Best Homemade Creamy Almond Cashew Milk Recipe

This homemade creamy almond cashew milk recipe is sure to win you over with its rich creamy texture and flavor, nothing like the watered-down version of plant milk you find on the isles at your local grocery store. Making it the perfect milk substitute or coffee creamer replacement as it froths beautifully for your morning coffee. This nut milk recipe is simple and free from fillers and other unnecessary chemicals like you find in store-bought milk and is naturally sweetened with dates or make it sugar-free using monk fruit or your favorite sugar substitute.

What sets this recipe apart?

This recipe is unlike most almond milk recipes, it calls for more ingredients than most for good reason. Creating a better-tasting creamy plant-based milk. Most commercial nut milk and sadly most homemade almond milks are watered down and lacking in flavor. That is why I created this recipe. The cashews make this milk creamy and is what makes this plant milk froth so well. The dates sweeten this recipe to perfection and the teaspoon of honey adds a hint of honey flavor and pairs so well with the other flavors. This recipe also doubles as an amazing coffee creamer just as it is and froths beautifully. You can replace the honey and dates with your preferred sweetener as well making it quite versatile.

Ingredient List

• organic raw cashews
• organic raw almonds
• sea salt 
• pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean
• Medjool dates, pitted
• honey
• filtered water

Equipment

• high-speed blender
• glass bottle or half-gallon mason jar
• medium bowl or batter bowl 
• 2 layers of cheesecloth, or a nut milk bag, or a fine mesh strainer
• spatula
• whisk
• glass measuring cup for liquid measuring
• measuring cups and spoons

Preparation

The only prep needed for this recipe is to soak the raw nuts beforehand for better digestion and a creamier, more flavorful dairy-free milk.

How to soak nuts overnight

1. Place your almonds and cashews in a bowl or jar.
2. Cover the nuts with filtered water, be sure to add extra water for expansion.
3. Cover the bowl or jar and place it in the fridge overnight.

Quick soak method

1. Place your almonds and cashews in a medium saucepan and add 3 cups water.
2. Bring water and nuts to a boil. 
3. Remove from heat and cover.
4. Let it rest for 15 minutes. 
5. Drain and rinse the almonds/ cashews, and place them in your blender.

Different Ways to Filter

Homemade nut milks need to be filtered to remove nut pulp. You can do this when making your own nut milk by using a few different kitchen items such as a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, and fine-mesh strainer. 

Using a nut milk bag

Nut milk bags are commonly used for filtering any kind of nut milk. When purchasing a nut milk bag look for one made with organic cotton or hemp fibers. I prefer milk bags made with natural fibers because they will be used to filter an item I am consuming. I use a batter bowl when filtering my nut milk, my bag fits over the top of my bowl which allows me to pour in the milk without needing to hold onto the bag. Nut milk bags are used inside out with the seam facing out, this makes it easier to get the pulp out of the bag after the nut milk has been filtered.

How to filter nut milk using a milk bag

1. Set the bag up so it folds over the side of your bowl (the milk bag should be inside out, with the seams facing the bowl).
2. Then slowly pour in your nut milk.
3. Take the bag off your bowl and pull the drawstrings closed.
4. Hold the bag up with one hand and start squeezing a portion of the side of the bag. Work on squeezing out the liquid with each squeeze and as you get out more of the liquid you can twist the bag and move around to other areas of the bag squeezing. 
5. Once you get to a point where the milk is filtered out, set the milk bag and pulp aside.
6. Add the remaining 4 cups of water to the freshly filtered milk, and give it a stir. 
7. Then place in half gallon jar, screw on a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

Using a cheesecloth

The steps for using a cheesecloth are similar to that of using a nut bag to filter your nut milk. With the exception of using a stainless steel strainer to hold the cheesecloth in place. 

How to filter nut milk using a cheesecloth

1. Place a stainless steel strainer on a large bowl, then lay the 2 layers of cheesecloth inside the strainer.
2. Slowly pour in your nut milk.
3.  Gather up the cheesecloth in one hand and twist the top a few times to keep it closed.
4. Hold the bag up with one hand and start squeezing a portion of the side of the bag. Work on squeezing out the liquid with each squeeze and as you get out more of the liquid you can twist the bag and move around to other areas of the bag squeezing. 
5. Once you get to a point where the milk is filtered out, set the milk bag and pulp aside.
6. Add the remaining 3-4 cups of water (for a total of 8 cups of nut milk) to the freshly filtered milk, and give it a stir. 
7. Then place in half gallon jar, screw on a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

Using a fine mesh strainer

This is a two-strain process as you may still need to strain the milk through a cheesecloth or milk bag after you filter through the fine mesh strainer. As the strainer lets some pulp through. I use a large bowl, a small spatula, and a fine mesh strainer, then I do a second strain on the milk using a milk bag or doubled-up cheesecloth. I like this method because it allows me to be a bit more hands-free as I can leave the milk to strain itself for a bit and then come back as I have time and is less fatiguing on your arms as it removes most of the pulp and is easy to run it through a milk bag for a second straining.

How to filter nut milk using a fine mesh strainer

1. Begin by placing your fine mesh strainer on the rim of your large bowl.
2. Then slowly pour in your nut milk.
3. Next, get your spatula and start moving the pulp around inside the strainer to let the liquid escape through the sides of the strainer. Keep pressing and moving the pulp until all the liquid has been filtered out.
4. Set the strainer and pulp aside.
5. Set up a milk bag or cheesecloth and bowl and pour milk into it for a second filter.
6. Squeeze and twist the sides of the bag until the liquid has been filtered, Then set aside the bag and pulp.
7. Add the remaining 4 cups of water to the freshly filtered milk, and give it a stir. 
8. Then place in half gallon jar, screw on a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Frequently Asked Questions