Creamy Homemade Almond Milk – Learn to make creamy non-dairy almond milk at home. Use in place of dairy milk in coffee, over cereal or on its own!
In response to your requests, I will be covering how to make several different dairy free milks over the next few months. This week I’m sharing how to make almond milk, which is probably the most popular nut milk out there. Sure, you can buy almond milk at the store, but making it yourself at home ensures that the milk is raw and full of its optimal nutritional power. When you make it at home, you also have total control over the ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I prefer knowing exactly what is going into my food… and subsequently into my family’s bellies!
Almond milk, in its most basic form, is made from filtered water and almonds. It’s a non-dairy milk, which means it contains no lactose. Almond milk is easily digested by most folks who are lactose intolerant (except for those who have a nut allergy… I’ll have an option for you coming up in a future post!). Because you’re making it at home, you have total control over the flavor– the sweetness level, the texture, the fat content and the overall taste. For those who keep kosher, it’s a terrific substitute for dairy milk in recipes that you would like to keep pareve. I prefer homemade nut milks to non-dairy creamers, which often contain chemicals and preservatives. No strange additives here!
Unlike dairy milk, almond milk is cholesterol free… in fact, consuming almond products on a regular basis can actually lower your LDL-cholesterol. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats, the same type of “good fats” that can be found in olive oil. These types of fats have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Almonds are also a rich source of Vitamin E, magnesium and potassium.
In its pure unsweetened form, almond milk makes a fine substitute for plain milk. When using it on cereal or in my tea, I like to give it a touch of sweetness (throwing a whole date into the blender works great, or use honey, stevia or agave nectar). Adding a little vanilla and salt rounds out the flavor. Depending on what you plan to use your almond milk for, you can experiment and adjust the ingredients to taste. A nut milk bag will help you strain the milk to achieve a thin, grit-free texture; if you don’t have one and don’t want to order one, a fine mesh strainer, clean tea towel or multiple layers of cheesecloth will work just dandy.
How many almonds does it take to make almond milk?
This recipe calls for 1 cup of raw, unsalted almonds, which is about 100 almonds.
How long does homemade almond milk last?
Homemade almond milk will last for 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator.
Is it cheaper to make your own almond milk?
Some comparisons have shown that the cost of making your own almond milk is around the same as buying store bought almond milk. However, making your own allows you to add your own flavors and doesn’t call for additional preservatives or additives, so for many this benefit makes the cost worth it.
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How to Make Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw unsalted almonds, skin-on
- 4 cups filtered water, plus more water for soaking almonds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, or one whole pitted date (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Dash sea salt (optional)
NOTES
Instructions
- Place raw almonds in a bowl and cover with cold water. Allow to soak overnight up to 48 hours, then drain and rinse. If soaking longer than overnight, change the cold soaking water every 12 hours.
- After soaking, drain and rinse the almonds. Do not peel the almonds; according to my recipe testing, keeping the skins on actually helps to reduce the grittiness of the almond milk (counter intuitive, I know!). Combine soaked almonds and 4 cups of filtered water in a blender.For a whole milk texture, I use 4 cups of water to 1 cup almonds. For a thinner texture, feel free to add more water-- you can adjust the texture to taste. The more water you add, the lower in fat the milk will be per serving; however, you don't want to add too much liquid or it will turn watery. Best to add water in small batches till the texture seems right to you.
- Blend on low, then slowly raise the speed to high for 1-2 minutes till the milk is completely smooth and no chunks of nuts remain. If desired, add sweetener, vanilla and/or salt to taste, then blend again to combine (if using a date, make sure you blend till it's completely pulverized). Feel free to adjust the sweetness to taste.
- Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer, tea towel, cheesecloth or nut milk bag into a storage container. A nut bag will work best for keeping your milk smooth and chunk-free. I usually strain the milk into a quart mason jar, which works perfectly with the 4 cup to 1 cup ratio of water to almonds.
- If using a mesh strainer, you will need to agitate the solids a bit to help all the milk drip through. I don't scrape them (this can push the solids through the strainer), but I do gently stir and move the solids around to make room for the liquid to come through. Similarly, if using a nut bag, you will need to gently squeeze the bag till all of the milk seeps through.
- Transfer milk to the refrigerator and chill thoroughly. It should keep for 3-4 days if refrigerated. I usually shake mine a bit before pouring to make sure it's well blended.
- Once you're finished straining the milk, you will have a small amount of leftover almond pulp. This can be discarded or dehydrated into almond flour and used as a gluten free breading for fish or chicken or mixed into baked goods. To do this, first adjust your oven to the lowest heat setting. Place the leftover almond pulp in a mesh strainer for about 30 minutes to allow any remaining liquid to drain off.
- With a rubber spatula, spread the pulp as thinly as possible onto a baking pan lined with parchment or a silicone baking sheet. Place in the oven at 200 degrees.
- Allow the paste to dehydrate for a few hours up to overnight. Check every couple of hours; when the meal hardens into a dry sheet, it's finished.
- Break up the dehydrated paste and pulverize using a food processor for 1-2 minutes. You can also use a fork, but a food processor will give you a much finer grind.
- You will be left with about ½ cup of almond flour.
- Use almond milk anywhere you would use regular milk-- in coffee or tea, on cereal, or as a milk substitute in recipes.
Mashugana says
Jaishree
Could you please post the carrot halva recipe or link!
Drooling
jaishree says
hi tori ..
i had made and used this simple and easy to make almond milk in my carrot halwa (indian sweet dish) to make it vegan and it turned out really well…
Diana says
I just made this and it’s not creamy and as tasty as the Silk brand almond milk, I used Bob Mills raw whole almonds. I put it in the refrigerator for a few hours and it separated, is that normal?! The Silk brand seems to be really thick and creamy and tastier, is there a way I can reach the same with homemade almond milk? Thanks!
NINA says
A strainer vs a nut bag – which removes more of the skin or is there much of a difference? For my first batch I would like to try the strainer. Thanks.
Judith Bradley says
I just made a batch of almond milk my friend in Calif has a business making almond mash and she sent me some of the almonds she used and did it make a difference in the taste . The almonds she has are like none I have tasted ..She also sent me two mesh paint strainers they work great …I love almond mild I am addicted don’t have to worry about the expiration date I drink it all day long
Shannon Wilson says
Hi I was just wondering what is the shelf life for almond milk? Are there natural preservatives that can be used to help it to keep? Which plant based milk has the longest shelf life in your opinion if you have made others? Thank you!
Tori Avey says
Hi Shannon, please read the comments above as I have addressed a few of your questions already with other readers. Pasteurization is the most effective way of preserving the milk. I’m not sure which plant milk lasts longer, all nut milks seem to last about the same amount of time in my experience.
Maneesha says
This is so easy and better than buying almond milk at the store! Instead of a nut bag, fine mesh strainer, clean tea towel or multiple layers of cheesecloth I use a French press. Using a French press works just as great and it is easier in my opinion. Great recipe!
Tori Avey says
Interesting Maneesha! I’ve never tried that.
David says
Super great idea. Good thinking.
Aliece Dice says
When buying that store bought almond milk, read the fine print. It says ‘discard after 7 days of opening’. I don’t know how long you are keeping your store bought almond milk but before I saw the fine print, it would last up to three weeks around here. I had NO IDEA I was supposed to discard it after 7 days. I was thinking it would be ok to drink until the expiration date on the carton (like regular milk). Most of you probably already knew this but I wanted to mention it because that post mentioned that Silk lasted ‘quite a bit’. And it does if you consider 7 days ‘quite a bit’ but I just didn’t want anybody else leaving theirs in the fridge like I did for nearly 3 weeks and drinking it thinking it was ‘ok’. Kinda sickening when I think I might have been drinking not so good milk.
Diana says
If I add salt, does that preserve the almond milk to last longer when it’s freshly made? I bought the Silk almond milk from the store and it seems to last quite a bit and it says it has salt in it so maybe I’m thinking that’s what makes it last?
Tori Avey says
Hi Diana, store-bought milks are pasteurized, which is the reason they last so long. Pasteurization is great for extending shelf life, but it tends to lessen the nutritional value of foods, which is why many choose to make it fresh (raw). If you’d like to pasteurize your milk let me know and I can include instructions for this.
stephanie hope says
I just made this recipe for almond milk. All I can say is WOW. I usually purchase my almond milk at the farmer’s market. It is made from raw almonds (which I also purchase from the same farmer). This is quite cost effective because one bag of almonds is $10 and I used only half the bag, which means that it cost me $5 for a quart of almond milk. In los angeles, you can spend up to $22 for a quart of almond milk (mylkmaid). I just made some oatmeal with the milk and it is just fab. Great way to lower your cholesterol. Have fun.
Hee-Jin says
I recently started making my own almond milk after seeing and tasting Marin Living Foods’ raw almond milk at the Rainbow Grocery Co-op in the city but I could never get it to taste as good as theirs. Any tips?
Tori Avey says
Hee-Jin, I’ve never tried Marin Living Foods raw almond milk, but the raw almond milk recipe in this post is pretty tasty to me. Why don’t you try it and see what you think?
Mashugana says
Hee-Jin
I just googled the almond milk that you discussed and even though they did not give the ingredients, they said shake
So no stabilizers were added, I make my almond milk with out the dates as Tori does. If you start the plain version and then add water to get the same texture you can add in time the flavorings that are satisfactory to your taste
I am the biggest fan of Tori’s recipe and find that I need to add more water for my taste. LOVE LOVE LOVE my almond milk and I do add versions of Chocolate, Almond Joy, PLain and Almond Coconut. If you use raw foods, stevia is allowed and I use the liquid form. I MAKE almond milk every two days and save the almond residue for baking for the husband.
The most important thing for making the milk is to change the water when soaking the almonds. After making so many almond milk, I like soaking for 2 days and leave a load of almond soaking in the frig. I just change the water every day and then grab some and make the milk.
After reading my post, yes, I love my almond milk!
Dale says
I made my first batch of almond milk this morning. Woohoo I’m having it in my coffee (which I always drank double cream and sugar) with Zylitol and it is actually really good. Now on to using it in some baking this weekend, wish me luck. (I put some in the freezer to see how well it freezes)
Tori Avey says
Great Dale!
Marge says
I have used my DIY almond milk for my popsicles. The original Mark Bittman recipe calls for milk so I used skim. Almond milk works great. Next I’ll try sesame milk and include the sesame mash in the mixture.
Dale says
Wow thanks so much for the quick reply Tori. My husband and I have just recently found out we shouldn’t be eating any dairy so this has been quite a challenge for me since I love milk and cheese. But, because of people like you I’m finding lots of alternatives. Another quick question, can I use this almond milk in recipes that call for milk?
Tori Avey says
Depends on the recipe. Most of the time yes… but it really depends on the specific application.
Dale says
When soaking the almonds in water do you refrigerate or not. And I like cream in my coffee can this be made a little thicker by not adding as much water to look more like cream. thanks
Tori Avey says
Hi Dale– I do not refrigerate when soaking, unless of course it’s a particularly hot day. Yes, you can vary the texture according to how much water you add, and you can make it quite thick if you like.
Jerry says
Hi, what other things I can use to make the milk? Can I use raw basil nuts, raw peanut?
Joy says
Soaking grains, nuts, legumes and seeds helps remove the
phytic acid which interferes with digestion and assimilation.
Most of the phytic acid in almonds is in the skin so it’s best
to blanch and remove the skins before making almond milk. Just pour boiling water over the almonds in a bowl or small
pan. If the skins don’t come off easily….just heat the water
to boiling again.
Put a cup of beans in a one quart jar and add one tablespoon
of apple cidar vinegar. Soak 18-24 hours. Soak nuts, etc. with
diluted amounts depending on how much product you have.
Rinse thoroughly. I found this on the internet. check it out.
Mashugana says
Joy
You NEVER add an acid (apple cider vinegar) to beans. The acid makes the beans tuff. I make beans regularly and add the tomatoes (acid) at the end not to tuffen the beans). That is why cooks add paprika to the beans when cooking so it looks like tomatoes (serious).
As for the almond milk, I have tried in the past to make the milk and it never worked since I used it with out the skins. I now make it every other day, the way listed here and it is perfect. I honestly do not understand why the skin on the almonds is the key. I do soak my almonds for 2 days vs Tori’s one day soak because I find that I get more milk.
Crazy but this stuff works for me
My own Mother in law, is still amazed how easy and fast I make the almond milk, and my almond joy almond milk version is beyond yummy. She is my tester for my newest nuttiness (excuse the pun) Chocolate mint cookie 0-)
Lyn says
Brilliant! Thanks for this. I’m a Medical Herbalist, so am going to add some powdered ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) & honey – an old traditional relaxing/sleep remedy to take before bedtime. I haven’t tried it myself….yet 🙂
Sam says
Hi Tori, I will try it tomorrow. You are very generous to share your recipes. Everything sounds very good and your story is entertaining. You look very feminine.
Good luck with your cookbook Please let everyone know when it will be published.
Diana says
Thanks for the step-by-step. I use almond milk in my coffee. This recipe is great and I like to add a few drops of chocolate stevia to part for a treat of chocolate milk 🙂 Thanks again, Diana
Mashugana says
Dianna
I love the choc stevia and add some coconut flavoring or milk and you have Almond Joy bar in a drink………..omg! Serious Delicious 0-)