Quick Glance for Making Almond Milk
| Features | Requirements |
|
Yield |
About 1 liter (4 cups) |
|
Hands-on time |
10 minutes |
|
Soak time |
8 hours or overnight |
|
Total time |
8 hours 10 minutes |
|
Ingredients |
1 cup (150g) raw almonds, 4 cups filtered water |
|
Optional add-ins |
2 pitted dates, ½ tsp vanilla, pinch of salt |
|
Equipment |
Blender, muslin bag or fine cheesecloth, glass jar |
|
Creamy / standard / light ratio |
1 cup almonds to 3 / 4 / 5 cups water |
|
Fridge life |
3–5 days in a sealed glass jar (shake before use) |
|
Leftover pulp |
Dry in the oven to make almond meal for baking |
Homemade Almond Milk
Homemade almond milk is easy to create. You have to prepare the almonds overnight in water by soaking them, drain and rinse them, throw them in a blender with 4 cups of water, strain the mixture into a muslin bag and store the liquid in the fridge. This drink can be used within 3-5 days, and it tastes more natural and less processed than the store-bought alternatives. Additionally, there are no gums and additives that you may find in the purchased options.
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Soak Time: 8 hours (overnight); Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 1 liter or 4 cups
Producing almond milk at home is a convenient way to enjoy the product you like without breaking the bank on expensive alternatives. You need a handful of ingredients, including raw almonds, filtered water, and a blender, to create it. You may decide how sweet you want it to be and what additional flavors you want to add. Moreover, you get to know what goes into your almond milk, and it does not have as many additives as the ones in the stores.
What You Need for Making Almond Milk At Home
Equipments
Blender
For best results, use a high-powered blender, but a standard blender will do the job too.
Muslin bag or fine cheesecloth
This is the single most important tool in terms of result. A fine-weave muslin bag will give the finest texture by catching all the pulp while allowing the liquid to flow freely and cleanly through, rather smoothly in fact, compared to using a standard straining tool or wide-weave nut milk bag. Alternatively, a clean thin tightly-woven kitchen towel will also work (but it will be slower).
Large bowl or jug
For catching the milk as it comes out of the strainer.
Glass jar or bottle for storage
A 1-liter glass jar with a tight-fitting lid is ideal for storing. Glass doesn't interact with the content as much as plastic can.
Ingredients (makes approx 1 Liter / 4 Cups)
1 cup (150g) raw almonds
4 Cups (1 Liter) filtered water plus extra for soaking
Optional: 2 pitted dates, ½ tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt
The Step-by-Step Methodology
Step 1: Soaking the Almonds
Soak the almonds in water that has been previously cooled in a bowl with enough water to cover the nuts. Leave them to soak for at least eight hours or overnight. Soaking makes the almonds easier to blend and reduces the amount of phytic acid present.
Step 2: Drain and Rinse
Pour off the soaking water and rinse the almonds thoroughly. Do not save the water that you used to soak the almonds because it contains chemicals that have leached out during the soaking process.
Step 3: Blend
Add soaked almonds and 4 cups of fresh filtered water to the blender, plus any other flavorings of your choice, such as dates, vanilla, or a pinch of salt, if you'd like a sweeter or more flavorful milk. Blend at high speed for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Strain
Place a cheesecloth over a large bowl or jug. Tip in the blended mixture, gather the bag up and squeeze hard until you are left with just the dry pulp. Set this aside (it's useful, not wasteful, as you'll see in the next step).
Step 5: Taste and adjust
Taste the fresh milk and adjust to your liking: a little extra date for sweetness, a splash more vanilla, or a pinch of salt to finish it off. Blend again briefly if you make any adjustments at this point.
Step 6: Store
Pour into a clean glass jar or bottle and put it in the refrigerator. The homemade almond milk will last for 3 to 5 days. It will separate in the fridge, so be sure to shake it well before drinking.
Almond Milk Ratio Guide
| Desired Consistency | Almonds | Water |
|---|---|---|
| Light/thin | 1 cup | 5 cups |
| Standard/medium | 1 cup | 4 cups |
| Rich/creamy | 1 cup | 3 cups |
Flavor Variations
Vanilla almond milk: add ½ tsp vanilla extract into the liter of almonds.
Date-sweetened: use 2 Medjool dates per liter to achieve the desired level of sweetness.
Cinnamon almond milk: add ¼ tsp of cinnamon into the blender with the rest of the ingredients. Alternatively, you can add the spice into the shake after you have strained the mixture.
Chocolate almond milk: add 1-2 tbsp of cocoa powder and a date or a tbsp of maple syrup into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
What To Do With The Leftover Pulp?
Do not throw the pulp away. It is dried almonds, with most of the fat and liquid removed. It can be used. Just spread it out on a baking sheet and bake at 175-210 degrees Fahrenheit or 80-100 degrees Celsius for one to two hours, stirring occasionally, until it reaches an almond meal consistency. You can use this almond meal as a flour substitute in muffins, cookies, energy balls or granola.
Why a Muslin Bag Makes the Difference?
The tool you strain with makes all the difference. Your average kitchen strainer won't do — a loosely woven mesh will leave undesirable grit in your finished milk. A tightly woven muslin bag (like those used for making traditional plant-based milks in many cultures) will catch all the good stuff while still allowing liquid to quickly drain when you apply pressure. Rinse it in cold water right after use (dried pulp is harder to clean), then give it a gentle washing with some mild soap. It'll survive hundreds of cycles this way.
Storage and Shelf Life
Since there are no preservatives in homemade almond milk, it will not last as long as the store-bought variety. It is best to consume it within 3-5 days of preparation. It is important to ensure that your milk is not spoiled. To check this, you can always use your nose. Spoiled almond milk will always have a sour smell, whereas good milk will have a slight nutty scent. Almond milk does not freeze well for drinking purposes because it will turn out a bit gritty when you thaw it, but it is still possible to use it in smoothies or baking.
Overview
Making homemade almond milk is really quite simple. What it boils down to is full soaking of the nuts overnight, fresh water for blending (not the soaking water!), thorough straining using a fine muslin bag, and storing it in the fridge for a few hours. These steps will get you a better tasting, additive free beverage in roughly 10 minutes of work (most of which is soaking while you sleep). Once you get a feel for the amount of nuts needed per batch and the timing, it's second nature and hardly any waste goes to the compost.
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