While I won’t give up on dairy, I love all those cheeses too much! I do like to go a tad lighter on milk sometimes. Almond milk is my favourite in the nut milk section. So I thought I’d make my own homemade almond milk. It really is so easy to do and tastes great too. Did I mention it’s healthy? Well, it is. Ticking all those January boxes here…..
Why make your own nut milks
- It’s healthy – Nut milk is actually better for us than dairy. we always think that milk is the healthiest drink there is but actually us humans are the only mammals who drink the stuff after weaning.
- Making almond milk, or any nut milk is super easy and doesn’t require any fancy equipment.
- Almond milk is less fattening than standard dairy and has all the benefit of the almonds themselves.
Digestion issues
A great many people have difficulties digesting milk due to the lactose it contains and this can cause all manner of digestive ailments from sinus problems to hmmm, erm shall we say more basic problems…..
Milk alternatives
I tried soya milk once and hated it so never really bothered to try any other milk substitute till last year. After trying out a few different milks I decided I liked almond milk best and proceeded to add it to my shopping basket on a regular basis.
Ingredients for homemade almond milk
This really is a cinch to make.
There are only really 2 ingredients here – nuts and water!
You want unsalted almonds (or other nuts) of course and try to get organic nuts f you can.
Some people like to add honey or maple syrup to sweeten their homemade almond milk. Personally, I find it sweet enough as it is and don’t bother with that.
Do you need fancy tools to make nut milks?
You can purchase a nut bag online or at any health food store. Basically this is just a fine nylon bag that you pour your nut mix into and it drips through.
You can achieve the same effect by using old-fashioned cheesecloth or muslin in a sieve.
The other requirements are a glass or jug to soak the nuts in overnight and a jolly good blender to whizz the whole lot up before straining out any nut bits.
Last year I invested in a Nutribullet to make my nut butters, smoothies etc, I have to say it is an absolute dream and whizzes up my almond milk in about 10 seconds flat.
Ingredients for homemade almond milk
- 1 cup almonds (unsalted and preferably organic)
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- Maple syrup or honey to sweeten (if required)
How to make homemade almond milk
Place the almonds in a jug or glass big enough to hold them comfortably with room to spare and cover with cold water.
Set aside for 8 hours, I just leave mine overnight on the kitchen table.
Pour off the water through a normal sieve and toss the almonds into your Nutribullet or blender adding 2 cups (double the quantity) of fresh water.
Blitz till you have a white milk like liquid with no nut pieces.
Strain through a nut milk bag or a double layer of muslin in a sieve. Press well to extract as much of the precious liquid as possible.
Your homemade almond milk is now ready to drink. If you would prefer something sweeter you can now stir in a little honey or maple syrup to taste.
How to store homemade almond milk
Store in the fridge in a sterilised bottle and shake well before using. It will keep for up to 4 days and just use it as you would any other milk.
Can you use the almond nut pulp?
Now don’t just throw out the nut pulp that you have leftover. You can dry this out in a very low oven and use it as you would almond meal in cooking.
Looking for more super easy larder basics to make at home? Then check these out before you go;
How to make your own homemade butter (and cultured butter)(+video!)
The easiest foolproof homemade mayonnaise
How to make your own Greek style yogurt
How to make your own yogurt(+video!)
This recipe for homemade almond milk is just one of my many store cupboard basics that I’ve brought together for you in 50 Homemade Pantry Staples round-up.
How To Make Homemade Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds unsalted and preferably organic
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Place the almonds in a glass or jug and cover with cold water.
- Leave for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the almonds through a sieve.
- Using a blender whizz up the almonds with 1 1/2 cups of water until no nut pieces apparent.
- Strain through a nut milk bag or double layer of muslin and press to get all the liquid.
- Sweeten to taste with the honey or maple syrup if you wish
I didn’t realise it was that simple. I’ll be making my own from now on. I already have a Nutribullet so this will be a doddle to make, thanks for the recipe.
I stopped drinking cows milk and have felt a hundred times healthier since, I’ve also stopped eating milk chocolate because I was finding I woke up the next day with a blocked nose whenever I did. The only thing I still seem to be okay with is a small amount of butter, cheese and yogurt.
Hi Sue
Yes, so amazingly easy to make and way cheaper (and better) than bought stuff. Pain in the ass all this allergy and intolerance stuff isn’t it.
All best
K x
Thank you for a super recipe! I don’t like the taste of soya milk, and the shop-bought varieties of almond milk are not very exciting either. I only add milk to coffee, as I do like my latte.
Hi Galina
I hate the taste of soya milk too. Hope you like this one.
K x
Thank you so much for the almond milk recipe. I grew up on a dairy farm and love all things dairy but do use almond milk sometimes. My husband has always made his own soy milk when he wants to drink it and I have wondered if making almond milk would be the same process and it is very similar except I think at some point he uses heat. We always have raw almonds in our house so I am going to try this.
My pleasure Judy, hope you enjoy it.
K x
I am lactose intolerant ans started using soy milk and found that I prefer ed 5 has over regarding milk because of the problems with it. Then one day I bought almond milk and never went back to soy..can the soy and 5he almond be mixed together? Just a thought. Because there both good for my lactose issue..
I guess you could mix the two together, you might find you get the perfect flavour for you that way. Glad you found the post of interest.
K x