Learn how to make cashew milk at home – no straining or long soak required! You can enjoy this smooth, creamy and rich plant based milk in less than 20 minutes. It tastes so much better than store-bought!
Cashew milk is by far my favorite plant milk. It’s incredibly creamy, rich and neutral tasting plus it doesn’t need to be strained through a nut bag, like almond milk.
Most recipes have you soak the cashews overnight before blending, but I have found that unnecessary. A quick soak in hot water works just fine, especially if you have a high powered blender, such as a Vitamix.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own nut milks at home, this easy recipe is a great place to start!
How to make cashew milk
This is simply an overview with photos, scroll down for the full, printable recipe.
First, add the cashews to a small pot and cover with about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let soak for 15 minutes.
Drain the cashews, then add them to a blender along with fresh water and any other optional ingredients.
Blend until very creamy and white, about 1-2 minutes, maybe a few minutes more if you are using a regular blender. Transfer to glass milk jugs or other airtight container and use within 4 days.
Variations
- Chocolate – Add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and more sweetener, to taste.
- Vanilla – For vanilla cashew milk, add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, sweetener to taste (I used 2 tablespoons maple syrup) and a tiny pinch of salt.
- Strawberry – Add 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries or 1-2 cups fresh strawberries and more sweetener, to taste.
How to store cashew milk
I have both these little glass milk jugs and these larger ones. Both work well for storing plant milks, or you can use another airtight container.
It will only stay fresh for about 4 days, but it can be frozen. Try freezing the milk in an ice cube tray, then you can throw a few cubes in a smoothie.
Where to use it
Of course, cashew milk is great in cereal, oatmeal or anywhere else you would use milk. Here are some recipes that homemade cashew milk is perfect for:
- Vegan Pot Pie
- Biscuit Topped Chickpea Pot Pie
- Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Vegan French Toast
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Cornbread
Want more recipes featuring the creamy power of cashews?
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Queso
- The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Cashew Cream
- Vegan Sour Cream Enchiladas
How to Make Cashew Milk – Quickly!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 4 cups water
For vanilla cashew milk
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- tiny pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- Quick soak the cashews: Add the cashews to a small pot and cover with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let soak for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can soak them overnight.
- Drain the cashews, then add them to a high speed blender, along with the 4 cups of fresh water and maple syrup/vanilla, if desired, for slightly sweetened vanilla milk. Or keep it plain if you plan on using it for savory dishes.
- Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until creamy and white. There is no need to strain it through a nut bag, like with almond milk.
- Transfer cashew milk to glass jugs or other airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen. Enjoy!
Notes
- For less creamy cashew milk, you can add an extra cup of water. As written it is very creamy, sort of similar to whole milk.
- Sweetener options: I used pure maple syrup, but you can use a few dates, agave or even a little granulated sugar, as desired.
- Chocolate milk: Add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and more sweetener, to taste. So good!
- Strawberry milk: Add 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries (or 1-2 cups fresh strawberries) and increase the sweetener, to taste.
Hi Nora! I’d love to freeze this in glass jars, do you think that’s possible?
You can freeze it. It might not taste quite as good once thawed, but it will work. Thanks!
This is an unbelievable recipe, so easy and it comes out perfect! This is just like whole milk, it’ll thicken as well! I absolutely can’t believe all of the other vegan “milk” I’ve tried that didn’t work or tasted off before trying this! Everything I’ve tried from Nora Cooks has gone straight to the recipe book.
Wonderful, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your fantastic review and feedback!
I make mine with NutriBullet…Fast, easy and delicious
Thanks for sharing your great feedback!
I realized this morning that I ran out of store bought cashew milk (I usually use the silk version) but I have a ton of raw cashews that I use for vegan recipes. So I went on google tying to find a quick plant milk recipe and this one was actually the first one I saw. All I have to say is this plant milk is ABSOLUTELY amazing!!! It is the creamiest yummiest plant milk I’ve ever had. I made the vanilla version and use honey instead of maple syrup and it’s the perfect amount of sweetness. I have the recipe and use half a tablespoon. Thank you for sharing this recipe I’m definitely going to make it again☺️ I don’t think I’ll ever buy store-bought plant milk again💕
Hi Abby. I’m truly happy to learn how much you loved the milk! Thank you for your experience, and for your fantastic feedback and review! I appreciate you using my recipe! I hope you’ll check out my other recipes!
Will this curdle in coffee? I’m afraid to try another home-made plant milk since so far they all curdle and separate in coffee..
Love your recipes! We tried the apple cake today and it was *the best* we’d ever had <3 Thank you!
I have found it totally depends on the coffee. My husband actually roasts his own coffee and although it tastes amazing, any milk or creamer tends to curdle in it. However, other more normal coffees don’t curdle with homemade cashew milk. I’m glad you liked the apple cake, thank you!
Stephanie, I’ve heard that if you add a little bit of xanthan gum to it that it won’t curdle in coffee. I read a blog post by someone saying they had the same problem and that’s what they discovered worked the best to fix that. I haven’t tried it myself so don’t 100% take my word on it. Good luck! 🙂
Hi Nora. I love all of your recipes. The way I make my cashew mike makes it taste like 2% milk you’d buy from the grocery store:
1 cup soaked cashews
8 cups filtered room temp water (4 cups in blender jar & 4 in large
Rubbermaid container
1 tsp sea salt
2 dashes cinnamon pwdr
It’s very economical and I love it so much. Thank you so much for all you do.
That sounds great, thanks for sharing!
Sounds good…
Oddly enough, I inherited a nut/legume milking machine. Of course, good cashews or any quality ingredients are a bit spendy. I think this machine was meant for frugality.
Thank you so much for this recipe. Your recipes are wonderful! Take care…
Hi Laura. Thank you for using my recipes! I’m glad you are enjoying them!
I’m wondering if the hot water affects the nutrition advantages of cashews and almonds? I’ve always done the soaking of the raw nuts overnight in the refrigerator.
I’m not sure, but you could just soak them overnight if you feel better about it. No problem at all!
Thank you Nora! This is a wonderful and simple technique every vegan or vegan diet appreciator should know! I love flavored cashew milk, and sometimes will have it in lieu of dessert.
Oh, and — frozen strawberries also work for the strawberry milk variation! I’ve also thrown in a frozen tropical fruit mix and a little coconut, too, for another variation. You’d definitely want a high-powered blender for those, though.
Thanks Emma, love your name by the way, it’s my daughter’s name. 🙂 That’s great to know, good advice thanks!
You say “especially” with a VitaMix. What is your experience with a regular blender? Thanks.
It will work with a regular blender, too. It’s just faster and easier with a high powered blender. Hope that helps!