BHA & BHT Free Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this cashew-based spread delivers everything you want from a classic cream cheese — without any dairy in sight. Soaking the raw cashews until plump is the real secret here; it's what allows them to blend into that silky, spreadable texture that holds up beautifully on a bagel or cracker. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar bring the bright, slightly sharp notes you expect from traditional cream cheese, while coconut oil adds body and helps the spread firm up nicely in the fridge. A pinch of onion powder and optional nutritional yeast round out the savory depth without overwhelming the clean, fresh flavor. For anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, store-bought dairy-free spreads can be a minefield of additives hiding in the ingredient list. Making this at home means you control every single component — and every ingredient here is whole, recognizable, and naturally free of those chemical preservatives. The result is a spread that tastes genuinely indulgent, not like a compromise. Keep a container chilled and ready to go, and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2–4 tbsp cold water, as needed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Soak for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator, until the cashews are plump and noticeably softened.
- 2
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews under cold running water.
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