This Almond Milk recipe is an easy dairy-free alternative that tastes even better than the store-bought variety. All you need is 2 ingredients to get started!
Why You’ll Love It
It tastes amazing. Homemade almond milk tastes far superior when compared to store-bought almond milk, so be warned– you may never want to buy the prepared version again.
It’s easy to make. Just blend almonds and water together in a blender, then strain out the pulp. The entire process can be done in just 5 minutes, minus the time it takes to soak the almonds. (Soaking is optional, though!)
It’s made without preservatives or thickeners. Store-bought milks need to rely on preservatives for a long shelf life, and often add gums and thickeners to make the milk have a uniform consistency. When you make almond milk at home, you can skip those added ingredients.
It’s easy to customize. You can easily add extra flavor to this almond milk recipe, like vanilla or chocolate, depending on your preference. Check out my Vanilla Almond Milk and Chocolate Almond Milk variations, if you want extra guidance.
It’s gluten-free & dairy-free. For those who can’t tolerate cow’s milk, almond milk is an easy lactose-free option. You can use it in smoothies, soups, sauces, cereal, and more!
You can use the pulp, too. Not only will you have delicious almond milk to drink, but you can also use the leftover pulp to make Almond Pulp Hummus or Almond Pulp Brownies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The only two ingredients you need to make almond milk are almonds and water. I tend to use almonds that are not roasted or salted, so the almond milk will have a neutral, mild flavor. However, roasted nuts will work, too!
If you want to make a flavored almond milk, you can also add in vanilla extract and a splash of maple syrup, for sweetness.
How to Make Almond Milk
1. Soak the almonds.
Research doesn’t necessarily support the idea that soaking nuts improves digestion or reduces anti-nutrients, but soaking almonds ahead of time can make them softer and help them break down in your blender easier.
If you want to take the time to do this step, cover the almonds with at least 2 inches of water, so they have room to expand as they soak. (I usually use 2 cups of water to cover 1 cup of almonds.) Let them soak for up to 8 hours, then drain away the soaking water by pouring the almonds into a fine mesh strainer.
You can skip this step if you already have a high-speed blender that can break down almonds effortlessly, or if you’re simply short on time!
2. Blend.
Add the almonds into a high-speed blender, along with 4 cups of fresh water. Secure the blender’s lid and blend until the almonds are totally broken down and the mixture looks creamy, about 60 to 90 seconds.
There should be almost no visible almond pieces when it’s done blending.
3. Strain.
Arrange a nut milk bag or cheesecloth over a large bowl, then pour the blended almond mixture into the bag. Carefully squeeze the bag, removing as much liquid from the almond pulp as possible.
4. Enjoy!
You can use the almond milk right away, or add any extra flavorings to taste, such as vanilla, maple syrup, or a pinch of sea salt. Transfer the almond milk to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Because this recipe doesn’t call for any preservatives, it won’t last as long as store-bought milks do. (You’ll be able to tell it’s gone off when the smell or flavor goes sour.) Be sure to make only what you’ll drink in a week, or plan on freezing the leftovers. You can easily scale the recipe as needed!
Frequently Asked Questions
Almonds contain important vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E and magnesium. Magnesium is involved in many processes in the body, including blood sugar control, so drinking almond milk may help you reach some of your nutrient needs. It’s also helpful if you are dealing with lactose intolerance, and need a dairy-free alternative.
Straining the almond milk is significantly more difficult when you add cocoa powder into the mix, so it’s best to strain the almond pulp before adding flavoring. This also keeps the almond pulp neutral-flavored, so you can use it in other recipes later (like hummus, which would not work with sweet almond pulp).
You can use the wet almond pulp immediately to make a batch of almond pulp hummus, or you can dry the almond pulp in a dehydrator or low-heat oven and save it to use a flour alternative. It’s not quite the same as almond meal, because some of the fat content has been removed, but it can also work similarly to oat flour in recipes.
Try using it in chia pudding, or over granola, or stirred into your morning oatmeal. It’s also can be frothed to make a foam for lattes, or use it in a chai latte or healthy hot chocolate.
Looking for more dairy-free milk ideas? You can make homemade oat milk for an affordable option, or try hemp milk for extra plant-based protein.
How to Make Almond Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds
- 4 cups filtered water
Instructions
- To soak the almonds before blending, cover them with 2 cups of water in a large bowl or jar, and let them soak for 4 to 6 hours. This step is optional, but may help with blending later if you don't have a powerful blender. Drain the almonds through a fine mesh strainer before moving on to the next step.
- Add the almonds and 4 cups of fresh water to a blender. Secure the lid and blend on high-speed for at least 60 seconds, until no pieces of almonds are visible and the mixture looks creamy.
- Pour the almond milk through a nut-milk bag or cheese cloth, squeezing well to extract the milk. You can save the remaining almond pulp for another recipe (see the full post for ideas) or discard. If you would like to flavor the almond milk with vanilla or chocolate flavorings, this is the time to whisk in any additions.
- Store the almond milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. (You can freeze leftovers, if needed, for up to 3 months, too!)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this almond milk recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
I raw almonds. However my almond milk become sour after a couple of days is there a way to preserve it longer without any preservatives.
I’ve made this twice now and am surprised how simple it is. My 3-year-old helps soak the almonds and loves watching them turn to almond milk when we blend them. It’s been neat to use the leftover almond meal in other recipes.
where can I buy milk bottles please? Will try your allond milk receipt tomorrow!
I think I bought my glass bottles at Crate and Barrel, but any sealed container works for storing almond milk.
So I made the almond milk and it was great, but it separated in the fridge after a few hours. Should that have happened?
Yes, it’s normal for separation to occur for any nut-based milk. Just shake it before using it again!
Great
Love your recipes. Have your cookbook, but today used your website. My granddaughter is helping me make almond milk, we are dancing around the kitchen. Love the music on your website. Can you tell me if it is original or where it is from. Having such a good time.
Glad you’re enjoying it! For my videos, I buy royalty-free music from Pond5.com. 🙂
hi.. just made my first batch… i have a ninja bullet after the 2mins of blending the milk was warm.. is this ok to heat it … it takes 2 mins to grind all the almonds in 2 batches…
Hello, I’ve been making this recipe for awhile now. I’ve noticed that the homemade almond mixture tends to turn very goo like if the temperature gets low enough. Do you know how to return it back to normal? I tried to leave it out at room temperature but it still remains the same.
It’s natural for almond milk to separate in the fridge, so you’ll need to shake it before every use. Is that what you’re observing?
Maybe. I thought maybe the coconut oil separated and coagulated from the cold environment but alas The entire bottles contents turns from watery to very goo like, perhaps its gone bad?
I just made this almond milk and it is delicious. It was a little thick for my taste. Next time I would use 1/2 cup of almonds instead of 1 cup. No more store bought for me.
Can I use a food processor to make the almond milk?
Hi,
I used your 4:1 ratio and was disappointed. The result was white, water flavored, well…water.
Afterwards I added some real vanilla, but that didn’t help. I didn’t want to add other flavourings as I use this with cereal.
I’m going to try it again, but add 1/4 cup toasted almonds. That should give it some flavor..
And I’m using an 80 micron bag. Would switching to a 60 micron bag help to give it more body?
Thanks!
Hey! Quick question! I’m trying to figure out the fibre count. One thing says 4 grams and the other says 1 gram. Do you know which is accurate? Everything else seems to be consistent…
Since almond milk is strained, I would go with the lower count. Almonds probably do have 4 grams of fiber per serving, but it’s most likely filtered out during the straining process.
Is there a particular reason you discard the soaking water? Aren’t you losing nutrients that way?
It’s because almonds have “anti-nutrients” in their skins, which can actually inhibit nutrient absorption in the body. When you soak them, you may actually digest more nutrients than if you didn’t soak them. But it’s important to drain the water and rinse them off.
Love making my own nut mylks – just made walnut the other day and it was amazing! Also been experimenting with perfecting oat mylk to have more variety other than nuts. Also, I like making hemp mylk- anyone else?
Almond milk was delicious and the almond pulp hummus even more!!!!!!! Awesome recipe
Try using a frothing ?wand.i take my coffee blk and add 2tsp of brain octane #8 mct oil and 2 eye droppers of liquid choc stevia.awwww! And life is good. I use bulletproof mct oil.
Once we store almond milk for 4 days in the fridge. Can we heat it up a bit to give it to children
Can I use roasted nuts? I am allergic to raw nuts.
I really want to try this because we use a lot of Almond Milk. Where is the best place to buy almonds?
Trader Joe’s sells raw steam pasteurized almonds that work great. Whatever you use make sure they are pasteurized.
As is, this is a very rich almond milk. I do 5 cups of water and add two tablespoons of organic sugar and it tastes amazing.
And all that almond fiber hummus I was making was starting to become overwhelming. I had an epiphany, why not make my vegan faux tuna salad from the almond fiber instead of chickpeas or pinto beans. Well it’s my best faux tuna salad yet.
I’m using:
Just Mayo (vegan), tomato, pickle, celery, tapenade, pepper blend, Sriracha, lemon juice and Trader Joe’s seaweed snack sheets (whole package).
Thank you so much for sharing! The tuna salad idea sounds amazing.
Have you tried making/experimenting with making ice cream? My cow’s milk protein intolerance hit me hard out of nowhere obliterating my go-to snack. Have yet to find any decebt store-bought ice-cream alternatives despite spending (i.e., wasting) hundreds of dollars. Coconut mil iC is obnoxious. Soy, uninspired. Almondmilk (again store-bought) struggles to be mediocre. Cashewmilk can be okay with some flavors. Just bought an ice-cream maker and I’m looking for any insights. Thanks.
I have tried in the past but none of the methods were “easy” enough for me. I’ll be sure to post if I come up with something good!
Can I use a food processor for this if I don’t have a blender?
Wow, this is so wonderful AND with all that is going on with the virus, this is really really helping save a lot of money. Saving around $50 a month. Oh wow, thank you so much for these instructions. And yeah it tasts so wonderful!
How long does it last in the fridge??
About 4 days. You’ll be able to smell and taste when it’s going off, but since it doesn’t have any preservatives added, it won’t last as long as store-bought.
Do you have a favorite brand of almonds? I feel like the different almonds I use leave a different taste in the milk.
I always soak and dehydrate nuts before consuming. For almond milk…if using previously soaked and dehydrated almonds, would it be necessary to soak the almonds again before blending in my Vitamix?
Could I use a nutri-bullet? I don’t have a blender.
Hi! I make almond milk at home. I add flax seed to the overnight soaking, along with some vanilla, a dash of salt, a handful of coconut, and a tablespoon of local raw honey. The flax seed gives it some body and a creamy texture.❤️
I just made the almond milk. It was so easy and WAY better than any I’ve bought from the store (and so much cleaner)! I strained it with cheesecloth. Thank you for the recipe!
What kind of almonds? Raw? Unsalted? I figure it must be raw.
Can you make almond milk in a regular blender? I do not have Vitamix.
Yes, definitely! Just blend until it’s creamy looking and then strain it. A regular blender might just take a little longer to get that creamy consistency.
Why discard the soaking water?
Almonds contain anti-nutrients that can potentially impair digestion and nutrient absorption. Soaking helps remove some of those anti-nutrients, and they will get discarded in the soaking water.
Hi!
May I asking …
How do you calculate the calories of home-made almond milk? Can I ask you for the calculation formula?
Thank you very much and looking forward for your reply.
It look marvelous i will try this receipe thank u very much
Awesome
Had I known how EASY and how much more delicious it is to make nut milk at home, I would have started doing this LONG ago! I now make almond milk, cashew milk, and hazelnut milk (and combos of the three!) all the time! So much better than store bought–plus you can adjust the thickness and add sweetener–or not! Half the time, I don’t even strain it…especially if I’m using it in something like a smoothie or a baked-good recipe!
Megan, thanks so much for sharing all these great recipes!
Thanks for the information and recipes. First article on this that was easy to understand and written for the non tech in kitchen and on computer.
OMG! You’re a cooking/baking queen to me!!! I’ve found so many interesting, new recipes for my family and our sourdough bakery’s customers!!! Thank you so much!!!
What else can I use if I don’t have a milk bag or cheese cloth to strain the almonds
See my note below. You don’t actually have to strain if you put it through a high-speed blender for a full minute.
If one cup of almonds equal 868 calories. And I mix one cup of almonds with four cups of water. How can it be that one cup of almond milk has only 112 calories? Is most of the calories still left in the tasteless oil-less pulp?
Great starting point for my own creation this morning, I was basically looking for the almond to water ration (1 to 4). I mixed in Dutch cocoa powder and a bit of brown sugar, and I did not strain anything. All ingredients in the high-speed (Blendtec) blender for a minute. Wow, so delicious!!!
Sometimes I put the almonds in the fridge and I leave them there for a day will that affect the milk ? I noticed sometimes when I accidentally do that the milk goes bad in two three days. Besides that very good recipes
Where’s a good place to get bulk almonds? And how do you store them?
This is a wonderful recipe! So delicious!
I had never “peeled” an alm0nd before until a few weeks ago. I feel I need all the fiber I can get but someone in
the family was raised to soak overnight and peel 3 almonds to prevent cancer as said, for instance by Edgar Casey.
So I think I maybe might try it once, to peel the almonds but this means no pulp. 🙁
My almond milk separate after wards, what is the problem?
This is normal and I always shake my milks , even store-bought because of this.
As the Russians would say…”Huzzah!” (The Great). The best, bestest and yes it is better than store bought! More yummy recipes like this and I’ll need to convert!
Charged with the Thanksgiving veggies, I’m making Vegan Green Bean and Mushroom casserole. This milk is subbing in for the milk in the cream sauce. This is the final hurdle to accomplishing vegan.
I used organic sliced raw almonds, about a half cup, (all I need for the recipe). I soaked them overnight because that’s what I did. Next day I rinsed the dickens out of them. Along with the water, I threw everything in to my Nutribullet. It took about 10 minutes total. Going the lazy route, I used a strainer on the first pass, (hubby decided he could better organize the kitchen and put the cheese cloth in a very obscure location, with the canned goods. He found it immediately, of course because that’s where he put it)
So on the second strain through cheesecloth in the strainer, the milk was clean.
Easy peasy! Thank you so much! Tomorrow’s smoothly will have this milk instead of soy!
Love,
Tickled in CA
I didn’t think I liked any plant milks until I made this and oat milk myself. This is so good and so easy!
This was so easy and quick! Thank you for the recipe.
I buy almond milk and it’s 30 calories per serving. What makes this one 112
Also, could you use Blanches Almonds? (the ones with no skin or is there a benefit to the skin?)