Cashew Sweet Cream – made with just 4 simple ingredients, this ‘cream’ is made from cashews, does NOT disappoint and won’t leave you wanting for ‘real’ cream! (dairy-free, plant-based, vegan)
Cashews – who knew they could be both sweet & savory?! This ‘cream’ is a vegan take on whipping cream. And while it is not whipping cream, I’m always on the search for how to make something plant-based and vegan! And this ‘cashew sweet cream’ does NOT disappoint. Made with just 4 ingredients – I used maple syrup, but you could easily use a Medjool date and make it ‘no added sugar’ too!
I developed this ‘sweet cream’ as an option to have for a dessert at night with my fruit. A dessert that’s plant-based and that gives me my ‘sweet fix’? I’m all for it. If I’m being honest, I’ve been eating way too many desserts recently. I mean I do create them partially for the blog, but as they’re not always successful, many attempts are made. Enter this simple ‘recipe’ as a healthier option to have for dessert at night!
Cashew Sweet Cream & Possible Substitutions
- Raw Cashews– I used raw cashews because roasted cashews can sometimes have added salt and oil. Raw cashews are not necessarily healthier for you – they undergo some heat to remove bacteria (most times). But just because they’re raw again doesn’t mean they’re healthier for you. The key is to add nuts any and every way you can! There is research to show that eating just 1.5 ounces of nuts/day can help reduce your risk for developing heart disease! (& other metabolic disorders when you also replace foods that are high in saturated fat with plant-based protein & heart healthy fats!)
- Vanilla – This takes the cashews to a sweet dish (vs savory). Feel free to add any other additional spices that you’d like – cinnamon, cardamom -the possibilities for different takes on this base ‘cream’ are endless!
- Water – You’re adding in 1/2 cup of water at first. Add an additional tablespoon of water (up to 2 tablespoons more) to make a thinner consistency. It all depends on how thin you want your ‘cream’. I went for just 1/2 cup to keep it more of a dip vs a sauce that I could drizzle on the fruits.
- Maple Syrup– I used a tablespoon of maple syrup. I used ‘added sugar’ to sweeten this cream. As a dietitian I’m always talking about ways to reduce your intake of added sugar. A tablespoon for this volume amounts to virtually nothing. Sure it’s some ‘added sugar’ but this is a dessert. Feel free to use Medjool Dates to ‘sweeten’ this ‘cream’. I used 4 dates when I’ve made it in this alternative version. And it is just as tasty!
HOW TO MAKE CASHEW SWEET CREAM
A food processor makes this sweet ‘cream’ come together in minutes. I did not use a high-speed blender – only because you’re not able to get all the creamy goodness out of the bottom!
- Combine everything in the bowl of your food processor.
- Blend until everything is evenly combined and the cashews become creamy. I started with 1/2 cup of water & it was the perfect consistency. If you want it thinner, add a tablespoon at a time till desired consistency.
- Serve and Enjoy!
If you have 15 minutes and want to whip up a delicious and healthy dessert that everyone will love then I highly recommend giving this cashew ‘cream’ a try. I’m not here to say you can’t ever have just ‘whipped cream’ but this vegan version (plants that are full of health!) is a great alternative to throw into the mix.
LOOKING FOR MORE RECIPES WITH CASHEWS?
- Cashew ‘Cheese’
- Homemade Trail Mix
- Almond Butter Energy ‘Bites’ – made with almond butter initially, but when swapped out with cashew butter, oh my goodness!
This post includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and would only recommend necessary kitchen tools!
Print Cashew Sweet Cream
Cashew Sweet Cream – made with just 4 simple ingredients, this ‘cream’ is made from cashews and does NOT disappoint (and won’t leave you wanting for ‘real’ cream)! (vegan)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews (soaked overnight, or boiling water for 1 hour)
- 1/2 cup water (add 1 tablespoon at a time more for thinner consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup*
Instructions
- Combine in a small bowl cashews and water and soak overnight. OR Quick soak method: cover with enough boiling water. Let stand for 1 hour, drain. Rinse and drain again.
- Combine in a food processor the soaked cashews and remaining ingredients. Cover and blend or process for ~5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week (if it lasts that long!)
Notes
*I used 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. You can substitute in 4 Medjool dates instead if you want to make a ‘no added sugar’ version.
*Feel free to add in other spices to change up the flavor – 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom would be delish!
*This dish was made sweet, but cashews can also be savory! Love how versatile cashews can be!
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Desserts
6 thoughts on “Cashew Sweet Cream”
Looks delicious !
Thanks! Nutritious & delicious!
Love the versatility of the cashews. Sweet or savory. This looks tasty!
FANTASTIC. As close to whipped cream as you can get. (I’ve made others that call for lemon juice, and there’s no good reason. AND IMO, dates make it grainy.). USE the Vitamix and let it run awhile at high speed if you want the best, smoothest texture..
Ahhh, so glad you liked it! It’s really amazing how cashews can be either sweet or savory! Thanks for stopping by!
FYI, this FREEZES great. Because there’s no preservatives, I don’t want it to go bad before I use it up. It DOES seem to keep at least 5 days. I split the batch into two 8 oz. Ball jars – one goes in the fridge, and one stashed away in the freezer.