The most amazing fall-inspired Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese made with cashews, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree and is naturally-sweetened and only 8 ingredients! Perfect on bagels or toast!
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VEGAN PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE
Yes, a Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese to be happily enjoyed all throughout the holiday season or year, if you like. This recipe was actually a reader request and I immediately was excited to create one. You might say I have a bit of an addiction to making vegan cream cheese with flavors. Here are some of my cream cheeses that are all incredibly delicious:
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese (made with cashew butter)
- Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese (made with soaked cashews)
- Vegan Smoky Black Pepper Cream Cheese
- Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese
- Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese (made with freeze-dried blueberries and almonds)
- Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese (made with fresh blueberries and cashews)
- I also have a Chive and Dill Cream Cheese in my cookbook that is probably my favorite one!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE VEGAN CREAM CHEESE
Full amounts and details on the recipe card below.
- Raw, unsalted cashews
- Pumpkin puree
- Maple syrup
- Lemon juice: This helps give the cream cheese some acidity and hide the cashew flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: This is the perfect vinegar to use in a sweetened cream cheese, as it aids in the cream cheese flavor, while enhancing the sweetness.
- Freshly squeeze orange juice: This gives some extra sourness and natural sweetness that really takes the flavor up at notch!
- Coconut sugar
- Pumpkin spice (I used and recommend my homemade blend)
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE
1. First, you must soak the cashews overnight. DO NOT SKIP THIS and try a fast 30 minute boil! This is not a step that can be rushed or skipped. If you do, you will end up with a gritty cream cheese because there is such a small amount of liquid used to blend up the nuts. Soak for 8-12 hours, the longer the better.
2. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and add to a food processor. A blender will not work for this because there is very little liquid. A food processor works best.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients and blend.
4. Taste and if you want it sweeter, add more coconut sugar.
5. Place in the fridge to chill overnight. I have been thoroughly enjoying this pumpkin cream cheese on a bagel along with my Turmeric Latte. The 2 recipes, both rich in spices, is one delicious combo!
MORE VEGAN PUMPKIN RECIPES
- Vegan Pumpkin Cake
- Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Pancakes
- Vegan Pumpkin Cherry Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sauce
- The Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie EVER
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sauce
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 120g raw, unsalted cashews (soaked overnight)
- 1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22g) freshly squeezed orange juice (fresh is very sweet)
- 1 tablespoon (15g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (40g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (I used my homemade blend)
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- I use this scale.
- I use this food processor.
Instructions
- First, you must soak the cashews overnight. DO NOT SKIP THIS by trying to do a fast 30 minute boil! This is not a step that can be rushed or skipped. If you do, you will end up with a gritty cream cheese because there is such a small amount of liquid used to blend up the nuts. Soak for 8-12 hours, the longer the better.
- Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and add to a food processor. A blender will not work for this because there is very little liquid. A food processor works best.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients and blend. It will seem really chunky at first, but blend for several minutes. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times to ensure all the spices and everything is well incorporated. Blend until 100% smooth and creamy like in the photo. Food processor strengths can vary, so yours make take longer than mine. Mine took a few minutes.
- Taste and if you want it sweeter, add more coconut sugar. This is meant to be a flavored, mildly sweet cream cheese, but not as sweet as a pie, for example. It should taste tangy and sweet, but not real sweet. You don't want to add more maple syrup though, because that is a liquid and will make the mixture too soft.
- Place in the fridge to chill overnight , as it will reach its full flavor after chilling, as well as chilled cream cheese always taste best cold and it will firm up more as well. Try not to eat it all with a spoon!
We have a cashew allergy in our family. Is there another type of nut you’d recommend? Perhaps almonds? Thanks!
Hi Marissa! I have not tried it with almonds but I imagine it would work, just can’t compare it. I created my blueberry cream cheese with almonds and it was amazing. Follow the soaking steps here listed on this recipe and then make the pumpkin cream cheese. Let me know how it goes! https://thevegan8.com/vegan-almond-blueberry-cream-cheese/
I do not have a scale. What would 120 g equal in cup measurement?
Hi Debbie, it’s just under 1 cup.
Hi! Love everything pumpkin but allergic to tree nuts 😩 What could I sub for nuts? Would white beans work? I may just give it a go and see what happens..thx!
Hi Fern, no, I really would not recommend doing white beans. Sometimes white beans work okay as a sub in sauces or soups, but it’s going to not have a good texture and be runny using beans. Not to mention, not taste or feel anything like a rich cream cheese. It will be like hummus instead. I’m so sorry, nuts are super important in this recipe! Perhaps you can find a tofu cream cheese and add pumpkin and spices to it and coconut sugar? Not sure.
How many days will it last? Can I make it a couple days ahead.
Yes, definitely! It’ll last a week.
Hi 😊 I’m a little confused… am I supposed to soak the cashews overnight AND boil them for 30 minutes?
Thanks 😊
Sorry for the confusion, I just mean don’t try and rush it by doing a 30 minute soak, since people always ask that! I’ll edit it to make more sense.
Can I use raw cashew butter instead of the nuts? If so how much?
Yes, just use the same gram weight amount, which is 120g, which is equivalent to 7 1/2 tablespoons.
This was so great! I made for my non vegan family and they ate it up. I didn’t try to tell them it was a cream cheese replacement but they made the comparison themselves. Will probably make a double batch next time 😊
That is so awesome to hear Jenny, so glad your family loved this!
This is awesome, just like your pumpkin bread recipe!
Yay, thank you so much Barb!