Fresh Homemade Cashew and Almond Nut Milk

Making your own nut milks from scratch is super easy and provides you with the freshest best tasting dairy-free product. It’s also great for those with additional allergies or those who prefer to avoid the various gum and preservative fillers commonly added to most commercially-produced nut milks.

For best flavor and texture, I recommend always using fresh, raw unblanched nuts with the skins intact. When it comes to making almond, cashew and other nut milks, keep in mind that the quality of the nuts produces the milk’s flavor. So it will only taste as good as the nuts used! I have found the same is true with the water you use, if your water has a filtered aftertaste or other noticeable odor, chances are your nut milk will have it too! Nut milks are mild in their flavor profile and will not mask stronger or off flavored tones. Since they contain very few ingredients the taste is easily altered by the smallest of details.

I prefer a mixture of both raw almonds and cashews. I find this combination offers a unique flavor and composition to the final product. But feel free to make your nut milk with either just almonds, cashew or any other nut you prefer. Each variation has its pros and cons to offer, for instance plain cashew milk does not require straining.

As we all know, oil and water do not mix. Consequently since homemade almond or cashew milk are not homogenized, the nut oils will naturally separate out in the refrigerator. This is easily remedied in one of two ways: 1.) Give the jar a quick shake before using the nut milk or 2.) Add a natural emulsifier like sunflower lecithin. Lecithin molecules serve like a bridge with one end attaching to a water molecule and the other to the nut oils. This structure keeps the mixture from separating out. Sunflower lecithin is also a great healthy addition to your diet!

Basic Homemade Nut Milk Recipe

1 cup soaked raw nuts (I used ½ cup almonds and ½ cup cashews.)
3 cups water
1 teaspoon Sunflower Lecithin (either liquid or powered are fine)
a pinch of Himalayan pink salt
4 Medjool dates (adds sweetness, thickness and complexity of flavor)

If your dates are dry and stiff you will get better results from soaking them in very hot water for 30 minutes before use.

Directions for making a great nut milk are very simple.
Start by getting your nuts soaking in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. After nuts have finished soaking, drain and rinse.

Soaking the nuts for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator guarantees freshness and produces the thickest, smoothest, and creamiest product. If time is a factor, soaking the nuts in boiling water for one hour or using boiling water in the blending stage will produce a creamier product than simply using unsoaked nuts, but the result is nowhere near the quality produced by the 8-12 hour refrigerator soak. Soaked and drained nuts will sour relatively fast, so this is NOT a make-ahead step. Unfortunately, storage length and creaminess are a trade off, as activated nut milks (made from soaked nuts) last 2-3 days while nut milks made from unsoaked nuts tend to last 4-5 days. I recommend storing nut milks in the coldest part near the back of the refrigerator rather than in the door shelf. (Commercial nut milks last longer because of preservatives both natural and otherwise added to the products.)

Add nuts and remaining ingredients to a high speed blender, secure the lid tightly and blend for 1-2 minutes.

Unless using straight cashew nuts or you are using the nut milk to make a dish where bits of almond meal in the finished product are no problem, you will want to strain your nut milk. I find using a nylon nut milk bag (also called a sprouting bag) to be the EASIEST solution. Although cheesecloth or a clean un-dyed cotton cloth will work in a pinch if nothing else is available.

Transfer finished milk to a lidded glass jar and enjoy!

Be sure to save the leftover almond pulp.

It can be added to smoothies and a wide range of general baking. Place almond pulp on a cookie sheet in the oven at 200° F for 2-3 hours or until dried. It is now called almond meal. Added to coating/breading it makes an out-of-this-world chicken! Not sure what recipe to make, almond meal stores nicely in the freezer for several weeks.

Savoring the taste of freshness, the Homesteading Hen

Looking for a great recipe to try using your homemade nut milk, check out our post on making homemade dairy-free eggnog! —> Traditional Homemade Dairy Free Holiday Eggnog

What is your favorite way to use nut milk? Drop us a comment below! We love to hear your ideas!