8 Cream Cheese Alternatives Worth Buying

Cream cheese ranks among the top five cheeses for Americans, according to a survey by Talker Research. That's hardly surprising, given that it can be used to whip up classic cheesecakes, frostings, dips, and spreads. You can use cream cheese as a base for a salad dressing, make really light and fluffy cream cheese biscuits, and so much more. Considering its versatility, it's likely that you too have the ingredient stocked up in your fridge most of the time. And yet, there can be instances where you run out or fall short halfway through a recipe, or you might just be considering experimenting with other ingredients instead.

If you're short on cream cheese, you don't need to fret and run to the store just to get more, because we've curated a list of some incredible cream cheese alternatives. Best of all, most of these ingredients are pretty common, so it's likely that you'll already have some of them on hand. We've also included a couple of non-dairy alternatives that work just as nicely as cream cheese for all the vegans and lactose-intolerant folks.

If you're looking for a cream cheese alternative for dips, sauces, and spreads, you can count on ricotta. Although it has a mildly sweet flavor and it's not as tangy, it can work well in place of the main ingredient. It doesn't end there, either — ricotta is also a great substitute in baking recipes. The only downside is that its texture is grainy and sometimes watery, which is quite different to what you'd expect from cream cheese. The good news is, you can fix that very easily. 

The first thing to know is that it's best to use full-fat ricotta, as that'll make the best cream cheese alternative. If your ricotta is stabilized, you can use it as-is after whipping it up slightly, maybe with a little bit of heavy cream, until it's smooth. However, you'll need an extra step for fresh ricotta. For this, you'll need to blend it, wrap it up in a cheesecloth, and place it over a strainer so the excess liquid (also called whey) drips off. After that, mix in a little yogurt or heavy cream, if needed, to improve its texture. You can also add in a little lemon juice if the flavor isn't as tangy as cream cheese. 

Mascarpone is smooth and creamy like cream cheese (and, in fact, a little silkier), which is why it's a particularly great substitute in frostings, spreads, dips, and fillings. You can simply swap it with cream cheese in a 1:1 ratio. As far as cheesecakes go, this option might not be the best for a classic New York-style baked cheesecake, but you can use it for set cheesecakes, as its thick and rich texture can be a boon in those.

Bear in mind that mascarpone's flavor isn't like cream cheese — it's more on the sweeter side rather than being tangy. You can always use it as-is for a different flavor profile in your recipes, but if you'd like it to taste more like cream cheese, consider mixing in an acidic ingredient to adjust the flavor. The best choice for this is lemon juice.

Despite the benefits, there are two drawbacks when it comes to mascarpone: It has a higher fat content than cream cheese, and it can be a little expensive. For the first, you'll just need to be mindful of how much and how often you eat it, but for the second one, we've got a solution — you can make your own mascarpone at home with just three ingredients.

In case you've been looking for a healthier alternative to cream cheese, Greek yogurt is a great choice, as it has less fat and more protein. However, this means it won't be the best bet when you want to completely replace cream cheese in certain baking recipes, as they need the extra fat content for a better finish. 

Greek yogurt is a fantastic option for dips, sauces, and spreads. Thanks to its similar sour flavor, you can use Greek yogurt as a 1:1 swap for cream cheese in any of these dishes. If the flavor is slightly tangier than you'd like, you can mix in some heavy cream to balance it out.

This ingredient also makes an amazing cream cheese alternative for frostings. That said, as its consistency is a little thinner than cream cheese, you'll first need to strain it thoroughly with the help of a cheesecloth, maybe a couple of times. This way, it'll reach the right spreadable and pipeable consistency.

If you're vegan or lactose intolerant, you've probably settled for a mediocre or low-grade store-bought cream cheese alternative that tastes off in practically every way. But you don't need to do that, because you can use silken tofu instead. It has a texture similar to cream cheese once whipped, and well, it doesn't taste weird. Plus, it has a high protein content, so you'll also end up with a healthier dish.

The one major difference is that tofu doesn't have that tangy kick like cream cheese. If you'd find yourself missing that flavor, you'll need to add in a little lemon juice when you're whipping it. Then, you can use it to prepare baked or unbaked desserts, or add it to sauces and soups to thicken them and give them a creamy finish. You can also add in a bunch of herbs, spices, salt, and even veggies like sundried tomatoes or scallions to turn it into a lovely savory dip or spread similar to one made with cream cheese.

Sour cream might not seem like the best substitute for cream cheese, because it's not as thick. While it's true that its texture can work against baked goods, this ingredient can still give soups and sauces a smooth finish like cream cheese effortlessly, so it's worth using for these dishes. It's also a fantastic choice for a range of dips and spreads, with a taste that's similarly tangy, albeit a little more pronounced. Best of all, you can do a straight 1:1 swap for cream cheese in any of these recipes, and they'll be good to go.

The only thing you'll need to keep in mind is to use sour cream with a high fat content, because low-fat versions are a lot thinner, and so they won't give your dishes the luscious texture you'd want. Either way, you'll still end up with a slightly healthier meal, as even full-fat sour cream has a lower saturated fat content than cream cheese.

Labneh is a Middle Eastern staple made by straining yogurt, and while it might seem similar to Greek yogurt, it isn't quite the same. That's because some of the liquid is retained in Greek yogurt, whereas most, if not all, of it is strained off in labneh, making it a lot thicker and denser. Needless to say, this texture makes it a fantastic cream cheese substitute. Its flavor is also quite similar, so that's another plus.

Labneh works especially well in salad dressings, spreads, and dips. It works well in place of cream cheese in certain layered, unbaked desserts, and as a filling for savory or sweet baked goods. It works well in cakes too. You can use labneh to make frosting for carrot cake, or use it to make lighter baked and set cheesecakes.

Yes, you read that right — cashews make a lovely substitute for cream cheese, at least if they're blended, which gives them a rich and smooth texture. Being a plant-based alternative also makes them a good option if you're vegan.

To use cashews as a cream cheese substitute, you'll need to soak them overnight (or boil them instead) and then blend them up. You can add more ingredients to this base to make it creamier, like coconut milk, yogurt, or a dash of coconut oil, but it isn't necessary. This simple base can be used to make baked crustless cheesecakes and set cheesecakes. You can also add a little nutritional yeast and use it to thicken up soups or sauces, or mix in fresh herbs, spices, salt, and some roasted garlic (or anything else you fancy) to turn it into a hearty dip or spread.

You may be surprised to learn that cottage cheese works as a cream cheese substitute, because it has such a different texture and flavor. Luckily, there's an easy way to fix that — you just need to blend it up with a little fresh lemon juice. After that, you can use it to make a range of dips, spreads, and even frostings. If you'd like these dishes to have a thicker texture, you could also consider straining the cottage cheese before blending it.

This ingredient is a fantastic cream cheese substitute for baked goods and cheesecakes as well. The only thing is, it won't work too well as-is because of its low fat content. To remedy this, you'll need to add a little heavy cream or half-and-half while blending, to give your dessert a better texture and add a little richness.