Rich, creamy, dairy-free, easy to make and no straining! Homemade Cashew Milk is my go-to milk for every day. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
How Do You Feel About Nut Milk?
I’ve been playing around with a few different nut milks, and so far, Homemade Cashew Milk has my attention. I tried almond milk, but could never figure out what to do with all the leftover pulp. Even trying to use the pulp in smoothies and brownies, it just didn’t work for me. And I can’t bear the thought of composting or throwing it out.
What I appreciate most about Cashew Milk is its rich, creamy texture and versatility. After all, I’ve made matcha chia pudding, ice cream, dressing, a Whole Foods shake, thickened soup with variations of Cashew Milk and made mashed potatoes and a creamy stovetop mac and cheese with it.
I also use a frothing wand on the espresso machine to whip up a dreamy homemade cappuccino – the cashew milk becomes light, and airy without separating!
It works beautifully in baking too. I use it in hazelnut chocolate cake, banana-oat pecan waffles, a tender pastry for this apple pie and a Dutch baby, among others.
Cashew Nut Milk Tips
- A high-speed blender is a must for nut milk. To get the cashews perfectly smooth: I use Vitamix. You don’t have to strain the blended cashews, so all the fiber and nutrients are retained. Just soak the cashews for 15 minutes in very hot water or overnight room temperature water, then blend.
- I sweeten Cashew Milk with dates, but maple syrup, sweetener of choice or no sweetener at all, works. Play with it. After making Cashew Milk a few times, you’ll discover the combination of flavors and/or level of sweetness you prefer.
- Look for Cashews in the bulk bins, organic and fair trade if available.
- You’ll want to use this milk pretty quick, within 3 days or it starts to sour. A half batch can be made as well.
- After storing, you’ll notice how the cashew milk separates. Give the cashew milk a good shake each time before using.
- If a thinner or thicker milk is preferred, adjust the amount of water used when blending by about 1/2 a cup either way. Adjust it to your needs. For baking and making lattes, I dilute it, adding an additional cup and a half of water. Or if using an amount as per a recipe, I dilute that amount with water by half. It has the consistency of about whole milk.
- If using cashew milk in a sweet or savory recipe, feel free to leave out the dates/sweetener/cinnamon/salt. I make it frequently without any additions and love it the same!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on nut milk. Leave a comment and a link to your favorite recipe below.
the recipe
Homemade Cashew Milk
Ingredients
- 1 C Raw Cashews 160g
- 2 Medjool Dates pitted*
- 3 1/2 C Water** 798g
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in very hot water for 15 minutes (cashews can be soaked in room temperature water for two hours or overnight as well - whatever works for your schedule). Drain and rinse. Add cashews to the blender (I use a VitaMix) along with dates, water, salt, extract and cinnamon. Blend starting on low speed and increasing to high until smooth and frothy, about 40 seconds.
- Store in a lidded container for up to three days.
Notes
**For thinner milk use 4 C (912g) water.
