Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Spread! It’s not cream cheese, but then again, it is. Kind of. It doesn’t have the strong sour taste that you’ll find in traditional cream cheese, and that’s okay with me. Not a fan. This vegan pumpkin “cream cheese” is for those of you who like a smear of something creamy and satisfying on your bagel or toast, without a blast of tangy sour flavor.
I may be the only person on earth who isn’t fond of that sour tangy flavor that you’ll find in cream cheese. I’d rather have a smear of nut butter on my bagel. However, being the weirdo that I am, I do love a good plain Greek yogurt. Go figure. Yogurt is what inspired this creamy pumpkin spread recipe.
There was a container of Kite Hill plain Greek yogurt in my fridge, as well as a half of a can of pumpkin puree that was left over from these delectable pumpkin spice martinis. There were also bagels on my counter that needed to be eaten before they turned into giant hockey pucks. So, I blended some soaked cashews, pumpkin, vegan yogurt, spices, and some lemon for good measure, and this magic happened.
Not too sweet, not too tangy, not too sour, perfectly creamy and delicious non-dairy pumpkin spread. This is a recipe you can feel good about eating.
Its base is cashews, which means that it’s rich in copper (an important part of your diet), protein, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Yes, fat, we need healthy fat and don’t let anyone tell you that you otherwise.
You’ll also find pumpkin puree—which is filled with antioxidants—and savory spices and coconut sugar to make it refined sugar-free. This is a guilt free guilty pleasure, if that makes sense?
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CREAMY VEGAN PUMPKIN SPREAD
It’s as easy as 1. 2. 3.
First – Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 4 hours. They should be soft and puffy so they break down in the blender and become smooth and creamy. You don’t (or maybe you do) want pieces of nuts in your spread.
Second – Drain and rinse the cashews and put them in the blender. Add the pumpkin puree, plain vegan yogurt, spices, sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You’ll want to scrape the sides and blend a few times for best results.
Third – Use a spatula to scrape the pumpkin cream spread into a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours until it firms up. If you don’t mind a softer spread you can eat it straight out of the blender.
Three simple steps, that’s all it takes to make this creamy vegan pumpkin spread recipe. Remember, you can make this your own. Add more or less sugar, lemon, yogurt, or pumpkin to suit your tastes. Make it and come back and let us know what you think, or how you changed it for your tastes. We love to hear from you.
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- 2 cups raw cashews soaked in boiling water for at least 4 hours
- 3 tbsp plain vegan yogurt (we use Kite Hill artisanal yogurt)
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp finely ground sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
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Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least four hours. The nuts should be puffy and soft so they break down into a smooth and creamy spread. The more powerful your blender the creamier it will be.
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Drain and rinse the cashews and put them in the blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on a high speed for approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and blend for another minute or two, or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You may have to scrape the sides of the blender a third time and blend, depending on the power of your blender.
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Use a spatula and scrape the pumpkin spread into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for a few hours until it sets. It should be thick and easy to spread on a bagel or toast. You can also eat it straight out of the blender if you don’t mind it soft.
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Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Make this your own. If you like a sweeter spread, add more sugar, or add less if you don’t like sweet at all. If you like a lot of tang, add more yogurt and lemon. You get the idea.
The Nutrition Facts are an estimate only.
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