almond milk
almond milk

Extra Rich Homemade Almond Milk

5/5
Homemade almond milk has such a fresh and rich flavor — better than anything out of a box. It's easy to make if you have a few minutes to blend and squeeze.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes
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Recipe Rundown

If you find the flavor of store-bought almond milk watery, then why not make your own? I’ll show you how to make creamy, velvety smooth almond milk that’s full of rich, nutty flavor in the blender in just 15-minutes.

creamy homemade almond milk in pitcher

Benefits of Homemade Almond Milk

When making nutmilk from scratch, you don’t have any constraints. You can use lots of almonds which will give you a full, fresh flavor and you can use any quantity of sweetener, depending on your needs. You can quickly make or store the recipe and avoid a trip to the store; I love using almond milk in dairy-free baking and especially love it as a milk alternative in this Dalgona coffee and this melon smoothie.

One of my favorite late night drinks is a glass of cold almond milk because it reminds me a bit of a milkshake (especially blended with frozen banana and some molasses).

How much does it cost to make almond milk?

As of this posting, store-bought brands average $.05 per ounce, so your typical 1/2 gallon container is $3.20. If raw almonds cost $7 per pound, how many almonds could you use to make the equivalent 1/2 gallon of almond milk yourself?

From a purely financial standpoint, it will take approximately 1 3/4 cups raw almonds per 1/2 gallon to break even. I’ve been making almond milk for years, and I generally follow a ratio of about 1 cup almonds per 4 cups water, so the value of making your own almond milk isn’t exactly financial.

fresh homemade almond milk

So, why do it?

Control. Flavor. Quality.

To me, the purpose of a milk alternative is to indulge in something delicious and high quality. There’s a purity to freshly blended almonds that can’t be found in a box.

I’ve tasted every brand of almond milk I can find, and I still prefer the freshly blended stuff. My basic almond milk recipe consists of 3 ingredients: raw almonds, water, and salt. That last ingredient is to bring out the natural sweetness of the almonds. Of course, you can add sweetener to the whole batch, but I prefer to leave it out and add as-needed depending on how I’m using it.

Ingredient Tip: I recommend sourcing a gray sea salt for homemade almond milk because it adds incredible flavor and also contains some minerals.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Almond Milk

To get started, you really need a fine mesh strainer called a nutmilk bag, a large bowl to prevent messes, a blender, and a pitcher for storing the milk.

Place your raw almonds in a bowl and soak with filtered water.

Tips for Achieving a Creamy Texture

For extra rich almond milk, soak/blend the almonds in boiling hot water. It breaks the almonds down better than cool water. You’ll notice that the water turns brown after the almonds soak. Sometimes I blend as-is, but sometimes I like to strain the water for a super white color.

You can also remove the skins of the almonds by rubbing them between your fingers. This is time consuming, so feel free to skip this step.

You can see that straining is the first step and squeezing is how you extract the most flavor from the pulverized almonds. I like to do this step over a large bowl to prevent making a mess.

Once you have the almond milk base, it’s just a matter of flavoring with a bit of salt and something sweet, if you like.

apron logoFlavor Variations and Additions:

You can make a plain batch and sweeten by the cup, depending on whether you are drinking it or baking with it.

  • Sweeteners: You can use any sweetener in almond milk. Try 1-3 tablespoons, stir, and see if you like the taste. Here are some of my favorites: cane sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or agave.
  • Caramel or Vanilla: 1 tablespoon maca powder (for a natural caramel flavor) or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Spices: 1 pinch of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg for an almond milk horchata

Storing and Using Homemade Almond Milk

To Store: Cover if using a pitcher and refrigerate almond milk for up to 4 days. It can also be really nice to funnel into glass milk jars so you have a grab-and-go non-dairy milk option.

How to Use:

  • Coffee: Do not heat almond milk for coffee, it separates. It can be great in iced coffee or Dalgona coffee.
  • Baking: Use almond milk 1:1 in baking as an alternative to milk (the exception to this is if a recipe requires heavy cream). Coconut milk is a better alternative for cream due to being high fat.
  • Cooking: Do not use as a non-dairy milk with savory dishes. I’m just not a big fan of almond milk mac and cheese, for example. You can use almond milk in soup.

FAQs about Homemade Almond Milk

Almond milk ice cream?

While you can’t use store-bought almond milk to make ice cream, you can use extra rich almond milk, but I recommend using equal parts almond milk and canned coconut milk for the best possible texture. You can use my tropical ice cream recipe to get started with making your own dairy-free ice cream.

Almond milk yogurt?

You can use extra thick almond milk to make your own yogurt but will need culture and an instant pot to keep the almond milk at the right temperature.

How long will homemade almond milk last?

Up to 4 days in the fridge.

Why soak almonds?

You will get more flavor and milk from the pulp if it has a chance to fully saturate.

Grab your apron and let’s make milk from nuts!

More Dairy-Free Recipes For You:

Extra Rich Homemade Almond Milk

Homemade almond milk has such a fresh and rich flavor — better than anything out of a box. It's easy to make if you have a few minutes to blend and squeeze.
4.50 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond, dairy free, gluten free, milk, vegan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 35kcal
Author: Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw almonds
  • 3 cups boiling water for soaking the almonds
  • 8 cups water, divided for blending
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Put the almonds in a large bowl and cover them with the hot water. Allow the almonds to soak for at least 10 minutes but up to 30 minutes. Strain the almonds to discard the brown water and transfer the almonds to a blender.
  • Cover the almonds with 4 cups water (reserve 4 cups for the next batch). Blend on high for 1 minute then strain the almond mixture through a nutmilk bag held over a large bowl. Return the pulverized almonds to the blender and fill with the remaining 4 cups water. Blend for 1 minute, then strain through the nutmilk bag over the bowl again. Squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.
  • Pour the almond milk into a large pitcher and add salt. Stir and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If the almond milk settles, stir before pouring. You can add sweetener or spices at this point, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup almond milk | Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 398mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 300mg

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Winston Sizemore
Winston Sizemore
3 years ago

You neglected to mention that you can save the almond meal and dry it for baking and smoothies

Maria c c Mendez
Maria c c Mendez
3 years ago

How to heat almond milk for a hot cup of coffee?

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