How to Make Homemade Almond Milk
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Make your own creamy dairy-free almond milk without additives or unnecessary junk. No soaking necessary.
Are you looking for healthy alternatives to milk? Homemade nut milk is the key.
You’ve probably noticed that It’s a good time to go dairy-free — it’s never been easier to stroll through ordinary grocery stores and find so many options to cow’s milk. Plant-based milk substitutes seem to have exploded in the marketplace.
Now in addition to regular milk, we can choose from milks made from oats, nuts or coconut to pour over granola and steam for warm drinks.
But while these products seem to be improving in quality little by little, they can still contain additional stuff like preservatives, emulsifiers and extra sugar.
Make homemade almond milk
Isn’t the whole point of seeking out milk alternatives to eat more “healthfully?” That’s where homemade almond milk comes in.
Creamy almond milk is easy to make at home with a few ingredients and a powerful blender. This milk has become a staple in our house.
Some of us don’t tolerate dairy well, and I’m one of those people who cannot stand the taste of soy milk.
Make almond milk in a blender
Making your own almond milk is also pretty economical. One cup of almonds makes a quart of fresh almond milk — I’ll let you do the math and compare it to the price of your favorite store-bought almond milk 😉
Keep in mind that commercially made almond milk is made with a greater ratio of water to almonds (hence the need for added thickeners).
For this recipe, the only real extravagance I’m advocating is using a high-speed blender. To make the smoothest nut milk — as well as mind-blowing creamy soups and smoothies — you’ll want to invest in a blender with a strong motor and sturdy construction.
I have a Vitamix that I bought a decade ago and it’s still churning along.
Another good (and powerful!) blender for the price is the Ninja Pro, which you can scoop up for about a hundred bucks on Amazon.
Don’t go trying to make almond milk in a food processor, though. Food processors aren’t designed to be 100 percent watertight, so you’ll end up with almond milk all over your kitchen.
Nutrition in homemade almond milk
While whole almonds contain a respectable amount of calcium, almond milk actually contains just a tiny fraction (about 1 gram per cup).
- Almond milk contains other minerals like selenium, magnesium and potassium. It also has a small amount of protein — again, about 1 gram per cup.
I can’t tell you for sure what the nutrition value of homemade almond milk is compared to various brands of the commercially made ones, which are sometimes fortified with added calcium and Vitamin D.
But at least when you make your own almond milk you know exactly what’s in there.
One thing is certain: There won’t be any additives like preservatives, emulsifiers, gums or thickeners like carrageenan when you blend it up yourself.
Do you need to soak almonds to make almond milk?
The short answer is no, you don’t need to soak almonds to make almond milk. If you’re using a high-speed blender, it will do all the heavy lifting in a minute or two.
I mean literally pulverizing the entire almond into a thick and creamy milk. But if you’re wondering, here are three reasons to soak almonds for almond milk:
- Allows the almond skins to slip off easier, to make a lighter-colored milk (if you’re into peeling individual almonds)
- Softens the almonds for blending.
- Activates enzymes in the almond, which is helpful if your aim is to sprout them.
I’ve been making almond milk for 10 years, and honestly most of the time I skip the soaking step completely.
The almond milk turns out just as smooth and creamy as when I remember to soak. Plus, I actually prefer the whole almond skin and all. If you’re using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth it filters most of the flecks of skin out anyway.
If you’re like me and often forget to plan ahead to soak the almonds, go ahead and jump right in!
The best way to strain almond milk
To make a smoother almond milk, I recommend filtering the blended milk through a cheesecloth or even better, a nylon mesh nut bag.
Even if you’ve used a high-powered blender you’ll still have a little grittiness in the finished milk, which isn’t a big deal unless you’ll be drinking it straight or using in a coffee drink or latte.
You can also use a very fine mesh strainer, but a small amount of solids will come through.
I don’t mind that so much, but if you want a smoother milk go for the cheesecloth or a handy nut milk bag. Discard the solid pulp or better yet, save it in a covered container in the refrigerator.
You can add it to pancake batter and cookie dough for added protein and texture, or dry it out in a low (200-degree) oven for an hour and use it like almond flour.
Homemade almond milk tastes delicious paired with great granola — try it with the Best Olive Oil Granola recipe!
How to Make Homemade Almond Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (145 g) whole raw unsalted almonds
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup, optional
- 4 cups (1 l) filtered cold water
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in the container of a high-powered blender.
- Blend on high speed for 1 minute (much longer than that and you begin to heat the milk)
- Pour through a mesh nut bag or a few layers of cheesecloth. Gather the top of the bag or cloth in your hands and gently squeeze to extract all the liquid.
- Transfer to a clean container and refrigerate 3-4 days. Gently shake before using as the milk will separate.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Omit the maple syrup for a naturally sugar-free almond milk.
- Instead of maple syrup, throw 2 or 3 pitted dates into the blender with all the ingredients for natural sweetener.
- Add a whole vanilla bean and blend for even more flavor, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- Save the leftover pulp and use it in pancake batter and cookie doughs for added protein and texture.
- Almond milk will naturally separate as it sits. Just give it a shake before using.
Nutrition
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can I use a food processor.
Michele, food processors vary in power depending on the brand. Generally they don’t puree as powerfully as a blender does. If you use one, there could be more solids to strain out of the milk.
Does anyone know the potassium level in this recipe? I made the milk and it tastes delicious!!!!
Can you add a natural sweetener to this or does the vanilla sweeten it up pretty well?
Hi Traci – The vanilla tastes wonderful but it’s not really sweet. But you can totally add any sweetener you like! I sometimes add a few pitted dates along with the maple syrup.
Too bad the Vitamix doesn’t make cookies too hehe
This blog is really useful, I like having vegetables smoothie and a glass of milk for my breakfast every morning, I never thought i could add my milk to my smoothies. That’s cool. I like this idea. You post gives me inspiration.
Have read all the comments and was most encouraged. I was diagnosed with an hiatal hernia this past summer and my doc told me I could no longer eat any acidic fruits/vegs or drink citrus juices. She recommended Almond milk. It saved my stomach..has no soy and the one I purchased at the organic store in San Fran delivers 9 essential amino acids and 5X the protein I needed which included vit A,C,D,B12,Calcium,Iron,Folate,Magnesium,Selenium & Zinc. Want to make my own homemade milk, but now I’m back in Rome and am unable to find this product. Any suggestions about how to add some of the above to the regular recipe?? Thx.
Can you use roasted almonds for the almond milk or do they have to be raw?
Hi Patty. I don’t use roasted almonds. I tried it once and didn’t like the flavor of the milk – too strong! Try it with a smaller amount of almonds and water to see if you might like it…
Is there any difference in taste if you leave out the salt? I am trying to decrease my salt intake. Thanks!
I am going to make this in the morning w/ my vitamix. does anyone have a preference of vitamix over blentec? I was going to trade my vitamix in for blendtec. the blendtec seems so much easier to use. any info would be appreciated as I need to decide ASAP before the blendtec promo is over at Costco!! Thanks
I just bought a vitamix and brought it all the way to China where I am now living and posting from and was eager to make my own almond milk. I found you by googling “making almond milk with a vitamix” and I’m glad I did. I just tried the recipe and LOVE it! I used a cheese cloth to strain it and it worked well. Thanks again and keep the recipes coming!
Do you have to soak the almonds before prededing with the recipe? The recipe is very simple and I like that. Pleasse reply soon ASAP. Thanks much
Hi Doris – Thanks for your comment. No, there’s no need to soak the almonds before making the milk. Some raw food enthusiasts do soak them, but my personal preference is to jump right in.
I keep it at work for an afternoon snack; it’s filling, but healthy! I shared with some co-workers and they liked it very much.
Thanks, Harland. I’m happy to hear that you’re on the almond milk wagon with me! Spread the love.
My wife and I just learned that soy milk is not so healthy after all. We decided to switch to almond milk. I don’t like all of the added ingredients in commercial almond milk. I can’t wait to try your almond milk recipe. It looks like a very healthy alternative. Thank you so much.
I love almond milk. I just finished making a 1/2 gallon this morning. But for those that are not familiar with its benefit let me share something with you all. Three of my grandchildren suffer with dryness of the skin. We’ve tried many creams and Doctor’s appointments. To no avail, only alot of time and money spent. My mom told me that she found out about all the junk in cow’s milk after they fix it be able to sit in our refrigerators. Don’t believe me? When in doubt check it out!! My grandchildren now drink only almond milk and LOVE IT!!! No more upset stomach aches or DRYNESS of the skin. Cow’s milk can be hard to the stomach. There’s a reason why alot of folks can’t drink it.
Dali, I totally agree with you about the connection between dairy milk and skin issues. Ever since I’ve eliminated most dairy from my diet I’ve had zero problems with dry itchy skin.
I made delicious almond milk with blanched almonds adding vanilla, agave honey, and sea salt. Blanched almonds are easily made by first adding almonds that have been soaked for 8 or more hours to boiling water for 1/2 minute. Next, rinse them briefly in cool water and the skins will pop right off by simply squeezing each one from the large end. The white pulp from the strained milk is excellent substitute for half the flour in cookie recipes etc.
I love my Kitchen Aid Blender and Mixer. Wouldn’t use anything else! Thanks for sharing the Almond milk Recipe. I will have to try it.
i keep hearing about the vitamix and finally played around with it. nice job on the milk; will have to try!
Finally! We got a new blender (Kitchen-Aid, not Vita Mix) and I made almond milk. It is great. Smoothies, here we come.
That looks like a lovely recipe for almond milk. Almonds have that remarkable ability to lend their creamy nuttiness to any dish they are put in and here almonds are the star atrraction!
How interesting! I’d love to try this sometime. I bet it’s nutty and delicious. Love the picture.
I love it! I buy almond milk all the time, but have been unhappy with the added fillers. This is a wonderful solution.
How lucky you are to own a Vita Mix. Until then, I’m fine with drooling over your creations. Thanks for sharing!
Nutbag? Really? I am now all inspired to make almond milk. Need to find the blender…it’s one of the things that never made it out of the garage and into the kitchen when we unpacked out here.