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Homemade Almond Milk

January 23, 2013 by Katie Mae Stanley 59 Comments

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, as well as through other affiliate links.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, as well as through other affiliate links.

Homemade Almond Milk-www.nourishingsimplicity.org

Almond milk. It’s smooth, creamy, lightly sweet and delicious. What’s not to like?

Sticking with our DIY Theme this month here is another item you might buy at the store but could easily make yourself.  Making your own almond milk is much easier than you would think. Once you make your own you won’t want to go back to the store variety.  

The process is almost the same as making your own coconut milk. I enjoy using both my homemade coconut and almond milks. While coconut milk is great for curries it’s not something I want to use in a substitute for dairy milk or cream in most soups, whereas the subtitle flavor almond milk makes it perfect for just that. One of my girls’ favorite ways to enjoy almond milk is in a cup of tea.

However you use it, this recipe is sure to please. Right now I’m sipping a cup of hot cocoa made from almond milk I made this morning.

Note: I prefer to use raw organic almonds. I prefer to buy mine from the awesome co-op Azure Standard, which may have a drop-point in your area.

IMG_3826

Useful Tools: 

  • Nut Milk Bag
  • Cheesecloth

4 votes

Print

DIY Homemade Almond Milk

Author Katie Mae Stanley@ Nourishing Simplicity

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almonds
  • 1 tsp real salt
  • warm water
  • 8 cups water*
  • Optional Add Ins:
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 4 dates
  • 4 TBS raw honey
  • *You can use more water to for a milk more similar to skim milk, it is also more frugal.

Instructions

  1. Soak the almonds with salt and warm water for at least twelve hours. Strain and rinse once the soaking is complete.
  2. Add the almonds (and dates if using) and water to a blender. You may have to do this in two batches if your blender is smaller. Blend on high for 2 minutes.
  3. Strain the contents of the blender through a fine sieve gently pushing on it with a spoon to remove all the liquid. You may need to remove some of the almond pulp so that the milk can strain out. Or pour through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag, allowing the almond milk to collect in the jar. Twist the cheesecloth or nut milk bag to be sure to get all the precious liquid out.
  4. If using add the vanilla extract and/or honey. 
  5. Store the almond milk in glass jars. The almond milk should stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

IMG_3835

Don’t throw out the almond pulp away, learn how to dry your almond and coconut pulp and how to use them! 

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday,

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: almond milk, almondmilk, nut milk

About Katie Mae Stanley

Katie Mae Stanley is the creator of Nourishing Simplicity. She believes that a made from scratch life is possible with a measure of grace. She teaches you to craft simple, nourishing recipes and natural DIY products at home.

Previous Post: « How to Make Coconut Milk, The Easy Way
Next Post: How To Use Almond and Coconut Pulp »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peadar Flaherty

    October 28, 2019 at 10:53 am

    Hi katie, ive only recently changed to Almond milk, mostly because of its health benifits and i dont use dairy. The main reason i use it now also is for its added calcium, the calcium aids in blocking iron being absorbed into my blood stream, i have Hemocromatisis so this is very important. Ive looked for added calcium in a lot of the brands near where i shop but they also include other addatives, and the organic brands dont have the added calcium. So im very interested in your homemaďe recipe, im wondering if u know how i could add calcium. Im thinking i may be going slightly overboard here, and maybe just settle for the store brands that have the added calcium, with the additives but, no harm in asking. Peadar.

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      November 8, 2019 at 4:54 pm

      Hi Peadar, I’m sorry for not seeing this sooner! I’ve never used a powdered calcium substitute but I’ve seen them on Amazon before. You could simply as much of the powder to the almond milk or possibly just take a supplement separately. Have you talked to your doctor or a naturopath about how much calcium you need to be taking in a day?

      Reply
  2. chris

    March 19, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    I don’t see in the recipe where you use the date and other ingredients. Are those optional or supposed to be added at sometime?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      March 20, 2019 at 2:32 pm

      Chris, yes they are optional. I just now updated the recipe for when to add them if using.

      Reply
  3. Amie

    February 26, 2019 at 6:38 am

    After soaking for 12 hours, do I need to peel the almonds? I didn’t see in your recipe to peel them.

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      February 26, 2019 at 5:49 pm

      No, some people prefer to but I never do. In my opinion, it does not affect the taste.

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth

    April 4, 2018 at 10:52 am

    I tried using almond flour/meal and was able to eliminate the soaking process. I blended, strained and had milk in 5 minutes?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      April 8, 2018 at 10:17 pm

      I’m glad that that worked for you! Personally, I soak the almonds to break down the phytic acid to make the milk more digestible. That’s the great thing about cooking from scratch, we can all change recipes to best fit our own needs.

      Reply
  5. Gino

    November 6, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    Thanks, appreciate the recipe!!!
    Would it make any difference if I soaked the almonds for 12 hours but left them sitting around for a few days until I was ready to make the almond milk? Maybe I can put them in a ziplock bag until I had more time?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      November 6, 2017 at 4:34 pm

      You’re welcome! There is a chance that they might spoil. If you want to try it out I would drain them after the 12 hours and then store them in a clean glass jar in the fridge.

      Reply
  6. Gino

    November 2, 2017 at 6:41 am

    Should you use roasted or raw almonds?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      November 4, 2017 at 9:59 pm

      Raw 🙂

      Reply
  7. Cassie

    June 24, 2016 at 7:26 am

    Thank you for the recipe. Long story short, I have just (as in a month ago) embarked on a healthy eating journey that has included cutting out dairy, gluten and sugar, all big steps for me and this recipe has been very helpful, so thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      June 24, 2016 at 9:40 am

      I am so glad to here that it is helpful for you!

      Reply
  8. Kay Crump

    April 22, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    Any reason why you need to strain it?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      April 24, 2016 at 9:35 pm

      You don’t *have* to strain it but it is thick and grainy if you don’t, even with a Vitmix.

      Reply
  9. Lori

    February 1, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    Hi Katie Mae, I would like your input on making almond milk without straining it.? So, after soaking it, rinse and put in almonds and water and drink! Do you need to strain it? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kay Crump

      April 22, 2016 at 5:37 pm

      I want to know that too.

      Reply
  10. Rosalynn

    October 5, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    Due to intestinal issues, I was comparing the almond milks on line. I can easily see where my digestive problems are coming from. I am going to try making my own milk and see how I fair with that. Thanks

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      October 7, 2015 at 1:09 pm

      I hope it helps!

      Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      October 18, 2016 at 8:39 pm

      You’re welcome! I’m sorry I missed your comment last year. How are you doing now?

      Reply
  11. jJ

    September 5, 2015 at 8:13 am

    I was wondering what the nutritional information of the homemade almond milk would be?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      September 6, 2015 at 1:30 am

      I’ve never looked it up but you could add the ingredients to a nutrition calculator online to find out!

      Reply
  12. Donna

    July 29, 2015 at 6:05 am

    What are the dates and honey for and when would you add them to the recipe? Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      July 29, 2015 at 10:28 am

      To sweeten it. You would add them while blending the almonds. I’ll go and clarify that.

      Reply
      • Adria Urell

        September 7, 2017 at 1:12 pm

        Why does it only last 4 days refrigerated???? Other almond milk lasts for weeks. Please let me know.

        Reply
        • Katie Mae Stanley

          September 7, 2017 at 8:46 pm

          It has on additives or preservatives because it is homemade. Almond milk from the store has those added to preserve it longer. Homemade almond milk is better for you because of the lack of preservatives but it does need to be used quickly.

          Reply
  13. Dancing Bear

    July 15, 2015 at 9:20 am

    Just curious…can this homemade almond milk be frozen. I would not be able to drink a quart in 3-4 days. I’d hate to see it go to waste.

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      July 15, 2015 at 10:31 am

      I’ve never tried because I go through it so fast! I drink it plain, use it make hot cocoa, add it to my coffee, and even use it in soup from time to time. I’ve heard of people freezing it in an ice cube tray and then using those cubes in smoothies and other meals.

      Reply
    • Susan

      March 13, 2016 at 11:22 am

      You can do a half cup of almonds to two cups of water. I use it for my coffee and oatmeal. So every four days I do a new batch. Sure better than that store stuff, yuck.

      Reply
      • Katie Mae Stanley

        March 14, 2016 at 4:54 pm

        Great tip! Smaller batches to indeed work. 🙂

        Reply
  14. Jenny

    June 13, 2015 at 7:40 am

    Hi! My son and I Love almond milk, but I am not a fan of how sweet and slimy or artificially smooth most commercial brands are, so I am attempting homemade almond milk for the first time..this might be a dumb question, but should the warm water stay warm for 12 hours (i.e., should I keep it on the stove on the warm setting?) Or does it just need to start out warm, and then OK if left on the counter?
    Also, have you ever tried roasting the almonds first? I’m going to try this plain first, and then if it goes well I will experiment with different variants…
    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      June 13, 2015 at 8:48 pm

      No you just need to start with warm water. Yes, just leave it covered on the counter. I haven’t tried roasting them first. If you do roast I wouldn’t suggest soaking them since the roasting “cooks” the almonds. I prefer to just soak them. Let me know what you end up doing!

      Reply
  15. Jeni

    May 18, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    Thank you for this recipe! Have been looking to drastically reduce dairy intake, but I live off of smoothies during the warmer months. I recently decided to substitute lowfat milk for almond milk, but all of the brands in the store, many which were labeled “unsweetened,” contained some variation of cane sugar or sweetener. I look forward to trying this recipe without the honey and extract. Seems so wholesome! 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      May 19, 2015 at 2:05 pm

      I’m so glad you found it Jeni! 🙂 I really do prefer homemade almond milk over the variety in the store. It’s always bugged me when there are added sugar to thing that don’t need it, like almond milk or even chicken broth. When I don’t use almond milk I use raw cow milk or coconut milk.

      Reply
  16. Jennifer

    April 18, 2015 at 5:15 am

    I find so many smoothie recipes that call for almond milk. Too many times I read the almond milk content and wonder if there is a just-almond milk out there. I guess there is. I’ll make this for sure.

    Reply
  17. ashley

    March 16, 2015 at 8:11 am

    Not to be rude but…Can you please explain how this is cheaper than buying almond milk? A half gallon is about $3 while 16 oz. (2 cups) of almonds is about $6-7. It takes almost 10 cups to get one HALF gallon therefore costing almost $60-70 to make a half gallon of homemade almond milk…WHAT !?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      March 20, 2015 at 11:14 am

      Not rude at all Ashley. You make a good point. I should change the post since I took a break from making my own milk for about a year. Once I started up again I found mylsef making it MUCH weaker. Now I make about 3 quarts out of the two cups of almonds. It’s been a
      a while since I looked at my recipe. I’ll go in and add my changes. I also save the pulp, dry it, and bake with it so I don’t have a need to buy almond meal. That cuts costs in a different away even if the up front cost seems more.

      On a side note, I’ve never been able to find almond milk in the store for less than $2.50/quart. I don’t like the additives that are in the store brands so it is important to me to make my own at home even if it does cost more. Sometimes I just go without.

      Reply
  18. Gregg

    February 24, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    2 cups or about $6.99 worth of almonds for a quart of almond milk isn’t frugal not to mention its pretty tough on the environment. It takes about 1 gallon of water to grow one almond which means your quart of almond milk taxes the environment 184 gallons (+4 cups) of water to produce. I’m curious if anyone here would pay $28 for a gallon of almond milk which requires 736 gallons of water to produce. I’m also curious if anyone has experimented with recipes that make a tasty almond milk using much less almonds.

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      February 24, 2015 at 9:34 pm

      That’s expensive, I’ve never payed that much for my almonds. I’ll admit that I have never looked into how much water goes into growing almonds. It comes down to your perspective, you can eat almonds, make them into butter or milk. You can eat them or drink them but it is still going to use the same amount of water to grow them. I’d be interested to know how much water is used to grow a tomato or any other plant we eat. If you come up with a recipe that uses less almonds please share it with me.

      When you think of how much it costs to buy almond milk in the store and the energy that is put into creating the packaging making your own can still be a frugal option when you compare the two.

      Reply
      • Jon

        January 11, 2018 at 9:42 pm

        For 2 cups of almonds, if you’re starting with 8 cups of water (1/2 gallon), where does half of the water go to only end up with 1 quart of almond milk?

        Reply
    • Suz

      November 20, 2016 at 6:46 am

      So you eat ? Everything takes water. Dairy milk is even harder on environment.

      Reply
    • Erika

      September 17, 2017 at 6:37 am

      Cows and the water/grain/grass they require to produce milk depletes water resources on a much larger scale than producing almonds. Let’s not forget the ozone depletion as a result of all those cattle as well!
      I buy steam pasteurized almonds at COSTCO, at the store or online, at 3lbs. for 19.99. They’re delicious and always taste super fresh!

      Reply
      • BB

        December 2, 2018 at 8:34 am

        I can’t help but comment. I realize this is amongst older posts. But this information is false.
        Read real research:
        UCLA study
        Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk Life Cycle Assessment – UCLA Institute of the …
        PDFhttps://www.ioes.ucla.edu › uploads › co…

        Ultimately everthing we do impacts the environment in one way or another. Almond milk isn’t an answer to anything. It’s a luxury.

        In terms of nutrient density cows milk is a superior bevarage. It’s not perfect and quality varies from one country to the next..

        The almond milk industry is yet another contributing factor taxing an already precarious water supply problem in the state of California.

        Reply
        • Dolores Davis

          February 23, 2019 at 12:21 pm

          Almond Milk is a Luxury? When you’re lactose intolerant. I don’t see it that way that Almond Milk isn’t answer; no I haven’t tried it but just reading this posts makes me question what your motives are. In was born on St George Island, Alaska in 1965, with Cleft lip & plate. The federal government was owed & had operations to have the villagers to harvest Fur Seal for the skins for there own gains. Which I’m mentioning this because on the Island the Villagers weren’t allowed to have what the white people to eat & drink. Which means No fresh milk. I was given evaporated milk with water mixture as my milk as a baby . So my family be came also lactose intolerance & still to this day in 2019. I will leave this as to my comments and not go any further.

          Reply
  19. Elmarie Nagle

    February 8, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    Really interested to read a recipe for home-made almond milk. ‘Have changed my diet considerably, following horrendous side-effects of opiate-based meds for chronic neuropathic pain, caused by collapsed neck discs; now a matter of ‘controlling & managing’ the illness. I’m swinging from total lethargy to bouts of insomnia, and looking forward to trying to make my own Almond/Coconut milk. Always traditionally told to eat ‘dairy for calcium’ to avoid osteoparosis later in life, but have learned that almonds contain more calcium than ‘cows’ milk!!! Looking for other dairy alternatives and grateful for further tips- thank you so much. Elmarie, Ireland.

    Reply
    • Susan

      March 13, 2016 at 12:06 pm

      Hi,
      Sorry to hear that you are in pain. I was also until I went to a Plant Based Diet.
      In other words, Vegan.
      No dairy and no meat. It all went away.

      Reply
  20. Jan Lincoln

    November 4, 2014 at 8:04 am

    Do you use blanched almonds or those with the skins still on?

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      November 4, 2014 at 11:23 am

      Almonds with the skins on.

      Reply
  21. Alyssa buchholz

    September 29, 2014 at 9:07 am

    How many cups of milk would 2 cups of almonds make? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Katie Mae Stanley

      September 29, 2014 at 9:43 am

      About 4 cups. The ninas liked it too! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Holly

    January 27, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    I was wondering if the salt is necessary. I’ve never added salt to the soaking water when making almond milk, so I was curious.

    Reply
    • Katie Mae

      February 6, 2013 at 7:18 pm

      Great question! The salt helps neutralize the enzyme inhibitors in the almonds. That way it’s easier to digest and healthier for you too.

      Reply

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