Cashew Milk
Learn how to make cashew milk and what to do with it, as well as its health properties. Cashew milk is the creamiest and most delicious of dairy-free milks!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 5, 2024
Let’s talk milk. Do you like milk? Milk and I have a tumultuous past. As a kid, I boycotted milk for a solid ten years, during which time my mother fretted about my calcium intake and swore I’d turn into a decrepit, brittle old lady. May the record show that I have not once broken a bone.
These days, I’m still not much of a milk drinker. I like a splash of it in my coffee, but I accidentally stopped drinking coffee two months ago. I can’t say I’m a fan of store-bought milk alternatives, either. Soy milk, rice milk and almond milk all have a funky aftertaste that I can’t abide. Homemade almond milk is pretty good, but straining the pulp from the liquid mixture is more trouble than it’s worth.
Homemade cashew milk, however, is a different story. It’s my one exception. It’s easy to make and it’s absolutely delicious. Cashew milk is the creamiest of homemade nut milks and the most refreshing, in my opinion.
Since the nuts blend entirely into the water, no nuts go to waste in the process. That also means that the cashew milk retains all of the fiber and nutrients present in the cashews. Did I mention that you don’t have to strain the mixture? I’m a fan.
Cashew milk is full of redeeming nutrients, like magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and zinc. The fat in cashews is mostly unsaturated and they are a good source of protein (source).
I’ve made this cashew milk recipe in my old blender and my new fancy pants blender (courtesy of Blendtec). Both blenders produced creamy milk that didn’t require straining, so don’t worry if you don’t have a fancy pants blender. Soaking the cashews first helps them break down in the blender, too. Generally, soaking nuts before consuming them helps release beneficial enzymes. I’m not sure that’s true for cashew milk, though, because even “raw” cashews have already been through two roasting processes to remove their inner and outer shells. “Raw” cashew milk/cream/cheese may be a misnomer.
A cold glass of cashew milk is super refreshing on a hot day. Add cinnamon and it reminds me of horchata. Mix some into Assam or black tea with spices for a riff on Chai tea. It would be great with muesli or cereal for breakfast. Apparently you can even make ice cream with cashew milk, though I admit I’m skeptical. Have you tried it?
Watch How to Make Cashew Milk
Please let me know how your cashew milk turns out in the comments! If you’re looking for more homemade milk alternatives, check don’t miss my pecan milk and oat milk.
Cashew Milk
Cashew milk is creamy and refreshing, nutritious and easy to make. You shouldn’t need to strain the mixture after blending if you have a decent blender. That means less hassle and less waste! Recipe yields about 5 cups cashew milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 4 cups water, divided*
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey or agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Dash of sea salt
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in water at least 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the cashews and rinse until the water runs clear. Add the cashews and two cups water to a blender. Start on a low setting and increase the speed until the cashews are totally pulverized. This could take 2 minutes in a high-powered blender or longer in a regular blender.
- Blend in 2 cups more water*, your sweetener of choice, vanilla extract, sea salt and cinnamon (optional). If your blender can’t totally break down the cashews, strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth. Store the milk in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days—stir before using.
Notes
*Water ratio: The ratio of water to cashews (4 to 1) in this recipe yields milk that is somewhere between 2% and whole milk in terms of creaminess. I think it’s just right as-is, but you can use less water for even creamier results.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup or agave nectar, not honey.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Kate, I’ve made his regularly for a few years now, and love it! My tip is to put it in glass bottles in the fridge and not fill it too high, so that you can shake before use! Makes a great blueberry overnight oats! Also, when I was at Leon’s in London they served cashew milk porridge with cherry sauce and almond butter – divine!
Love it!
Please send me the vegetarian lasagna receipe. I viewed it but couldn’t find the receipe. Thanks so much for all your help.
Hi Melodie! Here is the direct link. You need to scroll down to find it. Or, use the ‘jump to recipe’ button. https://sooka.info/2017/best-vegetable-lasagna-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Thanks for this cashew milk recipe! I LOVE cashews.
Like you I don’t care for soy or almond milks…. but my taste dissents from yours on rice milk – which I find tasty and lite. pretty good.
I’m going to prepare cashew milk according to your recipe tonight and will hopefully enjoy tomorrow morning at breakfast.
Soaking my cashews in water in fridge now. Will let you know how your cashew milk recipe turns out for me tomorrow.
What did you think, Ron?
Oh my, this is yummy and super easy! I didn’t add any sweetener as I wanted to see what it tasted like without it. I’ve tried the cashew milk with 3 different teas today and loved the flavor it added. But tonight…it was out of this world….I love leftover rice and milk warmed up….so out came yesterday’s Jasmine rice and the cashew milk….heated it up and it got nice and thick…it was good but it could be better….sprinkled on some fresh ground cinnamon and some sugar…yup…I’ll never go back to plain milk and rice! Thanks so much for this post!!!
You’re welcome, Deb! I’m happy you loved it so much. I really appreciate your feedback and review.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been splurging a bit and buying a bottled cashew milk and this tastes almost exactly the same! I use the bourbon vanilla from Trader Joe’s and though it discolors it a bit, the taste is amazing!
You’re welcome, Taby! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
How many calories in 1 cup. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Yana! The nutritional information is below the recipe. Please ensure you allow cookies in your browser.
Cashew milk newbie over here….I followed the directions and made my first cashew milk tonight. One sip and I’m a HUGE fan. So creamy and delicious. I was originally hesitant about adding cinnamon but I’m very glad that I did. I absolutely cannot wait to add a splash of this cashew milk into my morning coffee as well as to my golden milk lattes.
Katie- thanks for introducing me to this no muss, no fuss cashew milk recipe. :)
Hooray! I’m excited you loved it, Cindy. Thank you for your comment.
Definitely going to try this, thanks! I found an alternate method in Cook’s Illustrated for cashew sour cream where instead of soaking first, you pulverize the cashews to a sandy consistency in the blender first, then soak for about 15 minutes then blend, and it’s way smoother than the pre-soaked method!
Thanks for sharing, Kevin!
Unfortunately, even with a Vitamix, the mixture is still grainy :( have to use a nut milk bag.
I’m sorry to hear that, Marni! I haven’t experienced that. Maybe blend a little longer? It seems like you have found a good alternative!
Hi Kate! I love your cashew milk recipe, it’s so easy to make and delicious! I’m concerned however because after blending (I use a VitaMix) the milk is very warm, is this normal? It cools down fairly quickly after pouring in glass bottles and refrigerating and the flavor is fine. Just wondering if the heat would adversely affect the milk in any way? Also wonder if my VitaMix is overheating and needs to be replaced, I’ve had it for many years. Thanks!
Hi Jane! That is normal, it’s just apart of the process with a Vitamix. It shouldn’t cause concern, unless your blender starts to smell hot.
Another way to deal with this is to use ice-cold water in the blender with the cashews.
Thanks for this recipe! It was easy and the results were delicious
You’re welcome, Jennifer!
I’ve made the cashew milk twice now. First time I followed the recipe, second time I only added the salt and vanilla – which was our preferred taste. I calculated the cost and by getting the cashews on “sale” at 7.99/lb (need to find cheaper cashews!), it cost .01575 more to make per ounce than regular priced store bought. The benefits are…no additives and no carton to dispose of. I consider that a win all around! It makes 40 ounces, so I froze half of it since I use it mainly in my morning latte, and occasional cereal. Just have to shake well and voila!
Thanks for another great option!
Thank you for your detail, Jean!
Yum! This was creamy and delicious and super easy! Even my husband said ” this is better than the store stuff, just make this from now on ” as for ice cream using this, I’m going to try it… I’ll let you know. Thanks!
Wonderful, Tammi! Thank you for sharing.
Delicious! Perfect!
wow it only will keep for 3/4 days?!
It doesn’t have any preservatives in it, so you want to use it before it spoils.
This was great! Thanks.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked it, Meghan.
Thank you for this great recipe. I made this and it was delicious. Very good even unsweetened. Even better with a tiny bit of maple syrup added. I used it to make tapioca pudding.
This is so much easier than making almond milk and no waste product.
Why do you rinse the cashews after soaking? Aren’t you losing something beneficial by doing that? I read below that it’s possibly harder to digest if it’s not rinsed. It shouldn’t be any worse than just eating cashews.
Hi Olga! I find it helps to make an even creamier result without any odd taste after soaking.
Confession: I ran out of my always store-bought almond milk and went on a desperate search to find a recipe for homemade almond milk that I could whip up to put in my morning coffee (let’s be real, I was feeling too lazy to go to the store), and somehow I stumbled upon this EVEN BETTER recipe that suited my lazy nature just fine…with no waste, no spare parts…just simple and utterly delicious. I soaked the cashews in the fridge overnight, used my trusty Vitamix in the morning, and in about 3 minutes had honestly the best alternative milk I have ever tasted. Even my 5 year old skeptic of all things food-ish enjoyed it. Kate, thank you so much for sharing!
I’m happy you came across this recipe and loved it, Cate! Thank you for your review.
Made your recipe for cashew milk to accompany my espresso drink (mocha) and it’s fabulous!
I’ve tried various milks over the years – acidophilus, lactose-free, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oatly, mootopia – and your recipe tops them all – for taste and nutrition. I’ll just need to make sure to get my Vitamin D and calcium from other sources. M
Thanks for a recipe that’s easy to make and tasty. The fact you don’t have to strain it was the deciding factor for me!
Thanks for commenting, Catherine!
I made your healthy granola recipe this morning, which is really good! I was so happy with it! And then I thought, I’d love some non-dairy milk to go with this, and I think you even had a link in or near the granola recipe to the cashew milk, so I made it, and refrigerated it, and this evening I had the granola with the cashew milk (unsweetened) and wow, what a great combo. I’m really thrilled with both recipes. Thanks so much!
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Barbara.
Just made the cashew milk as you suggested with a tablespoon of maple syrup. It is so creamy! I also like that it is very snowy looking. I go by taste mostly, but I have to say it looks much more appealing than the oat milk which is my standby for ecological reasons. I read your skepticism about cashew ice cream… try this. It has always been a hit even with my “conventional” friends:
Cashew ice cream
2 cups Raw Cashews Soaked in filtered water for 4 hours or overnight
2 cups Young Thai Coconut Meat
1 cup coconut water
½ cup max of agave nectar or more to taste
¼ coconut butter/oil
2 Tbsp natural vanilla extract
Seeds of ½ vanilla bean (scrape inside of a fresh vanilla bean, worthwhile step!)
½ tsp. Celtic sea salt
1. Puree everything in a high speed blender ( I like to use a fresh coconut or two and a Vitamix, the full/original container as other is too small).
2. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, and then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
July 4, 2018 used 13 oz raw cashews
Aug 2019 used 2 cans coconut milk instead of bothering with the fresh Thai coconut. Not as good, but pretty good.
Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is just amazing. I’d never found any non-dairy milk I really liked. This is creamy and slightly sweet, just like milk! It makes my chai taste amazing and like it used to when I used cow’s milk. I tried it on cereal, which I hadn’t been able to eat in years due to non-dairy milks I didn’t like, and it’s delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s really changed my life.
Would it be possible to use a food processor for this recipe instead of a blender?
You could try it. Let me know how it works for you!
Thanks for including the nutrition info. Is that for the whole batch or one serving? It says serves 4, so it seems like the whole batch? If it’s one serving, how much is that?
Hi JD! The nutritional information is per serving. For a total of 4 servings, it would be roughly just over a cup.
Just tried this and really liked it! Started with raw cashew pieces (purchased in bulk from Your DeKalb Farmer’s Market in Decatur, GA), soaked overnight, processed in my Ninja blender. The only thing I changed was to reduce the quantity of the added flavors. I only used a teaspoon of Tupelo honey and a scant teaspoon of vanilla extract, pinch of kosher salt, no cinnamon. Delish!
Thank you for sharing, Charles!
Just wondering why you rinse the cashews after soaking and don’t use the water from soaking, as this removes a lot of taste!
Hi Krys, I don’t find it removes the taste. It helps remove some of the ‘grit’ that could come with blending.
Love this recipe- so easy – I’ll never go back to nut milk in a carton.
This is genuinely the best nut milk I have ever tasted. I didn’t have any vanilla extract so I left it out. It is absolutely amazing.
I’m glad you liked it, Nick!
After learning about how cows are being treated, I went dairy free 2 months ago and the only thing I missed was milk for my coffee. I tried alpro almond mild and various others and unfortunately didn’t like the taste. I came across this recipe and tried it this morning. Yes! Finally milk I can enjoy! My wife tried it and she was very happy with it as well. She said it tastes like a capuchino (in the coffee). Very creamy (2 cups of water only), absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for being back my love for milk and coffee :)
You’re welcome, Daniel!
So easy. So creamy. So much better than the supermarket!
Just when I thought I was NEVER going to enjoy my coffee again, this perfectly creamy substitute for my beloved half and half comes along! Thank you for giving us this absolutely delectable milk!
Hi! I only have steam pasteurized cashews. Will this mylk recipe work with them? Thanks for your thoughts!
You could try it! Might not yield as much, I’m not sure. Let me know how it goes, Lesli!
This is really excellent nut milk and so easy to make. Never going back!
It was my first time making my own unsweetened cashew milk, and it was a great success(so CREAMY OMG)!! i finally understand why people suggested making your own milk
Hello,
If I would like it to be unsweetened, I would just remove the maple syrup/agave nectar? Or is it a necessity to be included?
Hi Kass, you can definitely omit it altogether. I just think it tastes nicer with a bit of sweetness (dairy milk has some naturally-occurring sugar in it).
First time I tried out this recipe and I must say I’m impressed! Ten out of ten
I made this cashew milk today and I thought it was delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Why is salt necessary in nut milks
Delicious!!
found some pecan and cashew nuts while foraging in my pantry — just made this this morning and added it to my Chai and it’s just delightful! Can’t wait to make the pecan milk soon, thanks a lot!
That does sound delightful, KT! Thank you for sharing.
Have just made this milk. Wow it is delicious. Best nut milk I’ve made. Found I tbsp honey plenty sweet enough. Thank you. Diane xx
i LOVED it!! so tasty and super simple:) thank you!!
can you sub roasted cashews in for raw cashews??
I’m not sure you will get the same result, sorry! The roasting will have taken out some of the moisture.
Best, creamiest cashew milk! Especially after leaving it in the fridge for a day or so.
Ok I’m obsessed with this. I use it for smoothies so I don’t even add the sweetener/vanilla/salt/cinnamon, just can’t believe how easy it is to make (and that I’ve never done it before!) never going back to the store bought stuff!
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Dori.
Can’t wait to try this. I just soaked some cashews. Question. Is it 219 calories for one cup of milk?
Hope you love it, Stacie! Yes, that’s correct. Since this is a no-waste nut milk, you can think of one serving (one-fourth of the recipe) as the equivalent to eating 1/4 cup cashews.
Thank you so much!
what temperature should you soak the cashews in??
Hi! Room temp water is fine. Place the cashews in the fridge while they soak.
I read somewhere that instead of waiting for soaking time, we could simmer the cashews on the stove for 3 minutes, rinse and process as noted in your recipe. Is there a reason you don’t use that method?
Yum – love this milk!
Hi Diane! I’ve heard of methods like that, but haven’t given them a try for this recipe. Please report back if you do! With this milk, worst case, if it doesn’t blend with the simmered cashews, just let the whole thing soak in the fridge for a couple of hours before trying again. I always use my fancy-pants Vitamix, which is strong enough to blend up the cashews without any soaking.
Oh yes, I did this method yesterday for carrot soup and it worked beautifully. Simmer in water for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, a good rinse & and add fresh cold water and blend. I used my immersion blender and the result was perfection. No straining required
Thank you for the recipe. Does it matter if I use tap water or do I need filtered/distilled water.
You can use tap water.
Hi Kate,
I love your recipes, particularly the nut butters. Can’t wait to try the nut milks! Just curious… why no recipe for cashew butter?
Have a beautiful day!
Hi Kathy! It’s just not one I have yet, but you never know. :)