How to Make Creamy Cashew Milk

Name: Basic Cashew Milk
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 31 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Dairy-free
Ingredients: 1 cup organic cashews, soaked for 30 minutes in filtered water, rinsed well and drained; 4 cups filtered water

June 20, 2017 / By Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition / 18 Comments

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If you’re looking for an easy, dairy-free milk option, creamy cashew milk is just about as good as it gets! Unlike almond milk, cashew milk doesn’t require straining, so it’s as easy as blending and pouring. I’ll show you how easy and versatile cashew milk is.

Unlike almonds, cashews only need a very quick soak and rinse to get them ready for blending. Honestly, even 10 minutes in a bowl of water is enough soaking time for cashews. This is the first step in making Creamy Cashew Milk.

After that, they get combined with water for a quick blend (read my comparison of the Vitamix and the Blendtec) and NO STRAINING through a nut milk bag!!!:

Can you tell how excited I am not to have to strain the milk, ha ha? I always make a huge mess and that just slows me down. I’m also excited because cashew milk is super versatile in that it can be used as a base for savory or sweet recipes.

You know me, I have a sweet tooth, so adding some brazil nuts and carob powder makes for an uber-chocolate-y creamy cashew milk that you can use to make homemade vegan fudgesicles (feel free to use cocoa powder if you prefer):

I like using a blend of cashews and hemp seeds for green smoothie bases:

You might have noticed that all of these nuts and seeds come from NOW Foods. The folks there sent me a big batch of options as part of this sponsored post (all opinions are my own). Note: you can buy raw, organic cashews by NOW on Amazon.com (affiliate link included):

Here’s a video how-to on making Creamy Cashew Milk that you’re sure to love!

For the simplest of cashew milk recipes, here’s the basic one that is perfect for pairing with breakfast cereals or as a base for dairy-free soups or dressings:

Basic Cashew Milk

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Carrie Forrest, MBA/MPH
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 min
Total Time: 31 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Beverage
Method: High-Speed Blender
Cuisine: Dairy-free, vegan, paleo

Print Recipe

Description

Homemade cashew milk is super easy to make, and can be used for your dairy-free needs.

Ingredients

1 cup organic cashews, soaked for 30 minutes in filtered water, rinsed well and drained
4 cups filtered water

Instructions

Combine the cashews and water in a high-speed blender. Process for about 45 seconds or until completely blended.
Store the milk in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Add the seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to make a creamy vanilla version!

Other easy cashew milk combination ideas:

1/2 cup organic cashews + 1/3 cup brazil nuts + 1 tablespoon carob or cocoa powder for a Cashew-Brazil Chocolate Milk or the base of homemade fudgesicles
1/2 cup organic cashews + 1/4 cup hemp seeds + 3 cups filtered water for a Cashew-Hemp Milk perfect for green smoothies (see my list of recipes)
1/2 cup organic cashews + 1/3 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds for the base of creamy, dairy-free salad dressings

What’s your favorite way to use cashew milk? What other combinations of nuts and seeds do you like for dairy-free milks? Let me know in the comments!

You might recognize this recipe, but I’ve updated it with nutrition info. I hope you enjoy.

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How to make homemade, dairy-free cashew milk for sweet or savory recipes. No nut milk bag required for this vegan and paleo-friendly milk. | Vegan recipe, cashew milk, nut milk, paleo recipe, dairy-free recipe.