I started making homemade almond milk in the late 1990’s. It’s creamy and delicious and so much better than store bought. Almond milk is wonderful because it’s a natural, dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk. The boys drink my homemade almond milk by the glassful, while I enjoy it in my Dandelion Coffee. It’s also great in smoothies. If you’ve been wondering how to make almond milk you’ll love my easy almond milk recipe, as well as all the amazing uses I have for the leftover almond pulp.
The hands-on time for this almond milk recipe is around 10 minutes. First though, you’ll need to soak the almonds overnight to soften them. Soaking the almonds makes the milk super creamy. Soaking also makes the almonds easier to digest because their phytic acid is released into the soaking water. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient that impairs digestion and steals minerals from the body. That’s why we throw away the soaking water and blend the almonds up with fresh water to make the almond milk.
After blending the almonds with fresh water, you’ll separate the liquid, i.e., the milk from the pulp. That will be a cinch if you use a nut milk bag. I’ve linked to it in the recipe for you. In the old days I used cheese cloth and that was a bit messy because the almond pulp squirted out of it. You won’t have that problem if you use a nut milk bag. If you have children don’t say the words “nut milk bag” in front of them, or they’ll laugh at you!
Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds
- 4 cups water
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Soak almonds and vanilla bean overnight in several cups water
- Discard soaking water and rinse almonds in a deep bowl of water, repeat until water is clear
- Place soaked almonds, vanilla bean, and 4 cups water in vitamix
- Blend on high speed for 90 seconds
- Strain milk through a nut milk bag, save pulp to make Wheat Thins
- Serve
This almond milk recipe has an incredibly sweet flavor when you use vanilla bean. You can make this recipe with vanilla extract instead. If you do that, add the vanilla extract to the strained milk after you soak, blend, and separate it from the pulp. You can also add honey or maple syrup to it if you want a sweeter milk. Store your homemade almond milk in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Don’t worry about wasting the leftover pulp from your homemade almond milk. I’ve created healthy recipes for you that use leftover almond pulp, so that you don’t have to throw it away. These almond pulp recipes do not require you to dehydrate the almond pulp prior to using it, and each of them are made with only 5 ingredients. Yes, they’re that simple!
michelle says
hi elana,
i went onto the organic vanilla bean website that you posted and i was wondering if you use the tahitian vanilla beans or the bourbon? do you find much of a difference in using them to make almond milk? thanks so much.
michelle
elana says
Hi Michelle, the link above is to Tahitian vanilla beans, though I can’t see why something else wouldn’t work.
Alexandra Nel says
dear Elana, I am a novice- for making almond milk, would I use almonds with skin or peeled almonds [after soaking]? I do not have a blender, but a Braun fruit and vegetable mixer. Must I buy a blender to do this or could I put the Braun mixer in the bowl of almonds, vanilla bean and water?
It is for my son who has a sensitive stomach and digestion- Apart from gluten-free could almond flour suit a child with sensitive digestion or might it be too rich?
Sincerely,
Alexandra
Elana says
Alexandra, I use regular almonds in this recipe, I haven’t tried making this recipe in a vegetable mixer so not sure if that would work. I’ve been cooking with almond flour since my boys were aged 2 and 3 (they’re now 16 and 18!) and it worked very well for them :-)
CRYSTAL says
Do you know how many calories and how much fat is in homemade almond milk? I am wondering if it is the same as the stuff from the store. I assume that all that fat from the nut goes into the milk which is a whooping 40 grams at least. Thanks
Elana says
Crystal, for more on that please go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/nutrition-information/
Have a great day!
Elana
Bev Kroeker says
I just made this milk and it is so good. I don’t even use the vanilla bean just some vanilla and a drop of natural almond flavouring. I got the idea from another site to blend with dates to sweeten it and I think that was really good as well.
I am going to try to work the left over pulp into veggie burgers. If I come up with something that works well I will post it. I also wonder if it would be better to start with blanched almonds so you didn’t have as much pulp to begin with.
Sara says
Hi Elana and everyone else interested…
Wanted to share that I too make my own almond milk in a similar fashion but seeing that I hate to see food go to waste, I have learned to turn the strained almond mush into a delicious power bar afterward. I use the mush and mix in whatever I have on hand (this past batch included goji berries, raisins, dried mango, pecans, unsweetened cocoa powder and agave). I do not have real measurements, instead just eye how much of each ingredient I would like to have (taste tasting along the way!). The mixture then gets packed real tightly in a greased 9x5in baking dish and baked at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Let cool and then cut into bars. Sometimes they can be crumbly, which is not a big deal for me, but let me know if you try this and do come up with something. I was thinking mushed banana as a possibility to try on the next batch!
Enjoy
Julianne says
I need to come up with a non-dairy “instant” milk powder that my son’s camping group can take on long hiking/camping trips. Will very finely ground almond flour work as an instant nut milk on camping trips?
Laurie Ann says
Julianne… (or anyone else) did you ever come up with a powdered Almond Milk for the camping trips. I am interested in this too. Please let me know.
Kristin says
You can make almond milk on a trip this way. Put a good size scoop of almond butter in a quart jar, add vanilla and stevia if you want, and add water. Cap the jar and shake it up well. At home I do this in the blender when I am in a pinch for almond milk. You can get powdered coconut milk for trips too.
HTH
rosemary says
KRISTIN,
WHAT RECIPIE DO YOU USE TO MAKE ALMOND MILK WITH ALMOND BUTTER?
Sigrid says
Hi Elana,
I just discovered and am enjoying your website and all the recipes (especially since I recently started converting my family to SCD).
I have just made almond milk for the first time using this recipe, and I’m impressed! Being of a frugal nature, I am wondering: have you ever tried to do anything with the almond/vanilla pulp that is left over after you’ve squeezed out the milk? Is it good for, say, baking into almond cookies like you would with almond flour? Or is all the good stuff squeezed out of it?
Thanks,
— Sigrid
joey says
I am doing a 21 day, gluten, sugar, caffeine free cleanse starting Sept 2, 2008.
I just want to make sure almond milk is gluten free. please advise best wishes, Joey
Elana says
Yes it is :-)
Halima says
I am addicted to the milk recipes you have here (almond and cashew). Thank you!
Ruth says
Questions:
Do you throw the vanilla bean in with the almonds when you grind? Or do you re-use the vanilla bean? As vanilla beans seem to run $2.50+ each, do you really use one vanilla bean per 5-6 cups of almond milk?
Thanks!!
I’ve been recently diagnosed with severe allergies to soy and dairy. This recipe has been a Godsend. Thank you!!
Elana says
Ruth, I use the whole vanilla bean :-)