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I have one rule every time make a trip to Trader Joe’s: I have to try something new. Sometimes it’s a win and sometimes not so much, but it’s always fun to see what I can find. (If you want to do the same thing, check their end-caps where they proudly display new and seasonal items!).
Recently, I picked up their vegan cream cheese alternative, and WOW, I was so surprised at how good it is. It’s so yummy, in fact, that I went back for more and have been using it daily.
Oh, and I came up with three recipes you need to try when you snag this on your next trip to Trader Joe’s!
Vegan Cherry Bombs
PB&J Mini Cheesecakes
Cookie Pops
My Take on Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese Alternative
I’ve tried a lot of vegan products out there that try resembling cheese, or cream cheese. Most don’t make the cut because the taste is “meh,” or the ingredients and/or macros don’t match my goals. Trader Joe’s, however, really nailed the taste, consistency, ingredients and PRICE with their Cream Cheese Alternative.
It performs really well when baked and substituted into any recipe calling for dairy cream cheese. It’s smooth, creamy, with a hint of tang, and is darned close to the real thing.
Macro Comparison
2 tablespoons TJ Vegan Cream Cheese:90 calories, 0 protein, 9 grams fat, 4 grams carbs
2 tablespoons Regular Cream Cheese:99 calories, 2 grams protein, 10 grams fat, 1 gram carbs
Ready to try it out in some recipes?
First up, Vegan Cherry Bombs. These are quick and easy to mix together, and then you just let them chill in a truffle mold until they’re set. The end result is a creamy, bite-sized cherry cheesecake that melts in your mouth.
Vegan Cherry Bombs
Servings: 8 servings
*This recipe may contain affiliate links to products we use and love.
Ingredients
6 oz Trader Joe’s cream cheese alternative softened1 cup Frozen cherries slightly thawed and chopped¼ cup Confectioners-style sweetener (i.e. Swerve or powdered Monk Fruit)2 tbsp Coconut oil melted½ tsp Almond or vanilla extract*
Method
Add the cream cheese and cherries to a large bowl and mix well. Add the sweetener, oil and extract and stir well to combine.
Spoon into 18 silicone truffle molds and freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
The final treat tastes like ice cream bites that are cool and refreshing on a hot day!
*If using almond extract, the cherry bombs taste similar to “Cherry Garcia” ice cream. Alternatively, you can use ½-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
**Metric conversion is approximate and these measurements were not tested
If you love PB&J, this next one’s for you
What is it about mini desserts that make them so adorable?! These PB&J Mini Cheesecakes are decadent, with the perfect balance of peanut butter and jelly flavor. They’re so creamy you’d never know they don’t contain “real” cream cheese.
Highly recommend getting some reusable silicone muffin cups for these!
PB&J Mini Cheesecakes
Servings: 10 Mini Cheesecakes
10 Silicone Muffin Cups paper works too!
*This recipe may contain affiliate links to products we use and love.
Crust
½ cup Almond meal2 tbsp PB21 ½ tbsp Butter or vegan butter softened1 tbsp Swerve or monk fruit sweetener
Filling
8 oz Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese Alternative softened⅓ cup Confectioner’s-style sweetener Swerve or powdered monk fruit 1 Egg1 tbsp Natural peanut butter2 tsp PB21 tsp Vanilla extract20 Fresh raspberries
Heat oven to 350°F.
Add the crust ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine to a crumble. Press firmly into the bottoms of 10 silicone muffin cups (or spray cupcake liners with cooking spray and press into the paper liners). Place the liners onto a baking sheet.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sweetener, egg, peanut butter, PB2 and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
Either stir in the raspberries (to create a baked-in PB&J cheesecake) or reserve the raspberries until after baking.
Spoon the filling on top of each crust and bake for 20-22 minutes or until nearly set. Cool for 20 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled (4 hours to overnight).
If you reserved the raspberries, place two on top of each cheesecake.
Feel free to drizzle a small amount of peanut butter across the top of each cheesecake prior to serving.
*Metric conversion is approximate and these measurements were not tested
We love a chocolate + (vegan) cream cheese recipe
You know the Oreo truffles that always show up to holiday parties that everyone raves about? These are like those, but BETTER, and on a stick if you want! My kids love them and they don’t require much work to make…so I love them too!
Chocolate Cookie Pops
Servings: 20 Pops
*This recipe may contain affiliate links to products we use and love.
Break the cookies in half and into a large food processor and then process to fine crumbs.
Add the cream cheese and process to form a dough.
Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes, or until slightly firm. Form into 20 balls.
Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until smooth.
Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the chocolate, then insert into each ball.
Place each ball onto a fork and dip into the chocolate. Then tap the fork against a bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place onto parchment paper, then refrigerate to solidify the chocolate. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
*Metric conversion is approximate and these measurements were not tested
Which vegan cream cheese recipe will you try first?!
If you make one (or all 😉) of these, let me know what you think in the comments and make sure you post a pic and tag @blogilatesdotcom!
If you’re looking for other dairy-free alternatives, check out this dairy-free ranch and this dairy-free coconut fruit dip. YUM.
And of course if you’re looking for an arsenal of easy, healthy recipes, check out Cassey’s protein cookbook, Sculpt!
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