This Cashew Creamer recipe results in a coffee creamer that is uber-creamy, rich, and – bonus – not weird-tasting. At all!
I’ve been on the Cashew Coffee Creamer wagon for nearly 5 years and still love just as much as I did when I drank my first cuppa coffee all transformed into creamy goodness with cashew creamer.
If you’ve recently had to give up traditional creamers made with dairy, you might be feeling the same pain I felt when I first had to give up dairy. It’s tough, I know!
But no worries, friend, because this Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer is here to save the day.
Why do I love this cashew creamer recipe?
- Homemade cashew milk coffee creamer is sooooo rich and creamy – the closest thing I’ve found to half-and-half so far.
- Cashews already have a touch of natural sweetness, so no additional sweetener is needed.
- It’s so (so!) easy to make – you don’t even need to strain it.
- It’s about as whole-foods as it gets – no weird chemicals or unpronounceable ingredients.
- It’s rich and creamy and utterly divine in coffee. Wait – did I already say it’s rich and creamy? But seriously. It is!
- It’s equally delicious in hot coffee or iced coffee. It’s an all-around, super versatile creamer! Total VIP.
Ready to try it for yourself?
How to Make Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer
(Honestly, though, it’s so easy, it barely warrants a tutorial!)
Step 1: Soak your cashews
Start with raw, unsalted, whole cashews. Place them in a large jar or heat-safe bowl and pour about 2 cups of boiling water over the top, making sure all of those bad boys are submerged. Let soak for 20 minutes. You’re good to go! Alternatively, you can soak them using the long method. Simply use room temperature water and let them sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours until soft. If you plan to let them soak for longer, place them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Blend it on up
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and add them to the pitcher of a blender along with 1 cup water, some vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. And puree! Whip those nuts into submission. If this is your first time, you might look at the soaked cashews floating in the water and be all … Huh?! How will this become milk? But keep on blending, because soon – in about a minute – you’ll have milky, creamy goodness. Promise. But please be sure to blend for the full minute! This will help prevent gritty coffee creamer.
Step 3: Enjoy your rich and creamy Cashew Coffee Creamer!
That’s it! You’re done! Add a splash to a cup of coffee and you’re a happy camper.
How to Store Your Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer
You’ll want to keep your Cashew Milk Coffee Creamer in an airtight container in the fridge. Shake it before using it as it may separate a bit as it sits. Your cashew creamer should last a good 5-6 days – make some on Sunday to enjoy creamy coffee goodness all week long.
Cashew Coffee Creamer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews (raw and unsalted)
- 1 cup water (up to 2 cups, depending on the consistency you prefer; plus additional water for soaking)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place cashews in large jar or bowl. Cover with about 2 cups of boiling water, making sure all of the cashews are submerged. Let soak for 20 minutes. Pour cashews and liquid into a fine-mesh strainer to strain the soaking liquid. Rinse.
- Drain the water and discard. Place drained cashews in the pitcher of a blender. Add 1 cup of water, vanilla if using, and salt if using. Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute, adding more water a couple of tablespoons at a time if needed to get it moving. Add additional water, up to another 1/2 to 1 cup or so, until it’s the creamer is consistency you like. I go for a rich and creamy, half-and-half-ish thickness. But also know that your cashew creamer will thicken in the fridge.
- Use in coffee just as you would any other creamer. Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for about 5 days. It might separate in the fridge; simply shake before pouring.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
I’m a lifelong black coffee drinker, but this might just make me give that up — love the photos!
I envy you! I would love to be able to drink coffee black but I just. can’t. 🙂
I’m a black coffee drinker… all my life. Never like anything in my coffee. I often wonder why people drink coffee at all if they don’t like it and must put things in it to change the taste. I’ll admit that I’m stumped. Why not just give up coffee? Maybe you can answer that for all of us black coffee drinkers who have this question.
People are allowed to enjoy food and beverages prepared in a way that tastes best to them. Why don’t you give up black coffee? Because you enjoy it. The same for those of us who enjoy coffee with cream. I may not enjoy the strong, bitter taste of black coffee, but with some cream, it’s heaven on earth (for my personal tastes). So, if I can no longer have dairy, I still want to find something that gives me a similar taste experience. The solution isn’t giving up something I love, but finding an alternative that works for me. I wouldn’t ask you to put cream in your coffee if you don’t enjoy it. Likewise, don’t expect me (or others) to only drink black coffee or give it up all together just because that’s what you prefer.
I made this yesterday! Such a good alternative to buying those stupidly priced containers of almond milk creamer that I use way too quickly, and it was so easy to make and tastes delish. I added some vanilla bean paste to make it all vanilla-y. Love this, pinned, and totally will continue to make this!
I made this yesterday and used it in my coffee first thing this morning. You are right, this is the closest to half & half I’ve tasted yet. It has a little less mouth feel initially, but it appears after a few moments on your tongue (an important reason many use half &half is for the fatty taste).
The only downside I noticed is that it easily settles out of the coffee. You must stir it back in frequently. But since it tastes so much better than the commercially available non dairy creamers, I think that is a fair trade off. I suppose to get the cashew cream to suspend in the coffee it would have to be processed much more finely than what can be achieved with a home blender ( I used a Vitamix, on high for a minute).
For that mouth feel, you might try adding a bit of sunflower lecithin before you blend it up. That will also keep it from separating in the fridge. Just don’t use soy lecithin. Use sunflower lecithin instead. Makes it smooth and gives the mouth feel you look for in a creamer if you use enough of it. Just experiment and see how much you need, starting with a teaspoonful. I add a tablespoon and it works great for me. But everyone is different. BTW, I don’t use this recipe for coffee. I like my coffee black. But this creamer is so delicious used in any recipe that calls for cream!
My Vitamix is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. This will be one of the first things I make. I’ll probably add 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum to prevent separation and provide better mouth-feel. I wonder if it will also help it from separating out of the coffee.
Did you find the xanthan gum helped to keep the creamer from separating out?
Marvelous! Finally an alternative to additive laden commercial almond milk! Easy to make and this stuff actually tastes and feels like half and half…;) thanks! You’ve made my commitment to a dairy-free life a lot more pleasant. Your presentation was professional and very simple to follow as well. Cheers!
I found that warming the cashew milk up a bit and frothing it with a handheld frothier keeps it creamy and not separating. The foam is not as stiff as regular milk or some commercial nut milks, but still quite nice.
Interesting! That sounds delicious. Thanks for the tip!
I have been making this cream in my ninja blender, I also blend each cup of coffee I have with the creamer in the cup that came with my ninja! It makes my “ninja coffee” creamy and frothy! It doesn’t settle on the bottom when I do this!
I would love to try this and other recipes that require a blender. My question is: Could I use my regular Oster blender? Or do I need to give in and purchase a high-speed blender?
I’m loving your recipes (and I’m about to try the vegan banana muffins) but I want to make sure I have the right tools for the job.
Love your sense of humor, too!!
Lourdes
Hi Lourdes, I’m sure it will work with your Oster blender. Worst case, you might have to blend longer and you may have some bigger chunks that you need to strain out with a cheesecloth or other fine strainer. That said, I held out on a high-powered blender for years and now that I have one I kick myself almost daily for waiting so long! It’s the best. 😉 But definitely painful on the wallet, unfortunately!
You are a live saver! I’ve been using the Silk Soy creamer and wanted to transition to something less chemical laden and this is perfect. Next batch I’m going to add a bit Xanthan Gum and use real vanilla bean!
I’ve been meaning to try it with a vanilla bean. Yum! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it a few times now and it’s delicious. Like you, I cannot drink black coffee. Yuck! I’m vegan, and prefer to limit my soy. I don’t like coconut creamer, which leaves almond. I like it, but all the stores around me only carry french vanilla, which is stupidly sweet (for the amount I need to use). I also noticed that I was having a lot of stomach issues after having my morning coffee, and wondered if it could be the gellan gum in the creamer. Anyway, I never thought that making my own could be so easy and delicious. Thank you!!!
I feel exactly the same way about commercial creamers – SO sickeningly sweet! I’m so glad you like the recipe. I just made a batch again after a lite-coconut-milk-as-creamer phase and I’m glad I’m back!
I have been making my own nut milk for years, I love cashew creamer. I add approx 1 tsp of coconut oil to my milk, it just adds a bit of depth to the creamer.
Awesome stuff!
Oh yum, great idea!
It’s me again. I started using coconut milk and while I like it better than coconut creamer, I’m still getting an upset stomach. Not sure if the other gums upset my stomach like gellan gum or what. Anyway, I was finding that my cashew creamer was a little grainy. I use a vitamix and blend for one minute. I strained with a fine mesh strainer so it’s superfine. Not the biggest deal, but do you have any suggestions? Giving up coffee isn’t an option and neither is black coffee. The cashew creamer is delicious, I just need to figure out the texture.
Hmm, yeah, this creamer can be a tad sediment-y, especially when you get to the bottom of your cup. You could try straining with a nut milk bag which should capture the fine sediment that the fine-mesh sieve might not get. I can’t remember, have you tried almond milk coffee creamer? It’s a little more labor-intensive (you definitely need to strain it) but it’s still pretty great. http://www.kitchentreaty.com/how-to-make-almond-milk-coffee-creamer/
I was going to ask this same question! Glad you asked it here – love the creamer (and it’s making me brave enough to try Whole30 in a couple of weeks), but was trying to figure out the weird sediment (I don’t have a vitamix so I can only pulverize the nuts to a point).
Hi-I want to add that when I make coconut MILK, I blend for more like 5 minutes. I have a vitamix blender, and it’s perfectly smooth after. I do not strain or use a nut milk bag now that I have this amazing blender. Maybe blending more than a minute would get rid of the fine grainy texture?
I meant Cashew MILk.
…When I make cashew MILK….
I love that this recipe has so few ingredients, and no sugar! We are trying really hard to stop using so much sugar in our home. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe over the weekend when I have time to properly soak my cashews.
Do we keep the water used to soak them and use that in the blender? Or are we getting rid of that and using fresh water when blending?
Drain the 1 1/2 cups soaking water then use fresh water (the other 1 1/2 cups) when blending. I will revisit this recipe to make sure that’s clear – thank you for asking!
Why do you change the water? thanks
I made this today, soaking the cashews in boiled water for an hour, to speed up the softening process. I had only an hour. I added some organic butter to give it more depth. I use a Vitamix type commercial blender and it came out quite smooth. I really like the idea of adding xanthum gum and will try it next time.
One question for you – do you think you could freeze this once it’s made? I don’t think I could go through 2 cups in a week, but would hate to toss expensive cashews down the drain. I love the idea of a non-dairy creamer that tastes like half and half! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Alaina, you know, I’m not sure! It seems like it would separate in the freezer, but you never know. I’ll have to try it and report back. It should also be easy to just half the recipe (no pun intended). 🙂
Trying this weekend! I like how theres no straining and squeezing after lol. Tthx!!
Yay, even the super lazy version of this is good!
Confession: I did not soak my cashews. I also did not chill this after making, I tossed cashews and water in my vitamix, poured it in a mason jar, and tossed it in my work bag. Ha! It’s still creamy and good. The texture is much better than I was expecting! I bet it will be even tastier after chilling. It’s not quite as fatty and rich feeling in the mouth, though (obviously, since it’s much healthier). I think for my next batch I will either make the cashew creamer, then mix with an equal volume of coconut milk, or add a little coconut oil per Eva’s comment. I actually love coconutty coffee.
Dairy-free crisis averted!
Next up, to wean myself off the embarrassing amount of sugar I put in my coffee.
Awesome! I, too, have enjoyed the lazy version and been pleasantly surprised by how well it works out! 🙂 Love it.
I wanted to add that I made a second batch and soaked my cashews this time. I put a bit more sugar and vanilla, a tiny bit of coconut oil, and it’s PERFECT!! I put enough sugar to balance the nuttiness of the cashews but by itself it does not taste sweet, yet I find with this new batch I DON’T need extra sugar in my coffee! Hooray! I’m about to drink my last cupful so I have to soak more cashews tonight!
Tried it – awesome and so simple, thanks!
For the blending, you write 1.5 cups water to the 1/2 cup cashews in the beginning but in the 1-2-3 steps you write 1/2 cup water – is that a typo?
Best,
Tom
I cut dairy from my diet, but coffee creaner was still lingering. I love your cashew creamer recipe!
Yay! So glad you like it. 🙂
Hello! I have been looking for a good nut based coffee creamer recipe. I am eager to try the cashew creamer. Sounds great. I think I’ll also try this with almonds and mix the 2 together. I tried one of the nut based creamers on the market; however it was very expensive, loaded with fillers, and didn’t taste that great. Thank you for the easy recipe!
Thanks Joy, I hope you love the homemade stuff as much as I do!
Thanks for the recipe! I just bought a 5 lb bag of cashews just for this! My question is: why not use the same cashew water? Wouldn’t that have some nutrients in it, and some more flavor?
Thanks!
Audrey
Do you hear that? It is Angels singing as I am sitting here drinking my first cup of coffee using your recipe. ?❤️☕️
My half/half was my last vice to give up as I transition to WFPB. I seriously cannot thank you enough for this beautiful post. It is everything you described:rich, creamy and incredibly easy to make.
Hahaha Jennifer. 🙂 I’m so glad this coffee creamer recipe has worked out for you! The half in half in my coffee was one of the hardest things to give up here too. Glad you like it as much as I do! 🙂
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the recipe. I have tried making cashew creamer several times and it is always gritty, not matter how long I blend it. Can you tell me what kind of appliance you are using. Also, I noticed the creamer separates in the coffee and I have to stir it quite a few times. Any suggestions for me.
Thanks very much,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca, I use a Vitamix and I do think a high-speed blender is key. My creamer isn’t gritty nor does it separate in the coffee (though it does separate in the refrigerator but a quick shake solves that problem). High-speed blenders are expensive but SO worth it! I put off buying mine for a long time. But it was so worth it!
Can we use it in hot coffee, if so can the cashew milk be heated enough to make the coffee really hot?
Thanks.
Cashew milk is always more filling to me for some reason, so this cashew milk coffee creamer sounds like a frothy delicious recipe! I don’t know, there’s just something about the cashew that gives me bit more perkiness. Maybe it’s coz I enjoy the taste so much. But I love that I won’t need to add any sugar to this, I typically take very little sweetener to my cuppa. Well, I’m going to have to try this out.
I am trying to eliminate dairy. The hardest item for me to give up is my creamer. I just made your cashew creamer and I think that I have found my replacement! Thanks for the simple, yet tasty recipe!
That was the toughest for me too! Nutpods is great too if you ever want storebought.
How do you strain the creamer to make it smoother? I used a small wire strainer, but I still ended up with a substance at the end of coffee. Definitely wasn’t an issue though. This recipe was awesome. I don’t drink white milk unless its mixed with chocolate, but I have been trying to make more of my recipes vegan and I have tried so many different types of store bought nut milks and haven’t liked them. I tried this without being in coffee and its so good I bet I could have poured it over cereal. Have you tried using any other extracts in the recipe? I like coconut flavored coffee a lot, and was wondering how this milk would taste with coconut extract. I used my breville blender and this mixed up great!
I’m glad you like it! I love cashew milk straight-up too. 🙂 You could try a cheesecloth or milk bag if you’re finding you have sediment. Is your Breville pretty high-powered? Sometimes it won’t quite pulverize the nuts enough otherwise. Maybe try running it for a bit longer too. Report back if you try it with the coconut extract – intriguing idea! 🙂
You need a nut milk bag! They are only 8$ on Amazon and I’m telling you, they have made ALL the difference
I’ve found nut milk bags are magic with almond milk but that as long as I blend my cashew creamer long enough I don’t need to bother with one. There is still sometimes a smidge of residue though so I can see how if you want to get every last possible bit of grit out that a nut milk bag would definitely work!
This was great!! I used the quick method-boil water and poor that over the cashews for 30 minutes. I used my breville blender and it mixed them up perfectly. I purchased my raw unsalted cashews from nuts.com. They taste great!
I have tried many different nut milks from the store and the only non-dairy milk I have ended up liking is the Ripple brand and I am still not even really crazy about that. This recipe is a game changer for me though- it meets all my needs for a creamer in my coffee/tea!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m a coffee junkie, and have tried many iterations of cashew creamer for coffee and all have failed disastrously. This one did not. Additionally, someone made a comment about adding a 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum and that did the trick! It was a little contrary getting it all to mix together and I found I had to pop it back into my blender (I used a ninja bullet) then found that it had the same consistency of condensed milk so I added another half cup of water and that was perfect! As a long-time user of dairy creamers and mostly disappointed convert to the use of coconut milk creamers, this is by far the best coffee creamer that I have used to date. I’m ecstatic that it is cashew based and that it does not separate in my coffee.
This sounds great! Have you ever tried tossing in a few figs or dates maybe to sweeten it? I am doing Whole30 to try and reset from all the sweets and junk food and just want to be healthier but I am so missing honey or a Agave in my coffee to sweeten it up a bit. Let me know your thoughts please!
SO wonderful!!! I LOVE this!! Thank you so much!
Interesting flavor, it will take some getting used to. It is definitely not sweet but the flavor does have potential.
Hi there, thanks so much for sharing the coffee creamer recipe. I see 2 others have asked this same question (but no answer): Is there any reason why you couldn’t save the 1 1/2 cups water strained from the soaked cashews & use that in the recipe? Thanks again.
Great recipe! It makes a perfect creamy creamer. The vanilla adds some depth to it, and I added the salt and a tiny bit of sugar. Perfect! Thanks for getting me to try this one finally. I’m never going back to store bought!
So glad you like this creamer, Heather! It’s a fave here too. 🙂
I tried making this using the quick soak method you mentioned on the pumpkin cashew creamer recipe with boiling water. I noticed the nut to water ratio is different between this recipe and the pumpkin; is there a reason? I did 1 cup nuts to 1.5 cups water and when poured into coffee it separated and I could taste the texture of the nuts…is this avoided by using less nuts like in this recipe? Wondering if the nut milk bag might improve it. Was excited to try that, but kind of let down based on this if you have a solution? Thanks!
Have you ever thought about adding a bit of sunflower lecithin to this recipe so it won’t separate? Lecithin is good for you, as long as it’s not soy lecithin. And the milk will look a lot more appetizing if it doesn’t separate in the fridge.
I made this today. I just barely started eating totally vegan and couldn’t wait to try this recipe. It is delicious. Who would have thought
Perfect recipe. Just made it — thanks! I needed it right away so I did not soak the cashews at all, but just put them in my 20-year-old HP Champ Blendtech and pushed #4 (for liquefy) and it was creamy in one cycle! Most importantly, it passed the taste test — yes, it IS more like half and half — and just what I was looking for. YAY…!
Yay! So glad you like it. 🙂 Your blender sounds like a dream blender!
I haven’t tried your recipe yet. I just took 1/2 cup of cashews, added water, and blended in my blender. Was so thick, had to add more water.
I will soak some now and see if your method works better. I just drank a coffe with the cashew cream, honey, and some stevia, it was amazing (I like me a milkshake), but maybe a little gritty. Hopefully your method will eliminate that.
Soaking should help with the grittiness. If it’s a bit thick, add a bit more water until its to your liking. Cashew cream is definitely rich – one reason I love it so! 🙂
Wow, this coffee sounds amazing and I will try it sure for my father because he is a coffee lover. Thank you so much for giving me to win this opportunity.
This is the ONLY dairy free creamer I have tried that is actually delicious! Nutpods are ok, the only adorable store form, but they don’t even begin to compare to this. I also added maybe a tablespoon of coconut cream powder, and some liquid sugar in the raw, and it’s VERY close to my favorite old creamer that has caseinate. I recently found out my nursling is allergic to milk protein so I couldn’t even have the “non dairy” store creamers. Thank you for saving my coffee!
Your additions sound delicious – I need to try it this way! Thank you so much for your comment and review (and I’m so sorry it took me this long to reply to it. I had a whole bunch of comments get buried and didn’t know they were there!)
Thanks for this. There’s a simple elegance to it – no extra additives, no long soaking, no leftover pulp.
As I usually blend my coffee A LA Bulletproof style with a little coconut oil, I think will keep doing that as I bet it helps avoid the settling issue.
I also add shakes of cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne into the vitamix. With this creamer, I’ll feel complete!
Does the cashew coffee creamer froth?
I don’t recall trying it with a frother but I have a hunch it will froth beautifully! I mean it already kind of froths when you stir it into some coffee, it’s kind of magical 😉
Like the receipt thanks. I have to get more iron in my body. These recipes while greatly.
Out of all the non-dairy alternatives, cashew milk is by far my favorite. I’ve even make cashew cream to sub for heavy cream in savory dishes and want to lick the plate clean after. With a creamer recipe now, I’ll have to load up on cashews in my pantry LOL! Thanks for the recipe!!
Isn’t cashew cream a marvel? Other than coffee creamer, I think I’ve most been blown away by cashew sour cream. SO DELICIOUS! I definitely have a large stock of cashews on me at all times these days. 🙂 I hope you love the coffee creamer too!
The flavor matches dairy 1/2 & 1/2 more than any store bought vegan brand I’ve tried. I still struggle with the separation so I’ll by some sunflower lecithin and try that on my next recipe. I’ve wasted a lot of money on commercial brands that I ended up throwing away. Thanks much for the recipe. I’m also going to thin down next time. (personal preference)
Hi Tamara, thank you so much for the review! I’m so curious about the sunflower lecithin and how that works for you. If you get a chance, could you report back?
Well better late then never right? I tried sunflower lecithin this morning and it worked great. No curdling. I used abt 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 cup of cashews for the consistency I prefer, and used 1 tsp of lecithin in blender. First two cups of coffee looked and tasted perfect. I’m hoping it acts the same after refrigeration tomorrow. I bought the capsules and squeezed into tsp measurement, if you can find it in liquid form it would be a little easier.
I am so thankful to have found this recipe, half and half was the last of the dairy I needed to give up but couldn’t find an alternative. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have found something equivalent!
I, like so many others, cannot stand the commercial non-dairy creamers so when I discovered cashew creamer, I was beyond happy. It is the only substitute for half and half that I have ever thought was truly delicious. Interestingly, however, I never soak or boil my cashews. I just throw them in my Vitamix with water, usually 1:1 ratio, and sometimes with a pinch of salt and/or vanilla, and let it whiz away for 3-5 minutes. At the end of this time it is piping hot and totally smooth, never grainy at all, and when I put it in my coffee, I use my little Zyliss frother for a few seconds which disperses it perfectly And it never separates in my coffee. It also doesn’t separate in the fridge. I think it must be the longer blending time that makes the difference.
I made this creamer today with the addition of a little bit of coconut oil. I think it really depends on your blender as to how it turns out. I first tried in my blend tech and it was very chunky so I transferred it to the nutribullet and it was thick and creamy, no lumps at all just cream. It is very good and nicely replaces half and half. Thank you.