Almond Cashew Coffee

Almond Cashew Coffee is a rich, foamy, creamy latte made with NO DAIRY...the magical consistency and flavor are thanks to almonds, cashews, & maple syrup!

Today's recipe is for YOU, coffee fans! And while it's one that initially sounds pretty bizarre, it's actually amazingly yummy and, yes, even wholesome (as far as coffee goes). So I hope you'll read on. 😉

Have you ever heard of Cashew Coffee? I hadn't until a few months ago, while scrolling my ol' buddy, Instagram. At first, I thought it sounded really weird. But I was intrigued enough to try it the next morning. And guess what? I'm so glad I did. Because as it turns out, Cashew Coffee is pretty darn revolutionary!

What is Cashew Coffee?

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Cashew Coffee is pretty much exactly what it says...coffee with cashews in it. 😉 But that just sounds strange, so I suppose I should explain further.

This recipe starts with hot, strong brewed coffee that's blended with cashews, a bit of sweetener, and a pinch of salt. With the help of a high-powered blender, the nuts completely disintegrate and the mixture transforms into a creamy beverage with a generous amount of thick, silky foam. It's totally got the texture of a latte while being 100% dairy-free. I'm telling you...nobody would ever guess there's not milk or cream or half-and-half in there. Rather, it's got a boost of protein and healthy fats!

The first time I made Cashew Coffee, I made it as you'd imagine...with all cashews. But while delicious, cashews are pretty decadent nuts and the resulting beverage was just a tad too rich and buttery for me. So I decided to swap out half of the cashews for almonds and -- wouldn't you know it? -- I loved the results even more. The almonds maintain the nutty creaminess while cutting the richness a bit, resulting in a flavor that I loved even more than all cashews.

As for the sweetener, I experimented with both honey and maple syrup and found that I preferred maple syrup, hands-down. That being said, feel free to try both and see what you like best! Agave or stevia would probably work as well, though I haven't tried those.

I was also surprised to discover that it didn't take very much maple syrup to get my mug of Almond Cashew Coffee to my desired level of sweetness. After all, nuts already have some inherent natural sweetness. Along those lines, you could choose to omit the sweetener altogether.

Finally, any variation of Cashew Coffee must include a pinch of salt! Now I realize it sounds counter-intuitive to put salt in coffee -- and you certainly won't taste it outright -- but the depth of flavor would be missing without it.

How to Make Cashew Coffee

Now that you know what it is, let's break down the steps! So simple, y'all.

1. Measure the nuts into your blender.
2. Pour some hot coffee over the nuts.
3. Add maple syrup and sea salt.
4. Cover and blend -- starting on low and working up to high -- for 1 minute.

What did I tell ya? Easy-peasy.

Tips, Tricks, & Equipment

• It does help to have a decent blender in order to pulverize the nuts into smithereens. My Almond Cashew Coffee is perfectly creamy and smooth straight out of the blender.
• However, don't despair if your blender isn't super powerful! If small bits of nuts remain, you can always strain your finished coffee into your mug through a fine mesh sieve. Alternatively, you can soak the nuts in the hot coffee for a few minutes to soften them before blending. But keep in mind that if you do so, you may have to reheat your coffee once it's ready.
• I actually have a smaller "blending cup" for my blender, so I use that (instead of the big, standard blender pitcher) when making a single serving for myself.
• I prefer the flavor of Almond Cashew Coffee made with nuts that are roasted but unsalted. Any cashews or almonds should work, though...you just may need to adjust your pinch of salt accordingly.
• I like to add a scoop or two of collagen powder to the blender to make me feel even more smug and righteous while drinking my "healthy" coffee. 😉

More Coffee Treats + Morning Beverages

• All-Natural Vanilla Coffee Creamer
• Blueberry Brain Healthy Smoothie
• All-Natural Chocolate Almond Coffee Creamer
• Healthy Oatmeal Smoothie: Blueberry Muffin & Peach Cobbler Flavors
• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer