DRINK RECIPES

Homemade Almond Milk

Updated

Make creamy almond milk at home from soaked raw almonds, water and a pinch of salt, with optional vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup for a lightly sweet, spiced version.

Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
8 hr 10 min
Yield
About 3 1/2 cups
Illustration of Homemade Almond Milk

Store-bought almond milk is convenient, but a homemade batch takes only two basic ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on work once the almonds have soaked. You decide how plain or how sweet it ends up, and a small batch is easy to finish before it goes off.

This classic from the KitchenSimplicity archive keeps things simple: soak the almonds overnight, blend them with fresh water, strain, and season. Leave it plain for cooking, or stir in vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup for a cozy, gently spiced glass to pour over granola or drink on its own.

Tips

  • Keep the almond milk covered in the refrigerator and use it within 4 to 5 days.
  • Don’t toss the pulp: spread it on a baking sheet and dry it in a 200°F oven, then freeze it to add to granola, muffins or oatmeal.
  • For a cooking milk, leave out the sweetener and spices and add only the salt.
  • Swap the maple syrup for honey or a couple of soaked, pitted dates blended in with the almonds.

Homemade Almond Milk

Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
8 hr 10 min
Yield
About 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (140 g) raw almonds
  • 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) fresh cold water, plus more for soaking
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Steps

  1. Put the almonds in a bowl and pour in enough cold water to cover them by about an inch. Leave them to soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
  2. Tip the almonds into a colander, discard the soaking water and rinse them well under cold running water.
  3. Add the rinsed almonds and 3 1/2 cups of fresh water to a blender. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute, until the nuts are very finely ground and the liquid looks milky.
  4. Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag) over a large bowl or pitcher. Pour in the almond mixture.
  5. Gather up the cloth and twist and squeeze firmly to press out as much milk as you can. Set the leftover almond pulp aside for another use or discard it.
  6. Whisk the salt into the milk, then add any of the optional flavorings you like: vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Taste and adjust.
  7. Pour into a clean jar or bottle with a lid and refrigerate. The flavor is best after a couple of hours of chilling. Shake well before each use, since the milk separates naturally.

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