This homemade creamy Whole30 vanilla coffee creamer will be a new staple in your fridge! Made of whole ingredients and no refined sugar, this creamer is thick and rich with the perfect hint of vanilla. Raw cashews are soaked until soft and blended with dates, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and water. The dates add the perfect touch of sweet and the salt brings out the sweetness fully.
This creamer does not need to be strained or ran through a cheese cloth, but it can be if desired. Perfect for iced lattes or your morning cup of hot coffee! Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Find all of my delicious drink recipes here or try this Iced Shaken Espresso with Oat Milk
Recipe Highlights
- Dairy-Free & Whole30 Approved: Made with raw cashews, this creamer is free from dairy, added sugars, and artificial ingredients, making it compliant with Whole30 guidelines. Sweetened with dates and flavored with cinnamon and pure vanilla extract.
- Sweetened Naturally: Instead of refined sugar, this creamer is naturally sweetened with dates (or can be omitted for a completely sugar-free version). A pinch of salt helps draw out the sweetness of the creamer.
- Easy to Make: Just blend the ingredients together, and you have a homemade, healthier coffee creamer in minutes. Make sure to soak your cashews before hand, 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Versatile Flavor: Customize the flavor by adjusting the amount of vanilla or adding other Whole30-compliant spices, like cinnamon, to suit your taste. Other spices and extracts can be added in the change the flavor of this cashew creamer.
Why Make Cashew Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Tired of spending $8 for non-dairy creamer at your local super market or trying to avoid added preservatives and additives? Make this super simple cream at home! Cashews (like cottage cheese and cauliflower) have been in high demand lately for so many healthy recipes.
No special equipment is needed for this recipe, I do not strain my creamer but you can if you want to ensure a super smooth and creamy consistency! If you want to strain this use a nut bag, cheese cloth, or fine mesh sieve. You can make many different flavor combinations at home with this base recipe. Use in your cup of morning coffee or in you afternoon glass of cold brew!
Key Ingredients
This easy coffee creamer is made with simple ingredients, many you probably already have on hand. If there is a substitution for an ingredient, you’ll find it below:
- Cashews: you need to use raw, unflavored cashews for this recipe. You do not want roast, salted, or seasoned cashews. Other nuts will not work this same in this so I do not recommend swapping any others.
- Dates: I use pitted Medjool dates as those are the most popular in grocery stores but any type of date will work. Make sure to remove the pit. You can also leave these out if you do not want the natural sugars. Or sub maple syrup, this would not be Whole30
- Vanilla extract: use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract.
- Salt: I prefer a Himalayan pink salt of flaky sea salt.
- Cinnamon: ground cinnamon adds the perfect hint of flavor, substitute nutmeg or a spice blend.
How to Make The Whole30 Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Homemade Creamy Whole30 Vanilla Coffee Creamer (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick Overview:
- Soak cashews for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust thickness.
- Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge.
- Start by soaking the raw cashews in a bowl of water for 4-6 hours, they should be soft. Cashews have to be soaked or they won’t blend into a smooth creamy consistency. After soaking, strain out the water
- To a blender combine the soaked cashews, dates, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cup water. Start with less water and increase as needed until desired thickness is reached. Blend until smooth.
- If desired for a extra creamy consistency, strain through a cheese cloth or mesh sieve after blending.
- Transfer to a glass bottle or jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Separation is natural since this has no additives or preservatives, shake before using.
Flavor Variations
- Pumpkin Spice: blend in 1 tbsp. pure pumpkin puree and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
- Peppermint mocha: blend in 1 tsp peppermint extract and 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Hazelnut: blend in 1 tsp hazelnut extract.
Kitchen Tools I Recommend For This Recipe
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
- Blender – This is the best affordable blender, it is powerful and has a bunch of different settings. The base of the blender is large enough so you don’t have to do multiple batches.
More Healthy Staple Recipes
Trying to keep more homemade, better for you options on hand? These simple ideas will get you motivated to start making some of your own products!
- Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – beware, it’s addicting.
- Blender Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins – refined sugar free and great for on the go!
- Protein Chocolate Pudding – a super simple recipe that is great for meal prep.
- 3 Ingredient Banana Frozen Yogurt – frozen yogurt without an ice cream maker!
How To Store Cashew Creamer
Cashew creamer can be stored in a glass container or mason jar with a tight lid. I like to use a mason jar with this lid for easy pouring. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Note, separation is normal since there are no additives or preservatives. If the creamer separates simply give it a good shake before using.
Or freeze extra creamer into ice cube trays and blend into smoothies or other non-dairy treats!
Recipe FAQs
Because soaking cashews before blending softens them. Making them easier to blend and ensuring a smooth, creamy texture when used in recipes like nut milk, cashew creamer, or cashew cheese. Soaking helps to break down the cashews’ structure leading to a better consistency when blended.
Add in other extracts like peppermint extract, almond extract, or hazelnut extract for different flavor. Add in pumpkin puree + pumpkin pie spice for a pumpkin spice creamer. Unsweetened cocoa and peppermint can be added for peppermint mocha flavor. Cinnamon extract will be a stronger cinnamon flavored creamer.
Cashew creamer will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, anything past that and it will start to get a weird texture. It is best stored in an airtight glass container.
Cooking Tip
If you add in a few more cups of water to thin out the creamer, this will double as homemade cashew milk which is great with cereal, in smoothies, or in coffee.
Homemade Creamy Whole30 Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Raw cashews , soaked
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups Filtered water
Instructions
- Start by soaking the raw cashews in a bowl of water for 4-6 hours, they should be soft. Cashews have to be soaked or they won't blend into a smooth creamy consistency. After soaking, strain out the water.
- To a blender combine the soaked cashews, dates, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cup water. Start with less water and increase as needed until desired thickness is reached. Blend until smooth.1/2 cup Raw cashews , 2 Medjool dates, 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Kosher salt , 1 tbsp Pure vanilla extract , 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups Filtered water
- If desired for a extra creamy consistency, strain through a cheese cloth or mesh sieve after blending.
- Transfer to a glass bottle or jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Separation is natural since this has no additives or preservatives, shake before using.
Notes
Nutrition
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