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Homemade Almond Milk

April 14, 2016 by Nora (A Clean Bake) 10 Comments

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Impossibly Creamy And Rich Homemade Almond Milk

It’s been eleven and a half lifetimes since I’ve made us a drink. This isn’t a *fun drink* (wink wink) though. Sorry. Depending on your point of view, this drink can be many things,  but I’m guessing a shmancy change of pace (“Homemade almond milk! How decadent!”) or a hippie wet dream (“break out your Birkenstocks and grab a mason jar of homemade almond milk!”) are probably the front runners.

There is also, undoubtedly, a subset of you scoffing at my disappointing lack of originality, and to all of you in that camp, I say seriously, what hasn’t the internet already covered. When nothing is original anymore, what’s the harm in another homemade almond milk recipe? You know what? Don’t answer that. Cause we’re going there regardless!

Impossibly Creamy And Rich Homemade Almond Milk

As you may have guessed, this is less a recipe than a guideline/method/information-sharing article thingie. But, despite the soul-suckingly boring narrative that accompanies it (my bad), the beverage itself is anything but. I’ve read – as I’m sure you have, too – over and over again about the difference between homemade and store bought almond milk and I hate to admit that I was awfully quick to dismiss the magnitude of difference that everyone to as, as best, hyperbole. Because the internet is a crowded place full of adorable cat videos and addictive listicles, so you have to say something to make a humble recipe for homemade almond milk compelling. That’s all it is, right? Oh, so wrong.

Granted, whether in a carton on a grocery store shelf or fresh from your blender, it’s still technically just an almond’s discarded bathwater. But when you make it at home without all of the homogenization and shelf stability and additives for texture and whatnot, when you strip it down to its bare essentials (nuts, water, and maybe a little salt or vanilla), it becomes something… more.  Something rich  and silky and creamy, yet entirely fluid, that you just want to pour over everything or, better yet, just bathe in for the rest of your life (maybe those almonds are on to something).

Impossibly Creamy And Rich Homemade Almond Milk

So, it’s worth trying to make at home, at least once, just so you understand the difference when you’re drinking your shelf stable carton-ed almond milk (as I, most of the time, do, so no judgement). In order to make it all that it can be,

I have three tricks that you can and should feel free to steal:

  • First, soak your almonds ahead of time
  • Second, use a really powderful blender
  • Third (and this is the one that, I hope, sets me apart ever so slightly from the overwhelming number of repetitions of this insultingly simple recipe), replace some of your almonds with cashews , whose creamy fattiness makes your milk taste richer and more like whole milk than the watered down skim that you might have come to expect from almond milks, at least of the commercial variety.

On a related note, I know I say this often, but like all few-ingredient recipes, make sure you’re using top-quality nuts and vanilla for this recipe since eat of those ingredients has such a substantial impact on the end result of the milk. I recommend Ellyndale Foods vanilla extract (which I use in nearly everything) and Now Foods raw almonds and cashews (I almost always use this brand of nuts when I cook with nuts, so you’ve probably heard this name before!). Scroll down below the recipe for links to where to buy all of these products, plus the cheesecloth that you’ll need for the homemade almond milk.

So, as usual, I’ve managed  to write a striking volume of words about a recipe that truly only needs two ingredients (if you could the water), and the rest is really gravy. I hope that, if nothing else, my embarrassing level of enthusiasm will convince you to give this recipe a try, at least out of curiosity, and barring that, it only takes a few minutes, so what do you have to lose? (sales person, I am not.)

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Impossibly Creamy And Rich Homemade Almond Milk
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Homemade Almond Milk
Prep Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
 

Homemade almond milk is so easy to make with only a few household ingredients, and you wouldn't believe the difference in flavor compared to store bought!

Course: Drinks
Yield: 6 cups
Calories: 266 kcal
Author: Nora (A Clean Bake)
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup cashews optional, or an additional 1/2 cup of almonds
  • 6-7 cups filtered water + more for soaking divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Honey or stevia to taste optional
  • Pinch of salt optional
Instructions
  1. Place the almonds and cashews (if using) in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 30-45 minutes.
  2. Drain the nuts and discard the soaking water.
  3. Transfer the nuts to a high speed blender and add 4-5 cups filtered water, so that there is about twice as much water in the blender as nuts, and the vanilla.
  4. Blend on high speed until the nuts are pureed into tiny bits - almost like almond flour.
  5. Line a large mixing bowl with a large piece of clean cheesecloth. Wrap it around the sides of the bowl and secure it under the bowl or secure it to the sides of the bowl with a couple of binder clips. Either way, make sure it is not going anywhere.
  6. Carefully pour the contents of the blender over the cheesecloth, then carefully gather the four corners of the cheesecloth, twist a couple of times and lift to drain.
  7.  Very carefully, squeeze the cheesecloth to drain all of the liquid into the bowl. Discard the cheesecloth and its contents (or a quick google search should provide some recipes that use up almond milk pulp).
  8. Add 1-3 more cups of water to the bowl to thin out the milk to your desired consistency.
  9. Taste the milk in the bowl and add sweetener to taste, if desired. If you add sweetener, I'd also suggest adding a small pinch of salt, but it is up to you.
  10. Pour the milk into a pitcher and drink immediately or store in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about a week, though the sooner this milk is consumed, the better. You may need to stir or shake gently before you drink it, if the milk starts to separate (remember - this version does not contain additives to help it maintain a uniform consistency!).
  • Yield: 6-7 cups almond milk

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Almond Milk
Amount Per Serving
Calories 266 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Potassium 322mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 2g
Protein 9g 18%
Calcium 10.6%
Iron 11.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


Impossibly Creamy And Rich Homemade Almond Milk

Thank you to Now Foods for providing the ingredients that inspired this delicious recipe. This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click through and purchase a product, A Clean Bake receives a small commission, which goes toward continuing to bring you delicious, healthy recipes every week. This does not affect the price you pay. Thanks for supporting A Clean Bake!

Filed Under: Basics & Staples, Chilled & Refreshing, Dairy Free, DIY, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Now Foods, Nuts & Seeds, Paleo (Grain Free), Vegan, Whole30

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    April 14, 2016 at 11:38 am

    This looks awesome! I buy so much almond milk on a regular basis- I should definitely start trying to make my own! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      April 19, 2016 at 2:18 pm

      Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  2. Dani @ Dani California Cooks says

    April 14, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    I’ve been wanting to try making my own almond milk!! I need to get myself a cheesecloth. Cartoned almond milk pretty much tastes like nothing!

    Reply
    • Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      April 19, 2016 at 2:19 pm

      Yeah you totally have to try it! Cheesecloth is available online, and I’ve also seen it at the grocery store 🙂

      Reply
  3. Cara says

    April 14, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    I can’t eat almonds, so I won’t be able to try this recipe…which is a bummer because it looks AMAZING in the photos! Your food photography is really stunning.

    Reply
    • Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      April 19, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      Hey Cara! Can you eat Cashews? You could try replacing all of the almonds with Cashews. It would be suuuuuper creamy and delicious!

      Reply
  4. Lynn | The Road to Honey says

    April 17, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    Well. . .now you have me convinced that I should be abandoning my store bought almond milk for this homemade deliciousness. And since it has a sprinkling of cashews (my soul nut). . .I’m sure store bought doesn’t even come close to being as divine.

    Reply
    • Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      April 19, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      You definitely have to try it – at least once! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Monica says

    April 21, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    What a fantastic recipe. I love it, Nora (: No need for justification! I feel like all things homemade must taste better than store-bought, and almond milk is so delicious. The ability to make it at home is a huge temptation, and I like the cashew trick. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      April 27, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      Thank you, Monica!

      Reply

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