Before I experimented with homemade almond milk, I'll admit it — making it myself seemed unnecessarily tedious. I was under the misconception that making nut milks at home was difficult, expensive, and simply not worth it. But boy, was I wrong. It is beyond worth it. And it's easy. And the result is heavenly. So don't be like me!! And make this now (please).
I used to switch back and forth between store-bought brands of almond milk. I would stand and stare at Almond Breeze, Silk, and Blue Diamond and try to remember which one I liked best—because none of them stood out for being exceptionally good. Which is sad, because I use almond milk for one reason or another almost every day.
Unless you count the fact that I tried strawberry almond milk, too.
And chocolate. Because I couldn't resist.
This milk has incredibly pure almond flavor that will make you want to drink the whole 2 cups the second it's been strained. It will keep for about 3-5 days in the refrigerator, so only make as much as you can drink in that time. If it begins to separate, just shake it! It's great for pouring into coffee, adding into smoothies, and eating with muesli, cereal, or oatmeal.
Homemade Almond Milk
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
- 2 cups water (plus more for soaking)
- optional: vanilla extract or honey, frozen strawberries, melted dark chocolate
Instructions
Place almonds in a medium-sized bowl. Pour in enough water to completely cover the almonds and let them soak overnight. (If you’re in a rush, use boiled water to help plump the almonds more quickly).
In the morning, your almonds should be almost doubled in size, lighter in color, and softer to the touch. Drain the almonds and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender (I used a single-serve smoothie blender and it worked just fine) with 2 cups water and blend until a smooth, cream-colored liquid forms, 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a cheesecloth placed over a fine mesh strainer (the strainer alone will leave you with too much pulp), strain the almond milk into a bowl or glass measuring cup. Store in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for 3-5 days. The leftover almond pulp can be added to baked goods (use it in place of a small portion of the flour), stirred into oatmeal, or toasted in the oven and sprinkled over fruit desserts.
If you prefer sweetened or flavored almond milk, blend the almonds with half a vanilla bean or add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract or honey to the finished product. For the strawberry almond milk, add a handful of frozen strawberries and a little more water to the blender. For the chocolate, add melted dark chocolate chips to the finished product.
Enjoy!
grace