How to Make Almond Milk (Recipe + Variations) (2024)

Almond milk is a healthy and inexpensive alternative toconventional dairy that you can easily make at home!Statistics show that many people are choosing dairy-free milks and other products due to allergies, concerns about sourcing, or just taste preference.

Why Make Almond Milk?

Like virtually every other food or drink, almond milk is both less expensive and healthier when you make it yourself. While there are decent store bought brands available now, many brands contain additives like carrageenanto remain shelf stable and a keep aconsistenttexture.

Almond milk is a low glycemic alternative to rice milk, and doesn’t cause problems with hormone levels like soy milk does. It can be used in place of regular milk in recipes and baking. It is easy to make and has a light taste.

We used almond milk when we were working on reversing our son’s dairy intolerance and I still often use it (or homemade coconut milk) in recipes, coffee, or to drink simply because it is so inexpensive and easy to make.

If you are dairy free, making your own almond milk is a great way to save money and avoid additives. As a bonus, you can use the leftover almond pulp to make almond flour for use in recipes! If you are nut free as well, coconut milk is another good alternative.

If you go through a lot of almond milk in your home, I have found that it is much faster to use the Nutr Machine. While it can be pricey (use code WELLNESSMAMA10 for a discount), it can pay for itself very quickly if you use it often enough!

How to Store Homemade Almond Milk

This recipe lasts approximately 4 days in the refrigerator. Our family easily consumes this much almond milk in a few days, but if you won’t use this, it is best to reduce the recipe and make less to use as you need it.

How to Make Almond Milk (Recipe + Variations) (1)

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

This almond milk recipe is super simple to make at home in just minutes! It is customizable so you can adjust the sweetness and even add flavor, plus it is naturally dairy free, paleo, vegan and all around delicious!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

4 cups

Ingredients

Instructions

  • If desired, soak almonds for at least 12 hours in pure water with 1/2 tsp sea salt. This is an important step as it breaks down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and cultures beneficial enzymes in the almonds. The longer the almonds soak, the creamier the finished milk will be. (Side note: soaking nuts should be done before eating them as well. Soak nuts in salt water for 12 hours, rinse them, and dry in oven on lowest heat. See tutorial here.)

  • Drain the soaking water and rinse the almonds well. Do not keep this water to re-use as it contains phytic acid and is best to discard it.

  • In blender or Vitamix combine almonds and pure water along with vanilla, sweeteners, or any other optional ingredients. See the notes below for some flavor suggestions.

  • Blend 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mixture will expand some, so make sure your blender is not full before starting it.

  • Strain mixture into a large bowl through a sprout bag, cheesecloth, or thin kitchen towel.

  • Pour into glass jar or pitcher and store in refrigerator for up to four days.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 /2 cup)

Calories 34Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 0.3g2%

Sodium 6mg0%

Carbohydrates 1.9g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.4g0%

Protein 1.9g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Reuse the Pulp: Save the pulp of the almonds, put on cookie sheet and dehydrate in oven on lowest heat until completely dry. Run through blender or food processor to make almond flour, which can be used in recipes in place of flour. Alternately, just store in the refrigerator for use in baking or smoothies.

Flavor Variations: Add ½ cup strawberries for strawberry almond milk, 1-2 TBSP cocoa powder for chocolate almond milk, or any other flavor you can imagine!

Imitation Store Bought Almond Milk: This recipe will produce a creamy almond milk that is much better than store bought almond milk (in my opinion). Most store bought milks only use 2% almonds so they are low calorie but you’re essentially buying water in a box. If you prefer this type of almond milk, you can reduce the amount of almonds to ¼ or ½ cup and use the recipe above.

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Do you eat almonds? Ever used almond or coconut milk in place of regular milk? Tell me below!

How to Make Almond Milk (Recipe + Variations) (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to almond milk to make it taste better? ›

You can use the almond milk right away, or add any extra flavorings to taste, such as vanilla, maple syrup, or a pinch of sea salt.

How do you jazz up almond milk? ›

You can also try adding a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor. Another option is to blend the almond milk with a banana or other fruit to create a delicious smoothie. Finally, you can experiment with adding different spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract to give your almond milk a unique flavor.

How do you fortify homemade almond milk? ›

If you want fortified almond milk that has the same nutrition as milk, you will want to add 8 calcium, magnesium, vitamin d3 tablets. Adding vitamins adds to the cost slightly. These tablets* are $. 07 each and I would need 8 of them to create a homemade nutritional profile comparable to store bought almond milk.

Is there a downside to almond milk? ›

Cons of almond milk

It's not a good source of protein. It may contain carrageenan, which may cause digestive issues in some people. There are some environmental concerns about the amount of water used to cultivate almonds.

What happens when you add lemon juice to almond milk? ›

Putting lemon juice directly into Almond milk will likely curdle the almond milk. However, if you are eating something with lemon and drinking almond milk at the same time, that's fine.

How do you dress up almond milk? ›

The secret to an intense vanilla flavour is blending an entire vanilla bean. Just chop it up and toss the whole bean into the blender. You'll be left with some amazing vanilla almond milk. Of course you can always use vanilla extract or liquid sweeteners too.

What tastes good with almond milk? ›

Almond milk is also terrific in place of dairy milk in French toast, bread pudding, mashed potatoes, creamy bisques or curries, ice cream (churned), baked goods and, of course, smoothies and milkshakes.

How do you make almond milk taste like dairy? ›

It's the best of both worlds if you take your cream with a little coffee. So saying, the only way to add milk flavor to your almond milk would be to add milk components. Lactose (sugar), whey and casein (proteins), butter fat, and more all contribute to the flavor of milk.

Can we drink almond milk daily? ›

Although almonds are 50% fat and high in calories, commercial almond milk is a low calorie beverage ( 1 , 2 ). This means that you can drink a lot of it without it causing weight gain. It is also rich in some nutrients relative to its calorie content.

What are the pros and cons of almond milk? ›

Almond milk can be a great plant-based option for those avoiding cow's milk. Unsweetened varieties are naturally low in calories and sugar while providing plenty of vitamin E. That said, almond milk is low in protein and sweetened types can be loaded with sugar.

What is homemade almond milk good for? ›

Almond milk also contains heart-healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats and is also free from saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol, unlike cow's milk. While almond milk is a good source of nutrients, it is not a good source of protein and calcium, as is cow's milk.

Why does my homemade almond milk taste bad? ›

Salted or sugared nuts will result in salted or sugared milk (le duh). Roasted nuts are dry and brittle, making for a less-creamy milk. It also highlights their bitter undertones, whereas raw nuts are sweeter. Plan ahead: Raw nuts need to soak for at least 12 hours before blending.

Why add salt to homemade almond milk? ›

Salt is added to naturally preserve the milk. This way it can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight bottle for up to 7 days! Unlike store-bought nut milks, there are no added and unnecessary ingredients like gums.

Why is my homemade almond milk spoiling so fast? ›

The shelf life of almond milk depends on the type of almond milk and how well it is stored. Homemade almond milk or almond milk from a fresh local source doesn't contain any additives to preserve it, so it will only last about five days even if it is properly stored in the refrigerator.

How do you make almond milk taste better for coffee? ›

Tip: It's best to add hint of sweetener when using almond milk in coffee, even if you don't typically sweeten your coffee drinks. Almond milk has an almost bitter flavor compared to milk, which is lighter and sweeter.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 5662

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.