This recipe for Non-Dairy Cinnamon Vanilla Cashew Milk is so simple. If I only knew how easy it was to make my own non-dairy milks, I would have started doing it years ago. Why did it take me so long to discover this?!
Okay, it's still not as easy as picking up a carton of almond milk at the store. But it's easier than I thought it would be. After learning about carrageenan, I decided that I wanted to avoid non-dairy milk made with it. This is not a lecture-y blog, so don't take this as me telling you what you should or should not eat, but I decided that for me, I'd rather seek out products that don't use carrageenan. There are plenty of carrageenan-free nut and soy milks out there, but I started to get curious about whether I could make my own.
I started with my friend Kelly's tutorial on how to make your own coconut milk. It was easy and delicious and I wanted to make more. MOOOORE! So then I tried making the cashew milk recipe that came with my Vitamix. I love almond milk, but I think I love cashew milk even more. (Side note: why do they not sell cashew milk in grocery stores?)
Cashew milk is creamy and rich, without having to add carrageenan or any other thickeners. Unlike other nut milks, cashew milk is so smooth that you don't have to strain it (although you can if you want to). Urban Remedy makes a cashew milk spiced with vanilla and cinnamon, and although I haven't tried it, it sounded so delicious that I thought I'd put those flavors in my own cashew milk.
If a hug could be turned into a drink and bottled, it would taste like this. It's a hug for your tastebuds! Or something. The beverage equivalent of a warm fuzzy sweater, if you will. You know why? Because the secret ingredient is LOVE. (Oh, wait-no, it's cinnamon.)
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup, more if you want it sweeter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 vanilla bean, cut and scraped
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. With a high-powered blender, you should be able to get the cashew milk completely smooth, but if you don't have one, simply pour the milk through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer before serving.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I love blending cashews as compared to almonds b/c they blend up SO much smoother and straining isn't even necessary, for me anyway.
I love that linen you used. Seriously STUNNING! and just makes the pics pop!
Maria Tadic says
This looks so cold and yummy!
I've been making my own almond milk for the past like...6 months. Totally worth it. I've been adding 1 tbsp of chia seeds per 4 cups of water and it gives it a bit of a thicker consistency. Kinda like 1% milk. It's perfect!
Did you get those straws at World Market? I have the same ones, cept pink! So cute!
Kiersten says
Ooh, I love the idea of adding chia seeds. I'm going to have to try that! And I bought the straws on Etsy. I don't think I've seen them at the World Market here!
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says
Looks delicious!
Christy@SweetandSavoring says
I'll drink all kinds of milk- and vanilla and cinnamon are two of my favorite flavors. The no straining part is a big plus 🙂
Lisa @ Greek Vegetarian says
I wish I had a Vitamix. I've never made or even tasted cashew milk but I love cashews and I can imagine how creamy and cuddly they would be as a drink 🙂 Maybe I should give the old food processor a bit of a workout. Gorgeous photos Kiersten.
Kiersten says
Before I got my Vitamix, I used my food processor to make stuff like this all the time. I'm pretty sure it would work!
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
I pin it, because you convinced me to make it. I don't won't to regret that I did it to late 🙂
Kiersten says
You will love it! 😀
Katie says
Oh my GOSH I'm making this as SOON as I get home from Bikram tonight! Cashews were soaking for another reason altogether (raw mayo) but this changes everything! Thank you 😀 Had to click follow straight away when I saw your blog - love it and keep it up 🙂
Kiersten says
Yay, I hope it turned out well! I love making raw mayo with cashews too--regular mayo grosses me out!
Katie says
I LOVED it! had to sub in some hazelnuts with the cashews because of a quantity dilemma, but I've been making more and more of it and really enjoying it 🙂 I even blogged about it!: http://kitchenkarmablogdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/breakfast-out-of-bed/
Agreed on the mayo front! Cashew mayo with lime and chilli is one of my favourite things 😀
Kiersten says
I've been wanting to try making milk with hazelnuts! Glad to hear it turned out well. 🙂
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
I've tried making nut milk exactly twice. The first time I tried making straight-up almond milk and just found it watery and weird. Then I tried to make a super-thick version of almond milk so that I could use it as a creamer instead of half-and-half in my coffee. It was SO not what I'd envisioned!
Cashews + cinnamon + vanilla, though. THIS I can get behind.
PS: Thanks for the carrageenan info. I had no idea.
Kiersten says
Cashew milk is a LOT easier and it's creamier than almond milk too. Definitely worth a try, as long as you don't dislike cashews. 🙂
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
LOVE this .. I'm going to make it this weekend. My son will LOVE it.
(and, the bubbles in that first photo are mesmerizing. Gorgeous!)
Kiersten says
The bubbles are the best part! The milk is really frothy straight out of the blender--like a latte. 🙂
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
I've been wanting to make a homemade nut milk for the longest time! I don't have the most fabulous blender ever....so I need to get a cheesecloth ASAP. Gorgeous photos!
Kiersten says
You could line a colander with a paper towel in a pinch. I've done that before. 🙂
Ronnie Fein says
Never tried it homemade but I love nut milks and the process looks easy enough!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Just bought some cashew nuts and I am totally intrigued with this non-dairy milk. Can't wait to give it a go.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love cashews, this sounds so tasty!
christina says
I swear, the world is telling me to make my own nut milk. Over the past few days, I've seen three different recipes (2 in mags and yours here), someone was talking about it at the gym, and I also read that soy milk is even more processed than tofu. YIKES. Thank you for that article too. Today I WILL MAKE ALMOND MILK!!
Kiersten says
It's a sign, for sure. 🙂
Kum says
Cashew milk looks so rich! I often make almond milk to make Indian sweets like kheer ...
Kiersten says
It is! I love the idea of using it to make kheer.
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Wow, that's really easy! I'm spending a fortune with unsweetened soy milk. Once I also looked for a recipe to make it myself... it was a bit more elaborate than this one based on cashews. I'll definitely try your recipe. I'm pretty sure I will appreciate its taste. The taste of 100% natural milk is always the best!
Kiersten says
Yeah, I think cashew milk is definitely the easiest non-dairy milk to make. And in my opinion, it's the tastiest too. 🙂
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I'm just not sure I've really tried too many variations of milk, but cinnamon? It's like a secret lover I can't resist.
Kiersten says
Escandalo!
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete} says
Oooh, yummy! I tend to prefer almond milk over other non-dairy milks but your cashew milk looks/sounds incredible. I love cashew butter, even more than almond butter, so am pretty sure I would love cashew milk too. Love the addition of cinnamon and vanilla!
Kiersten says
Yeah, if you love the flavor of cashew butter, you will probably love cashew milk too!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
well, darn, I hadn't heard about that bad ingredient thing. Drat. I keep meaning to make my own almond milk & butter (not a cashew fan) - gotta try this, especially if it's made with LOVE! 🙂
Kiersten says
Sorry, I hate being THAT person. I believe that most things are fine in moderation, but since I drink a ton of non-dairy milk, I figured it was best to find a way to avoid carrageenan!
mjskit says
I always have almond milk but have never made it from scratch. After seeing the process I decided the cost of storebought was worth. The process was A LOT more difficult that this cashew milk. This looks quite easy and I can only imagine how delicious it tastes with the cashews and vanilla beans. This definitely looks worth a try!
Kiersten says
Yeah, almond milk is a little more involved. 🙂 I feel the same way about bread--I've made it myself, I know I can make it myself, but most of the time I buy it because I just don't have the time to make it.
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
Reason #14356970243 why I need to buy a Vitamix!
Kiersten says
I have gotten so much use out of mine--I use it almost everyday. Definitely worth it. 🙂
Alissa N says
I make almond milk using water and almond butter, its my little cheat, but I actually never thought about how amazing cashew milk would be!!! This looks awesome, I am totally going to be trying it!!
Kiersten says
REALLY?! That works? Whoa, my mind is blown. I'm going to have to do that.
Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen says
Such beautiful photos! making this over the weekend...can't wait!
Kiersten says
I hope you like it! 😀
ashley - baker by nature says
I have a giant bag of cashews at home, so I know I'll be trying this gorgeous recipe out asap!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
Aw, thanks for the mention Kiersten 🙂 I loved Cashews when I could eat them. Shamefully, I would eat a pound at a time so I know that this has to be amazing. Sigh. It looks beautiful too!
Kiersten says
Most nuts, I can stop myself at the paltry suggested serving size because I'm just not big on snacking on them. But I think I could eat a pound of cashews too--they are my favorite. 🙂 I love your coconut milk recipe!