Recipe Tips

How to Make Almond Milk at Home

Almond milk is an extremely popular dairy-free milk alternative, and it’s also easy to make at home. Making your own almond milk at home allows you to control the consistency and quality of the ingredients that you use. “Grocery store almond milks can often have unnecessary ingredients in it like gums, sugar, and oils,” says Amy Colville is the founder at aMYLK, a woman-owned, small-batch nut milk company based in Portland, Oregon.

Made from almonds blended with water and strained to remove the fibrous pulp, you can use the homemade milk substitute like you would use regular milk. Here, Colville shares her expertise on how to create the creamiest almond milk at home.

Almond milk vs. dairy milk

Almond milk is a great plant-based milk alternative for those who have trouble digesting the proteins in dairy milk, anyone opting for a plant-based diet, or if you just prefer the mild and slightly nutty flavor.

Store-bought almond milk usually has less fat and fewer calories than dairy milk and other plant-based dairy alternatives, like oat milk and coconut milk. However, it can also have a thinner texture and be harder for baristas to froth. Coconut and oat milk have a more pronounced flavor, but can be trickier to make at home.

“In my opinion, if you’re looking for a dairy swap, homemade almond milk is the closest thing to cow’s milk that you’ll find when it comes to texture and flavor,” Colville says. “Almond is the most versatile of the alternative milks and it tastes great by itself or in lattes and smoothies.”

Troubleshooting almond milk

Grocery store almond milks often only contain as little as 5% nuts, and may have a grainy or chalky consistency. However, this recipe from Colville contains 25 to 30% nuts. “You should get a silk-smooth, creamy milk every time,” she says.

Using a high-powered blender helps ensure the best creaminess and you’ll need a fine mesh nut milk bag to strain it to avoid any excess pulp in the milk. Too much pulp can create a grainy texture.

How to store homemade almond milk

Almond milk in glass bottle with almond nuts on wooden cutting board and houseplant on background.

 

Store almond milk in a glass bottle in the back of the fridge, where it’s coldest.

olga_arisphoto/Shutterstock

Store-bought milks that sit in containers for weeks or months can often have a watery and grainy consistency with a plastic aftertaste. That’s why Colville makes everything fresh and bottles exclusively in glass at aMYLK.

Don’t forget to add salt. “You might be tempted to omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt during blending, but it’s key to helping your milk stay fresh longer,” she says.

Store the milk in the back of the fridge rather than the door, which is warmer, and never leave it out on the counter for too long or it will spoil faster. The milk should last about five to seven days.

Insider’s takeaway

Almond milk is a popular plant-based milk alternative that’s simple to make at home. All you need are almonds, water, a little salt, a good high-speed blender, and cheesecloth to strain the final product.

Soaking the almonds overnight is key to a creamy mouthfeel, along with using a good blender. Straining the blended almonds through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth is necessary for a smooth texture. Almond milk will last up to a week in the refrigerator and can also be frozen to last longer without preservatives.

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