream cheese substitutes to make your recipe complete. Besides delivering optimum nutrition, it is a good vegan substitute for cream cheese. It has a good firm texture, so you can’t utilize it as a cream cheese substitute as it is. However, you can find the readymade tofu for a spread in the supermarket.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED:

• Soft tofu – 1 ½ cup
• Margarine – ½ cup
• Lemon Juice – 1 tablespoon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Keep all the ingredients in a chopper and whiz!
2. Push the tofu towards the chopper blade to get proper distribution and the perfect consistency.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOFT BEAN CURD:

1. It contains many essential amino acids that are important to the building blocks of our body and a very good plant-based protein.
2. Tofu is power-packed with essential minerals like B1, zinc, phosphorus, also has a high content of calcium and iron.
3. It decreases the high cholesterol, risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and side effects of menopause.

THE RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup of cream cheese = soft bean curd 1 ½ cup + lemon juice one tablespoon + margarine ½ cup

COTTAGE CHEESE

It is a form of fresh cheese, so not processed for aging. It is created out of yogurt; its less fattening quality makes it a good option as a cream cheese substitute.

You can make use of cottage cheese for cream cheese substitute in numerous ways:

First, to make the perfect cream cheese alternative for desserts and frostings, completely strain the cottage cheese and mix equal amounts of heavy cream in it.

For dips and gravies, take a blender and add strained cream cheese and puree it for a perfect substitute.

For a fattening substitute, mash the strained cottage cheese along with butter.

COTTAGE CHEESE HEALTH BENEFITS:

• It is an ultimate protein-rich food that has about 70% protein.
• You can fulfill about 11% of the daily calcium requirement by it.
• It makes a good option for diabetes as it prevented insulin resistance.

NEUFCHATEL

Neufchatel is also a soft cheese just like Gervaise, which has the right consistency and mimics the taste and flavor of cream cheese very closely. You should use a young and fresh version of Neufchatel when using it as a cream cheese substitute.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF NEUFCHATEL:

• It can improve bone and teeth health, which makes it a good option for growing kids.
• It can lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure issues if consumed in excessive amounts, as there is an excellent content of fat and sodium present in most cheese variants.

PERFECT RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTES:

For 1 cup of cream cheese = Fresh Neufchatel 1 cup

KEFIR

Kefir is originally from Turkey and made up of fermented milk. It somewhat tastes like regular yogurt. However, it has more water content as compared to cream cheese, so you cannot pour it in your recipe in its original form.

Bring on some chia seeds for this issue!

A Perfect Cream Cheese Substitute from kefir and chia seeds:

Add 1 cup of kefir along with ¼ cup of chia seeds in a bowl.

Without stirring it, keep it as it is for half an hour.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF KEFIR:

• Kefir brings up some of the most fantastic health benefits. When you merge them with chia seeds, you get a perfect recipe with gourmet taste.
• You can treat gastrointestinal issues with this combination as it has probiotic and antibacterial properties.
• They are right to decrease the likelihood of bone disease.
• Kefir can be opted for treating seasonal allergies.

GOAT CHEESE

Even though it is expensive, goat cheese makes an accomplished cream cheese substitute. It’s quite smooth as well as has a desirable level of tanginess in flavor, and spreadable texture makes it the best cream cheese substitute.

It is fattening than cream cheese, also a little denser. To replace one whole cup of cream cheese, ¾ cup will be enough.

You can go for low-fat goat cheese if fat consumption is an issue for you, which is also available in the market.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOAT CHEESE:

• Goat cheese can be consumed if you are aiming for weight loss.
• It contains a healthy dose of calcium and essential vitamins along with good content of protein.
• Those who are lactose intolerant or have milk allergies can go for this cheese as it is far easier to digest.

PERFECT RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup of cream cheese = Goat cheese ¾ cup

MASCARPONE

This is Italian cream cheese, while traditional cream cheese is American cheese. Their difference is quite little; this variant of cream cheese substitute is a little creamier and has good fat content but little more acidic.

The taste and overall flavor are quite similar; hence you can anytime opt for mascarpone as the cream cheese substitute.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MASCARPONE:

• It is abundant in calcium but has a high amount of fats, which causes adversities if consumed in excess.
• It has low amounts of sodium than the cheese variants.

PERFECT RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup of cream cheese = mascarpone cheese 1 cup

SOUR CREAM

Cream coagulation is done to create the sour cream. Sour cream is most frequently used for the preparation of dips. So, it is preferred by many as an ideal cream cheese substitute in even spicy food recipes. However, keep in mind that you can’t use it as a substitute for cream cheese for frosting as it contains a strong acidic taste.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOUR CREAM:

Unfortunately, if we talk about its benefits, there are no health benefits of sour cream as it contains a high amount of saturated fats, which can play havoc on health if consumed in excess.

 THE RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup of cream cheese – Sour cream 1 cup

LITTLE SWISS

It’s a different variety of French cheese that makes a unique cheese cream substitute with its lovely creamy taste.

Little Swiss has a yogurt-like texture that is refreshing, unsalted cheese that makes it ideal for use as a cream cheese substitute; you could even merge it with a sweetener like chocolate, honey, jam, marmalade.

The addition of herbs is best to elevate the savory taste. You can mix up some spice and salt for a go-to dip of your favorite recipes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LITTLE SWISS:

• It could fill out many nutritional needs of the body when consumed in limited amounts.
• If consumed in excess, it causes issues like coagulated arteries; but if consumed in a desirable amount, it can provide many heart health and bone benefits.

THE RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup cream cheese for desserts and frostings – Little Swiss one small container + honey

For 1 cup of cream cheese for savory foods and dips = Mustard – Little Swiss one small container

GERVAIS

This ultimate type of French cheese is also one of those ingredients that make a quick cream cheese substitute, it has beautiful spreadable finish and light texture, along with the richness in flavor which somewhat tangy, Gervais also has a small sweeter quality in taste just like cream cheese.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GERVAIS:

• Gervais makes an ideal food to increase bone and teeth health, and also suitable for treating tooth decay and osteoporosis.
• It can fulfill many nutritional deficiencies, such as protein, calcium, and vitamin B12 deficiency.
• It is good to maintain heart health.

PERFECT RATIO FOR CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

For 1 cup of cream cheese = Gervais French cheese 1 cup

CASHEW CREAM CHEESE

For all those who are lactose intolerant and vegans, cashew cream cheese is a savior for you! It includes a cashews cream as a cream cheese substitute, as per its name.

All you need:

• A chopper
• Raw cashews – 1 heaping cup (soaked in water for at least 2 hours or best overnight)
• Nutritional yeast – 2 tablespoons
• Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take the chopper and add the nutritional yeast and soaked cashews and keep for chopping until you get the smooth paste. Also, give it another wiz after adding lemon juice.
2. You can include more spices or ingredients for a more flavorful pack– dried garlic, dried button chilies, freshly ground black pepper, etc.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CASHEWS CREAM CHEESE:

• It is a good source of healthy fats and minerals.
• It is an ideal food for those who suffer from high cholesterol as Cashew cream cheese is ideal for cutting down cholesterol levels.
• Eating cashew cream cheese can decrease the chances of getting heart diseases.

THE RATIO FOR A CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE:

1 cup of cashew cream = 1 cup of cream cheese

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE

This is the best non-dairy vegan cream cheese substitute, which also nut-free, rich, smooth, and creamy. It has coconut butter, nutritional yeast, and coconut milk as bases. You can also get it readymade at supermarket stores. Coconut cream cheese is quite sweeter than regular cream cheese as it made out of coconut; it makes an ideal vegan substitute for cream cheese to make frostings.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT CREAM CHEESE:

• Coconut cream is full of health-boosting nutrients.
• You can also decrease the chances of Cancer and Cholesterol by consuming it.
• It can help with weight loss and suitable for cognitive function as it contains Lauric acid, which is a medium-chain fatty acid.
• It’s a good option for Keto diet followers and versatile.
• It has a tinge of sweetness, so coconut cream is used for savory as well as sweet dishes.

HUMMUS

If you are lactose intolerant who has a search for Non-dairy substitute for cream cheese, then go for this unique substitute. Even though Hummus has quite a distinct taste than regular cream cheese, it’s a good option for a cream cheese substitute. Merging it for hot bagels or English muffins is the most suitable.

It also comes with a distinct benefit as compared to regular cream cheese and hummus is quite healthy, while the regular cream cheese is packed with many unnecessary nutrients and vitamins.

Hummus has a very content of low-fat protein and made out of pinto beans, which has the right amount of healthy fats, and it also decreases the chances of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF HUMMUS:

• Hummus is best a vegan substitute for a cream cheese substitute.
• With its plant-based protein, it fights an array of body inflammations.
• Hummus is quite useful for Digestive Health as has high levels of fibre
• It contains bacteria, which is good for the Gut.
• It is suitable for Controlling Blood Sugar Levels as it has a low glycemic index.

ALMOND CREAM CHEESE

You would have never thought that even almond cream can play out as the potential cream cheese substitute! Almond cream cheese is also an excellent vegan substitute for cream cheese.

 If you have some lemon juice, apple cider, vinegar, almonds, and a couple of other ingredients, you could make homemade almond cream cheese if you have some common ingredients like vinegar, almond, apple cider and much more.

If you’re comfortable in changing its taste, you can even opt for your own choice of spices. When it comes to recipes, I like keeping it simple. I first taste the original form before adding any extra spices to alter the taste wholly.

You can also include some vanilla extract in your almond cream cheese substitute and improve the sweetness you desire, and you will end up with something that mimics the cream cheese accurately.

When added with honey or vanilla, it makes a blissful Frosting.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALMOND CREAM CHEESE:

• It lowers up the cholesterol levels
• Almond is useful for enhancing memory
• It is suitable for managing weight and weight loss
• Almond cream is helpful for maintaining gut health.