3 Ingredient Homemade Almond Milk

I started drinking almond milk in place of cow’s milk when I realized I have a bit of a sensitivity to too much dairy. So when I started cutting back on dairy products, milk was one of the first things to go. I liked the taste of the almond milk, so it was an easy switch for me. I had a few different brands that liked best, and was satisfied with the change.

Until…

I heard about an ingredient called carrageenan that was in most non-dairy milks. I did some research on carrageenan, and decided I wanted to avoid it. (you can also watch a really good video about synthetic ingredients in organic foods here) I checked the ingredient panel on my almond milk box and sure enough, carrageenan was on the list. After shopping around, I found only 2 brands that didn’t include it, and they weren’t in the stores that were most convenient for me to shop at. Then I came across a video of someone making their own almond milk and it looked so easy I decided to try it.

I don’t remember what video it was, and I have since seen many other posts about making it yourself. I adapted my basic recipe from Danielle Walker’s recipe in her book Against All Grain. I was hooked from the first batch I made when I realized how easy it was and how great it tastes. It’s not necessarily about whether it’s costing me less to do it myself, it’s more about the ingredient panel.

Here is the ingredient list for a store-bought almond milk without carrageenan:

This ingredient panel has fourteen ingredients, not including water. Fourteen! Some I try to avoid completely, and some I can’t pronounce and don’t even know what they are. This breaks my “5 ingredients” rule completely! Besides filtered water, my almond milk has three ingredients, and I know exactly what each of them are!

This morning as I was making my Almond Milk, I took a few pictures and decided to write a post for anyone who is interested. So grab your 3 ingredients, and let’s get started!

Well, maybe not so fast. Your milk won’t be ready until after you soak your almonds for at least 8 hours. You can soak them longer, but be sure to change the water every 10 hours or so. Do not use boiling hot water.

There are 3 reasons we soak almonds before making milk with them.

1. Soaking reduces the phytic acid in the almonds, which aids in digestion and absorption of its nutrients.

2. Soaking (as opposed to boiling) keeps the almonds raw which prevents denaturing/rotting of the fats in the almonds.

3. The almonds absorb water making them soft and easy to blend into almond milk.

So, get your almonds soaking, gather the rest of your supplies, and you’ll have fresh almond milk to drink by tomorrow!

Ingredients you will need:  

2 cups of Raw Almonds: You can use blanched or unblanched almonds. It will not make any difference in the taste or texture of your milk.

12-13 cups of Filtered Water: You will need to use 8 cups of it for when you are processing the almonds into milk. The rest of the water will be used for soaking the almonds beforehand.

1/8 teaspoon sea salt: I just use the salt for when I am soaking the almonds. I find the milk really doesn’t need it. But if you want to add it to your milk, you won’t need more than 1/8 tsp.

3 Pitted Dates: I buy my dates with the pits in them, and just cut them in half and squeeze the seeds out myself. I have found that when I buy pitted dates, they aren’t quite as soft.

Supplies you will need:
High speed blender
Nut milk bag or cheesecloth
Bowl for processed milk
Jar to hold finished milk

I searched everywhere for nut milk bags, to no avail. I had to order them online, so I used cheesecloth the first couple times I made almond milk while I waited for my order to come in. The cheesecloth worked, but let’s just say it was a lot messier and it would have helped if I had a third hand to help hold things together! I love my nut milk bags!

Ok, so your almonds are done soaking and you’re ready to make your milk.

Let the fun begin!

Now is when I fill my blender with 8 cups of water, and I drop in the dates that I have cut in half and removed the seeds from. The 10 minutes or so that it will take to blanch the almonds will be enough time to soften the dates so they release all their yummy sweetness.

I usually blanch my almonds because it is so quick and easy to do, and I will save the nut pulp to make almond flour with it later. Simply squeeze the nut out of its skin and toss the skins in the trash. I have found some almonds release their skin easier than others. Trader Joe’s almonds are easy to blanch all the time. Costco’s almonds need to soak a little longer to come off easily. If they don’t release quickly and easily, I just leave them on. I still save the nut pulp from it, as it can be used in recipes many different ways. It can even still be made into flour, but it won’t work as well for baked goods.

You are left with nice, clean, blanched almonds!

Now it’s time to put it all in the blender and process it until it becomes a smooth, creamy white.

         

Spread your nut bag around the lip of your bowl and pour everything into it.

         

Take the nut pulp bag up out of the milk, and squeeze it until all the liquid is in the bowl.

You should be left with a bowl full of smooth, creamy milk, and a bag with crumbly pulp. If you aren’t going to use the pulp immediately, you can save it in a baggie in the fridge. I poke a few holes in the top of the baggy with a fork so it can dry out a bit. It will only last about 3 days, so you need to process it into flour or use it as an ingredient in something within that time.

        

You are now ready to pour your milk into a glass container to store in the refrigerator. It will fit in a 2 quart jar and last for about 5 days. Choose a jar with a tight lid, as you will need to shake it well before each use. Canning jars work great, but I like something with a pour spout.