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    You are here: Home / Appetizers / Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball

    LAST UPDATED: January 28, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: December 8, 2021

    Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Cheeseball

    This vegan cheese ball is rich, creamy, and makes a perfect party appetizer! Made with cashew cheese flavored with Dijon mustard and a hint of maple syrup, you'd never guess it was dairy-free!

    Vegan Cheese Ball with a Slice Cut out and Spread on a Cracker in the Foreground.

    I've wanted to create a vegan cheese ball (cheez ball?) recipe for a while. I thought it would be fun, as there's lots you can do with cashew cheese. I was also sure I could create something at least as tasty as any dairy cheese ball.

    Well, this cashew cheese ball did not disappoint! In fact, I've made this a few times since creating the recipe and taken it to a number of gatherings where it was enjoyed by vegans as well as non-vegans (who were mostly pretty incredulous to the fact that this cheese ball was dairy-free!). This is by far one of my favorite vegan appetizer recipes!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make a Vegan Cheese Ball
    • Shelf-Life & Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Vegan Cheese Recipes
    • Video
    • Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball

    What You'll Need

    • Raw cashews. They absolutely need to be raw for this recipe. Roasted cashews will totally mess with the flavor! Also try to remember to soak them in water for a few hours to soften them up for blending. If you forget, they can be boiled for about 15 minutes instead, though they won't blend up quite as smooth.
    • Dijon mustard. Preferably use whole grain Dijon. I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's brand.
    • Nutritional yeast flakes. Look for these in the natural foods section of your supermarket.
    • Coconut oil. Be sure to use refined coconut oil if you want to avoid your cheese ball tasting at all like coconut. Unrefined works fine if you don't mind coconut flavor (I actually don't mind it in this recipe, but I love coconut).
    • Maple syrup.
    • Salt.
    • Pecans. Feel free to substitute with another type of nut such as walnuts or hazelnuts, or even dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, if you prefer.

    How to Make a Vegan Cheese Ball

    The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!

    • Place your cashews, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, and salt into a food processor or blender.
    • Blend everything together until smooth. Be patient! This can take a while, especially if you're not using a high-powered blending device.
    Vegan Cheese Ball ingredients in a blender before and after blending.
    • Transfer the cashew mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap, then wrap it up and shape it into a ball. It will be soft at this point, so it might not get perfectly round — that's fine!
    • Place the cheese ball in the fridge to chill and firm up.
    Hands Shaping a Plastic Wrapped Vegan Cheese Ball.
    • Once your cheese ball is set, take it out of the fridge and unwrap it. Roll it in chopped pecans. You can gently adjust the shape to make it rounder as you do this.
    Hand Rolling a Vegan Cheese Ball in Pecans.
    • At this point you can wrap your cheese ball back up and chill it for later, or serve it immediately.
    Vegan Cheese Ball Surrounded By Crackers with a Sprig of Rosemary on Top

    Shelf-Life & Storage

    This vegan cheese ball will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    It is!

    Is there a substitute for coconut oil in this recipe?

    Unfortunately, I haven't found one yet. The coconut oil is what helps to solidify your cheese ball by going form liquid to solid state when chilled. While your cheese ball won't firm up without it, you could leave it out and turn this recipe into a delicious vegan cheese dip.

    Is there a substitute for cashew in this recipe?

    Raw sunflower seeds and macadamia nuts might work (they often do in recipes like this), but I haven't tried either one in this particular recipe, so I can't guarantee results.

    More Vegan Cheese Recipes

    • Vegan Ricotta Cheese
    • Nacho Sweet Potato Cheese
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
    • Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    Video

    Need more guidance on how to make a cashew cheese ball? Check out my video!

    Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

    Vegan Cheese Ball with a Slice Cut out and Spread on a Cracker in the Foreground.
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print

    Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball

    This vegan cheese ball is made with creamy cashew cheese flavored with maple syrup and Dijon mustard, rolled up and covered with a crunchy pecan crust.
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Chill time 4 hours
    Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 191 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, rinsed and drained
    • 3 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
    • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
    • 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    • ½ cup chopped pecans
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Place the cashews, mustard, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

    2. Taste-test the mixture and make any adjustments to suit your taste.

    3. Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap. Gently wrap plastic around the mixture and press it into a ball shape*. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

    4. Gently peel away the plastic wrap and transfer the ball to a plate. Press pecan pieces into the surface, reshaping gently as needed.

    5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers, bread or veggies.

    Recipe Notes

    *It will be too soft to get it perfectly round at this point. Don't worry about that! You can adjust the shape later.

    Nutrition Facts
    Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 191 Calories from Fat 145
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16.1g25%
    Saturated Fat 5.9g30%
    Sodium 288mg12%
    Potassium 182mg5%
    Carbohydrates 9.1g3%
    Fiber 1.7g7%
    Sugar 2.5g3%
    Protein 4.3g9%
    Calcium 10mg1%
    Iron 1.6mg9%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Amazing Vegan Spanakopita
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

    Subscribe

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Courtney @ The Fig Tree says

      December 16, 2014 at 12:05 am

      This cheese ball looks fabulous. Such great flavours. I'm hosting a wine and appetizer Christmas party this weekend and I'm definitely going to make this cheese ball to put out. Thanks for the awesome recipe! :)

      Reply
    2. Molly says

      December 20, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      What would you advise besides coconut oil? I am allergic and I hate the taste.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 21, 2014 at 10:20 am

        You could omit the oil - the texture just won't be quite as smooth. The other option is to sub a neutral flavored vegetable oil like grape seed, though the end product will be a bit softer, since the coconut oil helps it firm up a bit when chilled. If it's too soft to roll you could always just put it into a dish and serve it as a spreadable cheese. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • christine says

          October 16, 2018 at 5:45 am

          Or maybe a shortening like Trex?

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            October 21, 2018 at 11:51 am

            I've never worked with Trex, but I think most shortenings would work. :)

            Reply
        • Vicky says

          December 20, 2021 at 4:39 pm

          There is an organic refined coconut oil that doesn’t taste like coconut oil.

          Reply
    3. Susan Wright says

      November 19, 2017 at 6:09 pm

      boy I am going to make this for Thanksgiving, what kind of crackers are you using?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 21, 2017 at 9:02 am

        Those are Trader Joe's Golden Rounds, which is pretty much their version of Ritz. :) I *think* Ritz are vegan too, so you could probably use them too. I hope you enjoy this!

        Reply
    4. Mallory says

      November 23, 2017 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      So I made this last night in preparation for today, Thanksgiving. 1) I have never made a cheeseball and 2) I followed your instructions and ingredients exactly. Let me say that it is very difficult not to eat the entire thing already because the flavors go more amazing together than I imagined! And it’s vegan!! I think my guests will be pleasantly surprised. Happy holidays!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 26, 2017 at 10:18 pm

        Yay!! I'm so glad you like it! I hope it was a hit! :)

        Reply
    5. najomi says

      December 12, 2017 at 7:20 am

      Hi Alissa:) this sounds and looks amazing, def want to give it a try! is the yeast a must? i am allergic to it.
      thx x

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 13, 2017 at 5:28 pm

        Hi Najomi! The yeast adds cheesy flavor, so if you leave it out you might need to include something else to make up for it. I'm not sure what would work though - maybe give it a taste test and if you think it would work try adding some garlic powder, onion powder, or even a squeeze of lemon juice. Please let me know how it works out if you give it a try!

        Reply
        • Peter says

          February 04, 2018 at 9:22 am

          I suspect pine nuts might make an alternative to nutritional yeast. Definitely much more expensive, and I wouldn’t know how much to use, but they do have a cheesy flavor.

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            February 04, 2018 at 4:08 pm

            Interesting! I'll have to give that a try! Thanks for the tip!

            Reply
        • najomi says

          July 26, 2018 at 6:59 am

          Hi Alissa. sorry for the late reply. i tried your recipe without the yeast and it was soo good! :) i didn’t add anything else. all my non-vegan friends demolished it and wanted to know what cheese it was LOL

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            July 27, 2018 at 4:41 pm

            That's awesome!! I'm so glad it was a hit!

            Reply
          • Rankin says

            December 21, 2019 at 9:32 am

            you could try white miso paste for the cheesiness.....

            Reply
    6. Kelly Stevens says

      January 22, 2018 at 10:51 am

      5 stars
      OMG! This stuff is addictive!!! You hit it out of the park with this one Alissa! I can't imagine my non-vegan friends turning their nose up at this. :) Thanks once again!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 24, 2018 at 4:27 pm

        Yay!! I'm glad you like it!! Thanks Kelly!

        Reply
    7. Jen says

      November 04, 2018 at 8:33 am

      How far in advanced can this be made? Would 2-3 days be too early?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 04, 2018 at 10:32 am

        2 to 3 days should be fine if you store it in the fridge. If you want to keep it around longer I'd recommend freezing it. :)

        Reply
    8. Lyla says

      December 21, 2018 at 12:12 pm

      Hi there! This looks amazing and I want to make it for Christmas! I am having a hard time finding whole grain Dijon. I can find regular Dijon and stone ground mustard, but not sure which to use...what brand and variety did you use? Thank you! :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 24, 2018 at 10:58 am

        I think either would be fine, but I'd go for the regular Dijon - the flavor goes really nicely in this. Enjoy!!

        Reply
    9. Genevieve says

      January 08, 2019 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      Hello from the Netherlands. I made the cheese yesterday and it is delicious.
      Genevieve

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 13, 2019 at 3:15 pm

        I'm glad you think so! Thanks Genevieve!

        Reply
    10. kate says

      July 11, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      I want to make this today but don't have raw cashews- will roasted work?

      Kate

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 11, 2019 at 8:24 pm

        I don't recommend using roasted - they have a much stronger flavor than raw and I'd be afraid your cheeseball would turn out tasting like nuts instead of cheese.

        Reply
    11. Wilma says

      November 24, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe to take as a hostess gift when I first started plant based- and NO ONE knew it wasn't CHEESE .
      Of course had to warn people about the Nuts in case of allergies.

      This is my Go To contribution to dinner parties we attend.

      Sooooooooooooooo good - thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 24, 2019 at 9:06 pm

        That's awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    12. Alicia says

      November 27, 2019 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      This is the first recipe I've tried from your site, and it is delicious! I scaled the recipe to use only 1 C. of cashews (I am doing several different cheese balls) for Thanksgiving and added 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary to the cashews before blending. The flavor is amazing -- thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 27, 2019 at 1:51 pm

        Oh, rosemary sounds like a delicious addition! I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks so much Alicia!

        Reply
    13. Bridgette Bailey says

      December 01, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      4 stars
      This was really yummy. I was surprised how much I liked it. It is much better once it is room temperature rather than right out of the fridge

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 08, 2019 at 11:05 am

        I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks Bridgette!

        Reply
    14. Kim Laws says

      December 08, 2019 at 9:19 am

      5 stars
      I made this, my first vegan cheese ball, yesterday and it was awesome! It was a big hit at the party I brought it to, everyone loved the dijon flavor. I don't think people would know it's vegan if you didn't tell them - and I never say that about vegan cheeses! I don't have a food processor but I did manage with a blender, I just soaked my cashews for 24 hours. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 08, 2019 at 10:34 am

        Yay! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it! And good to know it works with a blender - I get questions about that from time to time.

        Reply
        • Kim Laws says

          December 08, 2019 at 6:56 pm

          Sometimes I pass on recipes that don't have a blender option, so I wanted to make sure nobody missed out on this just 'cause they don't have a food processor. I'm so glad I decided to try this one! 🙂

          Reply
    15. S Dudley says

      December 15, 2019 at 1:24 pm

      Very very tasty and very very easy!! Took this to a vegan club dinner party and it was a big hit!
      Found the flavor improved even more as it aged. Do you think one can freeze this (before the pecans)?
      I can see the possibilities here with different flavorings. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 15, 2019 at 2:39 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It freezes very well! I usually freeze mine with the pecans and all, but you can certainly add them after it thaws if you prefer.

        Reply
    16. Peggy says

      December 22, 2019 at 4:25 pm

      I tried this recipe and I think I may have done something wrong. Is it possible to over process? I wanted the texture to be smooth so I processed the ingredients until I was satisfied with the texture. I followed the recipe exactly but the consistency is very soft. Is this normal? I made the mistake of rolling the cheese onto pecans which didn't coat the outside very well. I should have placed them on like the recipe states. I added smoked paprika to the top with pecans as well and put it back in the fridge. I hope it hardens up somewhat, otherwise I guess it will be a tasty soft dip that looks like a train wreck. LOL

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 22, 2019 at 8:44 pm

        Is it still soft after chilling? If so it sounds like you might have mismeasured something. Or did you substitute a different type of oil for the coconut? It needs to be coconut in order to firm up. Here's a video from my facebook page that will hopefully give you an idea of the consistency. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1861014630660940 I hope it works out!

        Reply
    17. Alexandra says

      December 23, 2019 at 4:06 pm

      I want to make this but I don't eat cashews! What do you think could be an appropriate substitute? Hulled almonds , sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds?? Thanks :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 29, 2019 at 3:47 pm

        Sunflower seeds might work if they're raw - I haven't experimented much with them, but readers tell me they work as a cashew sub. Macadamia nuts would also probably work if they're available. Enjoy!

        Reply
    18. Lingo says

      December 31, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      Another keeper! Your recipes are RELIABLY yummy! Great NYE cheeseball!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 05, 2020 at 4:30 pm

        Yay! Glad you like it! Happy New Year!

        Reply
    19. Heather says

      November 15, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      Do you use virgin or refined coconut oil? I'm thinking refined would be better to not leave a coconut flavour (unless it is meant to taste coconutty)
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 15, 2020 at 7:55 pm

        I use virgin and it does taste a bit coconutty, but I don't mind it. You can use refined if you think the flavor it will bother you.

        Reply
    20. Emily says

      November 30, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious! My non-vegan friends were shocked at how good it was. I made it the day before Thanksgiving, and I ended up wrapping it twice - that is, I wrapped it in plastic wrap after I blended it, but it was still really soft and definitely not ball shaped. So after a couple of hours, I shaped it into a ball and put it into a bowl so it would hold the ball shape. That evening, I rolled it in pecans and wrapped it again. It held its shape perfectly.

      Reply
    21. ama says

      December 25, 2020 at 4:17 am

      5 stars
      So good -- made it for a Christmas Eve dinner appetizer. My non-vegan friend loved it, and I ate way too much of it. I don't do nutritional yeast, so I subbed a couple of tsp of garlic powder and a couple of tsp of onion powder. The leftovers were even better the next day, the dijon got more prominent.

      Reply
    22. Marty says

      December 26, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      Made this recipe as is. OMG it was delicious, everyone enjoyed. Wll make again! Thank you

      Reply
    23. Jen B says

      January 25, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good! It’s the first cheese ball I’ve made, and believe me it won’t be the last. My family loved the maple mustard combo - makes perfect sense but I wouldn’t have thought to put together in cheese - genius! :)

      Reply
    24. Richard Winfrey says

      December 25, 2021 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! I made this last night and got it out to enjoy for Christmas Day! It is amazing! I made 2 cheeseball: one with this recipe and the other one I sort made up as I went along. The 2 are on opposite ends of the taste spectrum. I made up a smoky sharp white cheddar cheese ball on the spot, but I used your mustard method for sharpness! I love the Maple Dijon Cheeseball! It is decadent and delicious! Inspired!

      Reply

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