The 12 Best Substitutes for Cream Cheese in Cooking and Baking

• Best Uses: dips, yogurts, spreads, baked goods, savory dishes
• Health Benefits:  significantly less fat, supports gut health, good source of protein and calcium
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Greek yogurt will never be a go-to for frosting a carrot cake, but it’s one of the best stand-ins for cream cheese in almost every other recipe. It’s particularly important that you really only rely on Greek yogurt for this kind of versatility, though—namely because it boasts a similarly dense and creamy texture and won’t water down your dish. That said, it’s worth noting that Greek yogurt has a noticeably tangier taste, which might affect the flavor of some foods. However, you shouldn’t let that scare you off; in most baked goods, Greek yogurt will deliver a moisture boost and the other ingredients will make the extra tang nearly imperceptible, while rich and savory recipes benefit from it more often than not (i.e., it will save you a lemon).

• Best Uses: any recipe, savory or sweet, that calls for cream cheese
• Health Benefits: good source of calcium and protein
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

If you have some heavy cream in your fridge, you might be interested in knowing that you can actually spare yourself an unplanned trip to the store and make your own cream cheese instead. I recommend you check out this surprisingly quick and easy recipe for homemade cream cheese from chef Gemma Stafford, which requires nothing more than heavy cream, lemon juice or white vinegar and salt (plus lots of whipping) to achieve a near perfect DIY version of the store-bought stuff. When using the finished product, it’s a simple 1:1 swap that can be seasoned and customized to your liking.

• Best Uses: dips and spreads
• Health Benefits: low in fat, rich in plant-based protein, good source of fiber and nutrients
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Don’t get me wrong—there are a ton of instances in which hummus will not be a suitable swap for cream cheese. In other words, don’t try to turn it into frosting, don’t start mixing it into batters for your baked goods and, in most cases, don’t even toss it into a pasta dish for that creamy effect. Still, since the most common use for cream cheese is as a spread (i.e., bagel schmear), I’d be remiss not to mention that hummus is a very delicious and totally satisfying alternative for folks who are looking for a filling, protein-rich and oh-so savory dip that’s vegan-friendly and much lower in unhealthy fats.

• Best Uses: dips, spreads and uncooked foods; savory dishes of all kinds
• Health Benefits: lower fat content, good source of calcium and antioxidants
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Neufchâtel cheese is like American cream cheese’s fancier, leaner cousin. It’s produced in a more traditional fashion, which means it doesn’t have all the stabilizing agents you find in your standard block of Philadelphia cream cheese. As such, it has a very slightly different texture that you likely won’t even be able to notice when using it as bagel spread or dip, but will affect the appearance of certain dishes that require prolonged contact with heat when it’s more prone to breaking. (It’s also not suitable in baking recipes.) That’s hardly a serious issue, though, unless you’re planning on serving royalty and presentation is of the utmost importance, because the flavor profile of Neufchâtel cheese is a practically perfect match for regular cream cheese. Best of all, it’s lower in fat, too, so you can lay it on thick without second thoughts.

• Best Uses: savory recipes, dips and spreads
• Health Benefits: easier to digest for those with lactose intolerance; good source of protein, minerals and healthy fat
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Goat cheeses run the gamut and some have a more pungent flavor profile than others, so when trying it as a cream cheese substitute, it’s advisable to choose a mild, fresh (i.e., not aged) chevre. I recommend letting the goat cheese come to room temperature and then using a whisk or immersion blender to whip it with just a scant amount of heavy cream or warm water. (This will also help subdue the extra tangy flavor.) When used in this way, you can achieve an adequate substitute for cream cheese that can be used in equal proportion and works well in all manner of savory recipes, including dips and toppings.

• Best Uses: baked goods, spreads, dips
• Health Benefits: high in fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and k; rich in healthy monounsaturated fats
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Avocado might seem like an odd choice but it actually works very well as a substitute for cream cheese in baking recipes, as it does a similar job of lending moisture and (healthier) fat to baked goods. (It’s particularly good in brownies.) Avocado is also an excellent, healthy alternative to cream cheese in dips and spreads—it tastes as good on a bagel as it does on toast—and its subtle fruity flavor can be tweaked with a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt to better mimic the savory tang of cream cheese.

• Best Uses: savory dishes, baked goods, frosting
• Health Benefits: low in sodium
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Per David Joachim’s The Food Substitutions Bible, mascarpone is a top swap. This Italian fresh cheese is similar in texture to cream cheese, but even richer. Still, it makes an excellent (albeit slightly more decadent) all-purpose alternative to cream cheese when used as a 1:1 substitute. Pro tip: Add a squeeze of lemon juice to mascarpone in any recipe that relies on the slightly acidic taste that cream cheese imparts.

• Best Uses: both sweet and savory recipes when properly blended
• Health Benefits: good source of protein, less fat
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

The easiest vegan substitute for cream cheese calls for an ingredient that most popular imitation dairy products are made of: tofu. Of course, Tofutti cream cheese spread is an obvious and very convenient choice, but if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry—the pros at Chef’s Pencil say you can pull off a bang-up cream cheese stand-in with regular tofu, as long as it’s nice and soft. Simply puree silken or soft tofu with salt and a small amount of water until you achieve a cream cheese consistency, then use the blend as a 1:1 substitution for the real thing.

• Best Uses: any savory dish
• Health Benefits: low in fat, good source of protein, high in calcium and B vitamins
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Another one of Joachim’s substitute suggestions is dry curd cottage cheese. But if you aren’t a cheese connoisseur then you might be wondering what that ‘dry curd’ distinction is all about. It is not the same as the sloppy, diet-friendly stuff we typically snack on, but it’s just as low in fat. Dry curd cottage cheese, also known as farmer’s cheese, is made in much the same way as regular cottage cheese, except for one key difference: Once the whey is strained away, the remaining curds are what you call farmer’s cheese, whereas the extra milky texture of cottage cheese is owed to the addition of cream once the curds are separated. That said, if you have regular cottage cheese in the fridge you can try this dry curd hack: Pour the cottage cheese into a colander, rinse off the extra dairy under cold running water and leave it out to dry. The resulting curds can be blended and used as a 1:1 cream cheese substitute in savory dishes.

• Best Uses: savory dishes like casseroles, pastas and dips
• Health Benefits: high in protein, good source of calcium and vitamin B12
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1 when first combined with an equal amount of yogurt or heavy cream

Milkier and notably lacking in both tanginess and saltiness as compared to cream cheese, ricotta cheese is still a close enough match to make a suitable swap. The staff of food professionals at Chef’s Pencil recommend blending ricotta with an equal amount of full-fat (unsweetened) yogurt as a 1:1 substitute that better imitates both the texture and flavor of cream cheese in savory recipes. Ricotta can also be used as a cream cheese swap in baking—just follow the same advice above, but with a 50/50 blend of ricotta and heavy cream, rather than plain yogurt.

• Best Uses: baked goods, sauces, frosting recipes, spreads
• Health Benefits: good source of protein, less fat
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

I found a dairy-free cream cheese substitute, courtesy of the Simple Veganista, that comes together with nothing more than cashews, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Check out the full recipe here, but the gist of it is this: If you soak nuts (either raw cashews or almonds) overnight, you can blend ‘em with water and a touch of lemon juice to make a luxurious, creamy spread that boasts a salty, tangy flavor that’s similar to cream cheese. Once this homemade alternative has had a chance to firm up in the fridge, it can be used as a 1:1 swap in any recipe—including baked goods, bagel schmears or even as the icing on the (carrot) cake. That said, if you need a dairy-free substitute for cream cheese but don’t want to be saddled with the chore of cleaning your blender, you can always phone it in with a Tofutti vegan cream cheese spread, or any other store-bought vegan imitation, for a no-fuss 1:1 cream cheese stand-in that can do the job in savory and sweet recipes alike.

• Best Uses: baked goods, dips, sauces
• Health Benefits: 
• Substitution Ratio: 1:1

Sour cream is famous for its acidic tang and versatility. It’s made by adding lactic acid to cream, which results in a thick, silky condiment that can be used in raw applications or mixed into baked goods, dips and sauces. (In fact, sour cream works wonders in the moisture department when it comes to quick breads, cakes, muffins and biscuits.) It can be used as a 1:1 substitute for cream cheese in dips, sauces, dressings, mashed potatoes and more—just don’t use it in place of cream cheese in soups, since the heat will cause the cream to curdle. Skip it as a substitute for cream cheese frosting as well, since it’s more acidic in flavor than the real thing.