Dairy Free Cereal Milk 3 Ways {Paleo + Vegan}
Back in the day, Garett and I both really enjoyed our cereal. He more so than me even. To the point, where if he could swing it, he would have at least 2 bowls a day. I too had an affinity for the sweet, crunchy, and creamy delights of cereal. It was yet another thing we both adored and enjoyed together. It won’t be surprising then, especially to those that know us well, that we had to come up with a Dairy Free Cereal Milk.
Cereal is a classic American breakfast. Though if we are being honest, it really is more of a dessert. Especially when you consider what the most popular cereals are. I’m looking at you Cookie Crisp.
Some love the cereal most, and some love the milk most. Of course everyone has their favorites, and here are ours:
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch – the quintessential cinnamon sugar combination. Crunchy buttery mini toast turns into a sweet and warmly spiced milk that is like nothing else.
- Cocoa Puffs – a satisfying airy puff with lots of crunch that then becomes a rich sweet chocolate milk.
- Fruity Pebbles – brightly colored rice flakes taste of mixed sweetened berries. They’re thin and absorb the milk quickly, and turn into a berries and cream milk.
We both grew up loving these cereals and ate them often. This affinity eventually lead us to find Christina Tosi, and her wonderland of Milk Bar treats. If I told you we planned our first weekend in New York just to sample her creations, I wouldn’t be lying.
Garett bought me the Milk Bar cookbook right when it came out, and I quickly began baking my way through it. I was instantly smitten with her childhood recreations and the way she turned traditional desserts on their head. You may have seen on Instagram a few of the times I made the birthday layer cake for Garett.
One of Milk Bar’s most famous creations is their cereal milk. They sell this as pure milk, and also make it into a soft serve ice cream. The minute we tried it in person we were hooked. It is that good, and absolutely reminded us of our childhood.
Fast forward to present day, and as much we both still love that cereal milk goodness, it a bit harder to stomach. Literally. We both have an issue with dairy, so we thought we were lost to cereal milk forever. Womp womp.
But then, as we became comfortable with dairy free cooking, we discovered the beauty of cashews. These nuts (which are actually drupes) contain a larger amount of starch compared to other nuts and seeds. And when soaked, they can turn into any number of creamy treats such as cheesecake, as well as cheese-like sauces, and milk/cream.
We knew regular plain cashew milk was delicious, especially homemade cashew milk. Which is why it wasn’t a huge stretch to assume this base would make excellent cereal milk. Because after all, the thicker and creamier the milk, the more it feels like the childhood classic we enjoyed.
To keep this grain and gluten free as well, we don’t use actual cereal here. But, what ensued it something we can honestly say is just as good. Besides a slight texture difference, our Cashew Cereal Milk is nearly indistinguishable from dairy milk. Dare I say it is also even more creamy. Not to mention the three variations, modeled after our favorite cereal milks from all those years ago. Sweet cinnamon, rich sweet chocolate, and berries and cream.
We accomplished all this without grains, dairy, egg, refined sugar, or much effort. The hands on prep time is really minimal, which is key. You soak cashews overnight, then blend with flavorings and chill. Super easy, yet they have SO MUCH flavor. We cannot get enough of these because they feel like such an indulgent treat.
This creation is not just for us, but for all those cereal milk fans out there. Because satisfying our childhood favorite memories is always worth exploring.
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Dairy Free Cereal Milk 3 Ways {Paleo + Vegan}
Equipment
- Large glass jar or measuring cup
- High powered blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- Enough water to cover cashews
- 7-8 cups filtered water
Cinnamon Sugar Milk
- 2 1/2-3 cups prepared cashew milk
- 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Rich Chocolate Milk
- 2 1/2-3 cups prepared cashew milk
- 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Berries + Cream Milk
- 2 1/2-3 cups prepared cashew milk
- 1 cup mixed freeze dried berries raspberries, blueberries, and/or strawberries
- 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Cashew Milk Base
- Add cashews to large glass bowl, jar, or measuring cup. Add enough water to cover, then top with a dish towel or reusable wrap and set in the refrigerator overnight. If you are in a hurry, boil water and pour over cashews. Let sit at least 30 minutes.
- The next morning, drain cashews in a colander and rinse well, until the water runs clear.
- Add rinsed cashews to a high powdered blender, along with 7 cups fresh filtered water and sea salt. Blend on high for 2 minutes or until smooth and homogeneous. This creates a whole milk consistency, so if you prefer a thinner milk add an extra 1/2-1 cup water. We used 7 cups for this recipe. Note the milk will be frothy at first but will settle.
- If not using for flavored milk immediately, transfer to air tight glass jars, cover tightly with a lid, and chill until ready to use.
- Milk will last for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Cinnamon Sugar Milk
- Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Transfer to a glass jar, cover tightly with a lid, and let chill at least one hour before serving.
Rich Chocolate Milk
- Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend on high for 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Transfer to a glass jar, cover tightly with a lid, and let chill at least one hour before serving.
Berries + Cream Milk
- Add freeze dried berries to a large glass jar or bowl and pour prepared milk base on top. Let steep 30 minutes. Drain milk and set berries aside to use in a smoothie or as a topping.
- Add berry milk and all remaining ingredients to a high powered blender and blend on high for 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. If chunks of fruit remain, strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- Transfer to a glass jar, cover tightly with a lid, and let chill at least one hour before serving.
Notes
- The milk base makes approximately 64 ounces cashew milk. For a smaller quantity, cut the recipe in half.
- We like to make a large batch of the cashew milk base, using 1/2 - 3/4 the recipe for cereal milk, and leaving a portion as plain milk to use for other recipes.
- Not only is cereal milk wonderful to enjoy on its own, but it also makes a great base for chia pudding, coffee creamer, and adds a flare to baking.
