Vegan Cream (Creamer + Heavy Cream Substitute)
Vegan cream is a perfect dairy-free heavy cream substitute, great for coffee, gratins, stirred into soups, and used anywhere heavy creams are called for!
We love making vegan cashew creams, you may already be familiar with our Vegan Cream Cheese, Vegan Sweet Cream, and Vegan Sour Cream, all using cashews. Each has their own uses and are amazing and versatile.
Why We Love This Recipe!
There is nothing better than fresh homemade vegan cream! Especially when it’s quick, easy, and only requires 2 ingredients – cashews and water!
This basic, all-purpose vegan cream recipe is neutral-flavored and can be used as a substitute anywhere dairy creamer or heavy cream is called for. It’s a perfect replacement and works just as well, but is a whole food, plant-based option.
This dairy-free cream can easily be doubled and stored for up to 1 week. Plus, it’s easily customizable with flavors if making a vegan coffee creamer!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw cashews – be sure to only use raw, toasted will alter the flavor
- Water – can also sub with unsweetened, plain plant milk
Tip: I know cashews can seem expensive. But making your own, cup for cup is cheaper than store-bought vegan creamer. To keep the cost low I buy my cashews in the bulk section (pref. when on sale) at Sprouts. Trader Joe’s has them too. You can also easily purchase Raw Cashews (affiliate link) online.
Adding flavor: For flavored coffee cream, add a little pure maple syrup, vanilla and/or cinnamon for a delicious flavored tea or coffee creamer!
How To Make Vegan Cream
Soak the cashews: It’s best to soak your cashews in water before starting. There are 2 ways to soak:
- Soak cashew in cool water for 2 – 3 hours, drain and rinse (this method is best for digestion).
- For a quick method of soaking, let cashews sit in hot water for 5 – 10 minutes, drain, rinse and continue with the recipe.
Blend cashews and water: Place cashews and water into the blender cup and blend until creamy (shown below). Place in a covered container and place in the fridge until ready to use. Or use right away in any recipe calling for vegan cream.
And that’s it, vegan cream made simple and easy!
Top Tips
Why soak cashews? Soaking will help soften the cashews by plumping them up with water and helps the cashews blend easily. Soaking is also said to be beneficial for digestion and mineral & vitamin absorption. If you’re in a hurry, you can still make this vegan cream successfully without soaking. You just may need to add a bit more water while blending.
Recommended equipment. I used my NutriBullet (affiliate link) for this vegan cream. It’s compact, easy to clean, and is great for small jobs like this. A high-speed blender will also work great. I do not recommend using an immersion blender as it’s not powerful enough.
Buying raw cashews. You can find cashews in bulk at Sprouts and other health-conscious grocery stores. You can also find them at Trader Joe’s. I often purchase Terrasoul Raw Cashews online (affiliate link) from Amazon (it’s a 2 lb bag and nice to always have on hand, just store them in the fridge for maximum freshness).
How To Store
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Be sure to give a good stir before using.
- Freezer: This vegan cream is freezer friendly and can be stored for 2 – 3 month in freezer safe containers. Let thaw in before using.
Ways To Use Vegan Cream
Thick, but not too thick, this dairy-free cream is great stirred into soups, coffee, or used in creamy baked dishes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use this easy recipe:
- Soup: Stir into or drizzle on Tomato Basil Soup, Vegan Cauliflower Soup, Creamy Celery Soup, or Mushroom Soup.
- Coffee + tea: Use it as a vegan coffee creamer for your favorite hot or iced coffee. Stir into this Lavender Chai Tea-Concentrate or Orange Spice Hot Cocoa.
- Gratin: It’s a perfect cream for this Creamy Kale & Mushroom Gratin, or your favorite gratin or stroganoff recipe.
- Tofu scramble: It’s great in this Everyday Tofu Scramble, adding fluffiness and creaminess.
- Mashed potatoes: Use it in these Vegan Mashed Potatoes for an ultra creamy and decadent side dish.
- Ice cream: In place of milk, add thickness to no-churn Chocolate Banana Ice Cream or Cherry Garcia Banana Ice Cream.
More Easy How-To’s Recipes!
If you try this easy dairy-free cream recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintVEGAN CREAM
Vegan cream is a perfect dairy-free heavy cream substitute, great for coffee, stirred into soups and used anywhere heavy creams and creamers are called for! Recipe makes enough for any typical recipe with a little leftover for later.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 3/4 cup 1x
- Category: Cream, How To’s
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 + 1/4 cups water (can sub with unsweetened, plain plant milk)
Instructions
Soak the cashews: It’s best to soak your cashews in water before starting. There are 2 ways to soak:
- Soak cashew in cool water for 2 – 3 hours, drain and rinse (this method is best for digestion).
- For a quick method of soaking, let cashews sit in hot water for 5 – 10 minutes, drain, rinse and continue with recipe.
Blend cashews and water: Place cashews and water into the cup of a high speed or personal blender and blend until creamy. Adjust the water, adding more to thin as needed.
Place in a covered container and place in the fridge until ready to use. Or use right away in any recipe calling for vegan cream.
Makes 1 3/4 cups (equals 14 servings, 2 tablespoons per serving)
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container, stir before using.
Notes
This creamer is just thick enough to cling to the spoon, for a thicker cream use 1 cup water, adding 1 tablespoon more at a time until desired thickness (or thinness).
Adding flavor: For flavored coffee cream, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and/or 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon for a delicious flavored creamer!
Recommended equipment: I used my NutriBullet (affiliate link) for this vegan cream. It’s compact, easy to clean and is great for small jobs like this. A high speed will work well too (I don’t recommend using an immersion blender)! Purchase Terrasoul Raw Cashews online (affiliate link) from Amazon, I use and recommend this brand.
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Any suggestions for vegans who are allergic to cashews? Almonds are the only nuts tolerated.
Great question, Meena! You can use blanched almonds in place of cashews.
I love this so much!!! The base recipe is perfect and for variation I have made batches with almond extract and cinnamon and it’s all sooo good!! Thank you for posting!!
Love the simple ingredient list! Question, I’m trying to make vegan tres leches cake and the traditional uses heavy cream ‘Media Crema’. Do you think this would be a good non-dairy replacement?
Yes, although I haven’t tried this myself, it should be fine if kept on the thicker side. Do let us know how it goes!
An old roommate of mine once made vegan tres leches, but she used coconut cream and coconut milk to make it. It was the best tres leches I ever had.
Added this into pumpkin soup, so creamy and lovely!
I wanted to make a sun-dried tomato sauce for my pasta, but the recipe I found included heavy cream, which is a no-go for me, being vegan. I’m so happy to have found this recipe! This was so rich and creamy that I had to add more “milk” to the sauce recipe when it got too thick! I can’t help but believe that mine came out better then that recipe, thanks to this cream;) Definitely a keeper. I’d like to try this out next time with scrambled tofu.
Thanks for this! I’m looking to make a vegan version of normal choc truffles, and for that I would need to boil the cream. Would it work with this cream?
I think this is a wonderful recipe, and it was really simple to throw together. I do not have a Nutribullet, though. I used an immersion blender and it seemed to do a good job at the time of blending, but now it seems kind of grainy? Also, after sitting in my coffee, the bulk of it settled to the bottom. It did not blend well. Is this because of the immersion blender? Or is this just something I’d have to accept? Thank you!
Oh bummer! The use of an immersion blender is the reason it’s grainy, it just doesn’t do as good of a job of blending cashews as a high speed blender or NutriBullet. It shouldn’t be grainy at all, and I have no issues with mine sinking to bottom of my coffee. Sorry it didn’t turn out quite right for you and hopefully you can try again with a standing blending.
I used my Vitamix. It didn’t come out grainy at all. Very smooth and creamy.
Made it, so happy to find the recipe. Recently found out dairy and I don’t get along lol. One extra step I took though for coffee creamer was to pass it through cheese cloth after. Great flavor just by itself.
Hi Julie,
Is almond a good substitute for cashew (due to allergy) in this recipe?
Yes, raw almonds will work too, just blanch them and remove the skins. Please let us know how it goes!
Is it also possible to make it with peanuts?
I am looking for a more sustainable alternative to cashews (due to processing) and almonds (due to water use).
Great question! Peanuts have a flavor, that’s why cashews work so well as they are very neutral. You can certainly try using peanuts, but I can’t guarantee the outcome. Please let us know if you try, it’s super helpful to others as well.
Hi Julie, I’m fairly new into the plant-based foods world so I’m asking for an example of what you meant by unsweetened, plain plant milk? Also, can this recipe be whipped for whipped cream? Thanks, Dawn
Great questions, Dawn! Unsweetened, plain plant milk can be any beverage plant milk such as almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, oat milk, etc. I always recommend using unsweetened, plain (or regular) plant milks – since they contain no added sugars or flavorings (such as vanilla).
As far as whipping, I haven’t tried that with this cream, but I don’t believe this will be a good whipping cream, unless you add a little aqua fab (aka chickpea water from the can). I will be working on a vegan whipping cream soon!
Hope that answers your questions. Feel free to ask me anything, anytime!
Yes indeed you did answer my questions, thank you! I’ll be looking for your whipped cream recipe! Happy experimenting! :-)