In our family, we don’t drink cows milk because it’s breastmilk made for a baby cow and not a human, and since we also don’t eat processed cereals, we really only need plant milk once in a while for baking or cream-based recipes or to pour over our Homemade Honey Bunches of Oats Granola I used to just buy it from the store, reading ingredient label after ingredient label in a search to find one with a lesser amount of additives. I eventually became so fed up with the hunt, and fed up with paying $6 for quality nut milk, that I decided to make my own. That was years ago, and I have never looked back! The ingredients in store-bought plant milk are so much more than what I want to put in my body. “Natural” flavors, guar gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, lechitin, xanthan gum, sugar, starch, locust bean gum… the list goes on, and changes, based on what brand you buy.
Making homemade cashew milk is super easy and affordable, so don’t feel intimidated. You only need a few key tools in your equipment arsenal: a blender (doesn’t need to be fancy), a nut milk bag (for straining the “milk” from the pulverized nuts) and a pitcher with an air-tight lid (to store the cashew milk in).
Since I’m making cashew milk myself, I might as well use the best ingredients. I purchase 2 pounds of raw, organic cashews at a time, and store them in my pantry to use as needed. I used to always use vanilla extract in my recipe, but have moved on to vanilla bean paste, because it give nut milk a better, warm, vanilla flavor. The cleanest option is to grind up 3 vanilla pods with 1/4 C maple syrup or honey and 1 tbsp of bourbon, vodka or vanilla extract (easier than it sounds) or you can just purchase this. Other than those two important ingredients, I add water, and a pinch of real salt (use code “BLB” to receive 15% off, and Big Little Bites will receive a small commission that costs you nothing).
As far as texture and flavor, this creamy, homemade cashew milk hits home with my whole family. It’s hard to compete with the artificial and “natural” flavoring added to store-bought milks, but this is one homemade milk recipe that everyone in my house loves!!
Homemade Vanilla Cashew Milk
Creamy, plant-based nut milk the whole family will love! Made with wholesome, real food ingredients.
- 1 C Cashews (raw)
- 4 C Water (we use reverse-osmosis filtered water)
- 1 tsp Vanilla bean puree (or store-bought paste)
- 1/4 tsp Real salt
Soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 2 hours, or even overnight, to optimize the milking process.
Strain the cashews and rinse them very well. Put the cashews into the blender carafe.
Add water, vanilla and salt and puree for 10 seconds.
Place a nut milk bag over the top of a pitcher, or inside of a large bowl, and strain the blended mixture through the bag. Squeeze the bag as you go, pushing as much milk out of the cashewl meal as possible. Seal the pitcher with an air-tight lid and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
