by Kathy Patalsky · updated: · published: · About 6 minutes to read this article. 1 Comment
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:
Flavors (classic vanilla, cacao, sweet spirulina green, cinna coconut)
The basics… Full recipe below.
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.
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 05/25/2013
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Pulp pressing, to squeeze out all the “milk”
Disclosure: I am a Vitamix affiliate and any links to their products are via my affiliate account.
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.
