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    You are here: Home / Jams and Condiments / How To Make Cashew Cream

    How To Make Cashew Cream

    Published: Jan 25, 2021 · Modified: Jan 27, 2021

    Go to Recipe

    How to make cashew cream - cashew cream is super easy to make with just a few basic ingredients! It's an ideal vegan replacement for dairy cream in all kinds of recipes and can be made sweet or savoury as you like.

    A jar of cashew cream with a spoon being dipped in.

    Cashew cream is an incredibly versatile dairy cream replacement that is super easy to make yourself at home with just a couple of basic ingredients.

    It is so handy for all sorts of vegan/plant-based recipes, both sweet and savoury, and it only takes a few minutes to whip up (bar the soaking time).

    You can easily alter the consistency so that it can be used as a thick sour cream replacement, or as a thin pouring cream, and everything in between!

    What Do I Need To Make Cashew Cream?:

    Raw cashews: You must use raw cashews to make cashew cream, NOT roasted/toasted/salted ones. Raw cashews provide the neutral, creamy flavour that makes cashew cream so versatile.

    Water: Not the soaking water. Once the cashews have soaked, drain them and add fresh water to blend. The amount of water you add will vary depending on how thick you want the cream. Simply start with the amount given in the recipe below then gradually add more as needed.

    Salt and lemon juice: These are optional but do help to round out the flavour.

    Basic cashew cream only requires two ingredients - cashews and water. I like to add a pinch of salt and a dash of lemon juice to round out the flavour, but they are not strictly necessary.

    Close up of a jar of cashew cream.

    How To Make Cashew Cream:

    (For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

    First soak your cashews. Ideally overnight in cold water but I'm never that organised so I tend to soak mine for 1 hour in boiling water. Make sure that they are well covered with plenty of water.

    Step 1 - the cashews soaking in a metal bowl.

    Once the cashews have soaked, drain them and place them in a high powered blender along with 120ml (½ cup) of fresh cold water and some optional salt and lemon juice.

    Step 2 - cashews in a blender with water, salt and lemon juice.

    Blend until the cream is completely smooth with no hint of graininess. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides several times.

    If your blender is struggling, add a drop more water to help it along.

    Add any additional flavourings (see below for ideas) and blend until smooth.

    Gradually add more water until the cream reaches your desired consistency. The amount in the recipe makes for a thick, sour cream style cream; an extra 60ml (¼ cup) of water will make more of a pouring/drizzling cream consistency. I added an extra tablespoon to achieve the consistency in the photos.

    Step 3 - the blended cashew cream in the blender.

    Store the cashew cream in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days.

    Optional Additions For Savoury Cashew Cream:

    Take your pick of a few of the below options to add to your cashew cream depending on what flavour profile you want it to have; use your imagination!:

    • lemon or lime juice or cider vinegar to taste
    • extra salt
    • 1 clove garlic or ¼ tsp garlic granules
    • ¼ tsp onion granules
    • ½ tsp mustard
    • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (or more to taste)
    • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
    • sriracha hot sauce, chilli flakes or chopped fresh chillies
    • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
    • black pepper
    • 1 Tbsp miso paste
    • use vegetable stock instead of water to blend the cream
    • fresh herbs - parsley/mint/coriander/basil/thyme/rosemary etc

    Optional Additions For Sweet Cashew Cream:

    • 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup or two medjool dates
    • ¼ tsp cinnamon
    • swap the blending water for a plant-based milk of your choice for an extra creamy cream

    How To Use Cashew Cream:

    • Use it as the base for a creamy pasta sauce.
    • Swirl into soups and stews.
    • Add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, garlic and salt and use as a sour cream replacement on top of chilli or baked potatoes.
    • Use it to make a creamy caramel sauce. It makes an amazing sauce for my vegan sticky toffee pudding!
    • Add maple syrup and vanilla and serve with fruit or desserts.
    • Use it to make a creamy salad dressing.
    • Stir into risotto or mashed potatoes.
    • Add it to porridge for an extra creamy, indulgent breakfast.
    • Use it in place of dairy cream in a gratin.

    And so many more!

    A glass jar of cashew cream with a metal spoon in it with a grey cloth and cashews.

    Top Tips:

    Use a high powered blender. Regular blenders and food processors will struggle to get the cream completely smooth and will take a lot longer to blend it. A high powdered one such as a Froothie, Vitamix, Blendtec etc will result in a completely smooth cream with no hint of graininess in a couple of minutes max. They are an investment, but are so incredibly useful, especially for vegan cooking and baking.

    Soak your cashews! You will get a smoother cream if you soak the cashews beforehand - overnight if using cold water (or 4 hours absolute minimum), or at least 1 hour if using boiling water.

    Don't try and reduce the recipe, the blender will most likely struggle to make a smaller quantity.

    Scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times - little pieces of cashew will get stuck to the sides otherwise meaning that you won't get a completely smooth cream.

    The basic recipe makes a bland cream that is a blank canvas for however you want to flavour it - see above for ideas of what to add.

    The cashew cream will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about five days.

    A jar of cashew cream on a grey surface with a scattering of raw cashews and a grey cloth.

    If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

    *All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full.*

    A jar of cashew cream on a grey surface with a scattering of raw cashews and a grey cloth.
    Print

    Cashew Cream

    Cashew cream is super easy to make with just a few basic ingredients! It’s an ideal vegan replacement for dairy cream in all kinds of recipes and can be made sweet or savoury as you like.
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine vegan
    Keyword cream
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Soaking Time 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings 250 ml
    Author Domestic Gothess

    Ingredients

    • 150 g (1 cup) raw cashews
    • 120 ml (½ cup) water
    • a pinch of salt (optional)
    • 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
    • see post above for additional optional ingredients

    Instructions

    • First soak the cashews. Either cover them with plenty of cold water and leave to soak overnight, or use boiling water and soak for at least one hour.
    • Once the cashews have soaked, drain them and place them in a high powered blender along with 120ml (½ cup) of fresh cold water and the optional salt and lemon juice.
    • Blend until the cream is completely smooth with no hint of graininess. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides several times. If your blender is struggling, add a drop more water to help it along.
    • Add any additional flavourings (see post above for ideas) and blend until smooth.
    • Gradually add more water until the cream reaches your desired consistency. The amount in the recipe makes for a thick, sour cream style cream; an extra 60ml (¼ cup) of water will make more of a pouring/drizzling cream consistency. I added an extra tablespoon to achieve the consistency in the photos.
    • Store the cashew cream in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days.

    Notes

    • Use a high powered blender. Regular blenders and food processors will struggle to get the cream completely smooth and will take a lot longer to blend it. A high powdered one such as a Froothie, Vitamix, Blendtec etc will result in a completely smooth cream with no hint of graininess in a couple of minutes max.
    • Don’t try and reduce the recipe, the blender will most likely struggle to make a smaller quantity.
    • The basic recipe makes a bland cream that is a blank canvas for however you want to flavour it – see post above for ideas of what to add.
    • This recipe makes around 250ml (1 cup) of cream, or a little more depending on how much water you add.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie

      January 29, 2021 at 5:35 am

      I made t h e cashew cream but added vanilla extract
      Absolutely delicious

      Reply
    2. Chloe

      June 20, 2021 at 11:56 am

      Will this work with sunflower seeds for a nut-free option? I usually sub them in in creamy sauce recipes with good results...what do you think?

      Reply
      • Hannah

        June 20, 2021 at 8:58 pm

        Hi Chloe, I'm afraid I've never tried that. I don't see why it wouldn't work though.

        Reply
    3. Purna Rodman

      August 06, 2022 at 7:53 pm

      Looks thick. How much water for a double cream and how much for a regular cream?

      Reply
      • Hannah

        August 08, 2022 at 7:59 am

        Hi Purna, that will be variable; just start with the amount listed in the recipe and gradually add more as needed until it reaches your desired consistency.

        Reply

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    Hannah Hossack-Lodge (Domestic Gothess)

    Hi, I'm Hannah! I'm a UK based vegan food blogger, recipe developer and food photographer specialising in the best vegan baking. Welcome to Domestic Gothess!

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