Learn how to make homemade cashew milk. It's rich, creamy, quick and easy with no straining, and you only need 2 ingredients: Cashews and water.
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
My trusty and versatile friends, raw cashew nuts, are not only good for making cashew cheese sauce; you can also blend them with water to make creamy and silky-smooth cashew milk. Use it to replace cow's milk in recipes, as well as for drinking and making hot beverages.
Cashew milk is mild, creamy, mildly nutty, and has a lovely natural sweetness. Its texture is pretty similar to cow's milk. Smooth and fluid and not viscous like oat milk. It's also ultra-convenient because you don't need to strain it. This means there is no wasteful pulp leftover, and all the goodness and fibre from the nuts remains in the milk.
So, if you've been looking at cashew milk vs almond milk, cashew milk is a clear winner in the ease of making and nutrition stakes. It's also a winner when compared to oat milk, because homemade cashew milk heats well, whereas the starch in homemade oat milk causes it to become weird, thick, and gloopy.
Mel x
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some ingredient notes:
To make cashew milk, all you need are 2 ingredients:
- Cashews - These should be raw and not roasted. I used whole cashews, but cashew pieces are a much more affordable option.
- Water - If your water is good to drink straight from the tap, then it's fine to make cashew milk with it. If not, use filtered water.
There are some optional extras which can be added to make it even better, though, and these include:
- A pinch of good-quality salt (I don't recommend using table salt).
- Vanilla extract.
- Maple syrup or one or two Medjool dates, if you want some added sweetness.
How To Make Cashew Milk
Can't wait to make it? The full printable recipe is below, but first, let me walk you through the steps to set you up for success in your kitchen:
1 - Soak the cashew nuts in cold water. If you forget to soak them in advance, you can speed things along by covering them in boiling water and leaving them for 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Soaking them (even if you have a high-powered blender) results in a smoother, creamier milk, so it is recommended.
2 - Blend the nuts with fresh water until completely smooth. Add sweetener, salt, and some vanilla extract if desired.
3 - Pour the milk into a bottle or container and store in the fridge.
Homemade Cashew Milk Tips
- Play around with the optional extra flavourings (there are some ideas in the FAQs) and the thickness (or thinness) to find what works for you. It's simple to adjust by increasing or decreasing the amount of water used when blending. Sweetened or unsweetened, thick or thin, it's all down to you!
- Cashew milk separates when stored. Simply shake it up before you use it and it will be back to its creamy, dreamy self.
- Homemade plant-based milks don't last as long as store-bought milk because they don't contain any preservatives, so only make as much as you'll use in 4 to 5 days max or freeze any surplus.
Recipe FAQs
Homemade cashew milk doesn't last as long as store-bought cashew milk because it doesn't contain any preservatives. If you make this cashew milk recipe, it will keep for about 5 days in the fridge. Feel free to half the recipe if you only need a small amount.
Homemade cashew milk heats really well in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave and doesn't split in hot sauces like some other dairy-free milks do. It also won't split if you pour it straight from the fridge into hot drinks like tea and coffee.
Yes, cashew milk can be frozen for up to 3 months. I like to keep some in an ice cube tray so that I can pop a few cubes out to defrost as needed. They are really handy if you only need a small amount for a cup of coffee or tea, or to pop out and add to smoothies or iced coffee!
Separation is something that occurs naturally in homemade dairy-free milk because we aren't using commercial processes and emulsifiers like store-bought milk. Simply give the cashew milk a quick shake before you use it to bring it together again.
Yes! Cashew milk lends itself well to many delicious flavours. Make it your own. There are so many possibilities! Here are some ideas:
- Vanilla cashew milk - Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and some maple syrup or a couple of dates to sweeten
- Chocolate cashew milk - Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of maple syrup or a couple of dates
- Cashew Milk Coffee - Use brewed coffee (either hot or cold) instead of the water in this recipe to make really great cashew coffee. Add a drop of maple syrup or a date or two to sweeten.
- Mocha - Use cold coffee instead of water when making the cashew milk and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of maple syrup or a couple of dates to sweeten
- Pumpkin Spice - Add 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of maple syrup or a couple of dates for sweetness
- Golden Milk - Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of black pepper, plus a couple of dates or a dash of maple syrup for sweetness
- Chai - Simply use cold, chai tea instead of water to make the milk, and add a dash of maple syrup or a couple of dates to sweeten
- Strawberry - Make my Vanilla Roasted Strawberries and add ½ - 1 cup of them to the blender when you make the cashew milk. Start off with only 2 cups of water this time, though, as the juicy strawberries will thin it out. You can always add more water afterwards to thin if necessary.
Recipe
Cashew Milk
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup (140 grams) raw cashew nuts
- Up to 4½ cups (1080 ml) water , use as much as you need to get the thickness you like
Optional extras
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- to taste maple syrup
- 1 - 2 medjool dates , soaked in boiling water for 10 mins to soften
- ½ - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- I recommend soaking the cashews for the ultimate, creamy texture, but if you are in a hurry and you have a high powered blender, you can skip the soaking. If you don't have a high powered blender, soaking is essential.
- To soak, put the cashew nuts in a lidded container or jar, cover with water and place the lid on top. Soak for about 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge). If you forget to soak the cashews, you can do a rush soak by covering the nuts with boiling water and letting them soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Drain the cashews. Put them in a blender. Add 2 cups (480ml) of water. If you want to add any optional add-ins like a date, maple syrup or salt, add them now, then blend until completely smooth. Start on a low setting and gradually work up to high for ultimate smoothness.
- Check the texture. It will be quite thick. Add more water gradually, giving it a quick blend in between each addition until the milk is the thickness you like. Decant into a bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days.
NOTES
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
Sussanne Pearl says
Wow Melanie your Cashew and Oat Milk will save me $20/month from buying store brands that are tasteless! Often spoiled
Thank you Sussanne
A Virtual Vegan says
I hope you enjoy them. And yes you save a fortune by making them yourself!
Ruchama says
This comes just in time for Passover 2020. Vegans can suffer a lot during the eight days. The Kosher for Passover creamer substitutes are truly nasty. This recipe will allow me to have my coffee with cream during Passover. Thanks!!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great! I'm glad you will still be able to enjoy your coffee!
Krisha says
Would it be possible to use this is hot chocolate or lattes?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes it's great in hot drinks and doesn't curdle like some plant-based milks. However, it doesn't froth well with a steamer wand.
Krisha says
Oh perfect! Thank you so much!
Marcel says
Thank you for this recipe and the other recommendations. Today I made the chocolate variety and it is absolutely delicious.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it Marcel!
Sally Hurst says
So easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Karen Arnold says
Just made this (without the date) easy peasy and nice flavour in tea really enjoying looking through your recipes
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Karen. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
J says
I'm curious if you could can this yourself? What are your thoughts?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have absolutely no idea. I have no experience with canning at all. If you try it let me know what happens!