Food

How to Make Cashew Milk: Homemade Cashew Milk Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Nov 6, 2024 • 1 min read

Soaked whole cashews produce an ultra-creamy nut milk that’s easy to make at home and great in coffee.

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What Is Cashew Milk?

Cashew milk is a dairy-free milk alternative made from soaked cashews blended with water, then strained. Soaked cashews have a mild flavor and creamy texture, which makes them perfect for nut milk. You can use cashew milk to make vegan ice cream, or simply pour it into your morning coffee or bowl of cereal.

What Does Cashew Milk Taste Like?

Cashew milk has a creamy, sweet flavor like cow’s milk and other non-dairy milks. Of the popular nut milks, almond milk and cashew milk tend to be the closest in flavor to cashew milk. Unsweetened cashew milk has a mild flavor and a slightly rounder mouthfeel than almond milk.

Homemade Cashew Milk Recipe

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makes

2 cups

prep time

10 min

total time

8 hr 10 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Place the cashews in a large jar or medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate. Soak cashews at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

  2. 2

    Drain off the soaking water, which contains phytic acid, and rinse the cashews in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water.

  3. 3

    In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine drained, soaked cashews with 2 cups of water, salt, and maple syrup (if using). Blend on high speed until cashews are finely ground and water is opaque.

  4. 4

    Strain the cashew milk through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth or close the nut bag and massage as much of the cashew milk out as you can.

  5. 5

    Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning. Homemade cashew milk will keep, refrigerated, 2–4 days. Shake before serving.

  6. 6

    Use leftover cashew pulp in smoothies, granola, or muffins. (You can also dry out the leftover pulp to make cashew meal, a gluten-free flour substitute.)

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