Homemade Almond Milk might seem intimidating at first but I promise you fewer things are easier. In this post I’ll answer all your questions and teach you how to make almond milk. Homemade nut milk is a healthy, delicious and creamy alternative to dairy milk and even better than store-bought nut milk!
Originally published on May 19, 2018. Last updated on January 3, 2021.
Homemade Almond Milk
We love making homemade almond milk in our house. Not only is homemade nut milk thicker and creamier but it can be customized to your tastes while avoiding the traditional additives, stabilizers, gums and preservatives in most store-bought nut milks. Another benefit of homemade is that you are left with the almond pulp for the same cost! We love using the leftover almond pulp in smoothies, oatmeal or to make these Almond Pulp Energy Balls as a fun and tasty snack to keep in the fridge!
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Equipment Needed To Make Almond Milk
Mason Jar
I like to use a half gallon mason jar with a reusable lid to soak the almonds in and it can double as a storage container for the milk. I like this size as it allows for plenty of soaking liquid while not taking up a lot of space on the counter.
Strainer
After you soak the almonds, you will stain them and rinse them with fresh water. Any strainer will work.
Blender
I love my Vitamix for how well it grinds up the almonds resulting in an even creamier finished product however any good blender will work.
Nut Milk Bag or Cheesecloth
You can use cheesecloth or a nut milk bag to stain your almond milk. I prefer the nut milk bag for ease of filtering your blended nut milk into a smooth and creamy finished product. It’s handy ties and bag shape make it very simple to use. This is a necessary tool to separate the liquid from the almond pulp.
Bottle for Storing Milk
You can easily use the same mason jar you soaked your almonds in to store the milk. To do so, after soaking your almonds pour them into the stainer and then wash the mason jar thoroughly. Once clean you can blend the almond milk and stain it directly back into the mason jar. This recipe yields about a quart of almond milk, I like the bottles linked above because they are the perfect size, save space in the fridge and come with a handy pour spout as well as a lid.
How to make Almond Milk without nut bag
If you’re looking to make almond milk without a nut bag you can simply use a piece of cheesecloth as pictured. In the picture I’ve security the cheesecloth around the jar using a rubber band. Alternatively you could also lay the cheesecloth into a sieve or fine mesh strainer fitted overtop a pour spout mixing bowl in order to strain. I generally don’t recommend solely using a fine mesh strainer unless you are ok with bits of pulp making it into your milk. The cheesecloth is able to capture all of the smallest pulp pieces to keep your nut milk silky smooth!
How long to soak Almonds
How long to soak almonds for almond milk is a bit flexible. What you want to keep in mind is that soaking the almonds for the full time will result in a creamier milk. I recommend 12 hours for a full soak. Almond milk can still be made from almonds that have only been soaked a few hours however for the fullest bodied almond milk and best flavor, I recommend soaking for the full time. *Do not soak longer than 24 hours at room temperature.
How To Make Almond Milk
You can make unsweetened plain nut milk by just using almonds and water. This recipe calls for a date sweetened cinnamon nut milk that is perfect for drinking, using in a smoothie or enjoying over an unsweetened cereal. After assembling your ingredients, soak the raw almonds in 6 cups of filtered water. Allow to soak for 12 hours and then strain and rinse the almonds. Transfer the soaked almonds to a blender with fresh filtered water, pitted medjool dates, cinnamon and salt. Blend on high and then stain the milk through your nut milk bag or cheesecloth, store the almond pulp separately in the fridge or freeze it for later use. Store your finished product in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Does Almond Milk Need To Be Refrigerated
The question of Does almond milk need to be refrigerated? comes up a lot and the answer is: Yes! Refrigerating nut milk in an air-tight container with a secure lid helps keep it fresh and prevents foreign bacteria from entering and increases it’s shelf life.
How Long Does Homemade Almond Milk Last
Homemade almond milk will last in the fridge for 4-5 days when sealed in an air-tight bottle or jar. I recommend adding the date made to the bottle.
How To Know If Almond Milk Has Gone Bad
The best way to tell if any kind of nut milk has gone bad is to open the bottle and smell it. Any sour or off-putting smell means it likely has gone bad and should be tossed.
Whole30 Almond Milk
When on a round of Whole30 it can be hard to find a store-bought compliant Whole30 almond milk. This recipe is Whole30 compliant and perfect to use for whatever nut milk it is that you want to make. Want to make homemade cashew milk? Simply swap out the almonds called for in this recipe with raw unsalted cashews and you’re all set! Leave out the dates and cinnamon completely if you want to make a plain nut milk to use in savory applications or leave them in to have a tasty milk for drinking or to use in a latte.
More Healthy Almond Recipes
- Almond Pulp Energy Balls
- Double Chocolate Almond Cake Brownies
- Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
- The BEST Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
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How To Make Almond Milk
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 Quart Almond Milk 1x
- Category: Homemade Basics
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Homemade Almond Milk might seem intimidating at first but I promise you fewer things are easier. In this post I’ll answer all your questions and teach you how to make almond milk. Homemade nut milk is a healthy, delicious and creamy alternative to dairy milk and even better than store-bought nut milk!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 6 cups filtered water to soak
- 3–4 cups filtered water to blend (less water yields a thicker milk)
- 4 pitted medjool dates (omit if you don’t want a sweetened milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of unrefined sea salt
Instructions
- Soak raw almonds for 12+ hours at room temperature.
- Drain almonds and discard soaking liquid. Rise almonds thoroughly in fresh water.
- Transfer soaked almonds to a blender. Add 3-4 cups fresh water, dates, cinnamon and salt and blend on high for 90 seconds.
- Using either a nut milk bag or cheesecloth (I have both and demonstrated with cheesecloth because it can be a bit trickier), strain the milk by pouring it though the bag/cloth into a jar or bowl. Squeeze the bag/cloth to quicken the filtering times. Squeeze until what you are left with in the bag is a thick moist but not liquidy pulp.
- Once strained, store your finished almond milk in the refrigerator for 4-5 days (mark the bottle with the date made) and save the pulp for later use in recipes like Almond Pulp Energy Balls.
- Shake milk well before use and enjoy!
Keywords: how to make almond milk, almond milk recipe, whole30 almond milk, how to make almond milk without nut bag,
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