The reason I make this homemade cashew milk non-stop is because there's no straining required! Unlike almonds or oats, cashews are soft enough to blend into a super smooth, creamy milk without fuss. This alternative is flavored with vanilla and sweetened with dates to use in coffee, smoothies, morning cereal, or anything else you'd use milk for.
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It's probably the easiest homemade milk alternative you'll make, right after my 30-second almond milk.
The perfect cashew milk ratio
A 1:10 ratio of cashews to water (which equals 10% of cashews) is perfect to get creamy cashew milk that's rich but not too heavy. That means using 100 grams of cashew for every 1000 mL of water.
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Cashews: You want to use raw, unroasted, unsalted cashews for a mild flavor in your cashew milk.
- Filtered water: Helps create a high-quality, smooth plant-based milk.
- Medjool date: Adds some natural sweetness and a hint of toffee flavor. You can replace it with other (smaller) dates but they usually don't have that toffee, caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla: Gives the homemade cashew milk a warm, elevated flavor.
- Salt: It really transforms the taste of the milk by bringing out the date and vanilla. Don't skip it.
Elo's notes
- Buy raw cashew bits vs whole raw cashews if you can find some. They are usually cheaper and perfect to make cashew milk since they'll be blended anyway. I get mine from Koro (EU).
- Soak the cashews if you don't have a high-speed blender. Place them in a bowl with boiling water for 30 minutes before draining and blending.
- Strain the milk if you don't have a high-speed blender (with a 1200W motor and up) or if you're very sensitive to textures. While there are no actual bits in the milk, you can make it even smoother by running it through a nut milk bag.
- Shake the milk before using, especially after a night in the fridge. Since this is a no-strain recipe, there will be some cashew pulp accumulated at the bottom of the bottle. Just give it a stir or a shake to make sure everything is well incorporated before using.
- Add more salt. If your milk has a bland taste, it might be missing salt.
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Add the raw cashews (previously soaked if your blender is not very powerful), filtered water, pitted Medjool date, vanilla, and salt to the jug of your high-speed blender.
- Step 2: Blend until perfectly smooth. I let it run between 1 and 2 minutes to make sure it's as smooth as it possibly can be.
Storage tips
Pour the milk into a glass bottle and refrigerate. It's best to drink it within 3 days.
Note that the mini-strainer in the picture is not actually straining anything but helps guide the milk into the bottle.
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The recipe
Homemade Vanilla Cashew Milk (No-Strain)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (100 g) cashews
- 4 ¼ cup (1 L) filtered water
- 1 Medjool date
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Add the raw cashews (previously soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes if you're blender is not very powerful), filtered water, pitted Medjool date, vanilla, and salt to the jug of your high-speed blender.
Blend for 1-2 minutes while gradually increasing the speed until the milk is perfectly smooth.- Straining is not necessary for cashew milk, but if you like your milk extra smooth, you may want to run it through a nut milk bag.
Transfer to a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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