Cashew Milk

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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?

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.