How to Make Cashew Milk
Cashew milk is my favorite dairy-free nut milk. Not only is it super creamy, it’s easy to make at home.
As an added bonus, you don’t have to strain it like almond milk. Just soak your cashews overnight, drain, then blend with water. Voila, homemade cashew milk!
Cashew Milk
Up until a few years ago I drank dairy milk like it was going out of style. So much so, that my family historically referred to me as “the cow” because I was always drinking milk (which, I should clarify was said all in good family jesting and not in a derogatory way). I’m not joking when I say I drank a lot of milk…as in a gallon or so a week.
Fast forward 4 years, 4 autoimmune diagnoses, a health coaching certification and a healthy living blog and I’m happy to report that I’m far more educated on nutrition and what I put into my body.
Now to be clear, I’m not anti high-quality dairy (you guys know I like my goat cheese and homemade yogurt). And I sure try hard not to demonize foods.
But the simple fact is that 65% of the worlds population has a problem digesting lactose. And for others, particularly those with digestive autoimmune conditions, dairy can flare and exacerbate symptoms.
So what’s a dairy-free peep to do? Well, you could turn to coconut milk, almond milk, banana milk or my favorite of the nut milks – cashew milk!
You Don’t have to Strain Cashew Milk
Almond milk is the perennial favorite of nut milks, but I find cashew milk to be much creamier and more mild in flavor. I also love that you don’t have to strain it, like you do almond milk. There’s no pulp left when blended on high with a powerful blender.
How to Make Cashew Milk
You’ll see in the video below how quickly the cashew milk comes together. So really there’s no need to pay a premium and buy it at the store. The hardest part is just remembering to soak the cashews the night before. Here’s how you make it:
- Soak 1 cup of cashews overnight, then drain and rinse
- Add the cashews and 4 cups of water (plus any sweeteners) to a high-powered blender
- Blend on high for a minute
- Pour into a storage container and refrigerate
Drink the cashew milk straight up or use it in a recipe as you would any dairy milk.
How Long Does Homemade Cashew Milk Last?
Homemade cashew milk lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. Though I think it’s best consumed within the first 2-3 days. You can halve this recipe if you don’t think you’ll use it all up.
You can also make a full batch and pour any extra into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze for future use. I show how to do this with herbs on my Kitchen Gadgets video. Then, it’s as easy as popping a cube into your next mango smoothie or thawing for a cup of coffee. Brilliant, eh?
Watch this quick video of my Cashew Milk Recipe
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More Recipes Using This Cashew Milk
How to Make Cashew Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups water
Optional
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup , (or honey)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- After the cashews have soaked overnight, drain and rinse them.
- Place the cashews into a high-powered blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until the milk is smooth and creamy.
- Place the cashew milk in a storage container and refrigerate.
Lisa's Tips
- This is my favorite storage container for homemade cashew milk.
Nutrition
Recipe originally posted October 2016, but updated to include new information.
Thank you Lisa for this great recipe! I just recently found your blog & youtube and I can’t get enough of your healthy and homemade recipes! This cashew milk is really delicous and helped me a lot to cut out diary ;)
Wonderful! I’m happy you loved the cashew milk recipe. It really is a great non-dairy milk alternative and my personal favorite as well. :)
Made this cashew milk this morning and it is delicious! Question though…how big is a “serving”? My net volume of cashew milk is more in the area of 5.5 cups of milk, so I am unsure if you are using 4 oz as a benchmark? Let’s face it, this stuff is so good, that my Vitamix container can easily be considered “one serving”. :0) . Thank you for such amazing recipes as I have not found one that we don’t like!
I’m so happy you love this (and my other) recipes Amy! And you’re correct, each serving is about 4oz. You can always add more water for a thinner consistency and stretch it a bit. But I hear you, it’s a shame the entire container can’t be one serving. Lol!
This is delicious! I am wondering about the shelf life in the refrigerator. Why does it only last 3 to 4 days? We just had ours in the refrigerator for about six days and it smelled, looked, and tasted fine.
As long as it look, smells and tastes fine, then continue to enjoy. But for most people it typically only stays fresh for 3-4 days. Enjoy the fact yours seems to last longer! :)
Hi! My homemade cashew milk separates quite badly in a hot cup of coffe. Is there any way to avoid that?
Hi Johanna – nut milks do separate more than dairy-milk, but once I stir mine it does blend well into a light brown color. Does yours still separate after stirring?
If we want to add 1 or 2 dates do you suggest blending the cashews with the dates for the full blend? Otherwise, how much time should the dates be blended?
Hi Kevin – You can blend the dates with the cashews and I would just blend until you’ve reached your desired consistency. :)
Hey Lisa,
Love your videos especially your meal prep videos. Would love some more of those! Also, I was wondering, would it be okay to not soak them to make the milk? What’s the purpose of soaking them? Are they dirty?
Hi Meraj – Thank you for the kind words! I’m so glad you’re loving my videos. I’m hoping to have some more meal prep videos in the future so stand by! :) You need to soak the the cashews as the water gets absorbed into nuts to make it a creamy milk. If you didn’t soak the cashews, you’ll get something more like cashew butter.
Why do you add sait to your receive
Salt just enhances the flavor of the nut milk. But you can always leave it off as well. It’s just personal preference. :)
Where can you get raw, unsalted cashews? Excited to try this recipe!
Hi Isabella – I usually get my raw, unsalted, cashews from the large bins at Sprouts or Whole Foods where you can scoop your own. It really depends on what grocery stores you have nearby. Honestly, you should be able to find them in bags at most major grocery stores.
What a difference to store bought cashew milk!! This recipe is so easy and good, from now on I will always make it myself! So far I tried it as is and foamedin my coffee – delicious!!
Yes! Isn’t it wonderful?! I’m so glad you loved homemade cashew milk as much I do, Ines! :)
Ekkkkkkk! How have I not heard about you until now? The very first YouTube video I watched was how to make cashew milk. I’m excited to explore.
Hi Jen – Welcome to the Downshiftology community! So happy you’re eager to explore! I have a lot of great recipes on my site as well as my YouTube. You can also see what I’m up to on my Instagram! :)
I was wondering what kind of cashews you use. Are they raw?
Hi Elizabeth! Yes, you’ll need to use raw, unsalted cashews.
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. This is a game changer! I will never buy nut milk at the store again. This is so much better and you can make it as thick or nutritious as you like by decreasing the water. Nut milk at the store seems so watered down now. I actually drink it unsweetened without the sweetener, just the nuts and it tastes amazing especially with coffee. You also made me laugh with ‘the cow’ story – don’t you love how family finds the most flattering nicknames? I have a few of my own. Anyway thanks so much and will definitely be following your blog!
Yay, I’m so happy you loved the cashew milk, Patricia! Yeah, once you slowly start making your own drinks/condiments etc. you just hardly ever go back. And the beauty of it, is you know exactly what you’re putting in it! Also, jokes on my family as cows don’t drink milk, they on produce it. :) haha
Hi Lisa, still enjoying my daily nut milk! Maybe your family would call me “the squirrel”, Lol. Anyway, curious if there is a reason you drain the cashews after soaking overnight in the recipe? I started putting them in the blender in the same water they soaked in as I am concerned about any possible loss of nutrient content, and it seems a shame to waste the water when it seems fine. Is there a particular reason you recommend draining and using new water, or any thoughts on this? Thanks!
Hi Patricia – that’s funny, as a squirrel I’m sure we’d be fast animal friends! Haha. Yes, the reason you drain the water is that nuts contain anti-nutrients such as lectins, phytic acid, etc. When you soak them, you’re removing some of those anti-nutrients and making them more digestible. So you’d want to discard that water and use fresh water.
Perfect, easy nut milk recipe to use as the base for many nuts. I do strain the milk though (simply through a fine hand strainer) so I have a smoother texture and can use the nut pulp for other recipes
Hi Jess – Yes, even if you have to strain it, the nut pulp can come in handy in other recipes. Great idea and so glad you enjoyed the cashew milk! :)
I love cashew milk and I wanted so badly for this to work for me. I don’t know if it works without a really nice blender. I used a high power Ninja blender and there was still a ton of meal left, so much that I couldn’t use it. When I strained it through a mesh strainer, it was too watery. I even soaked the cashews for more than 12 hours and blended for about 2 minutes. Will have to save up for a Vitamix one day!
Hi Kat – unfortunately, that does sound like it may be blender related if you did soak them that long. I find that a great high-powered blender is definitely worth the investment! :)
Hi, im always confused with nutrition information. I am from Europe and for us nutrition info always is for 100g of given product. But around world wide web there is also nutrition info for 1 serving, and there is no clue how big this one serving is! Can you give me some explanation (much appreciated)? And for how much in some mesurable units of your product (nut milk in this case) is this given nutritional information? Thank you in advance! Like your chanel and blog very much! :)))
Hi Raimonda – the number of servings are always listed at the top of the recipe card, under the prep/cook time. For this cashew milk recipe there are 8 servings (approx 1/2 cup per serving). Hope that helps!
Hi Lisa,
I have been making loads of your recipes and cannot believe the difference to my overall well-being. I’m looking at making this cashew milk this weekend and was wondering how long it will store in the fridge for?
Many thanks!
Hi Charlene – I’m happy you love my recipes and that’s so wonderful to hear! The cashew milk will stay good up to 3-4 days in the fridge. If you don’t plan on drinking it all, I’ve been freezing it in my silicone ice cube tray for future smoothies, etc. It’s great!
Hi Lisa, I have followed you for years and I love your videos and blog but I never got around to trying your recipes till tonight. Your cashew nut milk is the first recipe I’ve tried and I couldn’t believe how amazingly delicious this is! I have tried so many store bought non diary milks; Melb. Australia has some pretty great natural ones and I always read ingredients but they just never tasted great. My mum tried your cashew milk recipe and she loved it so much that she said no more cows milk, we’re making cashew milk from now onwards. I’m usually the silent follower, too shy to comment and interact but I just had to say a heartfelt Thank you! Thank you so much for your wonderful videos, blog and amazing recipes! Next I’m making your almond butter!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Sharal! I’m really happy you did and I greatly appreciate your positive feedback. That’s wonderful your mum loves the cashew milk and I hope you enjoy the almond butter recipe as well! :) x
Hi Lisa!
As a fellow milk-alternative lover myself; I was wondering if making other milks would be as simple as changing the cashews for a different ingredient. For me, my favorite milk is ricemilk and I was wondering if you had any tips as to how to adapt?
Thanks a lot!
Finn
Each dairy-free milk recipe is fairly similar, but there are nuances. I do have another recipe for almond milk and I’ll likely add more recipes (rice milk, coconut milk, etc) in the future. :)
Made it and loved it. So easy and delicious. I used honey and found it perfectly sweet (that is, not too sweet). Thanks Lisa, for another great tutorial and recipe.
I’m wondering if cashew butter would be just as easy?
Wonderful! So happy you loved it Victoria! And I have a cashew/macadamia nut butter recipe on my website. :)
As always you have the best ideas and appriciate the backstory on how you can up with it. I have a question. To make it whole30, just leave out the sweetener?
Yes, and the vanilla extract if it’s alcohol based. You could always add vanilla bean powder for vanilla flavor though. :)
I’ve been looking for an alternative to almond milk and this sounds really good and easy to make. You call for distilled water. Have you also made this with filtered tap water or bottled spring water?
Hi Diane – that should actually say filtered water. Thanks for the catch! I’ll fix it. But yes, you can use any water. :)
I love it! This is my go to nut milk recipe. Thank you very much for a great recipe!
Wonderful! So happy you love the recipe! :)
Just made this and LOVED it! I had to resist drinking half the batch one time ;). Thanks for an amazing recipe Lisa!
Yay! Glad you enjoyed the recipe Jessica! :) x
Hi Lisa
Thanks for this great super easy recipe. Made it this morning and enjoyed my matcha with it for breakfast. Super creamy & delicious. Never buying a nut milk from store again. Thanks a lot! Love your recipes.
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed this cashew milk recipe. :) x
I absolutely love that you don’t have to strain the milk. It makes things so much easier. I purchased a Vitamix on Amazon’s Prime Day back in July and have been using it ever since for homemade almond milk but the straining process can be a pain. I’m so excited to have found your channel and this video about an easier nut milk option. Thank you for all your hard work and tips!
Yes, cashew milk is definitely my favorite as well. Not only because you don’t have to strain it, but I find that it’s creamier as well. So glad you enjoyed this recipe and now have a new nut milk to love! :) x
I have been making cashew milk every single week since I first made them. Received the Vitamix yesterday and couldn’t wait to use up the remaining milk I had to make chia seed pudding. So, after an overnight soak, made it – it certainly smoother and milkier than when blended in an ordinary blender!! The most surprising thing is, made it with the usual amount of ingredients as stated, as always, yet I had around one cup of milk left after pouring it into the usual jar. I have no idea why!!! Put two dollops of home made Nutella in and blended it – chocolate smoothie! Children love it, so will be making more later on for them. Awesome!!
Oh, interesting that you had more. Sounds like it got frothier or creamier, likely due to a more powerful blender. Always a good thing to get an extra cup of cashew milk though. ;) x
What is your 2nd and 3rd choice for blenders? I’m looking for one now, but I cannot afford a vitamix.
Thanks
Unfortunately, I don’t recommend any cheaper blenders as they usually don’t last and don’t have the power for many of my recipes. I know Vitamix is pricey, but I do believe it’s worth saving for, rather than purchasing a cheaper model. :)
Dear Lisa,
thank you for the recipe! I made cashew milk on Friday and loved it!
I tried amlond milk (home made and bought at the store) and oat milk and did not like the flavor. However cashew milk is something different! It has really delicate flavor and it is perfect for granola and milkshakes. Next week I’ll try it with coffee and in porrige. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it Natalie! And I agree that cashew milk has a milder, more delicate flavor. That’s why I love it as well. :) x
Can I use cashew pieces and have it turn out as well? I would think it would just make the job easier for my blender but worry that maybe starting with smaller pieces will make it so it does not end up as smooth at the end.
You’re fine using cashew pieces. They should soak up and blend the same. :)
Two questions please: A) where do you purchase your raw cashews? As a fellow celiac I’m leary about shared equipment statements and haven’t found any. I live in a more rural area, but have checked Whole Foods bulk section. B) would a good processor or Blender work as I don’t have a Vitamix as of now. I love your recipes and videos, thank you for being so inspiring!
Thanks Annette! I purchase my cashews online and I have them linked on my Shop page. I definitely wouldn’t recommend purchasing from the bulk section, due to cross-contamination concerns. And a regular blender should work fine for this recipe. If it doesn’t blend the soaked cashews up completely, you could always strain it. :) x
Hi Lisa,
I made the cashew milk and use it in my coffee, but i cannot for the life of me get rid of a sort of “cashew-meal” which is left in the “milk”.. even if I strain it through a nutbag, because the pulp is so fine that it actually go right through.. I have tried to double strain it, and that works better. But obviously it would be easier if I didn’t have to strain it at all as you suggest her.. I have a vitamix ascent 3500 and LOVE it. So im just wondering if i might not be doing it right.. I soak the cashews for 12 hours and have tried blending it for up to 2 minuttes.. love your blog and youtube channel :D
Hi Nina – it sounds like you’re doing everything right. Perhaps it’s your cashews? You could also try straining through a coffee filter, which is much finer and would catch any type of “meal” leftover. :) x
Isn’t it silly for a grown woman to feel giddy that she has home made milk in the fridge! I was surprised about using just one cup of nuts to 4 cups of water, it works!!! My son had a glass of it last night and he commented this morning he actually likes it, he loves cashew nuts and cashew butter and was bemused to find there’s another recipe for cashews! I never buy nut milk as most are always sweetened which I don’t like, and here, there’s no after taste, just milk!
Not at all silly! I remember feeling the same way when I made my first batch of homemade cashew milk. It’s probably because we think it’s gonna be more difficult than it is. ;) Enjoy!
Thanks for this! How long is the cashew milk good for while stored in the refrigerator?
It’s usually good for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Just give it a shake before using. :)
I made the milk!!! It is so yummy!!!! I do love that you don’t have pulp left over! I do have to say, there were tiny chunks in my milk even after blending on high on my vitamix?! didn’t mind it though…so yummy!
Question: I hear cashews are high on carbs compared to other nuts… ?
Thank you!
Awesome! If you have little chunks you could use a sieve or nut milk bag, but I agree, they’re still yummy! Cashews do have more carbs than other nuts, but they’re also loaded with minerals, nutrients and healthy fats….and since I’m not a low-carb person, I enjoy them in moderation. :)
Love this!!! As usual :)
Thanks lovely! :) xo
Cashew milk is my favorite nondairy milk base as well! This homemade version beats the grocery store stuff by 10000000% (obviously, haha). Now my request to you = more cashew milk-based ice cream recipes, please :)
Well, twist my arm on more cashew-based ice creams. Lol! Any particular flavors you’re craving?? :) x
Yes! Here’s what I’m requesting = a simple (yet delicious) chocolate cashew milk ice cream; and then a vanilla cashew milk ice cream that incorporates chunks of your best chocolate chip cookies.
Loving these ideas! I’ll put my recipe development cap on and come up with something! xo
Yay! Can’t wait for that and of course all of your other upcoming recipes :) xo