Back when I used my Keurig all the time, I always had black coffee. If I went to a coffee shop, I would get a latte. I never messed around with dairy free creamers at home – it just didn’t seem worth it to me since I enjoyed my black coffee so much.
But then I went to visit my Papa last April at the same time as my amazing cousin Julz. She arrived a little before I did and Papa had already taught her how to use his espresso machine. Using her newfound knowledge, Julz taught me how to make an espresso, and life has never been the same since.
I got an espresso machine for my birthday in May, and at first I hated the thing. My Papa’s espresso machine is automatic, and always made quality espresso. He also bought the best of the best coffee beans.
My machine is a manual, so it takes a little effort to get it right. I also had no idea that the quality of the beans was so important, and I didn’t quite understand that I needed a very fine espresso grind (versus, say, the grind you’d want for a french press).
But once I figured it out, it was smooth sailing! I limit dairy, so I needed to find a good dairy free milk to froth to make my luxurious morning latte. I tried allllll the brands, and honestly my favorite ended up being Nutpods. Unfortunately it’s a bit expensive to drink on the regular (especially if you’re having multiple espresso’s every day… oops), so I started getting creative in the kitchen.
This recipe is the result! It’s mostly strained cashew milk, a little coconut milk, and vanilla. It takes a little effort, but it is so worth the money saved. I still have Nutpods stashed for just in case I don’t have time to make my own creamer, but this is my go to.
It’s creamy, it’s dreamy, it’s the most like real milk that you’re going to find!
So without further ado – here’s the recipe!
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- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- 2 cups filtered water
- 6 tbsp coconut milk
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Soak the cashews in water in a large container for at least two hours or overnight.
- Drain and rinse the cashews, then add to a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse until the cashews are a fine flour consistency.
- Add the water to the blender or food processor, and blend on high for 30 seconds.
- Optional: using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the liquid into a storage container like a mason jar. I personally like to strain the cashew out, otherwise my last few sips of latte are grainy, which is something I don't care for. If you don't mind the cashew grains at the end, then feel free to skip this step and pour everything from the blender/food processor into your storage container.
- Add the coconut milk, salt and vanilla to the cashew milk and stir well.