Today, I’m excited to share something I make every single week: almond milk! Why do I make almond milk? There are many reasons:
- It’s an excellent source of vitamins E and D.
- My daughter can’t digest the large proteins in most store-bought cow’s milk. When we run out of our organic raw milk from a local farm, almond milk is a great alternative.
- The leftover almond pulp can be turned into almond flour for baking, which we use for our weekly family pizza night.
- Making almond milk myself costs only $0.03–$0.04 per ounce. Not only do I get almost a half-gallon of clean milk, but I also get flour. Now that’s cost savings!
By making your own almond milk at home, you can enjoy a delicious dairy-free option that supports your nutrition. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing exactly what goes into your milk—no artificial flavors, no carrageenan or gums that irritate the gut, no soy lecithin, no vegetable oils, added sweeteners, or pesticides.
Let’s get started with the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw or sprouted almonds
- 4 cups filtered water
- ½ tsp organic vanilla extract (optional for sweetened milk)
- Nut bag or cheesecloth
- Milk jar
- Lid for jar
- Unbleached parchment paper (optional for almond flour)
Click here for my full almond milk shopping list.
Instructions
Preparing the Almonds
- Place 1 cup of almonds in a bowl or jar and cover with cold water.
- Soak in the fridge for 24 hours, or overnight. This helps with digestion and makes it easier on your blender. You can also remove the almond skins for better digestion, but I usually skip this step.
- The next day, drain and rinse the almonds.
Blending the Milk
- In a high-powered blender, combine the almonds with 4 cups of filtered water. Since I use a small NutriBullet, I do this in two batches. I plan to switch to a glass blender in the future for better dishwasher safety.
- Add ½ tsp of organic vanilla extract, or a tablespoon of maple syrup/raw honey. I prefer my almond milk unsweetened, so I skip this step.
- Blend on high speed for 2 minutes, or unti
- l the mixture is warm to the touch and smooth.
Straining the Milk
- Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl. I use Ellie’s Best bags because they are food grade and easy to clean. I use the nylon bag, but the organic cotton bag is the safest material for ingestion.
- Pour the blended almond mixture into the bag. Squeeze or press the bag to extract the almond milk thoroughly. Reserve the leftover almond pulp for other recipes like almond flour.
Storage and Usage
- Bottle the strained almond milk and refrigerate.
- Use within a week and discard any remaining after 6 days. We enjoy this homemade almond milk in morning oats for breakfast.
Making Almond Flour
To ensure nothing goes to waste, you can make almond flour from the leftover almond pulp.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°F or the lowest temperature possible.
- Spread the pulp over a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use If You Care parchment paper, which uses silicone instead of PFAS coatings.
- Break up any clumps with a fork and spread the pulp into a flat layer.
- Bake at a low heat for 1–3 hours until completely dried. The longer, the better.
- Once dried, let the flour cool completely.
- Grind into flour using a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor.
- Store the flour in a sealed container. It’s good for 6 months in the pantry, 1 year in the refrigerator, and 18 months in the freezer.
Note: I have included Mamavation’s Investigation on Almond Milk Beverages below. They ranked the best store-bought almond milks, so you can shop for convenience with peace of mind.
The best store bought Almond Milk option is available at Whole Foods: CLICK HERE
Sources:
- Almond Milk Study: Best Plant-Based “Milk” Beverages Ranked (mamavation.com)
- Parchment Paper Study: Safest Non-Toxic Parchment Paper Without PFAS “Forever Chemicals” (mamavation.com)
- Nut Milk Bag Study: Best (& Worst) Nut Milk Makers for Plant-Based Milk Alternatives – MAMAVATION
- PMFAS Study: Potential health effects of PFAS chemicals | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
- Baking Sheet Study: Safest Non-Toxic Baking Sheets, Cookie Sheets, & Sheet Pans (mamavation.com)
