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.
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?
Hi Angela,
I love your website! I made almond milk a few days ago using this recipe. It tasted so yummy and creamy! However, the next day I got severe nausea within 20 mins of drinking it, and it happened again, 2 days in a row!! I didn’t think my nuts were rancid to begin with, and the milk was stored in the fridge within the last 3 days, so it couldn’t have turned bad. I googled “homemade almond milk nausea stomach ache” and actually found a few people who have experienced the same thing! I figured it was due to toxins/bacteria because of the following reasons:
1) I soaked the almonds for nearly 20 hours. You are not supposed to soak them for more than 8 hours because it can sprout and bacteria can grow.
2) I didn’t rinse the almonds after soaking. The soaking water may contain bacteria/toxins.
3) I didn’t add salt to the soaking water. It is recommended to add salt as it can inactivate some enzyme inhibitors on the almonds.
Has anyone every experienced symptoms of food poisoning from homemade almond milk?
I am also a big almond milk fan and have been making it for about 4 months. I keep plenty of roasted almonds on hand, so on my third batch I used those and found that they imparted a richer flavor. I use only vanilla and 2 Tbsp of maple syrup in 40 ounces of fluid for just a touch of sweetness. I have enough cinnamon already when this is poured over my homemade Paleo granola. I’ve lost 25 lbs with 25 more to go, so thanks for promoting this truly healthy beverage!
I made this last night! My two daughters and I are new Vegans (about seven weeks) I am still learning so much. Your blog has been an invaluable resource giving me ideas to keep it interesting as my daughters and I make this life change. I stumbled on it by searching for carrageenan in almond milk. I’ve called the company I was buying almond milk from and asked them to explain why they add it as an ingredient. They hymned and hawed, but really didn’t have a good answer.
Seeing your step by step recipe made me realize I can do this. It beats the boxed kind hands down. So creamy and delicious – and the addition of the vanilla bean and dates makes it even more special.
No going back – we’ll just make our own from here on out. It’s too easy – just requires a bit of planning.
I feed the left over pulp to the birds and they totally
Love it. Leave it to dry over night then put it out, it’ll be gone in seconds.
oh I bet the squirrels and chipmunks would too! :)
This is very similar to the recipe that I use except instead of soaking overnight, you pour 4 cups boiling water over the almonds and let them sit for 3 minutes. Then you can drain the water and pop them out of their skins if you desire. It’s making me want some now! Thanks for the post.
This is a great recipe, the result is a lot better tasting than store bought. When I was done, I mixed together some stuff I had on hand and made a decent muffin with the pulp. Ratios are rough, I’m no pro at making up baking recipes. In fact, this is my first attempt.
almond pulp from one batch of milk
1 c floor
1/3 c multigrain cereal
1 T baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c water
1 mashed banana
1/4 c apple sauce
I mixed it all up and baked for 20 minutes at 350F. I’d probably put cinnamon and raisins in the next time.
Thank you for sharing! I’ll have to try this out :)
Hi Angela,
I have made this recipe several (many many many) times now, and find that the milk doesn’t last for more than 2 days (not because I drink it but because it seems “off”). It’s rather disappointing as I’m using it every morning to make my protein smoothie and have to throw it out sometimes. I live in France and can’t even buy almond milk, so this is my only way to have it.
At first I thought it may be the dates or vanilla making it turn quickly, so I started cutting back, and eventually to only almonds. After I cut out the dates, I find it separates much quicker. Now that I’ve found the milk going back after a few days, I’m having a hard time to judge if it’s actually bad or if it’s just separated. I’ve also tried bottled water vs. tap water. I’m concerned as I have to squeeze the milk out of the bag that my hands are causing this, so I’m obsessively washing them before I squeeze…nothing seems to change it.
Any suggestions?
homemade almond milk is just so good! it taste better than store bought :)
i soaked some slivered almonds (as that’s what i had) overnight, then put them in the juicer with water at a 1:1 ratio.so if you have a masticating /slow juicer, it’s even less mess. ( We have a hurom 400hd juicer which is the same as an omega juicer.)
very cool, thanks for sharing!! :)
Emotional! My husband and I will never buy the boxed kind again. I dehydrated the pulp and ground it up and put it in my favorite brownie recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ghirardelli-fudgy-gluten-free-brownies/Detail.aspx. I used eggs, and I’m not sure if flax egg would work in the recipe. I had to bake it an extra 20 minutes, but they turned out great.
I’ll have to check your recipes to see if you have a GF vegan brownie recipe and I’ll try that. Thanks so much for an awesome site. You have changed the way I eat!
This is exactly the recipe I needed to make almond milk. Whole ingredients! I love the addition of dates…I have a little container just waiting to be whirred inside the blades of a blender :-) I suppose cheesecloth works just as well as a nut milk bag? Or should I invest in a handy-dandy baggy?
Thank you so much!
Hi Amelia, If you find the cheesecloth works well for you then by all means use that! :) enjoy
Living abroad in Asia (none of my beloved Almond Breeze milk available here), lactose intolerant, and desperate, I tried your recipe, and it came out brilliantly! Superbly easy to follow, and the pictures really helped. I used cheesecloth but have now ordered my own nut milk bag from Amazon. Thank you!! :D
You can buy raw almonds for soaking/sprouting from ‘sproutpeople,com’. They also sell hemp bags for sprouting which should be just right for making almond milk.
correction to the previous message: should be sproutpeople.org
Was wondering where can I get the nut milk bag at?
Hi Cheri, I ordered mine online (I think I left a link at the top of the comments) good luck!
Where did you get the drinking glass you served the milk in? It’s really pretty!
I just followed the recipe to a ‘T’, it was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.
I think it’s from Crate and Barrel. thank you!
Do you use grade a or grade b vanilla beans for this?
Hey Steph, Im not sure what grade they are, but they are Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. You can use any type you prefer though!
Awesome. Now I need to see where the heck to find a bag like that, plus the vanilla bean or even the extract, here in Ahmednagar, India (Just moved here with my husband from the US). All the other ingredients, easy.
Thanks for a great recipe and pics.
I love it!! I became a vegan about 8 month’s ago (so overwhelming at first.) Now that my toes are wet I’ve been experimenting with making all my basic’s (such as almond milk) from scratch. You are a blessing in a blog Dear woman! Thank you.
May I also just say I SO appreciate the pictures? This new vegan chick can use all the visual aid’s she can get.
Post Script- Wish I had found you 8 month’s ago!
Thank you Haley! That means a lot to me :)