Vegan Tofu Whipped Cream

🇯🇵 日本語で読む

This light vegan tofu whipped cream is made from well-pressed firm tofu simply strained through a fine mesh sieve — no dairy, no coconut cream, no whipping required.

I originally made it as a filling for matcha crepes with strawberries, paired with homemade anko (sweet red bean paste). The delicate, airy texture works beautifully alongside the sweetness of red bean paste.

Jump to:

• 🧺 Why You'll Love This Recipe
• 🍓 Ingredients
• 🔪 How to Press Tofu
• 🥣 Tools
• 📖 How to Make Tofu Whipped Cream
• 🫙 Storage
• 🌿 How to Use Tofu Whipped Cream
• 🥢 Ways to Use Leftover Pressed Tofu
• 📚 FAQ
• 🍽️ Recipes Using Tofu Whipped Cream
• 🫘 Recipes Using Leftover Firm Tofu
• 🍡 More Japanese Sweet Recipes
• ✏️ Recipe Card

🧺 Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Just 3 ingredients: Firm tofu, powdered sugar, and coconut oil.
• Light and airy texture: Sieving the tofu gives it a delicate, cloud-like texture.
• Lightly sweetened: A mild, gentle sweetness that doesn't overpower other flavors.
• No coconut cream: A tofu-based alternative for those looking to avoid it.
• Made for Japanese sweets: Pairs especially well with anko in daifuku, crepes, and more.

🍓 Ingredients

Just 3 ingredients.

● Firm tofu: Needs to be pressed overnight — or at least 8 hours — before using. The drier the tofu, the lighter the cream. See How to Press Tofu for details.

● Powdered sugar: I use beet sugar powder for a mild, light sweetness. It also blends smoothly into tofu. If the sugar crystals are too coarse, it may affect the texture. Regular powdered sugar works too.

● Coconut oil: Adds a subtle richness. Make sure it's melted before mixing in. I used Brown Sugar 1st Coconut Oil.

For exact quantities, see the recipe card below 👇

🔪 How to Press Tofu

How well the tofu is pressed has a big impact on the final texture.
Too much moisture left in, the cream turns softer and can become watery — especially when used as a filling.

For this reason, it’s important to press the tofu well before using.

What You'll Need

• A tray or dish with sides — to catch the liquid
• An extra pack of tofu — used as a weight
• A few plates — for weight
• Plastic wrap
• Paper towels

Well-pressed tofu should look dense and tightly packed at the cross-section, with almost no moisture seeping out. Pat the surface dry with paper towels before using.

🌿 If you're using Western-style extra firm tofu, it may need less pressing time. If it looks similar to the tofu above, it should be fine to use as is.

🥣 Tools

Just a few simple tools are needed.

• A bowl
• A spatula or rice paddle — make sure it’s clean and free from any odors
• A fine mesh sieve

📖 How to Make Tofu Whipped Cream

Once the tofu is pressed, the rest comes together quickly.

🫙 Storage

Best eaten the same day, if possible.

If you'd like to keep it until the next day, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and use within the next day.

🌿 How to Use Tofu Whipped Cream

I originally made this cream as a filling for matcha crepes, but it also works well in other Japanese sweets, like ichigo daifuku (strawberry mochi).

Its mild sweetness pairs especially well with anko (red bean paste) — it lightens the richness of the anko while adding volume and a soft, light texture.

🥢 Ways to Use Leftover Pressed Tofu

Use it to make a double batch of this cream, or in dishes like:

• Vegan hamburger steak
• Vegan feta cheese
• Vegan cream cheese spread
• Vegan baked pumpkin cheesecake
• Steamed tofu dumplings (Korean-style)

📚 FAQ

🍽️ Recipes Using Tofu Whipped Cream

With the finished tofu whipped cream:

🫘 Recipes Using Leftover Firm Tofu

To use up the tofu:

🍡 More Japanese Sweet Recipes

Vegan Japanese sweets (👉 browse all):

✏️ Recipe Card