How to make your own cashew cream at home, completely vegan and soy free!
So why make your own cashew cream?
Cashew cream is a wonderful and versatile plant-based alternative to heavy cream that can be used as a topping for fresh berries, sliced peaches, or even my Crustless Pumpkin Pie.
It also makes a fabulous coconut-free base for ice cream or chocolate mousse, or you can use it to thicken soups, smoothies, or for making the creamiest alfredo sauce of your life.
Of course, you can also thin it out to use as cashew milk… or even drink the thick cream.
I know I can’t be the only child who used to love drinking straight-up heavy cream from the carton.
NO dairy / NO soy / NO gluten / NO coconut / NO eggs
The cream takes on the flavor of whatever ingredients you use to season it.
Try garlic, salt, onion, and a little turmeric for a savory cashew cream sauce.
Or add some stevia, maple syrup, sugar of choice, or even an overripe banana for a sweeter sauce or dessert topping or mousse.
My sister has a really good ice cream recipe that uses dairy heavy cream, and I’ve been meaning to try replacing the cream in her recipe with this homemade cashew cream recipe.
Or you can use it to make the best Vegan Mac And Cheese!
The first time I ever tried making cashew cream was actually in a savory recipe, after I’d had the best alfredo sauce of my life at a vegan restaurant in New York City.
Since then, I’ve used the cream mostly for pie recipes, but I also really like it on top of freshly-sliced peaches in the summertime.
So so good! I’m sure many people have their own tweaked method and recipe for homemade cashew cream. What follows is my method for how to make cashew cream.
If you can’t find raw cashews, raw macadamia nuts are equally delicious here.
How To Make Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews or macadamia nuts (120g)
- 1/3 cup to 3/4 cup water depending on how thick you want your cream (For homemade cashew milk, use 3 cups water)
Instructions
- In a bowl, cover the cashews with water and let sit at least 3 hours (no longer than 8). Drain completely, then combine the drained cashews with the water and blend until very smooth (a full minute in a Vita-Mix, or much longer in a food processor, making sure to scrape down the sides occasionally). For a sweet cream, add pure vanilla extract, salt, and sweetener (if using 3/4c water, add 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Also add 1-2 tbsp sugar or maple syrup, or a pinch of stevia, or a few dates.) For a savory vegan cream, add a little salt and perhaps some lemon juice, miso, fresh or dried herbs, etc. This recipe lasts 3-4 days in the fridge, or it can be frozen. Makes up to 1 1/2 cups cashew cream.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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Katie,
I appreciate that you don’t have depressing things on here… I think of your blog as a refreshing, bright spot on the web. Please don’t feel you have to offer disclaimers when you don’t mention tragedies. They’re appallingly often, and you cannot cover them all. There are so many other blogs one can read about such things, and I for one enjoy yours just the way it is… and LOVE the colorful updated design!!!
I agree with you Keri. Spot on.
Dear Katie, please don’t feel that since you own a blog, that you have to tell everyone how sorry you feel for the victims in the Boston bombings or for victims in any other situation. We understand you have a heart for others and we love you.
Do you know if you can do this with other nuts? I’m allergic to cashews and hazelnuts, but no other nuts so far.
Katie mentioned this can be done with almonds! 🙂
I’ve made cashew cream before and it’s amazing! I’ve also tried it with the macadamia nuts, and oh gosh, that may be even better!
This reminds me I need to make up a new batch, it tastes even better than whipped cream ever did.
I agree, Macadamia is more expensive… but it’s the best cream ever!
Scones! This would be perfect for scones!
+1…YES! This would be simply amazing over blueberry lemon scones and a pistachio cream variant/riff would be stunning with a raspberry or dried cranberry – studded scone. Need to try this nut “cream” for this weekend’s brunch!
I love the idea of this, I see heavy cream called for in so many recipes, and I hate having to buy it because I can never use it before it goes bad (also, milk and I don’t get along so well). So it’s good to know there’s a nice substitute, and even better with those nutritional stats!
I love the idea of being able to use this to make a whipped cream! I bought the iSi Mini Whip after you posted about it. Would it be possible to use this recipe, or a slightly altered version, in the Mini Whip?
Sorry, I haven’t tried.
Katie this looks great! I really like that there’s no coconut, and I really struggle with recipes that call for heavy cream when I need them to be dairy free. Sometimes I know coconut just won’t mix. This is awesome, I’m headed out to buy cashews now. Can’t wait to see what ice “cream” recipes you come up with for this one!
I should totally try this in place of coconut milk in some of my thicker creamier desserts, etc. Great tutorial!
When I worked at a health food restaurant 40 years ago we made cashew cream and poured over the fruit salad! yummerlicious!
You were way ahead of the times :).
I LOVE cashew cream! It’s wonderful on top of warm quinoa and berries as a breakfast ‘cereal’ alternative 🙂 I like to sweeten mine with a little pure maple syrup too!
Too cool- I just bought a bag of cashews to use for baking/cooking! I’ll have to try it in an alfredo sauce. That sounds good!
looks fantastic.. never thought of adding water and turning it into cream. I’ve just made cashew nut butter. great post Katie!
Ooo… Are you planning to share the cashew cream alfredo recipe? I’m intrigued. 🙂
I don’t really have a recipe for it. I’ve never actually measured anything… I just start with the cashew base and add whatever I think sounds good at the moment. I always add some salt and lemon juice and onion powder. Other ingredients that sometimes get added are miso, oregano, rosemary, basil, nutritional yeast… not all at the same time or for the same batch, though.
Thanks for the ideas. I live in the NYC area, so maybe I can wander over to Blossom and try theirs to get a reference point.
Since this isn’t dairy you can’t make it into “butter” by whipping. Then it’s cashew butter you’re looking for.
Wow, this looks like a really nice heavy cream substitute! You could probably add sugar and vanilla and make some yummy ice cream:)
YUM! This seems really useful, and I can’t wait to use it:) Do you think it would work in a custard??
I guess it depends on the particular recipe. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
I really look forward to trying this.
And I also had a question. I’ve looked around on your site, and for a lot of recipes, there’s a nut required for it. There’s a few that I’d like to try and make for family gatherings, but my cousins are both allergic to nuts. I didn’t see any substitutes, but I was wondering if there was any?
yeah, every other type of cream ever
Thanks for reading to notice that I wasn’t asking about this specific recipe.
Hi Bryanna,
It really depends on the recipe.
You mentioned not letting the nuts soak longer than 8 hours, and I have always wondered about this… I have read that you can soak cashews longer than macadamias, but not as long as almonds and it seemed rather odd. Is there a point at which the nuts break down, or do they just start to spoil and grow bacteria? Does using filtered water, which I have seen in recipes calling for soaked nuts make a difference?
Thanks!
No idea about the filtered water. I just think they start to taste rancid/odd if soaked too long.