How to Make Cashew Milk and other Nut Milks

homemade cashew milk in a glass with raw cashews on a surface

5 from 1 vote

How to Make Cashew Milk and other Nut Milks

Here's how to make cashew milk, almond milk, and other nut milks at home. It's easy and inexpensive, and it gives you complete control of both the process and the results.

Prep Time2

Additional Time2

Total Time2 2

Course: Virgin Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to make cashew milk

Servings: cups

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup (120 grams) raw cashews
3 cups (710 ml) water, plus more for soaking

Instructions

Place the nuts in a medium bowl and cover completely with water. Soak nuts for at least two hours, up to overnight. If you'll be soaking for more than a couple of hours, place the bowl into the refrigerator.
Drain and discard soaking liquid and rinse nuts thoroughly.
Add nuts to blender and pour three cups of fresh water.
Cover and blend for about 90 seconds, until very white and smooth. For cashews, there should be no remaining nut pulp and no need to strain. (See note 5 about soaking and straining milk made with other nuts.)

Notes

Look for nuts labeled as raw cashews in the grocery store. They aren't actually raw — they've been steamed or roasted to remove their shells and any residual urushiol, a resin that can cause a poison ivy-like skin reaction and be toxic when ingested. They are, however, different from nuts sold as roasted cashews, which have been roasted a second time after shelling. "Raw" cashews are pale and soft, and they work best for making milk. You can use whole cashews or pieces — pieces are often more economical.
To flavor milk for drinking, you can add 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt if you like.
Here's how to make cashew cream.
You can use other nuts to make homemade nondairy milk, too. Other fabulous choices include: almonds, pistachios (green-hued, great for ice cream), macadamias (very creamy and flavorful), walnuts, and hazelnuts (especially good with chocolate and coffee).
Harder nuts like almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts need to be soaked for a minimum of eight hours before blending, and most nut milks other than cashew need to be strained. Pour the milk through a fine-mesh strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth, or through a nut milk or paint strainer bag. Press until no more liquid drains out. Strained milk is ready to use, and it's worth doing a search about how to use the pulp, too. There are some great vegan blogs out there with excellent ideas.
Homemade nut milks keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Or you can freeze it for up to a year. For use in smoothies, freeze it in ice cube trays and pop a few cubes directly into your high-speed blender. Or you defrost it for regular use — just give it a quick whiz in the blender again before using.

Nutrition