Fast, Easy Almond Milk Recipe! (2024)

by Kathy Patalsky · updated: · published: · About 6 minutes to read this article. 1 Comment

Fast, Easy Almond Milk Recipe! (1)
Want to learn how to make creamy, amazing, totally delicious-tasting almond milk is a flash? Good! Today I share my easy method and even a super easy TWO-ingredient recipe with a secret ingredient. (Intrigued?)

For these recipes.. You DO need a high speed blender like a Vitamix. And some sort of fine mesh strainer OR a nut bag. But that is it! Seriously, go from raw almonds in a bag to creamy-tastic almond milk in under 45 minutes. Annnnd GO!…

Chocolate almond milk:
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Flavors (classic vanilla, cacao, sweet spirulina green, cinna coconut)
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The basics… Full recipe below.
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The best part about homemade almond milk: you can chug the bottle and not feel guilty that it is all gone. Because you can easily make more!

OK, so I love love love love love love homemade nut milks. Not only do they taste amazing, but they are perfect for adding to smoothies, drinking straight from the chilled glass bottle, pouring over top hot and cold cereal, using in baking and other recipes and you can even add your homemade nut milk to hot beverages like tea and lattes. I just had a black tea latte and NO the milk did not curdle! Yay.

What is the difference between my method and other methods? Well one thing really: THE SOAKING TIME.

Normally, raw nut milk recipes ask you to soak the raw nuts in salted water anywhere from 4-8 hours to overnight. And yes this is a great way to get soft, easily blendable nuts. But I have found that my method below really does work! So having fresh almond milk in a flash is totally possible…

The trick is to use very hot water to soak the almonds. This softens them quickly.

Secret Recipe: Coconut Almond Milk. The other day I tried something new and crazy. Instead of using water to make my almond milk, I used chilled natural coconut water! I was kinda shocked when it tasted amazing. The best part, it was pre-sweetened from the sweet coconut water flavor and bonus – it contained added nutrients from the coconut water like potassium, magnesium, manganese and more. So you can try either classic water-almond or crazy new coconut-almond. Both use the same method. And both can be flavored however you’d like.

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Nut Milk Bag: If you have one. Use it. They do make things a bit faster. But this method below is super if you do not have special tools like a nut milk bag, but do have a strainer.

By Kathy Patalsky Published 05/25/2013Fast, Easy Almond Milk Recipe! (11)
This rich and creamy almond milk is the most delicious dairy-free milk around! And you make it from scratch in just a few minutes! Soak almonds ahead of time.

Ingredients

  • 3-5 cups water (purified if needed)
  • 1 cup raw almonds (soaked overnight + drained)
  • Also:
  • sea salt
  • optional flavors: vanilla bean, cocoa powder, Medjool dates, sweeteners, cayenne, more!

Instructions

  1. Allow the almond to soak in a big mixing bowl filled with water overnight or for at least a few hours. Quick soak method: Add your 1 cup of almonds to a bowl and fill with about 3+ cups of HOT HOT HOT water. Enough to cover nuts generously. You could use boiling or simmering water, but I just use the hottest possible setting on my tap. Add in a dash of salt and swirl water. Let this sit for at least 20-30 minutes. I think one hour is a bit better, but I have even tested a 15-minute soak that does work.
  2. Drain the soaking water and rinse your soaked almonds with cool water. A few of the almond skins may pop off and that is a good sign that they have softened a bit.
  3. Add the soaked almonds and 3 ½ cups of fresh water to your Vitamix. Blend on low for a good three minutes. Finish blend by carefully blending (lid on) on medium or high for a minute or so to really thrash those almond bits and churn the milk.
  4. Strain with a nut milk bag. You can also use a mesh strainer and carefully pour and scrape the liquid through, but this takes a bit longer to manage.
  5. Pour the freshly strained/squeezed almond milk back in a clean, pulp-free blender. Add a pinch of sea salt and any additional flavors. Blend on low. Taste test and tweak flavors until you like the taste. I like a few Medjool dates, sea salt and the seeds from one vanilla bean blended in.
  6. Store the almond milk in sealed jars or jugs in the fridge. Almond milk will separate naturally in a few hours, so shake before serving. Consume within three days.

Yield: 4-5 cupsPrep Time: 01 hrs. 00 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins. Tags: almond milk, almonds, vegan,plant milk,easy,drink,beverage,howto,

Some flavor ideas…

Chocolate -> Add 1-3 tablespoon cacao powder + 1-3 tablespoon maple or agave syrup (or 2-3 pitted Medjool dates) + dash cinnamon and or cayenne + ⅛ teaspoon pink salt
Sweet Spirulina -> 1 tablespoon spirulina powder (I use Spirulina Pacofica!) + sweeten to taste with dates or maple/agave syrup + ⅛ teaspoon pink salt
Strawberry -> Add ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries! (this will slightly thicken your milk with fiber)
Classic Vanilla Bean -> scrape 1 vanilla bean (add seeds from pod) + sweeten to taste + ⅛ teaspoon salt

And if you want to try my Coconut Cinnamon flavor do this:
Instead of adding water when blending your soaked almonds, add chilled coconut water! This blends up sweet, creamy, coconut-infused almond milk. I add cinnamon too.

…And guess what, you can totally do this same method with almost any nut you’d like. Try walnut, cashew or even pistachio! (These nuts quick soak best)

Good luck and tweet me your finished homemade almond milk pics!!! @lunchboxbunch

PS. If you are like, wait, *8* steps??? SO not easy! Watch my VINE video and see that I showed this recipe in *six* seconds 🙂 Follow me on Vine too!

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Pulp pressing, to squeeze out all the “milk”
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Disclosure: I am a Vitamix affiliate and any links to their products are via my affiliate account.

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About Kathy Patalsky

Hey there! I'm Kathy, lover of kitty cats, weekend baking, 90's movies, travel, beach fog and foamy lattes. Since 2007, I have been sharing my vegan recipes and photos. My goal is to make your cooking life a little easier, delicious - and plant-loaded - while sharing some LIFE and conversation along the way.

Fast, Easy Almond Milk Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don t soak almonds before making almond milk? ›

Plan ahead: Raw nuts need to soak for at least 12 hours before blending. This saturates the nut from the inside-out, resulting in a smoother, creamier texture. It also yields more liquid, because fully saturated nuts blend better and leave less "pulp" behind.

Why can't you drink almond milk after 7 days? ›

Store-bought almond milk has preservatives. These make it last longer. In contrast, homemade almond milk lacks these added preservatives. Hence, it goes bad quickly, often within a week.

How to make almond milk without nut bag? ›

Strain using a nut milk bag or my favorite trick – a thin dish towel. Simply lay a clean dish towel over a mixing bowl, pour over the almond milk, carefully gather the corners, and lift up. Then squeeze until all of the liquid is extracted. Discard pulp, or save for adding to baked goods (especially crackers).

Is it cheaper to make your own almond milk? ›

The almonds made just under 700ml (23floz) of milk. The cheap almond milk costs about $4 (£3.15) for 32floz (950ml), the fancier stuff comes in at $7 (£5.51) for 28floz (829ml) so it's decidedly not cheaper to make your own.

Why is my homemade almond milk spoiling so fast? ›

The shelf life of almond milk depends on the type of almond milk and how well it is stored. Homemade almond milk or almond milk from a fresh local source doesn't contain any additives to preserve it, so it will only last about five days even if it is properly stored in the refrigerator.

Is oat milk better than almond? ›

Depends. If you're aiming to lose weight or are diabetic, almond milk with its lower sugar and calorie content might be right for you. On the other side, oat milk is high in fiber and nutrients, which boosts heart health and immunity, and helps muscle grow.

What happens if you drink almond milk after 10 days of opening? ›

It it's shelf-stable almond milk, which can be stored at room temperature until it's open, you have about seven to 10 days to drink it once open (as long as the open container is kept in the fridge). This timeframe is a guideline, however — the milk could still be totally fine to drink after those days have passed.

What are the side effects of drinking unsweetened almond milk? ›

11 Side Effects of Almond Milk
  • Allergies: If you have nut allergies, you might feel allergic to almond milk. ...
  • Digestive Issues: Excessive consumption of almond milk may trigger various digestive issues like stomach discomfort, nausea, and diarrhea.
Oct 3, 2023

Can you use a cheese cloth to make almond milk? ›

Nut milk bag or cheesecloth

Although you can use cheesecloth or even an old cut up t-shirt, I'd recommend using a nut milk bag for straining the finished almond milk. Using a nut milk bag is the most convenient way to strain your blended almond milk for a smooth and creamy finished product.

What happens to almond pulp after making almond milk? ›

What's leftover from the process of making almond milk is almond pulp. The almond pulp is then dried in the oven at a low temperature, left on the counter to cool overnight, and finally, processed into almond meal using a food processor or high-speed blender.

What can I use if I don't have a nut milk bag? ›

Substitutes of Nut Milk Bags
  • Cheesecloth: Thin and delicate cheesecloth is made from pure cotton and is porous enough to strain proteins from dairy. ...
  • Kitchen Towel: You may use the thinnest cotton kitchen towels, such as tea towels or flour sack towels, that you own to squeeze the milk from the nuts.
Dec 14, 2022

Is there a downside to drinking almond milk? ›

Risks Associated With Almond Milk

Almond milk has health benefits, but there are also some drawbacks to keep in mind: Nut allergies. Don't drink almond milk if you're allergic to tree nuts, as it can cause a reaction. Low protein content.

How many almonds for 1 cup almond milk? ›

Commercial almond milks have about 5 almonds per cup. You can figure that based on either the protein or the fat content. There's a gram of protein, almonds are about 20% protein by weight, and an almond weighs about a gram. Reckoning by the fat calories gives a similar answer.

How long will homemade almond milk last? ›

You can keep this homemade almond milk in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. 5. Make sure when you take your homemade milk our of the fridge that you you shake it well! It is so important to do that since calcium deposits settle at the bottom of the container in the fridge.

What happens if you don't soak almonds? ›

Removes phytic acid: When we do not soak almonds, the phytic acid in them is not removed which ultimately hinders nutrient absorption. So if you are having raw almonds, the zinc and iron in them are not properly utilized by the body.

What happens when almonds are not soaked in water? ›

Reduced Anti-Nutrient Impact: Soaking almonds mitigates the impact of anti-nutrients like tannins and phytic acid found in the almond skin. These compounds, when present in excessive amounts, can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals. Soaking acts as a preventive measure against this interference.

Is it okay not to soak almonds? ›

Should you soak almonds? While soaking may lead to some improvements in digestion and nutrient availability, unsoaked almonds are still a healthy addition to your diet. These nuts are a good source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, as well as an excellent source of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium ( 15 ).

Is it mandatory to soak almonds? ›

Both dry and soaked almonds are good for your health. However, unsoaked almonds are better for people with digestive issues or those of an older age.

References

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