This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Tired of store-bought almond milk that tastes watery and artificial? This homemade almond milk is creamy, rich, and incredibly easy to make with just 4 wholesome ingredients. It’s naturally sweetened with dates, perfectly smooth, and has a fresh, natural almond flavor. Use it in lattes, oatmeal, baked goods, and so much more!
I’ve been making this almond milk for over 10 years, and I can’t believe that I’ve never shared the recipe. I always thought it was too simple and that everyone already knew how to do it, but based on the recent requests, it definitely deserves its own spot in our recipe collection.
This homemade almond milk is incredibly creamy (watery is definitely not an option here), easy to prepare, and made with just a few wholesome staples. Let’s do it!
⭐️ Why You Should Make Your Own Almond Milk
- It tastes so much better than store-bought. Seriously. I’ve tried many different brands over the years, from Almond Breeze to Silk and Alpro, and I’ve always been disappointed. They often taste watery and have that slightly artificial almond flavor. Making it at home gives you the freshest, most natural almond flavor you can get.
- Naturally sweetened. No refined sugar here. You can use either dates or maple syrup to sweeten your milk, or simply leave them out for an unsweetened version.
- Simple to make. No fancy machine needed. All you need is a blender and a nut milk bag or some cheesecloth.
🥛 What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you will need. Remember that you can find the exact measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
- Almonds – Use raw almonds. Over the years, I’ve used many different types, from blanched to unblanched, and while the flavor changes slightly, the difference is minimal. So, use what you have on hand or can easily find. Also, there’s no need to buy expensive almonds like Marcona almonds – they won’t make much of a difference here.
- Dates – To sweeten the milk. While you can also use granulated sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup, I personally prefer dates. I love the subtle caramel-like flavor they add to the milk.
➜ Make unsweetened almond milk: You can simply omit the sweetener if you prefer your almond milk unsweetened. - Vanilla extract – Optional. I like adding a dash of vanilla extract to make the milk a bit sweeter.
- Salt – Wait, salt in milk? Yes! A small pinch helps round up the flavors.
💡 Almonds to Water Ratio
There’s no one-size-fits-all ratio when it comes to making almond milk, and you’ll find different recipes using different amounts of almonds and water.
I use a slightly higher ratio of almond-to-water (1.5:3) than most recipes because I like my almond milk thick and creamy. Feel free to adjust it to your preference by adding an extra cup of water, but keep in mind that the milk will be slightly thinner.
📔 Tips
- Don’t skip soaking the almonds. This step is essential. It softens the almonds, improves their digestibility, and makes the blending process much easier.
- Use clean utensils. To help your almond milk last as long as possible in the fridge, make sure all your equipment, such as the blender, nut milk bag, and glass bottle, is as clean as possible.
- Strain it through a nut milk bag. A fine-mesh sieve won’t cut it here. You need to use a very fine cloth to ensure your milk is as smooth as possible, with no grittiness.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Soak the almonds. Add the raw almonds to a bowl.
- Cover with cold water and let them soak overnight.
- Drain the almonds. The next day, drain the almonds and rinse them 2-3 times under cold water. Drain them well again and transfer to a high-speed blender.
- Blend. To the blender, add the water, pitted dates, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Blend on high-speed for about 1 minute.
- Filter the almond milk. Place a nut milk bag over a clean mixing bowl. Carefully pour the almond milk into the nut milk bag.
- Squeeze the bag with your hands to extract as much almond milk as possible. Finally, transfer the milk to a glass bottle and enjoy!
🍫 Almond Milk Variations
Want more than plain almond milk? I’ve got you covered with these flavored versions!
Chocolate Almond Milk: Add 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the milk after straining it. Whisk well or blend it for a few seconds.
Matcha Almond Milk: Dissolve 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of matcha in about 1/4 cup of hot water. Transfer the matcha to the strained almond milk and stir to combine.
Espresso Almond Milk: Dissolve 2 tbsp of instant coffee granules in 1/4 cup of hot water. Transfer the coffee to the milk and stir to combine.
🥞 Where to Use It
You can use this almond milk anywhere you would normally use dairy milk. Here are a few ideas:
With your cereal: It’s delicious served with corn flakes, chocolate peanut butter cereal, buckwheat flakes, homemade cookie crisp, or even granola.
In oatmeal: Use it to cook rolled oats or to make overnight oats, such as blueberry overnight oats (my fav!) or strawberry overnight oats.
In baked goods: Use it to make chocolate chip muffins, pancakes, vegan pound cake, and so much more!
In coffee and tea: We also love using this milk in coffee and matcha lattes.
❄️ How to Store It
- To store: You can keep this almond milk in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that as it sits, the milk will separate. This is completely normal, as this recipe is free from stabilizers. Just give the milk a good shake before using.
💬 FAQs
I don’t recommend using a food processor to make almond milk. I’ve tried before, and because food processors are not sealed like blenders, the liquid tends to leak out while processing.
Yes, you can easily double the recipe. The only thing you’ll have to do is strain it through the nut milk in two batches.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email below and I’ll send it to your inbox!
Plus, you will receive new recipes every week!
Homemade Almond Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cup (210 g) raw almonds
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- 2 pitted medjool dates (or 4 small dates)
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Soak the almonds. Add the raw almonds to a medium mixing bowl. Cover with cold water and let them soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Note: If it's summer, soak the almonds in the fridge.
- Drain the almonds. The next day, drain the almonds and rinse them 2-3 times under cold water. Drain them well again and transfer them to a high-speed blender.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Then, add the 3 cups of water, pitted dates, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Blend. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute.
- Strain it. Place a nut milk bag over a clean mixing bowl or large measuring cup. Carefully pour the almond milk into the nut milk bag. Using your hands, squeeze the bag to extract as much almond milk as possible. This step can take up to 5 minutes. Squeeze until almost no liquid remains inside the nut milk bag. Finally, transfer the milk to a glass bottle and enjoy!
- You can keep this almond milk in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that as it sits, the milk will separate. This is completely normal, as this recipe is free from stabilizers. Just give the milk a good shake before using.
Notes
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment