Silky Cashew Cream

Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to five days. Natural separation is normal — shake before use. Does not freeze well; texture becomes grainy after thawing. Keep refrigerated.

Soaking cashews in cold water for at least four hours — or room-temperature water for two hours — is essential; soaked cashews blend to completely smooth cream while unsoaked cashews remain slightly grainy even in a high-powered blender. Use raw cashews, not roasted — roasted cashews have a toasted flavor that comes through in the cream and interferes with delicate cocktail flavors. The final thickness depends entirely on water ratio: one cup of cashews to one cup of water produces a cream similar in richness to heavy cream; add water progressively for a lighter, half-and-half consistency. A small pinch of salt brings out the cashew's natural subtle sweetness.

Cashew cream is a modern culinary preparation that emerged from the plant-based cooking movement of the 1970s and 1980s in the United States, when cooks began exploring raw cashews as a dairy substitute due to their uniquely high fat content and near-neutral flavor that blends to complete smoothness when processed. The cashew (Anacardium occidentale) originated in northeastern Brazil and was spread globally by Portuguese traders in the 16th century, becoming a significant crop in India, Vietnam, and Ivory Coast. Unlike nut milks that require straining, cashew cream blends to complete smoothness with sufficient soaking and a high-powered blender, making it the most practically seamless nut-based cream substitute available. In craft cocktail bars, cashew cream has been adopted as a vegan alternative to heavy cream in sours, flips, and blended cocktails, valued for its neutral flavor that takes on the character of the surrounding ingredients rather than asserting its own.

For a sweetened cashew cream suited to dessert cocktails, add two tablespoons of maple syrup and a pinch of nutmeg during blending — excellent in fall and holiday cocktails. A cashew cream with added coconut oil produces a more viscous, stable layer that floats cleanly on cold cocktails as a decorative element. For a spiced cashew cream used in Horchata-style cocktails, blend with one teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of sugar.

Contains tree nuts (cashews). Not suitable for those with tree nut or cashew allergies. Does not contain dairy. Naturally gluten-free and vegan.