Homemade Almond Milk

I have wanted to make homemade almond milk for a while now and finally took the leap a few weeks ago.  I have since made several batches and while I am still practicing with the amount of water used, flavorings, and the processing method, overall I am pleasantly satisfied with the results!

I love my coconut milk smoothies but wanted to change things up a bit and all of the store bought almond milk I have found seems to have a few more ingredients and additives that I am not interested in.  The method below is just filtered water and almonds along with spices or flavorings of your choice. 

After reading that soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds are better for you (you can read about the reasoning behind this here, and here)  I soaked my raw almonds for 24 hours before using them in the almond milk.

Homemade Almond Milk

You will need the following

• 1 Cup of Soaked Almonds, rinsed and drained (Almonds were soaked for 24 hours in 4 cups of water and then drained, rinsed, and drained again)
• 3-4 Cups of Filtered Water (Less water equals a richer and creamier milk)
• Metal Strainer, Cheesecloth, or Nut Bag
• Blender
• Containers for storing finished product

Optional Flavorings

• Vanilla Extract
• Cocoa
• Ground Cardamon
• Cinnamon
• Dates
• Honey
• Maple Syrup

Place almonds and filtered water in blender and process on high until well blended and frothy.  Place the strainer you are using over your storage container (I used a metal strainer and mason jars) and pour the almond milk into the strainer.  You will likely have to do this in batches as the by-product of the milk is almond meal which will build up in the strainer and need to be emptied.  Once all of the milk has been strained, you can add the milk back to your cleaned blender and add flavoring of your choice.  Experiment with this and see what you like.  My favorite blend so far is Almond Milk with Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Cardamon (V.C.C).  I used a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of cardamon and a few drops of vanilla per cup of finished milk.  I would advise to start off with very small amounts of flavoring as to not take away from the great taste of the milk itself.  The first batch I made I used honey and did not like how sweet the milk tasted by itself but loved it in smoothies.  The milk stores in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The milk will separate after mixing and should be gently shaken before serving.  I also froze a few batches in small jars with great success.

Soaked almonds prior to draining and rinsing

Almonds with and without skins

When I made almond milk for the first time, I made one batch with skins and one batch without skins.  I could not tell any difference in taste so I have made all other batches with skins on.

Metal Strainer and Mason Jar

Almond Meal by-product emptied from strainer

Final Product-Rich and Frothy Almond Milk