I love almond milk.
But you know what I love more…homemade almond milk.
You can absolutely drive out to your local store and buy almond milk — but once you’ve had it fresh, the rich taste will keep you coming back for more! And guess what? Almond milk is super easy to make!
Let me show you how.
Homemade Almond Milk
Ingredients
-pure, filtered water for soaking
-1 cup raw, organic almonds
-4 cups pure, filtered water
Optional Add-Ins
-sweetener to taste (i.e. maple syrup, honey, stevia, or my ultimate fave…4-6 medjool dates)
–homemade vanilla extract (I like to add 1 teaspoon to the mix)
-carob powder (Chocolate almond milk anyone!?!)
-spices (i.e. cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cardamon…get creative)
Method
1. Allow the almonds to soak covered in pure, filtered water for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Overnight will do, if you’re in a pinch. But, I like to give mine a good couple of days.
2. After soaking, strain the soaked almonds and toss the soaking water.
3. Place your almonds, four cups of pure, filtered water, and any optional add-ins in a high-speed blender — I love my Vitamix for this — and blend on high until the mixture becomes frothy…approximately 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour the contents of the blender through a cheese cloth lined strainer — or if you have one, a nut milk bag — into a 1 quart glass canning jar. Squeeze to extract all the goodness of the almond meal.
5. Store the milk in the refrigerator. It should keep for up to 3 days. Shake the jar prior to use.
Note
I don’t like the idea of wasting all of that almond meal/pulp. Now granted, most of the nutrients have gone into the milk, but I still find it useful for recipes like these brownies…yum! Or you could dehydrate them for use as a coating for chicken and fish. Perhaps make almond butter. What about using them as a body or facial scrub?
The possibilities are endless really!
Now it’s your turn! Have you ever made almond milk?
I willl be trying this. I love Almond Milk!
I love almond milk and this looks easier then other reicipes I have seen. Thank you.
Isn’t this amazing, Andrea?! I just discovered the wonders of homemade almond milk last month and blogged about it as well! We’re addicted now 🙂 I make 1-2 batches a week! My favorite combo is medjool dates and cinnamon. I dehydrate the pulp to use in baked goods, or I use the raw pulp to make freezer fudge. Still looking for more ways to use the raw pulp though. Also, after some experimentation, I lowered the water to 3 cups and that’s what we use as our coffee creamer in the morning!
Here’s my post, in case you’re interested: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/06/08/homemade-almond-milk-almond-meal/
I usually prefer to take the skins off. Tastes sweeter. What would you do with skins?
I would dry the skins, then grind them to a meal. You could then add them to any number of things as a nutritious fiber – breads, porridge, granola, etc.. Think of it as something like wheat germ! Also, if you have chickens or other livestock, you can add it to their feed.
EXACTLY How do you take the skins off of the almonds?
once soaked, the skin on the almonds rubs away very easily. you can soak the almonds in a bowl and rub each one as you harvest them for the blender; and after, with all the almond skin flakes left in the water, you can strain them water with a mesh colander.
I use my homemade almond mylk in our green smoothies, so yummy too!
Thanks for the recipe! I have a couple of questions:
1. For those of us who are budget-conscious, is it absolutely necessary to buy organic almonds? or is it one of those foods that aren’t so bad when purchased non-organically?
2. what’s the difference between medjool dates and other kinds?
Thanks!
Depends on how you feel about quality. I will say that I have bought non-organic almonds and the taste/quality is just not the same. The milk is brownish. The skins on those almonds don’t come off as easy (I remove the skins because they impede digestion–plus the milk is a little whiter.) However, I am a big proponent of buying what you can afford.
I am not sure where you live, but here in Maryland, there are a couple of places that I get my almonds from: frankferd.com (they only deliver to PA, MD, DC & VA) and naturalzing.com (they ship all over). If you have a friend or two, order in bulk and split the cost and the bounty.
GREAT advice Elaine!
Most “organic” stuff (by the way, I still have to find a fruit which is not “organic”… what a silly term) really has no added value and is way overpriced. I bet in a blind test you would not spot the difference between organic and not. You need good almond, that’s all, organic or not.
Also, you can use normal tap water, no need to go for sterile milliQ…
I do not know about your tap water ,but mine is awful~!!! It will effect the taste of everything! I use good pure water and have for years. I have combated several major illnesses and water can and does make a difference~!
My tap water is also disguising. We have a britta attachment on there so I just turned that on and used that. And while I could care less about organic vs. non organic almonds, does your store have a bulk section? Mine does ad they have organic and non organic nuts and instead of buying a large pack you can get exactly what you need there. Also I only buy organic of what I eat ton’s of. Like spinach. Other than that I just wash my fruits and vegetables carefully before prep.
Its not about water being ‘sterile’, its about it not being full of chemicals. The main one you can taste being chlorine, depends on where you live and how old the pipes are too.
I can’t speak to the taste difference between organic and non-organic almonds, but IMHO the extra cost is worth it because they use a huge amount of pesticides on almonds grown conventionally here in California.
Whether there’s any residue you ingest through the thick shell of the almond is one question, but another concern is the amount of toxins the farm laborers are exposed to and the earth and waterways. We are poisoning the earth, and I find that frightening, because eventually these toxins go somewhere, and I don’t want any human to have to be exposed to it. There’s a much bigger picture here than my weekly budget. I’d rather do without than continue to buy conventionally grown almonds. I consider the extra cost– when my budget allows–an investment in my own health, and that of my children and grandchildren.
Growing up in and around Almond, Walnut & Pecan orchards…in California…
Growers don’t spray their trees after the hull has formed. From then on it’s a very organic process.
After the hull has formed… Wonder what happens to all those lovely toxins that are sprayed on the fruit before then….
yes. thank you. organic is not just about our taste buds, or our wallet. it’s about our earth, our children and all other living beings.
Organic refers to the process of how it is grown.
Organic means without pesticides. 🙂
I digress. I’m allergic to certain pesticides so I have an allergic reaction to a lot of non organic produce. I feel its just safer for me to get organic in most things because my allergies have been getting worse and I don’t want to end up in the hospital one of these days for something I’ve known for years.
“Organic” has nothing to do with taste, but it has ALL to do with putting a strain on your liver to remove all the extra toxins from your body since not all of the pesticides can be washed off.
Organic almonds are not treated with the many pasteurization chemicals like propylene oxide, which is used to manufacture plastic; it was also used as racing fuel, banned for safety reasons and considered highly carcinogenic like it’s many partner pasteurizing chemicals.
Organic almond orchards aren’t grown as densely as conventional almond orchards so they get more sunlight/nutrients. They also have more biodiversity on the floor which decreases pathogenic bacteria and increases good beneficial bacteria unlike conventional almonds grown in monoculture environments. Not to mention the studies that show frequent consumption of the chemicals used on conventional almonds are linked to a very high increased risk of various cancers.
For these reasons, organic almonds are always considered safer and more nutrient dense. Not all nuts have to be organic but buy almonds organic as often as you can.
here’s some perspective:
we have very soft water where i live. it’s the second best water ive ever lived with. very soft. so i will likely never filter or distill what i use for any recipe. but as for organic over non-organic, im not a chemist but i dont know of a genuine difference. ill probably attract some flack from this from purists, but.. we breathe exhaust fumes and inhale each others’ breath every day. we are not the epitome of healthy. i use almond milk with my post oats cereal. im sure there are a lot of impurities in every cereal or other product like that in any store we shop. most things are not all-the-way healthy. youre not making a culminate change in your life by choosing organic over “non-organic” raw almonds. it’s a life choice, mostly.; however, most of the time there is going to be a taste factor that should be appraised. it depends on what you use the almond milk for. i use it in my coffee and with my cereal. the ever slight difference in taste of the flavor of the almond milk is subsidiary and doesnt much matter because it changes when paired. the main flavor is from the coffee or the oats. but if you drink it straight, like have a glass of milk every morning, then i would likely choose the completely organic almonds. that’s just my point of view.
Is boiled water just as good as filtered water?
I feel you. At current almond prices, $6.99 a pound, a gallon of almond milk made this way cost $12! I have two kids and we drink two gallons a week. Nope.
Andrea, I love making my own almond milk. We make ours the same way. YUMMMMM! Another fun thing to try sometime is to sub your almonds for equal amounts of dried coconut. It’s so much cheaper and easier than buying and processing coconut. The nice perk with this is you get a bit of coconut oil out during the straining process. I use it to moisturize my hands and lips.
Love your blog. We have so much in common. I am a critical care nurse who’s become disenchanted with Western medicine and is trying to be a little homesteader. VERY popular here in the midwest ( note sarcasm) 🙂 Love your stuff! Keep it up. You are such an inspiration.
Thank you Jaime 🙂 I love meeting people on the same path! And I really love your idea with the coconut…brilliant and I bet it’s super yummy!
When you discard the soaking water, can it be used to water plants? We’re in a drought here, and I try to conserve every drop if possible!
This is awesome Jessica! Today when I made another batch I gave the water to my herbs…thank you 🙂
Hi Jessica,
No, unfortunately you need to chuck out this soaking water and never use it on plants, as the almonds (when soaked) release a growth inhibitor enzyme (which is why soaking them first aids digestion).
Cheers 🙂
So, pour it on your weeds then, maybe? 🙂
LOL – define “weed” is what popped into MY mind. We are beginning to harvest purslane, chickweed, poke, lambs quarters, dandelion, henbit, wild onions, redbud & plantain on our place right now. Ive really begun wondering what IS a weed? I just dump the almond rinse water down the drain. I suppose that might not be good for the septic, but its not routine thing at all.
Im feeling kind of spoiled here. I have 5lbs of organic almonds pre-soaked and in my dehydrator right now. Will store them tomorrow. Some are going to make milk, some to make Garlic Rosemary & Chilli Almonds http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2010/06/garlic-rosemary-and-chilli-almonds.html Some wil be candied and stored away too. Variety is the spice of life.
….and I LOVE the idea of dehydrating the pulp for crusty coatings in other recipes.
I love Almond Milk too. I have never made it before, but I am willing to try. I did make some homemade soy milk before though. Yummy! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
That looks super easy and I love my Vitamix, too!!!!
I use my poor Vitamix for everything! I’m so thankful for it 🙂
What do you mean by pure filtered water ? Thanks
Hi Peggy! I use water that comes from a Berkey water filter…our water here in Phoenix is horrible and very “hard.” But if tap water is what you have, of course use it 🙂
Been making it for awhile now, and nothing compares. I remove the skins and I don’t remove the pulp. I like mine a little creamier. There’s nothing better than sprouted buckwheat, blueberries, a dash of maple syrup and fresh, homemade almond milk!
Thank you so very much for posting this! I’ve often wondered how I could make this at home. I absolutely LOVE almond milk and now I will be so happy to try homemade almond milk! Thank you again.
Could you dehydrate the pulp and it be almond meal to use in replacement of flour in gluten free items? Thanks for the info.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!!!!
I am so excited to try this and I was wondering if anyone knew what the cost differences were between buying and making your own almond milk. Both my toddlers drink it and I am buying it constantly so I would like if I could make it myself. Also do you think my regular ol’ blender can manage to make the milk or will I burn up the motor leaving it on for 1-2 minutes? Oh and how would I do a coconut version of this? That sounds awesome!! Andrea I love your blog so much and you have been inspiring me daily to be more conscious of the way I live and for that I am so grateful!!
Cynthia, I don’t remember the cost comparison exactly – Googled it – looks like almonds are 3 1/3 cups to the pound. Almonds where I live are 6.99 a pound (3.99 on sale) so that comes to about $1-2 per quart of almond milk. Also, soaking the almonds softens them – my blender has no trouble making the milk. Hope this helps!
Thanks for posting that. That is definitely not the frugal option considering Silk Almond Milk costs $3 per 2 quarts on the West Coast. After you add up the cost of the cheese cloth, depreciation costs of the blender, and the time it takes to make this stuff, this homemade stuff costs WAY more than store bought. Even if I bought local California almonds in bulk, $4.18 / lb, it would still cost roughly $3 for 2 quarts when you include the costs of the cheese cloth, etc… I think I’ll stick to Silk Almond Milk. Besides, the ingredients in Silk Almond Milk are completely fine and healthy. There is nothing controversial in it like carrageenan.
Last time I checked, Silk does have carrageenan in it.
Silk not only has Carrageenan in it. But they also fought against our right to know, what is in our food. (proposition 37)
I’m looking at a 1/2 gallon of Silk Almond Milk right now and there is NO carageenan in it whatsoever. I love the stuff but will start making my own organic almond milk. Silk is not organic, unfortunately.
Here in Vancouver Silk ‘True Almond Unsweetened Original’ has no carageenan and is ‘Non-GMO verified’. DrinkSilk.ca 866-233-5410
At Superstore a box of 6x1liter boxes was $7.50 CAD
The ingredients do not label the almonds used in their ‘natural almond base’ as being organic.
My gut feeling is that the best reason to make your own would be to use organic almonds not for an economic savings.
Anybody else using the above product regularly have any experience with both strategies to help clear the air?
I don’t know about all that but I do know that Silk and other pre-packaged almond milk gives me heartburn and homemade does not.
If you don’t strain your almond milk (or if you consume the almond meal in some other way), the price comparison to commercial almond milk puts homemade way ahead. You can find the details on my blog here: http://joyofblending.com/if-your-blender-has-the-power-use-it/
but the upshot is that a half gallon of commercial almond milk has the nutritional content of less than 1/8 of a lb of almonds in it. So if you buy commercial almond milk at $3/half gallon, you are effectively paying over $24/lb for almonds! You can buy almonds for $4-$5/lb, so that’s some serious savings!
I make almond milk with my vitamix, without soaking, and without straining. Just pure water, almonds, and a little stevia.
…but you do have cane sugar or some other form of added ‘ose (fructose, sucrose, etc.), which is a major concern to many people. I checked every brand of almond milk in my local Vons yesterday and all of them, including the boxed versions on the shelves and not in the dairy case, contained some form of sugar, by the way, that also included those labeled ‘organic’ . Personally, I’d much rather control the amount of sugar I consume by making my own almond milk than leave it to the manufacturer. Sugar is a slow death and it’s in everything processed…including foods where there is no need to add it.
If you check class action lawsuits website you will find that blue diamond silk almond milk has a lawsuit against it for having only 2% almond in it and does have carrageenan and other good things in it.
Hi! I love almond milk, and was excited to try this, but my milk tasted very watery. Like almond flavored water. Not sure what I did wrong, but I didn’t use organic almonds, maybe that’s it? I don’t know. Anyway, I saved the almond meal and added 1/2 cup to my bread recipe, (didn’t change anything else), and it is possible the MOST DELICIOUS loaf of bread I have ever made. It doesn’t taste nutty or almondy, it just tastes BETTER than plain bread. I plan to add the rest to my granola the next time I make it.
@Jeannine: Mine always comes out watery too. I make cookies with the mash, I’ll have to try adding it to bread. Does anyone know of a way to make it thicker, like the consistency of regular milk? If so, please share. 🙂
I got it a little thicker. I used 1 cup soaked almonds and removed the skins (pour boiling water over them and let them sit 3 minutes, then pinch and they shoot right out of their skins). I used 2.5 to 3 cups of water instead of 4. I added 10 dates and 2 glops of vanilla extract. I let my high speed blender go for a full 2 minutes.
It finally hit me: Why am I beating myself up for forgetting to pick up some silk milk at the store yesterday? I’ve got raw, unpasteurized almonds in my freezer. What am I waiting for? Well now I’m waiting for them to soak. But I love homemade almond milk, especially because I don’t put in all the ingredients listed on commercially prepared nut milks. Pure, clean almond milk! I can’t wait. It’s been awhile since I’ve made it and I couldn’t remember the proportions. I don’t add sweetener, but I do add a vanilla bean. Pure and Simple. That’s the way we like it. Thanks so much for the quick refresher! 🙂
OMG! I am looking to get me some almonds NOW! I like the coating ideal as well as a scrub. You wouldn’t happen to have those recipes too? 😀
LOVED this recipe!! Made it this morning and now this evening it’s nice and cold and PERFECT with my pumpkin cookies that just came out of the oven!! I have a question, and I’m sure it’s a repeat, so I apologize right now, what can I do with the pulp? I kept it in the ‘fridge, and am thinking about adding it to muffins and to pancakes this weekend. Any other suggestions??
So I have an almond milk addicted 2 year old and we did find that making it ourselves may not be as cost effective as buying it in a carton at the store but I had to try it anyways since we are on a serious homemade kick. (Even my husband has apple cider brewing in our closet lol!) My almond milk was fairly watery tasting though. The instructions were fairly easy and I don’t feel like I missed anything. TBH, I used a flour sack as it’s just what I had and it seems like finding cheese cloth was harder than I suspected and I wanted to wait to order a milk bag if I thought this was something to continue. Could that have been it? Could it have been that I didn’t process the nuts enough? I apologize, I’m a total boob when it comes to homemaking stuff and I’m trying! Or was this all normal? It certainly doesn’t taste bad, just very watery but still a good color.
im from ireland and dont know what a nut milk bag or a layered cheese cloth is ? could someone explain what they are exactly? and if u dont have either could u do without them or is there an alternative way? 🙂
Cheese cloth is a super-thin, inexpensive woven fabric available in larger grocery stores. It is used for straining things that need to be squeezed (as in this recipe). It comes in a packet about 6 by 9 inches, usually one or two pieces folded together. It is so thin that if you take a packet and unfold it all to one layer, it might cover a big dinigpng room table. You can hold one layer up and see how thin and loose the weave is. Almost like superfine lace, although of course it is just a simple crossweave. Thus liquid flows through it very well. You can strain stuff through it and squeeze the ball with your hands. That is when you need multiple layers, because one layer isn’t strong enough to survive a squeezing and might also be a little too porous. Not sure why it is called cheesecloth but suspect it has a use in making cheese. Perhaps straining is involved. Surely they must have this product in Ireland, or something much like it? If not, get the thinnest, loosest muslin you can find.
Cheese cloth is used in cheese making to strain the curds from the whey. We’ve used it making jellies.
Great recipe! I love your optional add-ins
how would i make almond butter from the spent pulp?
Thank you so much for posting this! Can’t wait to try it!
I just made my first batch and have a question. Is there anyway to make it thicker? Thanks
To strain it you could also use french coffee press – you know the one with a lid, with a strainer – this is what I use for coconut milk as well – works great!
Yum yum! Thank you for teaxhing me to make my very first almond milk! Some thoughts…
The color was not much different with the skins on versus off, but the flavor was more almond-y for sure!
Rather than cheesecloth (which I found to be too porous and my milk was gritty, even with multiple layers), I recommend a jelly-straining bag, which is easier to use and clean, and can be re-used forever!
Thanks for posting about the jelly-straining bag. I was wondering if I could use that instead of cheesecloth. I’m so glad I read through the comments.
I buy almonds in bulk as I eat about an ounce a day. I was looking for milk alternatives as my daughter is lactose intolerant and was thrilled to see that I will have an almond meal by product since we are also a gluten-intolerant household. Homemade almond milk is a great idea for us.
Cansomeone be kind enough to describe a jelly-straining bag and where can I get it to buy?
I’ve never actually had almond milk before, but I LOVE almonds, so I am sure the milk from them is very good. I can across a recipe that calls for almond milk and where I live they don’t sell it at the stores, so if I want any I have to make it. I am definitely going to try this! Thanks!!
Soaking for a couple or three days made a huge difference in the flavor and the leftover pulp was very smooth
Can you dry the pulp in a dehydrator and then blend to powder and use as a flour substitute?
Would anybody be able to explain to me why almonds will keep for months in the fridge, but when you blend them up with water all of a sudden its only good for a couple days?? im so confused about how that works!!
A few things are happening when you make almond milk, all of which make it easier for microbes (microbes = bacteria and/or fungi) to grow:
1) adding water (microbes need water to grow)
2) increasing surface area of the almonds by breaking them up into tiny bits (makes it easier for the microbes to access them)
3) introducing small amounts of microbes (commercial almonds are sterilized, which means that any microbes on the almonds are killed; as soon as the nuts touch anything that is not sterile–which is basically anything in your kitchen that hasn’t just been boiled–they are no longer sterile)
Hi my son and I make our own almond milk but you know the water you let your almonds soak in is very very good for your house hold plants as well as any out door plants so you dont even have to waste that. also the left over almonds you can place in the oven on the lowest setting for about 3 hours to dry and you have your own almond meal and we use this for all kinds of baking very good 🙂 so you have no waste from this whole process
Well, I priced the almonds at naturalzing.com. ($14 for a pound!) I’ll keep buying Silk Almond Milk. I have noticed that once you figure in equipment, shipping, etc… you are not saving money ordering in bulk and cooking out of super pails. For instance today I’d pay $1.56 per pound for organic hard red wheat with shipping and I’d have to order a 45 pound pail to get that price. I can hop over to kingauthorflour and get ten pounds of already ground organic whole wheat flour for $1.61 a pound. (Yes they are doing .12 shipping on orders over $12!) No bucket but I won’t need a bucket or a grain mill. The idea of grinding your own grain, making your own milks and yogurts etc sounds so nice, wouldn’t bulk buying be grand? For some reason it is not as affordable as it should be. That’s capitalism for you, charge whatever people are willing to pay. If not many are willing to pay it, you can make ends meet by charging the customers you have even more. The organic market is usually out of my price range all together. I can afford Silk, its a decent product, I don’t need to be baking cookies and bread with leftover almond pulp, I’m watching the carbs.
Try buying in bulk on Amazon. You can get raw almonds for about $4.50 a pound. And if you are watching your carbs you are much better of using almond flour or meal to bake with. Just dehydrate the pulp in your oven for a few hours on a low heat and use it in place of flour. Tons of low carb/ gluten free/ paleo recipes available for baked goods from cookies to breads using almond meal instead of flour. I’m on a budget too. If you make the milk yourself then use the pulp to replace the flour you would buy in addition it actually ends up being economical. It’s slightly more expensive than buying but better for you and ends up being less $ when you consider the almond flour you get out of the left overs.
my son can’t tolerate milk at all, so we have switched to almond milk (i think it’s a healthier option for everyone in the fam anyway.) i’m thinking about making my own milk and came across your great tutorial. thanks! was wondering, tho, with the store bought stuff, they supplement calcium. is there a healthy way to add calcium to this? or another way we can get calcium in his diet? i suppose we could just use pills.
I just take a hand full of almonds (I don’t soak them), throw them in the blender, grind them up,pour in some water. I don’t strain the almonds, if too thick add more water. Another thing you can do is roast some of the almonds and that will give it a nut like flavor. Splash some vanilla or different flavor. Cinnamon is good. your “milk” is a little chewy but good.
Another thing I do is to add anything that sounds good as a sweetener, fruit, dates, . Should you use fruit taste and make sure it is sweet! then freeze it into popsicles or ice cubes and put into a glass of almond milk. Big thing is, if you combine things you like, you will like what you make!
Nik,
According to Susun Weed (herbalist & author), “Studies have been done that prove ‘Calcium supplements increase bacterial adherence in the bladder & urinary tract, increasing the likelihood of infections and cystitis.’ ‘Kidney stones have been precipitated in those who took large daily doses of calcium supplements and drank too little water.'”
Yogurt (preferably with live active culture & no sugar added) is an excellent source of calcium, and generally well tolerated by those who are lactose-intolerant. Susun Weed says, “The health benefits of live-culture yogurt (made from organic milk if possible) are amazing. Regular ingestion improves digestion of calcium from all sources, helps prevent cancer & strengthens immune system functioning. Yogurt eases the nerves, too.”
Also, unsulphered molasses is high in calcium, and there are many foods that have a lot of calcium, mostly dark green, leafy veggies like kale, spinach, seaweeds, stinging nettle, garden sage, amaranth greens, chickweed, etc.
Hope this helps! Sorry I *just now* ran across it! =-)
-Wendy
Hi I am new to this and I read another web site on Flax milk and they used A new pantyhose to strain the Flax this would work for almonds to and cheaper than a nut bag they said. They cut each leg to two foot and strained it two times then wash them to reuse so saves money what do you think
Personally I would just use flour sacking or genuine cheesecloth or a cotton hankerchief. (Personally I use flour sacking cloth). Yes, more expensive, but also much more durable, and of course reusable.
As I learned at the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico, I will share what I learned:
It it best to use non-pasturized almonds, so when you soak(sprout) them, you are getting all the live active components of the seed in your body. But of course you can use pasturized ones as well. You really should peel the skins off the almonds, because of the enzyme inhibitors in the skins (really shouldn’t ingest them), AND because the skins contain TANNINS that are really not good to ingest. It is not a big deal to peel them, and I usually don’t have to blanch them to remove the skins, just soak for 24 hours and they should pop off. If they are tough, then blanch for only about 10 seconds, then rinse in cold water.
Do not strain the almond milk if you can help it (if you used peeled almonds). The fiber is like a natural thickener in the milk and it it is good for you. There is about 300 mgs of Calcium per 3 ounces of almond milk(if you use 1c almonds 2c water), so no need to add calcium. The body only really needs about 350 mgs of calcium per day if you are getting the 4,000 units of vitamin D-3 you should get per day. (you need that much to absorb the calcium). You can also make other nut milks, sesame(high in calcium), walnut, pumpkin(high in zinc) and mix them for variety. You need to strain the sesame pulp out though, because it is high in oxalic acid. Sesame milk is super yummy.
As far as cost, I would rather spend a bit more and put the effort into making a healthy drink, than buy that junk they call almond milk from the store. In the end, my health care costs would be lower because I am healthier for doing it this way. I cannot believe all the junk they are adding to the commercial stuff now, and who really knows what they are doing to those almonds? They could be exposed to chemicals in the process. I doubt they are using blenders to mush them up.
I use 1/2 cup of almonds, peeled, to 2 cups of water, add a big teaspoon of coconut oil, and also add a teaspoon or two of Coconut Cream Concentrate from Tropical Traditions. It is plenty flavorful and “milky”. After all, cows milk isn’t thick, is it? But there is some fat in it, and that’s why I like the coconut oil. It makes a big difference and it is very good for you.
Hi Mary i was really excited to read your comment and how you learned about making Almond milk ectat Ann Wigmore. Could you email me the how i can make the sesame seed milk. I have unhulled organic sesame seeds um do you need to take off the husk to or is it ok to leave on? I so look forward to hearing from you Cheers Jan [email protected]
Another great use for the leftover almond pulp…make marzipan!
Hi Shari,
Do you have a recipe for marzipan using almond meal?
Hello! I’m wanting to start making my own almond milk seeing that buying it from the store is very costly and not only that, but I’m trying to cut back on throwing things away (i.e the packaging it comes in) so i’ll be investing in some glass milk bottles. Anyways, my question for you is, If I’m wanting to make a gallon of almond milk what ratio’s of almonds and water should I use? Do I double the recipe?
And I love the idea of using the pulp as a face/body scrub!
Just made my first batch. Added a little bit of honey as a sweetener.
I’ve never had shop bought almond milk, so this was a complete stab in the dark for me. Tastes good though. very light.
Oh next time I will use honey that sounds amazing! 🙂
I made this recipe and soaked the almonds in a glass bowl sitting on my counter, changing the water once a day for 2 days.
When I made it into milk in my vitamix, it was almost sour bitter tasting and I couldn’t drink it. It tastes awful. Even with sweetener added.
What went wrong? I love almond milk. I usually buy 365 organic unsweetened from Whold Foods.
Thank you
The instructions say to soak in the refrigerator. I wonder if being on the counter made the almonds go rancid. They could also have been rancid before then. Smell them first. If they smell like paint thinner, their rancid.
I don’t get it. I HATE store bought almond milk. It just doesn’t taste right. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE homemade almond milk. I’m thinking of switching off soy to drink this!
Do you have to use whole almonds or can you use slivered? I have alot of these in my freezer and would like to use them up. Any input would be appreciated.
For everyone commenting that store bought is cheaper than the homemade, I think you are missing the point maybe. The reason I am considering making it is bc my 2.5 year old still drinks milk 4 times a day so I try to mix almond milk in to reduce her cow’s milk intake. Every almond milk I have found available to buy all have added synthetic “vitamins” aka chemicals added to it which I do not want & really do us no good but can do us harm actually. Do some research. No one knew calcium supplements could cause heart issues until a major study came out about it. No thanks, I want pure food w/out “fortifed” additives, and whoever said organic is no different based on a taste test, does not understand what oranic means at all, it has nothing to do w/taste & everything to do w/not having chemicals etc. used on it.
PS a list of ingredients in an organic almond milk: Ingredients: organic almond milk, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt,potassium citrate, Gellan gum, sunflower lecithin, Santayana gum, vitamin A palmitate, ergo calciferol (vitamin D2), DL-Alpha tocopherolacetate (vitamin E).
Seriously?!?! DO you even know what half of those are? I know I don’t, so we prob. shouldn’t be consuming them!
Hi, how much in metric (ml/l) is a cup?
Or does it not matter? Perhaps it’s just the proportions that are important.
Thanks!
My almond milk separates in the fridge… is this normal?
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is so easy and yummy too! I added the vanilla extract and it was wonderful! 🙂 I only soaked over night but next time I will try soaking even longer. Thank you so much for posting!
Hi, just made my first batch. I added vanilla, cinnamon and palm sugar. It turned out great. Also, I was able to work the left over almond meal into treats with honey, egg whites, and cinnamon. Thank you very much. Ang
I’m disinclined to try making almond butter out of this, because I suspect that the leftover meal will be useless after having been soaked and most of its nutrients (and oils?) going into the liquid. But I’d like to keep it for recipes, as you mention. Do you know whether the meal will freeze well in the freezer?
For that matter, do you think the same method could be used to make pecan milk? I have a fair amount of pecans on hand. I’ve already made some yummy delicious pecan butter.
Did you soak your almonds or just throw them in and go? Did it wrong the first time, didn’t add enough water – trying it again. I didn’t like the cheesecloth, so I found a lingerie bag — was a little large, but very easy to work with and easy to clean. AND bonus $1.25… hehe
Hello – I Made my first two batches today – so easy and very yummy. Thank you for posting this and making it so simple 🙂 No more store bought almond milk for me !!!
Do you find it more economical to make your almond milk? Almond milk costs me about $3.50/0.5gal. Not sure how much a cup of almonds would be.
Blue Diamond almond milk costs $3.60/ 89oz . Whole unskinned almonds cost $4/lb at the same store. I just made slightly more than a gallon with a 3lb bag. I make my own almond milk, not because of the cost, but because of the stuff in the box is dead due to pasteurization. I like my food alive…..except the animals, hehe.
O M G ! The brownie recipe is to die for. You’re the Best !
I just bought some raw almonds in bulk and soaked and dehydrated them so they will keep longer and be ready to use. Can I use the dehydrated Almond to make the milk or do I have to resoak to make softer?
There is so much to do with home made almond milk. Sour cream ice cream baking with it when it goes bad making cheese in your tea/coffee. Taking the pulp for baking raw or cooked. Feeding the hulls and pulp to your worms if you have a worm farm or compositing…….. It’s just great and so yummy to/for you !
Thanks for all the good tips and recipes…I love almond milk, but the commercial stuff has carageenan, which is not very good for you, as well as whatever else they may add. And most is not organic.
I was wondering. Can you use the meal to make marzipan?
Thanks for your recipe and great photos. I’ve started making it because I don’t like the fact that carrageenan is added to most commercial almond milks, and is a suspect additive at the very least. My only difference is that I add six cups of water (or as much as will fill a No 36 Fowlers jar), and don’t find it too watered-down. I tried the remaining meal once in home-made beef rissoles but the result was a definite thumbs-down from family. I now feed it to the chooks! Most of the good nutrients are probably extracted from it already, e.g. the oil, and what remains is mostly the fibre. It is very tasteless as it is. The almond milk thus made, though, is absolutely delicious, and far superior to any commercial product.
trader joe’s makes a good almond milk but i’m excited to start making my own now with my new toy..vitamix. thanks for all the inspiration!
Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be trying this soon!
I would really like to make this from scratch, especially after learning about carrageenan found in most almond milks. However, I’m concerned about the constant need for creating the milk if it only lasts for 3 days. Have you ever tried freezing the milk or anything? Also, I’d love to know your thoughts on the price comparison of buying almond milk in the store versus making it at home.
I use 1 & 1/3 cups (dry measure) almonds, 8 cups water, 4 small dates or two of the large Medjool dates, and a pinch of salt (makes 1/2 gallon) I started making it with much less water and it was thicker than store bought almond milk and more expensive oz. for oz. as well. By upping the water and getting my almonds for $6.50 lb., My almond milk is no more expensive than store bought…and it soooo much fresher and healthier and does not at all taste (or feel) watered down compared to store bought.
Notes:
1. Personally I wouldn’t dream of removing the hulls….Waste of time in my opinion.
2. I bought a nut milk bag and I’m glad I did. Yes you can use other materials but these are ideal. You do have to squeeze away from the seams and gently unless you want to waste a lot of money on replacement bags though.
3. I find that there’s absolutely no flavor in the pulp. I have a feeling most of the nutrition has been milked out as well and it’s probably 90% fiber. I’m now wondering if I can add it to my worm bin…Does anyone know for sure about this? I wouldn’t want to make them sick.
I just made my first batch of almond milk!! Yay me!!! 🙂
I had read that the skins make the almond milk bitter, so I blanched the almonds by plunging them into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute after soaking them for 48 hrs. I poured the hot almonds into a colander and immediately ran cold water over them. They shot out of their skins when I pinched them. I had read that the skins make the almond milk bitter, I fed the skins to our chickens, so 100% of the nut went to use!!!
I didn’t want to strain any of the almond goodness out of the finished product, so I ran the Vitamix for several minutes on all 3 speeds until I didn’t see definable almond pieces splashing up onto the clear plastic cover. By then the milk was white and looked like Vit. D milk…..no watery looks here!! (As an aside I can attest to the value of a Vitamix. They are workhorses!!)
Because I use almond milk in smoothies, hot cereal, etc. I chose not to sweeten or flavor mine. It made the most wonderful, creamy, dreamy oatmeal this morning! No more of that store-bought watery almond milk for our family!!! Thank you for giving me the info to make my own!!
Can anyone provide the nutritional value of of almond milk? I just used 2 cups of almonds and 4(?) cups of water, flavored w/ honey, splenda, and vanilla. This yielded about 35 thick oz. and taste awesome! I added another 20 to get the consistency I like. Anyway my Vita mix leaves very little pulp (didn’t even need the cheesecloth) so I’m concerned about the fat content. 55 oz out of 2 cups of almonds?, I could easily drink a cups worth a day which of course is way too much of the stuff.
I have a question. Do you have to sweeten the Almond milk to drink it?
I have a Granddaughter who can’t drink Cows Milk right now but she can drink Almond Milk.
Buying a quart of Almond milk is expensive in the store and can go to waste when she doesn’t visit us.
So I would like to know if it is drinkable with out the sweet taste (sugar, honey, maple syrup)
I make it with nothing but almonds and water and love it. Of course sugar makes everything taste better but it’s not at all necessary in my opinion. Cows milk isn’t sweetened and we drink it that way..It’s no different with almond milk.
what about just grinding the almonds dry to powder and mixing with any flavour. just so. no soaking and
drinking it just so