Move over cow’s milk, there’s a healthier and better tasting kid milk in town. Cashew milk is nutritious, delicious & really easy to make.

It really is this simple: soak 1 cup of raw cashews for at least two hours, drain and rinse them, then blend them with 3 cups of water and a small pinch of sea salt in a high-speed blender for about 2 minutes. No straining needed, and you’ll have about 24 ounces of creamy cashew milk.

Cashew milk is an excellent whole food-based nondairy milk replacement and is naturally gluten-free. Unlike most store-bought nut milks, it doesn’t contain any questionable ingredients.

It’s also one of the few nut milks that doesn’t need to be strained through a fine mesh bag, because the soaked cashews soften enough to emulsify completely. That said, you’ll need a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix or a Blendtec, to get the soaked cashews to blend into a creamy milk.

You can adjust the consistency of your cashew milk to your liking by simply adding more or less water. The recipe below is a 1:3 ratio of cashews to water. Use 1:2 for a thicker consistency, similar to half & half. You can even make very thick cashew cream by using a 2:1 ratio of cashews to water (how fun!). Stir that cashew cream into marinara and you have the sauce for my Dairy-Free Creamy Pasta.

Be sure to buy raw cashews (unsalted and not roasted). You can usually find them in the bulk section of your grocery store or online. Roasted or salted cashews will give you a pretty funky tasting milk. Look for organic if possible. Some chefs will tell you to only buy whole raw cashews as the pieces can be dry, but whole raw cashews can get really pricey (especially the organic ones) so I usually buy the halves or pieces and haven’t noticed any major differences.

Soak your cashews for at least two hours to soften them (I prefer at least four hours). You can also soak them overnight, up to 12 hours, for an even easier recipe. Just soak them before you go to bed and whip up your cashew milk in the morning. You can soak them at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If I soak them longer than four hours, I usually pop them into the fridge. You don’t have to tightly cover the container, but I usually put something over it to keep the dust out if I have it on the counter.

Easy Homemade Cashew Milk Recipe

Makes about 24 ounces
Total time: 5 minutes plus soaking time

Special Equipment: high-speed blender*, such as a Vitamix or Blendtec
Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked at least two hours and up to 12
• 3 cups purified water for blending, more for soaking
• small pinch of sea salt

Method: Drain your soaked cashews and discard the soaking liquid. Rinse well. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Turn the blender to the lowest setting and turn on, then slowly work your way up to a higher setting. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Note: When making cashew milk, the mixture is thin enough that you probably won’t go past an 8/10 setting on the blender. When making a thicker milk or cashew cream, work your way all the way to the highest setting.

How to store:

Cashew milk will keep in your refrigerator for about a week, so keep that in mind and make as much as you need. Store it in an airtight glass container (mason jars work great), and be sure your hands and all of the equipment are clean before starting, as any bacteria will prevent it from keeping longer. You don’t need to sterilize everything like you would if you were canning, just keep your (clean) fingers out of it as much as possible. It might separate a little over the week, which is not a problem at all, just shake it up before using.

How to use:

Use your cashew milk on cereal, in sauces, in my healthy homemade coffee creamer, or just drink it plain. You can use it just about anywhere you’d use regular cow’s milk. (P.S. I’ve never tried to bake with cashew milk, so if you experiment with it let us know how it turns out in the comments below this post.)

I love the plain version, but here are two delicious variations you can try to mix things up:

Vanilla Cashew Milk Recipe (unsweetened):

Use the same recipe above and add 3/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract before blending. Add one of the following to sweeten: 1 tablespoon of raw honey, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, or 1-2 pitted dates that have been soaked in water (soak them while you soak the cashews).

Maple Cinnamon Cashew Milk Recipe:

Use the same recipe above and add 3/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon of good quality cinnamon before blending.

*If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can soak the cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes to soften them even more, then use the recipe above. You might need to strain it (use a nut milk bag, fine mesh strainer, or cheesecloth).

Cashew Milk FAQs

Do you have to soak cashews to make cashew milk?

Soaking is what makes the cashews soft enough to blend completely smooth, so I don’t skip it. Two hours is the minimum. In a hurry? Soak them in boiling water for 15 minutes instead, and strain the milk if it isn’t completely smooth.

What’s the best ratio of cashews to water?

For regular cashew milk, use 1 part cashews to 3 parts water. Go with 1:2 for a richer milk like half & half, or 2:1 for a thick, spoonable cashew cream.

How long does homemade cashew milk last?

About a week in an airtight glass jar in the fridge. It may separate a little as it sits, which is totally normal. Just give it a good shake before you pour.

Is cashew milk better than almond milk?

They’re both great, but cashew milk is easier to make at home because there’s no straining. Almond milk needs to be strained through a nut milk bag, and here’s my homemade almond milk recipe if you want to try both.

Cashew milk is also lovely in my Vanilla Cashew Chia Seed Pudding.

Bottoms up!