How to Make Almond Milk: Fresh Almond Milk Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 17, 2024 • 2 min read
By making your own almond milk, you can customize the flavor and thickness.
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What Is Almond Milk?
Almond milk is a dairy-free milk used as an alternative to cow's milk and other non-dairy milks such as soy milk, cashew milk, and oat milk. For vegans and lactose-intolerant people, almond milk is a great option for everything from smoothies to cereals, as a coffee creamer, and even in ice cream. Almond milk is now widely available at grocery stores, but you may prefer the taste of homemade almond milk.
What Is Almond Milk Made Of?
At its simplest, almond milk is made of just two ingredients: raw almonds and fresh water. That said, most commercial almond milks contain added sugars, stabilizers, and preservatives to prolong shelf life. When making your own organic almond milk at home, you may want to add a pinch of salt and a sweetener such as maple syrup, agave, or stevia, and a flavoring such as vanilla extract or vanilla bean. You can even make homemade chocolate almond milk by adding cocoa powder to the mix.
What Does Almond Milk Taste Like?
Almond milk has a nutty flavor and creamy texture, similar to cow's milk. Because there are so many varieties of almond milk—from unsweetened almond milk to vanilla almond milk and chocolate almond milk—the flavor varies between brands. Homemade almond milk has a nuttier, more almond-y flavor than store-bought versions. When you make your own almond milk, you can also decide how thick it should be. Use one cup almond milk to two cups water for a texture similar to 2% cow's milk, or decrease the amount of water for a creamier consistency.
Simple Almond Milk Recipe
makes
2 cupsprep time
10 mintotal time
8 hr 10 minIngredients
- 1
Place the almonds in a large jar or medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature overnight or up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Soaking almonds allows them to soften.
- 2
Drain off the soaking water, which contains phytic acid, and rinse the almonds in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water.
- 3
In a blender or food processor, combine drained, soaked almonds with 2 cups of water, salt, and maple syrup (if using). Blend on high speed until almonds are finely ground and water is opaque.
- 4
Strain the almond milk through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth or close the nut bag and massage as much of the almond milk out as you can.
- 5
Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning. Homemade almond milk will keep, refrigerated, 2–4 days. Shake before serving.
- 6
Discard the leftover almond pulp, or use it in smoothies, granola, or muffins. (You can also dry out the leftover pulp to make almond meal).
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