7 Best Substitutes for Cream Cheese in Cheesecake

There’s nothing quite as decadent and delicious as a creamy cheesecake. Whether you prefer a simple, classic cheesecake or one with all the trimmings (dulce de leche toppings, crumbled cookies, caramel sauce, fresh berries…the sky’s the limit), they never disappoint.

But what if you’re getting ready to make your delicious cheesecake, you look in the fridge and realize you forgot to get the cream cheese?

Fear not, there are plenty of delicious alternatives you can use to make a cheesecake that will make you forget you even used cream cheese in the first place.

So what are the best substitutes for cream cheese in a cheesecake?

You can use cottage cheese, mascarpone, soft tofu, cashew cream, sour cream, ricotta cheese, yogurt, or quark. Although you may need to make other changes to the recipe, these options are great substitutes if you don’t have cream cheese.

1. Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a great option for anyone looking for a slightly healthier alternative to cream cheese.

It is a fresh, unripened cheese, which is made by heating whole milk and curdling with rennet. Curdled curd is cooked until soft and slightly soft to the touch.

This texture makes cottage cheese a fantastic substitute for cream cheese in a cheesecake recipe. To get the right texture, you’ll need to mix equal parts cottage cheese and heavy cream until smooth.

Once the cottage cheese and cream mixture is made, you can use it as indicated in your cheesecake recipe. If you want to add a bit of tartness to make it more like cream cheese, you can add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice for every cup of cottage cheese mixture.

Mix in the lemon juice and you have a tangy, rich and creamy alternative to cream cheese that will allow you to make a tasty cheesecake with a unique flavor and a silky texture.

In fact, we have posted a complete cheesecake recipe without cream cheese using cottage cheese instead. It’s creamy, moist and oh so delicious!

2. Mascarpone

In the US we may not be as familiar with mascarpone cheese, as it is traditionally made and used in Italy. However, mascarpone is becoming more popular and makes an amazing substitute for cream cheese.

It is a soft Italian cream cheese made by adding acid to cream and heating it gently to thicken. It is then passed through a sieve to create a rich, tangy and creamy texture.

As you can imagine, this similarity to cream cheese makes it an amazing substitute to use in cheesecake recipes, since you can go with a one-for-one substitution.

You don’t need to add anything else unless you want it to be slightly spicier, in which case a squeeze of lemon will suffice.

However, if you want something different, you can combine equal parts mascarpone with cottage cheese or soft/soft tofu. Blend until smooth and use in place of cream cheese for a unique flavor combination.

3. Soft or semi-liquid tofu

For people looking for a dairy-free substitute for cream cheese, soft or silken tofu is a wonderful option. It has a nice creamy texture and a mild flavor that will take on any extract or flavor you add to it.

The only drawback is that it does not have that characteristic acidity that we like so much in a cream cheese. You’ll also need to mix it up a bit with some cream of coconut or milk to get the smooth texture that’s similar to cream cheese.

We suggest 32 ounces of tofu combined with a 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk for just the right amount and consistency for a cheesecake. You can then add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice to the mixture to get the flavor you want in a good cheesecake.

4. Cashew cream

If you want another wonderful dairy-free substitution for cream cheese in your cheesecake, making your own cashew cream is a wonderful option. You can easily make your own cashew cream at home with just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cashews
• 3 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup coconut milk or water
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions:

1. Soak the cashews overnight or for at least 6-8 hours in the three cups of water and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
2. Once the cashews have grown in size and fall apart easily when touched, strain them through a strainer.
3. Place the cashews, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, coconut milk, sea salt, and nutritional yeast in a high-speed mixer or food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add more water or coconut milk to get a creamy consistency.
4. Pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours to set, then use as directed in your cheesecake recipe.

5. Sour cream

Sour cream is wonderfully creamy and tangy, making it a good substitute for cream cheese in a cheesecake recipe.

It may not be as thick as cream cheese, so adding a bit of flour, cornstarch, or tapioca starch can help give it the right consistency.

You can also try combining it with cashew cream, tofu, mascarpone, cottage cheese, ricotta, or yogurt for a decadent and delicious twist on a traditional cheesecake. Add it to one of these more robust substitutions for a unique, creamy texture that your friends will rave about.

6. Ricotta cheese

Another fresh Italian cheese that is starting to become more popular in the United States is ricotta cheese.

This substitute is right up there with cottage cheese and mascarpone, so we’ve even posted a no-bake ricotta cheesecake recipe that might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Ricotta cheese is a great substitute for cream cheese because it has a mild flavor and a nice milky flavor. Since it’s so fresh and a bit crumbly, you’ll want to combine it with another substitute for the best results.

Here are some combinations you can try:

• Ricotta and Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt will add some tartness and smoothness to the ricotta cheese. We suggest using equal parts of each and blending until smooth and creamy.
• Ricotta and Mascarpone - These two fresh Italian cheeses are a perfect match. Again, you’ll want to use roughly equal amounts of each and beat them together until smooth. You can add a little lemon juice if you see that the final mixture is not acidic enough for you.

7. Yogurt or Quark

Finally, another great substitute for cream cheese in cheesecake is yogurt (specifically Greek or Skyr yogurt) or quark. Both options are creamy, tart dairy that can be used in combination with other substitutions on this list to make a uniquely flavorful cheesecake.

Quark is similar to other cheeses on this list in that it is made by heating sour milk until it thickens. It is then passed through a strainer to create a creamy, spreadable cheese with a tangy and delicious flavor.

Greek yogurt, or Skyr, which is a dairy product similar to Icelandic yogurt that is very high in protein and low in fat, can also be used as a substitute for cream cheese. Both have a pleasant tart flavor and a smooth texture that lends itself to cooking.

That being said, you will want to combine both the quark and Greek yogurt or Skyr with another substitute to get the perfect cream cheese texture.

• Greek/Skyr/Quark Yogurt and Cottage Cheese - Blending equal parts Greek yogurt and cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and creamy makes a wonderful substitute for cream cheese in your cheesecake.
• Greek/Skyr/Quark Yogurt and Tofu – You can combine equal parts Greek/Skyr yogurt and silken or soft tofu in a blender. Mix until you get a smooth and creamy texture that you can use to replace cream cheese in your favorite cheesecake recipe.

The combinations that you can use are really interesting and each option will give you a subtle difference in flavor in your final cheesecake.

Final thoughts

As you can see, there are plenty of delicious substitutes you can use to substitute cream cheese in your cheesecake recipe.

Some of them work great on their own, and some need to be combined with other ingredients to get the perfect texture and flavor.

The 7 best substitutes for cream cheese in cheesecake are cottage cheese, mascarpone cheese, ricotta cheese, soft or silken tofu, sour cream, cashew cream, and Greek yogurt, Skyr, or quark cheese.

We like to combine a couple of these options for a silky, decadent and unique cheesecake.

Do you have a favorite substitute for cream cheese in cheesecake? Let us know in the comments.