The best dairy free substitute for heavy cream depends on the dish: coconut cream whips and suits desserts, while cashew cream and pureed silken tofu pour well in sauces and soups but will not whip.
Cooking and baking ask different things of cream, so each swap below is sorted by use. For related options across the pantry, see our guide to common cooking ingredient substitutions.
What a swap has to replace
Heavy cream is high in saturated fat, and plant-based swaps rebuild that richness from coconut fat, cashews, tofu or added oil. Coconut cream is the closest match on fat. Because its fat content is similar, pretty much any dish that uses heavy cream can use coconut cream instead. It is also much thicker than coconut milk, so do not confuse the two.
The second question is whether the recipe needs the cream to hold air. Coconut cream can be whipped, but cashew cream and tofu cannot. Settle that first, then pick the swap for flavour and heat.
Dairy-free swaps at a glance
| Swap | Amount or form | Whipping | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut cream | Used in place of heavy cream; for whipping, chill full-fat coconut milk until firm | Whips in a similar way to heavy cream | Desserts and toppings; the distinct coconut flavour limits it in some dishes |
| Cashew cream | Used in recipes calling for liquid heavy cream | Does not whip; thicker but not voluminous | Sauces, soups and several desserts |
| Pureed silken tofu | 1 cup replaces 1 cup heavy cream | Will not whip | Many recipes that do not need whipped volume |
| Rice or soy milk plus oil | 2/3 cup milk plus 1/3 cup oil makes 1 cup | Pourable blend, not a whipped topping | Recipes where you only need to make up the liquid cream |
Amounts and behaviour come from Medical News Today’s roundup of heavy cream substitutes and Go Dairy Free’s cashew cream recipe.
Cooking: sauces, soups and savoury dishes
On the stovetop, whipping does not matter, so choose on flavour and thickness. Cashew cream suits most sauces and soups, coconut cream suits dishes that can carry a coconut note, and tofu or a milk-and-oil blend suits cooks who want a quick fix from the fridge.
Coconut cream
Coconut cream goes in where heavy cream would, and it also has less cholesterol than its dairy counterpart. Its limit is flavour: the distinct coconut taste makes it unsuitable for some dishes. Pick it for recipes where coconut belongs, and use cashew cream or tofu when it does not.
Cashew cream, step by step
Homemade cashew cream needs only raw cashews and water. The method below follows Go Dairy Free’s heavy cashew cream, which works in sauces, soups and several desserts like heavy cream.
- Soak the cashews. Cover 2 cups whole raw cashews with water for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
- Blend in two stages. Put the cashews in the blender with half of 2 cups of water and puree until smooth.
- Finish the water. Add the remaining water and blend until very smooth.
- Choose your thickness. For a thick cream, add only the first 1 cup of water. This makes about 2 cups of thick cream.
- Use it as liquid cream. Stir it into sauces and soups in place of liquid heavy cream.
Silken tofu and milk-plus-oil blends
Pureed silken tofu replaces heavy cream cup for cup: 1 cup of puree stands in for 1 cup of cream. That source lists 100 g of tofu at 4.8 g protein and 55 calories. It works in many recipes, but it will not whip. For a pantry-only fix, combine 2/3 cup rice or soy milk with 1/3 cup oil to make 1 cup. The butter-and-milk blend often listed beside these still contains dairy, so it does not help here.
Whipping and baking
Whipped toppings are the one job where the choice narrows to coconut cream. Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight or until firm, then whip the solid cream. It whips in a similar way to heavy cream, and the two are close in consistency. Cashew cream gets thicker than its pourable form but does not get voluminous like heavy cream, and tofu will not whip at all.
For baked and set desserts, the same logic applies: choose the swap whose fat and thickness are closest to cream. Coconut cream matches on fat, and tofu is a one-to-one swap in many recipes. Bakers who find coconut flavour intrusive can use tofu or cashew cream instead.
- Stovetop sauces and soups: cashew cream, or coconut cream when the flavour fits.
- Whipped toppings: chilled full-fat coconut cream only.
- Baking and desserts: coconut cream for the closest fat match, or tofu cup for cup when coconut would clash.
- Quick pantry fix: rice or soy milk with oil, for recipes that need only liquid cream.
Store-bought dairy-free cream
Ready-made products save time, but read the label. Country Crock’s dairy-free heavy whipping cream is built on a plant milk of water and lentil protein plus an oil blend from coconut and canola. Its ingredients also include sugar, modified corn starch and sucrose esters of fatty acid. One tablespoon (15 ml) has 45 kcal, 4.5 g total fat and 3.5 g saturated fat, a useful reference when you compare cartons.
Price varies by shop. One retailer listing for a Silk heavy whipping cream alternative showed $5.29 for 16 fl oz ($0.33 per fl oz) on the day it was checked. A homemade batch can be cheaper if you already stock cashews, but a carton wins on convenience. Look for the product’s own guidance before relying on it for whipping.
Related kitchen guides
Sauces and desserts often share the shopping list with fresh produce. For aromatics, see How To Store Ginger: 7 Practical Ways To Keep It Fresh Longer (2026 Guide) – Asmallbite. For fruit timing, see How Long Does It Take an Avocado to Ripen? A Practical Guide for 2026 – Asmallbite.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use roasted cashews for cashew cream?
Raw cashews are the better choice. Roasted cashews are more dried out and taste sweeter, so they work less well in the cream.
Do cashews always need a long soak?
Not always. A smaller recipe soaks 1 cup of raw cashews in water for 2 hours, then mixes them with 3/4 cup filtered water and a pinch of salt and chills the cream to thicken it. The larger batch above soaks for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
How long does cashew cream keep, and can I freeze it?
Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze it, pour it into an ice cube tray; depending on the tray, that usually gives 1 or 2 tablespoon cubes.
Can I make a smaller batch?
Yes. Halving the ingredients makes about 1 1/2 cups of pourable cream.
