Clean Eating Almond Milk Recipe (2024)

Wondering how to make almond milk? This homemade version is better than anything you can buy at the store!

The truth is, there just isn’t a truly clean almond milk on the market. It’s impossible because almond milk doesn’t last long. It needs preservatives to keep it shelf-stable. A long shelf-life is particularly critical in unrefrigerated boxed milk, which is a common way non-dairy milk is sold.

Even the healthier versions have odd ingredients for something that is just supposed to come from a nut.

This process is so simple and only takes about 1 minute after soaking. And frankly, the homemade stuff is a thousand times more delicious than the store-bought stuff!

Is Almond Milk Better Than Cow Milk?

“Better” is a relative term. There are a lot of issues with our milk supply. So generally speaking, almond milk may be a bit better than dairy milk. However, it has its own issues as well (environmental issues with growing almonds). What it really comes down to is, which milk can you tolerate? If you have to be dairy-free, then this is one of many good choices available to you. It’s also naturally gluten-free, keto, vegan, vegetarian, and paleo, if that matters to you.

Does It Take A Lot Of Almonds To Make Almond Milk?

It can, but it doesn’t have to. The recipe below calls for half a cup. Some recipes go up to a full cup.

Which Almonds Are Best?

The only almonds you should use to make almond milk are raw almonds. Do not use roasted almonds. It won’t work.

How Long Do You Need to Soak Almonds?

Almonds typically soak the best overnight. If that timing doesn’t work, then the minimum time for soaking is 4 hours. But overnight (at least 8 hours) is best.

How Long Does Fresh Almond Milk Last?

Homemade almond milk lasts about 3 days. So keep your batches relatively small unless you know you will be using a lot for something.

How to Make Homemade Almond Milk Cheaper than Store-Bought

The prices on store-bought almond milk are tough to beat. But there are ways you can achieve this.

Most recipes call for 1 cup almonds and 2 cups water. This ratio works well, but it’s not cheap.

1. The recipe below calls for a half cup of almonds. If you want to use the full cup, you can up the water content to 3 cups.

2. Purchase your almonds in bulk. Costco or similar warehouse stores usually have the best deals.

What To Do With Almond Pulp?

There are tons of ways to use up the almond pulp. (The stuff that is left over after making almond milk). I will refer you to the Almond Cow website (not paid to promote them) for an endless supply of them. This link is to just one of their recipe categories. There are others.

How to Use Diary-Free Milk

You can use any non-dairy milk in much the same way as regular dairy milk. Just keep in mind that almond milk is much lower in fat than even other non-dairy milk. It’s thinner, so it’s harder to make things like ice cream with. Some ideas for use are in:

• Smoothies
• Coffee
• Cereal
• Baking
• Soups
• Overnight oats
• Chia pudding
• Latte
• Coffee creamer

Optional Additions

If you want to flavor this a bit, here are some ideas for ingredients you can easily blend in.

• Pinch of sea salt – This is particularly good if you have added sweetener (which I recommend). Just keep it very minimal. A little salt goes a long way. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once it’s in. So go slow on this one.
• Pitted dates – Typically, 1 date per batch sweetens things up nicely.
• Maple syrup – An alternate sweetener to try.
• Ground cinnamon – Start with a 1/4 teaspoon and go up from there.
• Ground nutmeg – Start with an 1/8 of a teaspoon and go up from there.
• Cocoa powder – If you want chocolate milk, unsweetened cocoa powder is a great way to go.

Ingredient Checklist

½cupraw almonds

2cupswater + extra for soaking

½tsp.pure vanilla extract (optional)

Clean sweetener to taste such as dates, honey, or pure liquid stevia

How To Make Almond Milk

Soak the almonds overnight. I started in the evening and then changed the water before I went to bed. But that’s not necessary.

Drain off the soaking water in the morning and put the almonds with the 2 cups of water and any other optional ingredients into your high-powered blender.

Blend for about 1 minute, or until the almonds are well liquified.

Strain the mixture into a bowl through a nut bag and squeeze the bag out by twisting to remove all the milk. In a pinch, you can also use a clean dish towel.

How to Store Almond Milk

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can keep this in jars of any kind with a tight-fitting lid.

Can You Freeze Almond Milk?

You can! I like to freeze mine in ice cube trays for easy use, and then I transfer them to a zipper-top, freezer-safe, plastic bag. It will freeze like this for up to 3 months.

Need Supplies?

Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black – 65542 (Refurbished)

2 Pcs Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag – Big 12″X12″ Commercial Grade – Reusable Almond Milk Bag & All Purpose Food Strainer – Fine Mesh Nylon Cheesecloth & Cold Brew Coffee Filter

See Also

The 20 best breakfast recipes: part 4

More Homemade Dairy-Free Milk Recipes

• How To Make Oat Milk

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