How to Make Cashew Milk

Creamy, delicious dairy-free milk you can make at home? YES! That's the magic of cashew milk! Super easy to make with just a couple of ingredients.

I'll let you in on a secret: pretty much any kind of non-dairy milk you can buy at the store can be made at home. And most of them are way tastier than the store-bought stuff, and pretty darn easy to make.

I already shared my recipe for homemade almond milk. But you know what else I love? Cashew milk! And here's the cool thing about cashew milk: it's generally easier and quicker to make than almond milk.

Why Cashews?

I enjoy most varieties of non-dairy milk. They all have their different flavors, and depending on what kind of mood I'm in I might go for a glass of just about any type, be it oat, hemp, soy, rice, or whatever.

But cashew milk is usually what I go for when I'm in the mood for something seriously delicious, rich and creamy. Raw cashews have a smooth, slightly sweet flavor that's perfect for replicating dairy.

Notice I said raw cashews? They don't taste as nutty before they're roasted.

Raw cashews also blend up smooth and creamy. You just need to soak them in some water to soften them up! I even use raw cashews to make cashew cream, my favorite multi-purpose dairy substitute for cooking.

Cashew Milk Ingredients

Required Ingredients

You only need two ingredients!

Cashews. Make sure you're using raw cashews! I find the cheapest ones are available at Trader Joe's or in the bulk bins of my supermarket.

Water. Use good, filtered water for the cleanest flavor.

Optional Ingredients

Most of the time I just stick with the two required ingredients, for a simple, unflavored, unsweetened cashew milk that I can use for just about anything — cereal, drinking, baking, or savory recipes. But sometimes I like a little extra flavor, especially when I'm making a batch just for drinking. In these cases I'll add one or more of the following.

Maple Syrup. Just one or two tablespoons will add a burst of sweetness and delicious maple flavor.

Vanilla Extract. A teaspoon or so will give you a delicious vanilla milk.

Cocoa Powder. Add a couple of spoonfuls before blending your cashews for some dairy-free chocolate milk. I recommend adding some maple syrup or another sweetener if you go with this option.

Salt. Salt is a flavor enhancer, so adding a pinch of it to any flavored variety of cashew milk will make it taste even better!

How to Make Cashew Milk

Soak & Blend

Start by soaking some raw cashews in water to soften them up.

When they're all finished soaking, drain and rinse your cashews. Transfer them to a blending device, along with ¼ cup of fresh water. I'm using a food processor, just because my food processor is more powerful than my blender. If you have a very powerful blender, feel free to use that though.

Blend the cashews to a smooth paste. This may take a few minutes, but be patient! The smoother you get your paste, the smoother your milk will be. Stop the machine every few minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

When your paste is nice and smooth you can add the rest of the water. Blend again just to mix everything up.

And voila! You've got cashew milk.

Optional Step: Strain

If you didn't blend your cashews enough in the beginning, you may find your cashew milk to be a bit pulpy, as my husband likes to call it. In this case, you can strain your milk through a nut milk bag, just as you'd normally do with almond milk.

Cashew Milk FAQ & Tips

• Cashew milk will keep for about 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
• Your cashew milk may separate a bit during storage (especially if it wasn't strained). If this happens, just shake or stir it up before pouring.
• Is cashew milk gluten-free? Yup!
• I'm allergic to cashews. Is there a substitute? Try making almond milk instead!

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