Cashew Creamer
Cashew creamer is simply blended soaked cashews and water! You don't even have to stain it. This dairy-free recipe has a date for mild, natural sweetness, and a touch of vanilla and salt for flavor.
One of the main hurdles, it seems, to going dairy-free is finding a suitable replacement for dairy-based half & half. It’s that comforting, mildly sweet creaminess that turns a plain old cup of joe (or tea like in the above photo!) into a special morning treat. Basic nut milks do a decent job, but not quite as good as traditional coffee creamer.
Fortunately, there is a well-loved secret of vegans and dairy-free fans called cashew cream. Basic cashew cream is dead simple to make by blending soaked cashews and water. No straining is necessary. My cashew creamer takes this idea, but I’ve added a date for mild, natural sweetness, and a touch of vanilla and salt for flavor. I’ve also added some additional water to achieve that “creamer” consistency. The result is surprisingly similar to dairy-based half & half and can make a world of difference in your favorite beverage.
The key to the creaminess is soft cashews. Soaking your cashews in water for at least 24 hours draws out the bitter phytic acid and makes for a milder-tasting creamer.
Also, by using the cold soaking method, the cashews will remain raw and therefore retain their full nutritional value. You’ll find many uses for cashew creamer as it can easily replace dairy-based half & half in any recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup of cashews (128 grams) (soaked 24+ hours)
1 large medjool date, pitted (soaked 24+ hours)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
A pinch of fine sea salt
2½ cups (20 oz.) of water
Makes approx. 3½ cups (28 oz.) of creamer
How to make Cashew Creamer
1. Soak your cashews and date in 2 cups of water for 24 hours or more in the refrigerator. You’ll know your cashews are ready for blending when you can pinch them in half with your fingers.
2. Discard the soaking water which will taste bitter and rinse the cashews well with fresh cold water. The cashews and date pictured in the bowl have been soaked. The ones pictured below the bowl are before soaking.
3. I like to remove the skin from the date which will leave little flecks in the creamer. It slips off easily after it’s been soaked. This is totally optional.
4. Add the cashews, date, vanilla, salt, and fresh water to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely creamy and there are no cashew lumps. This may take a minute or more depending on the type of blender you have. You may also have to stop and scrape down the sides of the container. I’ve used both a Vitamix and a Nutribullet to make cashew creamer and find that the cup-style container of the Nutribullet produces a creamier texture.
Pour the cashew creamer into a glass jar and store it in the refrigerator. No straining is necessary! It will stay fresh for about a week.
Cashew Creamer (dairy-free half & half)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Soak your cashews and date in 2 cups of water for 24 hours or more in the refrigerator. You’ll know your cashews are ready for blending when you can pinch them in half with your fingers.
- Discard the soaking water which will taste bitter and rinse the cashews well with fresh cold water. The cashews and date pictured in the bowl have been soaked. The ones pictured below the bowl are before soaking.
- I like to remove the skin from the date which will leave little flecks in the creamer. It slips off easily after it’s been soaked. This is totally optional.
- Add the cashews, date, vanilla, salt, and fresh water to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely creamy and there are no cashew lumps. This may take a minute or more depending on the type of blender you have. You may also have to stop and scrape down the sides of the container. I’ve used both a Vitamix and a Nutribullet to make cashew creamer and find that the cup-style container of the Nutribullet produces a creamier texture.
- Pour the cashew creamer into a glass jar and store it in the refrigerator. No straining is necessary! It will stay fresh for about a week.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
15.45Fat (grams)
1.13Sat. Fat (grams)
0.22Carbs (grams)
1.13Fiber (grams)
0.10Net carbs
1.03Sugar (grams)
0.42Protein (grams)
0.38Sodium (milligrams)
18.45Cholesterol (grams)
0.00Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
