chai cashew milk;
Have you ever tried cashew milk? I confess I hadn’t until about two weeks back at the farmers market. My sister was visiting and she loves trying juices, and the chai cashew milk sparked my interest. Took it home and…I was in love. It’s thick and creamy with powerful chai spices that are warming and hearty. It was love at first sip for me. And then a few days later my partner decided to use his bonus “good work” points from his job to get us a vitamix! Which I’m super excited about and thought to myself—I wonder if I could make this chai cashew milk myself?! Especially since the local chai cashew milk I bought is $12 for 18oz. I mean not exactly cheap.
Although to be fair, it’s not like nuts are cheap in general. But if you already have access to a high powered blender then it. An still save you some money to make your own at home! That said, vitamixes are notoriously expensive so I don’t recommend you run out and buy one just for this recipe. Any good blender will do—but you do need one that can really pulverize nuts. Otherwise you’ll be left with a chunky milk and no one wants to chew their milk. Luckily cashews are on the softer side for a nut so you could always try a small batch (maybe half of the recipe below) before you go all-in. I don’t want you to waste ingredients! And if it does end up chunky, you can try straining it through a mesh sieve. Or in the worst case scenario, pop it in the freezer and make yourself a strange but tasty frozen dessert.
For this recipe you’ll want raw cashews. I typically get mine from Trader Joe’s, or in a pinch from Amazon. Take note here, you’re looking for raw cashews. Not roasted, and definitely not salted or flavored. Raw in this case, actually means they’ve been steamed because cashews are poisonous right off the plant. Don’t worry too much about this just note that you want raw cashews. I’ve had some trouble finding them in regular groceries sometimes, but you might have more luck at a health food or specialty store like Whole Foods.
The first step to making this chai cashew milk is to activate your cashews. You can make cashew milk without activating your cashews, but there’s some great health benefits from doing so. Nuts have some chemicals that aid in germination or sprouting that are very harsh on our stomachs. Therefore, creating an environment where the nuts are ready to sprout means they’ll shed some of these and it’s aids our digestion of nuts. If you want to read more about the specifics of phytic acid and enzyme neutralizes, check out this article. But for everyone else—TLDR; soak cashews in warm saltwater to aid in digestion. Plus, it makes it easier to blend up this chai cashew milk.
Because we’re blending whole nuts into the cashew milk, you can make your mylk (as some people spell alternate plant based milks) as thick and creamy or thin and smooth as you like. When you’re making this for the first time, add about a cup of water and then check every 1/4 cup after it to make sure you make it to your preference. I’d say I like a medium consistency—thin enough to pour, but thick enough to coat a glass even when emptied. To me a little thickness adds to the decadence and makes this chai cashew milk taste like dessert. I love having some sips before bed, it’s just such warm, comforting spices.
And speaking of spices, you’ll need a few to get to that signature chai spice. Cardamom is that one spice that really makes the chai tea, so don’t skip out on it. And for those who like ginger, you can double, or triple the amount in the recipe. I personally like just the right amount of ginger to get a subtle hint but not have it overpower the drink. That said, I know people who love ginger and could probably give their chai cashew milk a good spike of it and still enjoy.
Once you’ve made this recipe once, you’ll see it’s pretty easy! I can’t wait to try to adapt it for some other flavors like chocolate or matcha. Or even a chocolate chai, hmmm. There’s some great possibilities here!
secrets to success;
- Make sure you’re using raw cashews! Soaking will allow them to be activated and aid in digestion. If they’ve been cooked/toasted/roasted, you won’t be able to activate them.
- You’ll need a high powered blender for this recipe. Because you’re using whole cashews, you want a super find blend. No one wants to chew their milk. For extra smoothness, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Follow the recipe for a delicious blend of spices. You can always add more if you want a stronger flavor–many people like 2x the ginger, but I like the milder evenness of the recipe. But adjust according to your preferences!
Looking for other recipes?
- These witch potion halloween cocktails are perfect for parties!
- Or go for a sweet treat with this strawberry shortcake vodka slush.
- Brown sugar cinnamon ice cream makes for a perfect cold treat, loaded with cinnamon.
activated chai cashew milk;
Ingredients
activated cashews;
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
chai cashew milk;
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice like agave or honey)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp almond milk (optional)
- 1½ cups water (can add more or less depending on preferred thickness)
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
activated cashews;
- Place 2 cups raw cashews in a bowl and cover with 4 cups water. Add 1 tsp salt to the mixture and stir.
- Allow to sit in the fridge overnight 8-12 hours, then drain the water before using.
chai cashew milk;
- Add drained activated cashews to a high powered blender. Add 2 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, and (optional) 3 Tbsp almond milk. Pulse or blend several times to start chopping the nuts to a chunky texture.
- Add ½ cup water and begin to blend, revving up from a low power to a high power. If your blender allows it, remove the center cap and slowly stream in the remaining 1 cup of water while the blender is running on a medium-high speed. Alternatively, just add water ½ cup at a time, replacing the lid between each blend. You can adjust the amount of water you add depending on your preferred thickness. I recommend checking it after each ½ cup, or ¼ cup near the end.
- Remove the lid and add the spices: 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ginger, 1½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt. Reset the lid, and pulse several times to blend evenly.
- (Optional) For a smoother texture, strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy fresh, or add to a glass or reusable bottle and store in the fridge for up to a week. Shake before drinking if the cashew milk has settled.
