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This Vegan Cranberry Almond Cheese Ball is the perfect appetizer for this Holiday season. It’s so creamy with just the right balance of sweet and savory. Made with cashews, almond cream cheese, dried cranberries, almonds and fresh rosemary. Everyone can enjoy this delicious vegan cheese ball. With a cheerful and festive color, it is sure to brighten-up any table these Holidays!
Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball
This Vegan Cranberry Almond Cheese Ball will make the perfect appetizer for any holiday party you will be attending this season. This cheese ball is creamy with the perfect hint of sweet and savory. Is dairy-free and vegan friendly which means that most people will be able to enjoy it.
This delicious cheese ball is made with a cashew base. Soaked cashews give a great creaminess to anything you add them to. Besides how tasty this cheese ball is, It also has a beautifully color. Such a cheerful and festive red that just screams Christmas.
So if you are hosting a party this holiday season or still have no clue what to bring to your relatives house for their Christmas party, give this recipe a try. It will for sure be a hit and make any Holiday table look bright and elegant. Place your cheese ball on a platter or wooden board with some crackers, olives and grapes and you have the perfect appetizer!
Ingredients needed to make Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball:
- Raw Cashews– You will want to soak them overnight.
- Almond Cream Cheese– Any kind of almond cream cheese will work.
- Dried Cranberries– Can substitute for dried cherries.
- Pink Sea Salt– To elevate the flavors.
- Rosemary Sprig– Fresh rosemary works best but you can use 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary too.
- Sliced Raw Almonds– Sliced almonds are easier to work with for this recipe. If you have whole raw almonds, finely chop them and use those instead.
Equipment needed to make Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball:
- Food Processor– It’s important to have a food processor for this recipe. Everything will be pulsed in it to then make the cheese ball.
- Spatula– A silicone spatula always works best.
- Saran Wrap– To wrap and shape cheese into a ball.
- Parchment Paper– To spread almonds on it and roll cheese ball over it.
How to make Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball:
- Step 1– Start with soaking cashews in water overnight. If you forget or want to make this cheese ball now, just boil your cashews for 15-20 minutes to soften them. Drain cashews and pulse into fine pieces in a food processor.
- Step 2– Add the rest of ingredients for cheese to food processor; almond cream cheese, dried cranberries, pink salt and fresh rosemary. Pulse until creamy texture has been reached.
- Step 3– Roll out a piece of saran wrap that’s about 22 inches long. Use a spatula to scoop cheese into the middle of saran wrap. Fold each corner of saran warp towards the middle. Use your hands to work the wrapped cheese mixture and get it shaped into a ball. It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to get it as round as possible. Place cheese ball in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours.
- Step 4– Right before your cheese ball is ready to be removed from the freezer, add the almonds and cranberries for the coating into food processor and pulse into fine pieces.
- Step 5– Roll out a piece of parchment paper that’s about 10 inches long and spread almond and cranberry pieces on it. Unwrap cheese ball and firmly roll it over almond and cranberry pieces so that they’ll stick on it. Using your hands, grab some of the pieces left on the parchment paper and carefully but firmly press them down on to the cheese ball.
- Step 6– Make sure all sides of the ball are well covered with almonds and cranberries. Grab any remaining pieces and add them to the top the the ball.
- Step 7– Wrap cheese ball in saran wrap again and place back in the fridge. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve. You can make an elegant and festive appetizer platter with this cheese ball spread. Place in on a platter or wood board along with a variety of crackers, grapes and olives.
- Step 8– Keep any leftover cheese wrapped in saran wrap and refrigirated for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Substitute dried cranberries with dried cherries- they work well too!
- Substitute almonds with walnuts- they are great in this cheese too!
- Any vegan cream cheese can work- in substitution for almond cream cheese.
- You can make an elegant and festive appetizer platter with this cheese ball spread- place on a platter or wood board along with a variety of crackers, grapes and olives.
What to serve Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball with:
- Variety of Crackers
- Grapes
- Olives
- Nuts
- Jam
- Dried Fruit
- Berries
Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball FAQ’s:
What is vegan cheese made out of?
This vegan cheese is made with a cashew base. Cashews are great to use as a dairy-replacement to make cheese because they have a creamy texture. For this cheese ball recipe, a vegan cream cheese is also used. You can use any vegan cream cheese such as almond cream cheese or make your own.
What is vegan cheese made out of?
Depending on the kind of cheese it is, usually vegan cheese is made out of plant-based milk such as almond milk, cashews, or nutritional yeast.
What can I use instead of cashews?
You can substitute the cashews with blanched almonds.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes. This recipe is completely gluten-free. Serve with gluten-free crackers to keep the whole appetizer this way.
How to store Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball:
If you are making this vegan cheese ball ahead or have any leftover, keep it wrapped in Saran Wrap. Place in an airtight container or a zip bag. Keep cheese ball refrigerated for 2-3 days.
Can you freeze Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball?
Yes. To freeze, keep vegan cheese ball wrapped in Saran Wrap. Wrap again in aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Keep vegan cheese ball frozen for up to 1-2 months. Thaw vegan cheese ball in the fridge before serving.
Did you like this Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball Recipe? You may also like these other appetizer recipes great for the Holidays:
Looking for more Holiday friendly recipes? Check these recipes out:
- Vegan Eggnog
- Orange Cranberry Walnut Bread
- Healthy Holiday Eggnog
- Collagen Hot Chocolate
- Walnut Eggnog French Toast Casserole
- Eggnog Overnight Oats
Cranberry Almond Vegan Cheese Ball
This Vegan Cranberry Almond Cheese Ball is the perfect appetizer for this Holiday season. It’s so creamy with just the right balance of sweet and savory. Made with cashews, almond cream cheese, dried cranberries, almonds and fresh rosemary. Everyone can enjoy this delicious vegan cheese ball. With a cheerful and festive color, it is sure to brighten-up any table these Holidays!
Ingredients
For Cheese:
- 1 cup cashews
- 8 oz almond cream cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 tsp pink salt
- 1 rosemary sprig (removed from stem)
For Coating:
- 1/3 cup sliced raw almonds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
-
Start with soaking cashews in water overnight. If you forget or want to make this cheese ball now, just boil your cashews for 15-20 minutes to soften them. Drain cashews and pulse into fine pieces in a food processor.
-
Add the rest of ingredients for cheese to food processor; almond cream cheese, dried cranberries, pink salt and fresh rosemary. Pulse until creamy texture has been reached.
-
Roll out a piece of saran wrap that's about 22 inches long. Use a spatula to scoop cheese into the middle of saran wrap. Fold each corner of saran warp towards the middle. Use your hands to work the wrapped cheese mixture and get it shaped into a ball. It doesn't have to be perfect but try to get it as round as possible. Place cheese ball in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours.
-
Right before your cheese ball is ready to be removed from the freezer, add the almonds and cranberries for the coating into food processor and pulse into fine pieces.
-
Roll out a piece of parchment paper that's about 10 inches long and spread almond and cranberry pieces on it. Unwrap cheese ball and firmly roll it over almond and cranberry pieces so that they'll stick on it. Using your hands, grab some of the pieces left on the parchment paper and carefully but firmly press them down on to the cheese ball.
-
Make sure all sides of the ball are well covered with almonds and cranberries. Grab any remaining pieces and add them to the top the the ball.
-
Wrap cheese ball in saran wrap again and place back in the fridge. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve. You can make an elegant and festive appetizer platter with this cheese ball spread. Place in on a platter or wood board along with a variety of crackers, grapes and olives.
-
Keep any leftover cheese wrapped in saran wrap and refrigirated for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Substitute dried cranberries with dried cherries- they work well too!
- Substitute almonds with walnuts- they are great in this cheese too!
- Any vegan cream cheese can work- in substitution for almond cream cheese.
- You can make an elegant and festive appetizer platter with this cheese ball spread- place in on a platter or wood board along with a variety of crackers, grapes and olives.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
***Post originally published on December 5, 2018.
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