Cashew Creamer

Cashew Creamer (dairy-free half & half)

Cashew Creamer in Tea (dairy-free half & half)

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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 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 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

Method for Making 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 in the refrigerator. No straining is necessary! It will stay fresh for about a week.

Cashew Creamer in Coffee (dairy-free half & half)

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Cashew Creamer (dairy-free half & half)

Yield: 56 tablespoons (3 ½ cups) serving size is 1 tablespoon

Author: Carol Clayton

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

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 touch of vanilla and salt for flavor. I’ve also added some additional water to achieve that “creamer” consistency.

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

Instructions

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.
5. Pour the cashew creamer into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. No straining is necessary! It will stay fresh for about a week.

Calories

15.45

Fat (grams)

1.13

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.22

Carbs (grams)

1.13

Fiber (grams)

0.10

Net carbs

1.03

Sugar (grams)

0.42

Protein (grams)

0.38

Sodium (milligrams)

18.45

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

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