What Is Vegan Cream Cheese? Plus, Your Information to the Finest Dairy-Free Manufacturers

For one thing so easy, dairy-free cream cheese has change into a behemoth of a subject. Some favor a layer so skinny it’s virtually translucent whereas others favor a two-to-one ratio of bagel to cream cheese. Then there are the flavors—plain, the whole lot, chive, lox, cinnamon raisin (don’t @ us for that final one—it exists, even if you happen to don’t prefer it). Whether or not looking for the most effective dairy-free cream cheese for bagels or for desserts, use this information to navigate via the swirly, luscious wonders of a vegan schmear.

What’s dairy-free cream cheese?

To make clear, after we confer with “dairy-free cream cheese,” we’re additionally referring to vegan cream cheese. We’ve but to come back throughout a dairy-free cream cheese that wasn’t vegan, largely on account of the truth that different animal components usually aren’t used to make the essential schmear. Packaged cream cheese is fabricated from pasteurized complete milk, salt, carob bean gum (a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier), and cheese cultures. Most do-it-yourself vegan cream cheese recipes substitute the cultures for an acid, similar to lemon juice, to curdle the dairy-free base. 

Daiya

To make a vegan model of a conventional cow milk-dependent product, just a few additional components are wanted. Totally different firms depend on completely different meals and strategies to achieve that thick texture and mildly tart style. Tofutti, for instance, makes use of soy, an oil mix, and non-dairy lactic acid; more moderen vegan cream cheese innovators similar to Miyoko’s Creamery depend on cashews, coconut cream, and vegan cultures. At some point, it’d even be constructed from precision fermentation, an rising method that’s slowly making its means into the vegan meals area. Solely time will inform.

There’s a seemingly infinite variety of methods to make it, however the common rule of thumb is the emulsification of fats, liquid, salt, and cultures, typically with the addition of a stabilizer.

Is dairy-free cream cheese wholesome?

Whereas the components for dairy-free cream cheese range, the vitamin label throughout manufacturers appears to be like comparable. Vegan or not, cream cheese is calorically-dense and excessive in fats, and “wholesome” is a relative time period. As a result of it doesn’t use cow’s milk, it doesn’t comprise trans fats and tends to be decrease in saturated fats than an animal-based schmear. An excessive amount of saturated fats is related to larger ranges of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often known as “unhealthy” ldl cholesterol. Excessive LDL ranges can improve the chance of coronary heart illness, based on the American Coronary heart Affiliation.

The healthfulness of vegan cream cheese varies from model to model. If saturated fats is a priority, preserve a watch out for coconut oil-based vegan cream cheeses. Coconut oil is about 90 % saturated fats.

In the event you’re on the lookout for one which’s on the better-for-you facet, keep away from the dairy-free varieties constructed from oil and persist with those constructed from complete meals components like nuts, seeds, and even beans. That’s to not say that oil-based vegan cream cheeses are unhealthy for you. Oil generally is a wholesome a part of your weight loss program when consumed sparsely. 

The perfect dairy-free cream cheese manufacturers

Beneath are our high picks for vegan cream cheeses whether or not you’re utilizing them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

Kite Hill

1 Kite Hill

An outlier within the vegan cream cheese market, Kite Hill makes use of almond milk as a base for its many creamy spreads. It’s barely thinner than different manufacturers, however what it could lack in thickness it makes up for in taste. Choices embrace plain, chive, the whole lot, and backyard veggie.
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Miyoko’s Creamery

2 Miyoko’s Creamery

On the lookout for one thing with minimal components? Miyoko’s is a strong alternative. Made solely with cashews, coconut cream, salt, and cultures, these items is as unprocessed as you may get within the schmear division. It’s tremendous thick and velvety and is available in 5 flavors: traditional plain, the whole lot, Savory Scallion, Fish-Free Lox, and cinnamon raisin.  
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3 Tofutti

From the makers of the novelty ice cream, this old-school vegan model’s Higher Than Cream Cheese lives as much as its identify. Whereas newer manufacturers could have obtained extra hype, this schmear is completely serviceable in baked items and by itself. You could find it in most grocers and it tends to be probably the most inexpensive possibility as properly. 
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Dealer Joe’s

4 Dealer Joe’s 

The grocery store is properly on its solution to providing a vegan possibility for each product it sells. Labeled as Vegan Cream Cheese Various, this plain unfold is one other win for all plant-based Dealer Joe’s customers. Professional tip: combine in just a few shakes of Dealer Joe’s All the pieces Bagel Seasoning to make this schmear a bit extra fascinating.
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Daiya

5 Daiya 

Title a dairy product, and this long-standing vegan firm possible makes it. The model lately reformulated its inaugural cream cheese to enhance its wealthy style and silky texture. Among the many 4 flavors, our favourite is the Roasted Garlic & Herbs. Additionally, if you happen to have been questioning, it’s pronounced Day-ah. 
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Violife

6 Violife

Good for baked items like vegan cheesecake and cream cheese swirled brownies, Violife’s Simply Like Cream Cheese is a comparatively new product beneath this non-dairy meals model’s identify. In the event you’re on the lookout for the most effective vegan cheesecake recipe, preserve studying for our high choose.
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Easy Reality

7Kroger Easy Reality

Kroger’s Easy Reality Natural Plant-Based mostly Cream Cheese Various is simply one of many 50-plus new vegan merchandise the name-brand line launched within the fall of 2020. When a significant grocery store invests in non-dairy cream cheese, you recognize the “development” is right here to remain.
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Go Veggie

8 Go Veggie

Have you ever ever bought a bath of non-dairy cream cheese solely to comprehend you picked up the Chive & Garlic taste simply earlier than making your vegan cream cheese frosting? Yep, we’ve been there. Go Veggie presents each Chives & Garlic and traditional plain, and whereas each are creamy and scrumptious, positively double-check the label if you happen to’re making one thing candy.
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Treeline

9 Treeline

After gaining recognition via its luscious, European-style tender vegan cheeses, it’s solely pure that this firm churns out a decadent dairy-free cream cheese. The three, minimal-ingredient flavors embrace plain, Chive & Onion, and strawberry.
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Spero

10Spero Meals

This vegan tender cheese model differentiates itself from the remainder through the use of sunflower seeds for its thick and creamy base. Every of the flavors is infused with probiotics to greatest mimic their dairy-based counterparts. Select from authentic, strawberry, Smoked, Smoked Salmon, and Herb varieties the following time you might have toasty bagels ready for you at house.
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Wildbrine

11 Wildbrine

This easy dairy-free cream cheese is constructed from a mix of cashews and coconut cream. It will get a lift of gut-healthy micro organism from the pressure lactobacillus cultures plus, it’s versatile sufficient to make use of as a ramification or in decadent desserts.
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WayFare

12 WayFare

Identified for its vegan bitter cream and butter, this plant-based model’s cream cheese contains a base constructed from natural butter beans and natural oats. The result’s a dairy-free unfold that has a thick texture, good for bagels and crackers.
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Philadelphia

13 Philadelphia

Yep, probably the most iconic cream cheese model of all of them, Philadelphia, is now within the vegan sport. It launched its first plant-based cream cheese on the finish of 2022, and in June 2023, it launched three vegan flavors nationwide: Authentic, Strawberry, and Chive & Onion.
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Nurishh

14 Nurishh

Owned by Bel (additionally the house owners of two iconic cheese manufacturers, Babybel and Boursin), Nurishh first launched again in 2020, providing vegan mozzarella, camembert, and extra. Since then, it has expanded its vary additional, and in early 2023, it launched its personal sunflower seed-based cream cheese in two scrumptious flavors: Plain and Garlic & Herbs.
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Monty’s

15 Monty’s

Monty’s cultured cashew-based cream cheese is “mild as air,” which is why it has the suitable title of Cloud Cheese. It’s just a little completely different from many others available on the market as a result of it’s packaged inside a squeezable sachet. In keeping with the model, this makes it simpler “to seize and simpler to squeeze.”
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Oatly

16Oatly

This Swedish model could be recognized greatest for its oat milk, however that’s not the one scrumptious product in its portfolio. Alongside merchandise like Oatgurt and ice lotions, it additionally presents velvety oat-based cream cheese unfold, too.
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Comply with Your Coronary heart

17 Comply with Your Coronary heart

California-based vegan cheese model Comply with Your Coronary heart’s dairy-free vary is intensive and engaging, and, in fact, it contains vegan cream cheese. Made with coconut oil, it is usually gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and, most significantly, good on a freshly toasted bagel.
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Grounded Meals

18 Grounded Meals

Many vegan cream cheeses available on the market are made with components like coconut or cashews, however this selection from Grounded Meals makes use of hemp seeds as an alternative. Which means that it’s sustainable and soy-free, in addition to scrumptious. In keeping with the model, it additionally accommodates twice the quantity of calcium as common cream cheese.
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Darë

19 Darë

Based mostly in North Carolina, Darë focuses on aged, artisan, completely vegan cheeses. However alongside wedge choices like Pepperjack, Balsamic Fig, and Roasted Garlic, it’s also possible to discover cashew-based cream cheeses in three tasty flavors: Authentic, French Onion, and Veggie.
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Nature’s Fynd

20 Nature’s Fynd

This vegan cream cheese from Nature’s Fynd is made with the model’s signature Fy Protein, which is derived from fungi. It’s easy, creamy, simply spreadable, and much more sustainable than the choice. Plus, it’s additionally nut- and soy-free.
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Vevan

21 Vevan

Vevan is aware of its cheese, and that’s as a result of it was based by actual cheesemakers. Owned by Shuman Cheese, it has mixed the ability of cheese specialists with plant-based components to create scrumptious one hundred pc vegan merchandise which might be simply as tasty as their animal-derived counterparts. It has a number of completely different UnCreamCheese flavors on provide, together with Plain, Strawberries & Cream, and Caramelized Peach & Maple.
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The Easy Root

22 The Easy Root

Made with components like potato and coconut oil, The Easy Root’s vegan cream cheeses are scrumptious, however they’re additionally perfect for individuals with intolerances, as they’re additionally wheat-free, soy-free, and gluten-free. Select from tasty flavors like Candy Chili, Strawberry, and Garlic & Herb.
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