Creamy Homemade Cashew Milk (No Strain)

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I effin’ love this creamy homemade cashew milk. It took me a few batches and playing around with ratios, but I’ve finally landed on a 5-ingredient version that’s my favourite and the best part? No straining involved! *Even though I did buy a nut bag a few months ago, it’s starting to have a permanent place in one of my kitchen drawers.

Scroll down for the ridiculously 5-ingredient easy recipe, or keep reading for why I got obsessed with cashew milk in the first place.

Firstly, some facts. I am NOT a vegan. I’m one of those lactose intolerant people who can eat cheese, but gets knocked out from a milkshake. I feel sick after eating a creamy pasta at a restaurant, but I’m fine cooking my own creamy pasta at home. I feel like it just depends on whether or not the universe likes me on that day…

Anyway, I make this cashew milk every week – usually twice a week because I drink it so fast. It’s also not that common to find cashew milk at the shops.

BUT, it’s not my full replacement since I still love and drink oat milk (maybe I should try combining them). Aaaand I’ll be honest, I’m not fancy – I’m happy with the Sanitarium Extra Creamy Oat Milk and Barista Oat Milk. The price tag is a little bit nicer than Oatly and Minor Figures, etc. Side note: BRING BACK CALIFIA WHEN IT WAS CHEAPER AT THE SHOPS! 😭

I discovered cashew milk in Bali

This is probably a common story, but just like every second Aussie who has vacay’d in Bali – I discovered cashew milk there at a cafe called Clear Cafe in Ubud. They back the most delicious Chai Iced Dream drinks using their homemade cashew milk, and it was mind-blowing. Their tuna nasi goreng is also absolutely amazing.

The last time I had cashew milk in Bali was at Blacklist Roasters in Canggu in November 2025. The barista was so kind to give me a quick lowdown on how easy it was to make, so it’s been about 2+ months of experimenting and landing on my go-to version.

Why I love this homemade cashew milk

• It’s rich and creamy. Because I don’t strain the milk, it has a thick, indulgent consistency that feels more like a treat than a basic staple. The thicker texture also works fine when I’m practising making latte art. ☕️
• It’s ridiculously easy to make. Seriously, this cashew nut milk is so simple to make with 5 ingredients in the blender (I love the Tefal blenders) and no straining. That’s it.

• It has no nasties. I might not have a completely processed-free diet, but it feels great to make this at home knowing that it doesn’t have any refined sugars or additives. The pitted dates give a natural sweetness!
• It’s versatile. I use my homemade cashew milk in A LOT of ways. I drink it straight, have it in my coffees (the this texture is ok to practice my latte art too), turn it into a yummy iced chai (using Prana Chai‘s sticky blend), add it to smoothies and even eat it with my Weet-Bix in the morning. I haven’t tried it with my matcha powder yet, so stay tuned!
• It’s delicious. I like the taste of my cashew milk over other alternative milks like almond or soy, which can have a really overpowering flavour that changes whatever you’re having, like coffee. Even though there is a distinct taste to the cashew milk, I find that it adds a nice twist to coffees and other drinks.

The main equipment you’ll need to make this cashew milk is a blender. My Tefal blender is pretty old, but the new ones look great and powerful.

Recipe: Creamy Homemade Cashew Milk (No Strain)

Servings: This recipe yields just over 1L of cashew milk.

Prep time: It takes about 10-15 minutes to blend and bottle up the cashew milk, but you do need to soak beforehand and chill after. Here’s a breakdown:

• 1 hour for soaking cashews and dates;
• 10-15 minutes to blend and bottle up; and
• 1 hour minimum to chill in fridge.

Ingredients

1 cup of raw cashew nuts (approx. 150g)

1/3 to 1/2 cup of pitted dates (start with less if you prefer a less sweeter taste)

3 & 1/2 cups of boiling water

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

A pinch of salt

Note: I skipped vanilla essence in my recipe because I don’t need it, but feel free to add it yourself if you’d like that extra flavour.

Instructions

Step 1: Soak the base. Pop your raw cashew nuts and pitted dates into a large bowl. Pour in the 3 1/2 cups of boiling water and let them soak for at least one hour. You could even leave it overnight. This helps to soften the cashews and dates.

Step 2: Blitz it up. Once the cashews are soft, pour everything into your blender. Add the ground cinnamon and salt. Blend on ‘high’ until everything is combined. The mixture should be creamy and frothy.

Step 3: Bottle up. Pour your fresh homemade cashew milk into an airtight bottle.

Step 4: And chill. Let the cashew milk chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours so it’s nice and cold.

Storage tip: I like to drink my cashew milk within the 4-day mark so it’s nice and fresh, since it doesn’t have any preservatives – but I get through it pretty fast!

Serving tip: Because this cashew milk doesn’t have any emulsifiers, it will naturally separate a bit in the fridge. Just make sure to give the bottle a good shake before you drink it.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If anything, use it as a starter and play around with the ratios find your own favourite version based on texture and sweetness.

I’m still working on my own homemade oat milk that won’t come out slimy. That’s work in progress.