Learn how to make Cashew Cream with only two ingredients: cashews and water! This versatile dairy-free heavy cream substitute is perfect for soups, sauces, vegan sour cream, and even desserts.
Looking for more fun ways to use cashews? Check out my Cashew Milk, Cashew Cheese Sauce, and Vegan Queso recipes.
Cashew cream is a vegan staple you’ll want to have in your kitchen at all times. Made by blending raw cashews and water together, this thick and creamy sauce can make your favorite recipes extra creamy and comes in handy when you need a dairy-free substitute for heavy cream or coconut milk.
This recipe includes plain, savory, and sweet flavor variations to help you find your perfect flavor. I’ve also included a long list of ways to use cashew cream so you can get as much use out of it as possible!
Why you’ll love this heavy cream substitute
- Only 2 ingredients needed – All you need are cashews and water to make cashew cream sauce from scratch!
- Sweet and savory versions – This cashew cream recipe comes in three flavors: (1) plain, (2) sweet, and (3) savory! The flavor is so easy to customize with everyday add-ins.
- Endless ways to use it – Whether your curry needs some creaminess, you have an aversion to coconut milk, or you’re looking for your new favorite vegan coffee creamer, it’s cashew cream to the rescue.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Raw cashews – Avoid roasted and/or salted cashews when making cashew cream. Raw cashews will yield a neutral creamy taste, whereas flavored, roasted, or salted varieties will add a nutty flavor to the cream (which isn’t what we’re going for). If you need a substitute for cashews, raw slivered almonds will work just as well.
- Water – You need water to soak and blend the cashews.
Sweet and savory add-in ideas
Plain cashew cream is the best heavy cream substitute, while flavored cashew cream is so much better in sauces and dips or for dessert. Here’s how to make sweet or savory cashew cream:
- Savory cashew cream – Blend ¾ teaspoon of salt, 1 to 2 garlic cloves, a drizzle of hot sauce, 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and/or ¼ cup of nutritional yeast with the cashews and water for a savory version you can use as a dipping sauce, drizzle over rice bowls, etc.
- Sweet cashew cream – Blend 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract along with the cashews and water for a sweet vanilla cashew creamer you can add to your coffee. You could also add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cardamom for more warmth.
How to make cashew cream
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Add the cashews to a heat-proof bowl and cover them in boiling water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes.
Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water.
Add the soaked cashews to a high-powered blender (I find a Vitamix works best for this recipe) along with 1 cup of fresh water.
Blend until very smooth and creamy.
For sweet or savory cashew cream, add the mix-ins of your choice and blend again until smooth. You may need to add an extra splash of water to thin the consistency.
Use the vegan cream right away or store it in a glass jar for later. Enjoy!
Ways to use cashew cream
- The plain version works perfectly as a substitute for canned coconut milk or cream in my Vegan Curry, Butternut Squash Soup, and Red Lentil Dal.
- Add a splash of the sweet cashew cream to your coffee or iced lattes in the morning.
- Use it to make my Vegan Sour Cream to dollop on baked potatoes or vegan nachos, or use in my Vegan Sour Cream Enchiladas.
- Add a dollop of the plain or savory cashew cream to any main dish that could use more creaminess, like Vegan Mac and Cheese, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Mushroom Stroganoff, or Vegan Scalloped Potatoes.
- Use it as a base for creamy salad dressings, like Vegan Ranch Dressing and Vegan Caesar Dressing.
- Drizzle the savory version over salads, grain bowls, or burrito bowls.
- It’s the best base for creamy pasta sauces. Stir some into my One Pot Vegan Pasta or High Protein Lemon Pasta to make every bite extra indulgent.
- Use it wherever you would use my Heavy Cream Substitute.
- Serve the sweet version for dessert! Either use it as a fruit dip with apple slices and berries or add a dollop on top of Vegan Pudding or Fruit Salad.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, a food processor will work okay if you don’t have a high-powered blender. I’d recommend soaking the cashews overnight in this case, though. This will make it easier to blend the cashews into a cream.
Yes, you can make this cashew cream recipe without nuts! An equal amount of soaked raw sunflower seeds will work as a nut-free substitute for the cashews.
The blended cashew cream will last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Store it in a sealed glass container or jar to keep it creamy and fresh.
Before serving, thaw the frozen cashew cream in the fridge overnight, then re-blend or whisk it to make it smooth again.
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Basic Cashew Cream
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup water
Savory Cashew Cream
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- optional: Sriracha hot sauce (1-2 teaspoons), nutritional yeast (1/4 cup, for cheesy flavor)
Sweet Cashew Cream
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Soak the cashews: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Blend: Drain the cashews, discard the soaking water and add to high powered blender along with 1 cup fresh water. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. For savory cream, add salt, garlic and optional Sriracha or nutritional yeast. For sweet cream, add maple syrup and vanilla.
- For coffee creamer, use the sweet version (maple syrup + vanilla) and add an additional 1/2 cup of water.
- Store cashew cream in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. You can also freeze cashew cream, simply re-blend or whisk well once it thaws.
Notes
- A high powered blender such as a Vitamix works best for this recipe, but a regular blender or food processor will work okay. If you don’t have a Vitamix, soak the cashews for at least an hour or overnight.
- Add plain cashew cream to soups or pasta sauces for added creaminess. Use a savory cream version for Buddha Bowls like in this Meal Prep. You can also make Vegan Alfredo Sauce, Vegan Sour Cream or Vegan Mayo. Or make a cheesy sauce like in Vegan Mac and Cheese.
- Use sweet cashew cream as a dip for apples or berries.
We’ve been eating mostly vegan for about 9 months now and while I’ve eaten and enjoyed LOTS of things I thought I might never come to love — tofu, for instance — I’ve still shied away from what I call the vegan “fussy stuff”, like cashew cream. I don’t have a high end blender so I just figured I’d have to find alternatives for cashew cream. Until today. I pulled up your recipe, poured my almost 2 cups of raw cashews into a pot of boiling water and then left them to soak for a couple of hours. When I finally put the drained nuts into my blender, I fully expected to have a gritty, lumpy mess, but wonder of wonders, all that soaking turned them into the smoothest, creamiest sauce and all without spending $300+ on a Vitamix blender!! Now I can go back and make all those recipes where you raved about how much cashew cream improved the results! Thanks!!
I’m so happy to hear that! So good to know it worked with a lot of soaking.
One more question. If I keep pre-made cashew cream in the frig or freezer, can I just add the same amount of CC to a recipe as the amount of raw cashews called for in the recipe [and reduce any liquid accordingly, of course]? For example, if recipe calls for 1/2 cup raw cashews, can I just add 1/2 cup pre-made cashew cream?
I came across this with Nora’s Marry Me Chick Pea recipe (which by the way is amazing). I did not have a high powered blender but my Ninja smoothie mixer did the job. I just ended up soaking overnight. Cream was very creamy and next time I make I will make it more sweet so I can use in place of a yogurt as it was pretty thick so I think it will be fine.
I used this in place of plant milk in mashed potatoes and they turned out great! Thank you Nora, your recipes are always easy and delicious!
Hi Nora,
I bought some unroasted, unsalted cashews at Trader Joe’s. Would they be the same as raw cashews? Thanks for your help 😊
Yes that is the same as raw. Enjoy!
I plan to make this to use in your Zuppa Toscana recipe. I know that I will have leftover and want to freeze it so I can use it for other recipes. In your opinion, what is the best container to use? Thank you so much!
Long time lover of your recipes!!
Great idea! I personally like to freeze sauces and creams like this in a glass container with a lid.
Great! Thank you so much!
You are welcome, Mandy! Thank you for sharing!
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a recipe before but I just had to! We’ve recently cut dairy for our son and so I’ve been learning all about how versatile cashews are. This cashew cream is AMAZING!! We can’t even tell it’s not half & half or heavy cream. I’ve used it in soups, pasta dishes, and soon I think I’ll try to make the sweet version for him to top on pie/other desserts. Thank you so much!!
Cashews are incredible, for sure! I’m glad you are loving the recipes and that it’s opening more fun meal options for your son! Thanks for taking time to share your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Good recipe but I personally didn’t like it in coffee. I haven’t tried it in a lot of other ways though!
I make vegan vegetable pot pie. Original receipt for chicken pot pie calls for whole milk, 1/2 &1/2, or heavy cream. I’ve been using oat milk in my vegan version, but I don’t get the nice creamy “gravy” that’s so good in pot pie. Do you think this cashew cream will work?
Hi Sara. I do think cashew cream would work! Enjoy!
I made the sweet cashew cream version and it was soooo gooodd !!! I finished it in a couple of days. I will definitely be doing this over and over. So excited that I found this ! Thanks for all these amazing recipes ! 😀
Hi Ashanna. I’m so glad you loved the cashew cream! Thanks for taking time to share your great feedback! I appreciate you using my recipes, and am glad you are loving them!
Do you think this could be dehydrated for backpacking? I love me some berries and cream
I’m really not sure, sorry!
Hint/Hack: Even if you don’t have a Vitamix, you can still make this! Just boil the cashews in water for 10 minutes and let them sit for another 15. (I’ve done the overnight soak before and it still came out quite gritty).
Drain and proceed as usual. there may still be a few grit pieces, but those can be strained out.
I love your cashew cream recipe. What is the serving size for the nutrition chart and calorie count? Is it based on the full recipe or # tbsp or tsp?
I’m glad you love it! I don’t have an exact measurement, but the estimate is for 1/8th of the entire recipe. Probably a few tablespoons per serving, but to know for sure you’d have to divide it into 8 equal portions. Thanks!
Okay, I gotta post again. (Sorry for double post below — but it just goes to show how much I like this recipe!)
New use of cashew cream: MIX the savory and sweet! I’m making a vegan bowl thing for lunch with sweet potatoes, sauteed shallot/garlic/kale, and stir-fried chickpeas and brown rice. All are seasoned with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder. I made the savory cashew cream as above (1 garlic clove), and sprinkled in a little cinnamon and a dash of maple syrup. It was EXCELLENT!
I’m just so happy with cashew cream being in my arsenal. 😀
Thank you, Emma! I appreciate you sharing! This sounds delicious!
Thanks for this one, Nora. Cashew cream has SO many uses and I find myself making it all the time.
One of my favorite applications for the savory version: combine it with a jar of pasta sauce for homemade vegan “pink sauce.”
Thanks Nora. This is easy and so versatile. I love having it “in my back pocket” for changing up/improving recipes. My favorite way to use the savory cream is to add it to a jar of tomato sauce for homemade “pink sauce.”
You’re welcome!
Soooo good! So far I’ve only made the savory. Looking forward to making the sweet version. Thanks!!
If I’m trying to replace 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a recipe with this, it’d be helpful to know how much (in cups/ounces) this recipe makes and if it replaces heavy whipping cream in equal amounts.
It makes about 2 cups of cream. And yes it can replace heavy whipping cream in most recipes, but it does not whip like heavy whipping cream does.
I just made this for the second time, and i LOVE it. I add vanilla powder, cinnamon and a pinch to cardamom to it, as I like spices. We have berry season so I eat my berries with this cashew cream every day now.
I’m so glad you love it!
Thanks for hhis recipe – i served it with healthy apple crumble and my family loved it . Many vegan recipes end up tasting fake or wierd but this is perfect. Its going to be made many times over .
So glad it came out great!
I have been cooking since I was 8 years old. I grew up on a farm and we always had organic food. Recently went vegan as a family to get back to healthy eating. I love this recipe. So easy and love the additional suggestions for savory and sweet recipes. Thanks
You’re welcome! Glad you like this recipe. 🙂
How much is 1 serving?
1/8th of the entire recipe.
I have tried all versions of home made vegan mayo, or salad dressing but I must say the only answer lies in Cashews for all versions of creamy and cheaziness.
Thank you for providing us with recipes for different versions of uses for cashew nuts.
You are a blessing.
We call her “cashew lady”
I use it in my tofu scrambles. It gives them the texture of soft creamy scrambled eggs. They’re my husband’s favorites. When I’m making cashew cream to use in a soup, I use 1/2 the amount of cashews and add the rolled oats for the other half. The oats really help thicken the soap and give it a great creaminess.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll have to try it in scrambled tofu for sure!