I first tried making homemade almond milk a couple years ago, after many of you told me so many amazing things about it. It’s so creamy! It’s better than store bought! It’s a cinch to make! Homemade almond milk is the best!
And you know what? My first couple tries didn’t exactly knock it out of the park. Two words come to mind: hot mess! I used a cheesecloth and things didn’t go very smoothly, if you catch my drift. I’m sure some of you have a lot more finesse with a cheesecloth, but I did not seem to be one of those people.
This time, I finally took the plunge and purchased a nut milk bag (feel free to giggle). Also called sprouting bags, these mesh straining bags make homemade nut and seed milks (among other things) a total breeze. I cannot wait to explore its many uses.
This time around, my almond milk making process was indeed a breeze.
Here are some step by step photos to show you my process. You should also know that every time I type “step by step” NKOTB starts playing in my head. I don’t even mind it.
We are going to soak a cup of raw almonds overnight or for 8 hours or longer. Sometimes if I’m in a time crunch I just soak them for 1 hour or so and it still turns out fine. Rinse and drain the almonds and pop them into your blender along with 3-4 cups of filtered water (I like 3.5 cups water in this recipe).
Which nuts do you think your body would rather digest – the dry, hard as a rock nuts or the plump, juicy nuts?
Sorry, that sounded all weird and awkward.
My favourite flavour combo is a whole vanilla bean, a couple Medjool dates, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt. Oh my lanta. It’s intensely vanilla flavoured with notes of caramel and cinnamon. 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. If using the dates and/or vanilla bean, add them along with the almonds and water. If you simply want to add a liquid sweetener or vanilla extract, you can add them now or at the end. Your call.
Blend for 1 minute on the highest speed. Let’s go TURBO mode!!!!
Turbo mode scares me.
Place your bag over a large bowl and slowly pour in the milk. Thank you Eric for moonlighting as a hand model once again.
A lot of the milk will filter right through the bag without any effort.
But to get all of the milk out, you’ll need to do some gentle squeezing to encourage the milk through. This process took me a few minutes. As you can see in the photo on the right, I was left with about 1 cup of almond pulp.
I rinsed the blender out quickly and poured the milk back into the blender. I do this because I find it easier to pour the milk from the blender into the jar rather than from a large bowl into the jar. If you have a wide mouth funnel feel free to use that.
Check out those tiny specks of vanilla! I blended in a bit of cinnamon and a pinch of fine grain sea salt for even more flavour enhancing. Tell me, what’s better than Vanilla Cinnamon Caramel flavour?
Nothing.
You can use the almond pulp for all kinds of things like oatmeal, hummus, homemade granola, smoothies, cookie or muffin batter, crackers, or you can even dehydrate it and then blend it up to make almond meal. Oh, and you can freeze it too.
Man oh man, it tasted so lovely straight from the blender. I can assure you, it gets even better as it chills in the fridge.
I’ve never been a big milk drinker, but this almond milk had me going back to the fridge again and again and again for little sips. I can’t promise I’m organized enough to make this on a regular basis, but it’s a fun option to have up my sleeve when I’m feeling motivated or just want a special treat.
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Vanilla-Cinnamon Almond Milk
Yield
3 1/2 cups (875 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Creamy, lightly sweet, and so satisfying—homemade almond milk is a true luxury! My favourite flavour combo is a whole vanilla bean, a couple Medjool dates, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt. The secret to an intense vanilla flavour is blending the entire vanilla bean; just chop it up and toss the whole bean into the blender. Not to worry if you don't have one on hand though: a half a teaspoon of vanilla extract will work just fine in a pinch. This milk is delicious served with cookies, cereal, in a smoothie, or simply on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked
- 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) filtered water
- 2 to 4 pitted Medjool dates, to taste*
- 1 whole vanilla bean, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract*
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Small pinch fine sea salt
Directions
- Place almonds in a bowl and cover with a couple inches of water. Soak the almonds in water overnight (about 8 to 10 hours). For a quick-soak method, soak the almonds in boiled water for 1 hour. Rinse and drain well.
- Place drained almonds into a blender along with the filtered water, pitted dates, and chopped vanilla bean.
- Blend on the highest speed for 1 minute.
- Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the bag. Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to release the milk. This process can take a few minutes so be patient!
- Rinse out blender and pour the milk back in. Whisk in the cinnamon and sea salt.
- Using a funnel, pour into a large glass jar and secure lid. Store in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. I recommend storing in the coldest spot in the fridge (typically the back) rather than on a door. Shake the jar very well before drinking as the mixture separates when sitting.
Tip:
- * If your dates or vanilla bean are dry/stiff, soak in very hot water for 30 minutes before using. Drain well. You can use another sweetener of your choice like maple syrup instead of the pitted dates.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
You might be wondering – If I don’t have a nut milk bag can I use a fine mesh sieve? Yes you can. I did a trial using my sieve. I didn’t find the milk got as smooth compared to using a nut milk bag, but if you strain it several times, it comes out decent. Also, feel free to try a cheesecloth, but I’m definitely not the person to give you advice using that method.
What about the cost?
Homemade almond milk can be cheaper than store bought or it can be more expensive; it really depends on your ingredients. When I see bulk almonds on sale, I like to stock up and buy a big bag. Pop a bag in the freezer to ensure they stay fresh.
To avoid almonds sprayed with the chemical propylene oxide, please see this article and this handy guide to common brands that do and do not use the chemical. If you are concerned about propylene oxide on your almonds be sure to check with your almond retailer to see what sterilization method is used.
Have you ever made homemade almond milk before?
Where do you buy almonds? Any good deals out there in store or online?
This is amazing! I’ve been waiting for a post on this. We’re getting a hand-me-down Vitamix and I’m so excited to try this. What deters me from normal almond milk are all the additives/ stabilizers, etc… while I’m sure they’re safe, pure almond milk sounds like the perfect drink.
When u get your next habd me down can u hand yours down to me? (one can hope )
It’s also highly diluted. Which is why it tastes watery.
What a great tutorial. I dont drink almond milk due to allergies but still enjoyed it. What I loved about this post is the difference between the soaked and dried almonds. I used to think it didn’t make a big difference but when you put up a visual- WOW is all I can. I will be soaking my nuts from now on. On a side note- I love the bowl in the pics. Where is it from?
Glad you enjoyed the post! It’s funny I actually prefer the taste of the soaked almonds now. They grew on me. The bowl is part of a set from Crate & Barrel a couple years ago. I think they come out with new colours every so often.
Crate & Barrel Parker Bowls, Love them. I use them all the time for prep and for serving.
I read somewhere that soaked nuts were better for our digestions. So when you soak them for the milk you also eat them like that? Can they be kept after soaking to eat as a snack. thanks
What I’ve always done is bake in the oven at the lowest temp setting for the entire day (or overnight) after soaking. Ideally use a food dehydrator. They get crisp and are soo good. You can also sprinkle seasonings/salt on the wet almonds before baking and it sticks to them.
Keep them in a ventilated container/bag in the fridge or, I’ve found, they will spoil quickly, even if I thought I’d allowed them to dry thoroughly.
Your posts are always so inspiring.. I think mastering nut milks/nut cheeses/nut yoghurts would be an important life skill & investment of time.. About soaking nuts/seeds – something interesting I learned from Dan MacDonald (liferegenerator) in his videos on youtube about coconut almond yoghurt in the vitamix… (coconut almond yoghurt is a life changer.. btw!!) When you soak the nut/seed it washes away a protective layer surrounding the seed and activates (makes it living, as if you had planted it in wet soil). Interesting if you think, each almond technically could become an almond tree, its all there inside.. so I guess the soaking could technically be called sprouting? I don’t have the link in front of me but a lot of good videos on youtube about this. I keep a mason jar of soaked almonds all the time in the fridge.. half almonds half water. Just rinse and refill with water. each batch lasts about a week. Liferegenerator also really stresses draining the water that the almonds were soaked in and rinsing almonds well before using. You will see the water turn cloudy – that is the protective layer and the part of the almond that is hard to digest. Sorry for long comment.. (I’m having the most amazing mango, pineapple, and papaya salad and I’m really feeling it. in the zone.. :)
Soaking nuts and seeds is essentially “sprouting”. Always best. Have more nutrients and, in the case of almonds, easier on digestion because it “removes” (renders inactive) the enzyme inhibitors. ?
your photos are beautiful, angela. when i make almond milk, i use cheesecloth over my sieve, and yes it is a hot mess. where did you get your nutmilk bag from? i usually don’t add anything to flavor my milks, as i just use them for making oatmeal mostly, never drinking straight.
I can’t remember the store name, but I will go look it up and get back to you!
I too would love to know which bag you purchased.
I also used the cheesecloth and what a mess!
Can’t wait to try a nut bag!
Amazon.com for the nut bag..
Can I re use the nut milk milk? what is the best way to get it clean? Or is it not as messy as I’m anticipating?
Amazon has DOZENS of them. I haven’t been able to tell which ones are soft and which ones are stiff.
do you think you could make a nut bag by sewing up a cheesecloth in that shape?
seems like it would be easy enough. anyone have any experience with this?
I used a sheer curtain and made up two of them. I bought the material at a thrift store, $9.99 and I have enough to make probably 20! I made up a paper template to reuse. Mine were 10 inches across with a rounded bottom (use a large pot lid to trace the roundness) and 13 inches high with a small hem/cuff at the top and a loop on one side. Instead of a loop you can insert elastic or drawstrings. Works perfect as a nut bag as well as draining yogurt. The first couple I made I just used old polyester material and sewed up a rectangle, they worked great but took a bit to dry.
I used new nylon panty hose. Cut them below the need and put it around my blender container. Worked like a charm!
you can buy one at nutsonline also
hahahaha it just doesn’t stop making me laugh :)
Hi, great tutorial. I also make my own almond milk. It is so easy :-)
You can buy the nutmilk bags from The Source Bulk Foods – can shop online. I haven’t got around to it yet. I just sieve it and press with a spoon.
I find that I don’t know what to do with the pulp. Do you have any good recipes ?
I purchased it from a store in St. Catharines called Truly Organic Foods: http://www.trulyorganicfoods.com/nut-milk-bags.php
thanks. when i lift my cheese cloth up and twist it to “milk” it more, sometimes it tears and squirts out pulpy milk in any directions!
I’ve used “paint strainer bags” from the hardware store for this – after a good wash. They’re virtually identical and, upon googling, it seems like a common choice for similar food projects.
And thanks for the great post, Angela. I’d love to see some recipes for what to do with leftover almond meal. I find mine 6 months later building its own igloo in the freezer more often than not…
My husband throws them in his smoothies :)
Here’s a recipe we were going to try: http://minimalistbaker.com/almond-meal-cookies-with-chocolate-chips-and-coconut/ I think you can generally use it like you would flour in cookie recipes, mix it in with your granola or oatmeal, or use it for a pie crust. Here’s more ideas. http://www.thekitchn.com/5-amazing-ways-to-use-almond-meal-ingredient-spotlight-190156. We loved the almond milk recipe!
hah that’s exactly what happened to me!!!
I also used a cheese cloth the first time I made it, and it was a disaster. I just finished making Almond Milk for the 2nd time, but this time I used “knee high panty hose/nylons” and it worked GREAT. Absolutely no pulp came out of the nylons.
Knee high nylons are super cheap and did the job better than a cheese cloth.
Thanks for the knee high idea! I just used one and this was my first time making almond milk. Between this awesome easy recipe and the knee high tip, I was done in minutes! Can’t wait to drink it in the morning!!!
the knee high pantyhose is a great idea. I also use them to strain my honey after extracting from the comb. inexpensive, washable and reusable! (and theycome in different colors ;-)
You can also get them from amazon for 7.99. Just go to amazon and search for nutbag.
cheers
I just checked the link you posted, the bags are no longer available. I guess I will be looking at Amazon since my sewing machine is no longer available! Thanks for the info on making the milk.
One question, and I am showing my ignorance here, why not leave the nut fiber in the milk, and just add a little more water? Seems like everyone is always trying to add the fiber to their diets, why not just leave it in?
I found a nutmilk bag that works great at Whole Foods.
If you are having trouble finding a nut milk bag, try looking for a jelly strainer bag. It is the exact same thing. They carry them at Canadian Tire (usually beside the mason jars), or at kitchen stores. A two pack will set you back five bucks or so.
If you purchase it online, you can get the jelly strainer as well (usually a metal ring with 3 legs) which allows you to go hands-free (if you don’t happen to have a free hand-model lying around).
I go to Ace Hardware and get gallon-sized paint strainer bags. They come two in a pack for less than $3. I use them all the time for nut milk and/or straining juices. They work great! Be sure you get the *gallon* size and not the 5-gallon size. :-)
Thanks for the paint strainer bag idea. Went to Ace a few weeks ago and got some. Made my almond milk today and it came out perfect. The recipe and suggestions are awesome!! One thing, the whole vanilla bean $4.99 (for one) was very expensive. I’ll use extract next time.
Also – buying whole vanilla beans from the grocery store can be silly expensive. Plus they are generally really dry and have less flavor than should me preferable. I got my last batch of beans from the health food store – where they sell them by weight. They still aren’t cheap, but you get a better quality bean and probably for less than the one or two beans in a bag or jar that you get at most big chain grocery stores.
Try a middle east store for vanilla beans. Sometimes they are less expensive.
Thanks for the great suggestion! I have just finished my second batch of almond milk using a paint strainer bag…worked like a charm.
Does anyone have any tips on how to clean a paint strainer bag for reuse? I threw out the first one because I couldn’t get everything out of it, would be nice to reuse!
I too have used the paint strainer bags for this. They are unbeatable for the price. For straining large quantities of seeds, I line an ice chest with a sheer curtain and leave plenty hanging over the sides. Then I dump everything in, gather the up the excess and lift the seeds out. This way I can strain 10+ gallons at a time.
I used to use paint strainer bags because they’re so much cheaper, but a couple of years ago I purchased a nut milk bag. I wish I had done it sooner. The nut milk bag has a much finer mesh and is super sturdy. Because of the super fine mesh, not only does it make super smooth milk, it’s also much easier to clean – the pulp bits just rinse right off. With the paint strainer bags, it took more time and effort to clean them. In addition, paint strainer bags may be cheap, but they often stretched out and had to be replaced. The seams weren’t nearly as sturdy and would separate after a while of squeezing them. My nut milk bag has reinforced seams and has not stretched or separated at all. Bottom line, spend a few extra dollars to get a nice nut milk bag. You won’t regret it.
Zimtal! This is hands down the best strainer bag out there! I got mine on Amazon for 9.99, it is a bit more expensive, but TOTATLY worth it :)
Is the Zimtal the soft one? Some time ago I bought about 3 or 4 in succession: Zimtal and 2 or 3 others. Only one was soft; the others are stiff as wire. I want to buy more of the soft ones but want to make sure that Zimtal is the one I’m looking for. I truly appreciate someone’s feedback. Thanks!!
I got a set of nut bags from Amazon for a good price. One small and one large. Just google nut bags on Amazon
The very first time that I had almond milk I had homemade! I loved it and still love it more than the store kind. I made it because I suddenly changed my whole lifestyle, and was so excited to live all homemade and natural. That didn’t last, but continuing with almond milk did, I agree it is such a nice treat. My boyfriend LOVES homemade and begs me to make it all the time, claiming it is so much better then the store kinds! I haven’t mixed it with dates etc, so I think I will try that. I go for the Bulk Barn, the raw kind are cheaper (yay for less processing) so I go that route for health and economic reasons!
You really have to shop and make sure that the almonds you get are truly raw organic unpasteurized. The changed the rules about almonds a couple of years back and not the FDA requires all to be pasteurized. You can get raw from other countries and a few in the USA. Try hunting down small growers near you if there are any.
Effective September 2007, the USDA ordered all almond growers to “sterilize” almonds in one of several ways: heat them using steam, irradiate them using a controversial ionization process, roast or blanch them, or treat them with propylene oxide (PPO).
PPO is a known carcinogen, and most countries, including the EU, have banned imported nuts treated with PPO. The chemical is so nasty that it’s even been banned by both the National Hot Rod and American Motorcycle Racing Associations, where it had been used as a fuel additive before it was deemed too dangerous.
The new rule created deceptive labeling. Almonds that have undergone chemical treatments or heating for pasteurization are still labeled “raw.” Consumers who purchase “raw” almonds may well think that those almonds are natural and unprocessed. Moreover, there will be no label requirement to specify what kind of pasteurization treatment was used among the many approved methods or combination of options. [source]
Wow, thanks for this info. I am constantly newly disappointed by USDA rulings and lax restrictions, especially when compared to other “first world” nations.
Vanilla almond milk is my favorite milk of all time! Almonds are also my favorite nut. This post is perfect for me1
(The term “nut milk bag” is just awkward though, don’t you think?)
Yes I had to avoid cracking some awkward Eric handling nut bag jokes. heh
Ha! I wouldn’t have been able to control myself. Nope, there would’ve been lots of hubby holding nut bag jokes. He he he.
Thanks, this is a great tutorial and motivation to try homemade milk! I am glad to hear I can use the leftover pulp as almond meal too, that makes it much more economical. Question–what kind/brand of nut milk bag did you buy? There seem to be a lot of choices and they all look the same (maybe because they are…?).
Just a topper to all the nut bag jokes, a nut bag is essentially a small version of a paint strainer bag, available at any lowes or Home Depot or your local paint or hardware store. The paint strainer fits inside a 5 gallon bucket to it is your answer for bulk production. They are generally 2 to a package and big enough to cut in half and make a couple of small ones out of a big one if you want. About a fifth of the price of a nut bag too. I use them to strain my extracted honey as it allows pollen and other nutrient particles through, much better than filtered and heated honey.
I don’t think I could ever utter the phrase “nut milk bag” with a straight face… but this recipe looks great, and I can’t wait to try :)
This sounds absolutely delicious! I have never been a mylk drinker but this might convert me!
If you want to make a nice latte you can put 1 cup of fresh almond mylk in your vitamix along with ginger, cinnamon, cardamon and a pinch of pepper to make a delicious chai latte. I hope to post this recipe on my blog at some point this winter!
Sounds soo yummy. Great idea … Thanks for sharing
This looks so easy and delish! Can’t wait to try it.
YES! So excited you posted this! Ever since getting a vitamix I’ve wanted to try my hand at homemade almond milk!
I have a food processor and a standard blender. Could I make this using either one of those, or is success only guaranteed with a high speed blender?
Thanks!
I think a regular blender will work, you just might have to blend the nuts longer than 1 minute to get it smooth as possible
When I used a regular blender in the past I found that I had to make sure I soaked everything (dates included) for the full time (10-12 hours) and it worked pretty well. :) I also agree with Angela; you will probably need to blend longer.
I’m wondering if you leave them to soak in the fridge or at room temp? I get nervous leaving things at room temp for too long
I have a nut milk bag. I simply ordered off Amazon. Maybe $7?
I make almond milk in a regular ol’ plain Jane blueberries. Works fine.
Ummm…not blueberries. *blender* darn autocorrect.
Giggle!
I used my Nutribullet. Works perfect for 1 cup of almonds and up to 2 cups of water (as long as you are not adding too many other ingrediants. I only let the almonds soak for about 36 hours so they hadn’t swollen to their full potential but I think it would still be ok after the full two days.
I got a nut milk bag last year and have been making almond weekly ever since. It makes the process so much easier! I also use coconut water in my recipe instead of water and the taste is amazing!
PS – Did you know that NKOTB is touring with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men this summer? Amazing!
hah yea I heard about that the other day! Crazy
YUM! After your last post I set out to make my own again. I started giving almond milk to my son when he was 1 because he can’t drink regular milk so now we all just drink it. BUT he didn’t go for it. So I’ve been mixing half conventional and half homemade which is working but I think this just might be the ticket! Thanks! I have some almonds ready to go now. I do need to get a nut bag though *giggle*.
Stephanie, any tricks for making large batches on a consistent basis. I would like to transition my 1 year old onto almond milk as well, but that’s a much larger quantity of weekly milk consumed. I would love to hear any techniques that make your process easier.
I was reading this because a good friend of mine has a son who can’t drink milk either. He tends to be a very picky eater but your suggestion may be a good alternative. I suppose she can try to add different ingredients also to find a taste that works for him. Also sounds like this nut bag is a key component, so I will be sure to pass that tip along too.
Wow, beautiful photos in this post!
I used a stocking for my nut milks I use to make maybe I should purchase a nut bag, I would have less of a mess.. I am enjoying the vanilla specks they look so lovely in the milk…
The stockings work well but the trick to less mess is an embroidery hoop. Pull the mouth of the stockibg over the hoop and lock it. Then you can set the hoop on skewers across your dish for hands free.
Lovely photos!! I also have always used cheesecloth but just bought a nut milk bag. Can’t wait to try it out. I always love homemade on day 1, but have also not been quite as impressed. I need to do more experimenting, starting with this!
I have made hazelnut milk a few using the same method – combined with cold pressed espresso you get the most amazing iced latte ever. (Clearly, this was back in the warmer months!).
Without cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, I just used a few layers of paper towels which worked fine. Just have to be extra gentle when squeezing the excess milk out of the nut pulp.
Cold pressed espresso . I would like to know more about how to make that.
what an awesome post, angela! those tiny flecks of vanilla bean made me swoon…
I’ve been waiting for you to post this recipe! My oat milk turned out fantastic, can’t wait to try this milk out.
I had NO idea it was this easy! This sounds like it would be perfect with some coffee. Thanks for the tutorial…can’t wait to try it! :)