This is my favorite recipe for easy almond milk that is flavored with vanilla and slightly sweetened with dates. For me, this recipe is the ideal ratio of water to almonds for the perfect level of creaminess.
This homemade almond milk is incredibly creamy, naturally sweet, refreshing and has a perfectly mild flavor that works well in many recipes. I use almond milk in smoothies, cereal, granola, oatmeal, lattes, chia seed pudding, soups or anywhere else you would use regular milk.
Almonds offer a lot of nutrition benefits. They are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. They also offer a good source of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium. And, they provide iron and calcium.
See my complete guide on Almonds Benefits for Vegans for nutrition facts, health benefits and the many ways to incorporate almonds into your recipes!
The recipe could not be easier. Simply blend the ingredients until smooth and creamy, typically using the highest speed for 1-2 minutes. My blender has a "juice" setting so I just use that and it works perfectly.
Then, strain the mixture through a nut-milk bag. That's it.
The nice thing about homemade almond milk is that you are in complete control of the ingredients so there are no additives, carrageenan, gums or preservatives. Plus, you can decide how sweet you would like it and how much vanilla flavor you want to add (some like none and some like a lot!). You could just do almonds, water and a pinch of salt to keep the milk totally plain, unflavored and unsweetened. Or, if you would like to sweeten it a bit I recommend using dates or maple syrup. I like to use dates.
I also recommend tasting and adjusting the sweetness and flavors as you see fit. That is the beauty of homemade plant-milk, you can customize it completely to your liking.
The blending process will warm the milk so I recommend pouring into milk bottles and chilling in your refrigerator before enjoying. This recipe yields just over 3 cups of milk. You can enjoy the milk for up to four days.
Here are links to the exact products I use to make the almond milk:
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High-speed blender (it has a milk/juice setting and makes such a smooth almond milk)
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Mixing bowl with pour spout (the pour spout makes it less messy and easier to transfer without losing any milk)
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Nut-milk bag (for straining out the almond pulp)
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Glass milk bottle with lid (for long-lasting, safe storage and easy pouring)
Be sure to also check out my recipes for homemade oat milk, homemade cashew milk and homemade walnut milk (no nut-milk bag required for any of these)!
What To Do With Leftover Almond Pulp
No one wants to waste almond pulp and there are so many good ways to use it. I'm going to be creating recipes that use it and I will continue to add to this list. Stay tuned!
I know you all are going to absolutely love this easy homemade almond milk recipe! It is gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, soy-free, refined sugar-free and peanut-free. If you give it a try, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see you enjoying your homemade almond milk creations. Cheers!
@eatingbyelaine How to make homemade almond milk 🥛 #homemadealmondmilk #almondmilk #almondmilkrecipe #plantbasedmilk ♬ Latch - Disclosure
The Best Homemade Almond Milk (+ What to Do with the Leftover Pulp!)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
Once you make this homemade almond milk recipe you won't want to go back to store-bought! It tastes incredible and couldn't be easier to make. I love knowing exactly what is in my almond milk and being able to control the sweetness, creaminess and flavors to my personal preferences. It doesn't take long to make it at all and is much less expensive than store-bought almond milk.
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups filtered water*
- 1 cup raw almonds**
- 2-3 large Medjool dates, pitted (or 1-1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup)***
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add water, almonds, dates (or maple syrup), vanilla extract and salt to a high speed blender and blend on the highest speed for 1-2 minutes until milky and creamy. If your blender has a "juice" setting you can use that. Taste and add more sweetener or vanilla if desired. Blend briefly again to incorporate well.
- Position a nut-milk bag over a large mixing bowl with a small pour spout for easy transfer. Pour the blended milk into the nut milk bag and squeeze and twist to get all the milk out of the bag. You can discard the leftover almond pulp that will be inside the nut milk bag. Or you can use it to make this Almond Pulp Smoothie.
- Transfer the milk to a covered storage container and place in your refrigerator for 3-4 days (it will start to sour after that). Enjoy cold. Shake before serving as the almond milk will naturally separate after storing. This recipe yields just over 3 cups of milk.
Notes
*Use four cups of filtered water for a thinner consistency. Use three cups of water for a thicker consistency (this is good for chia seed pudding, overnight oats and coffee creamer.)
**You may wish to soak the almonds in advance of using them to make them more easily digestible. If you plan to do this then place the almonds in a lidded glass jar and cover them with filtered water. After they have soaked for six hours you can drain and rinse them before using. This step is not necessary but may be preferable.
***The dates and vanilla are optional but recommended. The amount of sweetness is a personal preference. I like it sweet and typically use three dates. You may wish to only use one or two. Or, if you really like it sweet you can try four dates.
- Prep Time: 5
Greg says
If I mostly use almond milk when eating oatmeal, could I skip the step of filtering out the pulp? Could I simply shake up the unfiltered mixture before pouring it over my oatmeal? Or would that have a unpleasant taste and/or texture?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Greg: That is a really good question - actually I think that could work. Yes, it will alter the texture but I don't think it would be bad. Just different. Probably more gritty and less creamy but way more fiber and a lot easier for sure. If you give it a try please LMK how it goes! You could also use raw blanched slivered almonds instead of raw almonds and then no filtering would be needed at all. Or, even almond butter and water. Best, Elaine