Lactose Free Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this cashew-based spread delivers everything you love about classic cream cheese — without a drop of dairy in sight. Soaking the raw cashews until plump is the real secret here; it transforms them into a silky base that blends down to an almost impossibly smooth texture. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar bring that signature tang, while a touch of onion powder and optional nutritional yeast add savory depth that makes this taste genuinely complex rather than like a compromise. Refined coconut oil helps the finished spread firm up beautifully in the fridge, so you get that thick, spreadable consistency that holds its own on a bagel or cracker. For anyone navigating lactose intolerance, store-bought cream cheese alternatives can be hit-or-miss with hidden dairy derivatives — making a batch at home means you know exactly what's in it. A quick chill is all it takes to go from blender to table, and the result keeps well in an airtight container for easy snacking all week.
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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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