How To Make Homemade Almond Milk
Author: Claire Marie
When I first started exploring the world of dairy alternatives I came across almond milk and fell in love. But for the longest time, I didn’t understand what I was REALLY drinking in the store bought stuff until I did a little research. I found that this “healthy” alternative wasn’t as healthy as I THOUGHT it was. So I decided to try making homemade almond milk and boy am I happy I did!
The almond milk you purchase at the store typically contains added preservatives so that they are shelf-stable. Manufacturers also add artificial sweeteners to satisfy the general population’s taste preferences. When you make homemade almond milk from scratch you eliminate all of the added junk you would normally find in store bought milk alternatives!
But wait! There are even MORE perks to making homemade almond milk. Not only do you end up with a quart of almond milk, but the byproducts of the process will render you with almond flour and raw almonds to snack on that are easier on your digestive system from being soaked and dehydrated – ALL for just $5-$7 (depending on where you purchase your raw almonds).
How to make almond milk at home
Yields: 1 quart almond milk
Ingredients
- 16 oz raw almonds
- 3-4 cups filtered water
- 3-4 pitted dates. You can also use 1-2 tablespoons grade B maple syrup to sweeten instead of dates.
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt (to enhance flavors)
Instructions
Follow these instructions to make your homemade almond milk! Adding flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, and dates are recommended but optional. Feel free to play around with your own flavors for steps 8 through 11.
-
- Step 1: Soak almonds for 8 hours to remove any residue and promote proper nutrient absorption.
-
- Step 2: Drain almonds and rinse until water runs clear.
-
- Step 3: Repeat Step 1 – this continues to soften almonds and remove further residue.
-
- Step 4: Drain and rinse with fresh water one more time.
-
- Step 5: Measure out 2 cups for milk. You can dehydrate the rest of the almonds to snack on later!
-
- Step 6: Add 2 cups of soaked almonds to blender.
-
- Step 7: Add 3-4 cups filtered water. Less water will make your milk a little thicker.
-
- Step 8 (optional): Add your favorite flavors.
-
- Step 9: Add 3-4 pitted dates to blender for a sweeter almond milk.
-
- Step 10: Add vanilla and cinnamon for a more flavorful almond milk.
-
- Step 11: Add a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavors.
-
- Step 12: Blend on high.
-
- Step 12 (continued): Make sure mixture is blended until creamy.
-
- Step 13: Pour mixture into a nut bag – you can find one at Wholefoods or online.
-
- Step 14: Squeeze liquid through bag into bowl until all liquid is removed from mixture.
-
- Step 15 (optional): Spread what’s left in nut bag onto a tray in your dehydrator or on LOW in the oven to make almond flour. You will likely need to pulse the almond meal in your blender, in a spice grinder, or in a coffee grinder to make a finer flour once dehydrated.
-
- Now you can enjoy your homemade almond milk, almond flour, and raw almonds for snacking!
