Almond Milk, Dairy-Free (Printable Version)
Creamy dairy-free almond milk made from soaked almonds and water, flavored with dates or vanilla; chills for 3–4 days.
# What You Need:
→ Almonds
01 - 1 cup (150 g) raw almonds
→ Water
02 - 4 cups (1 liter) filtered water, plus more for soaking
→ Optional Additions
03 - 1–2 dates, pitted (for sweetness)
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for flavor)
05 - Pinch of sea salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Place the raw almonds in a large bowl and cover completely with water. Allow them to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
02 - Drain the soaking water and rinse the almonds thoroughly under cold running water.
03 - Add the soaked almonds and 4 cups of fresh filtered water to a high-speed blender. Include pitted dates, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt if desired for sweetness and flavor.
04 - Blend on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
05 - Pour the blended mixture through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher. Squeeze firmly to extract as much liquid as possible, discarding or reserving the almond pulp.
06 - Transfer the freshly made almond milk to a clean bottle or jar, seal, and refrigerate. Shake well before each use and consume within 3 to 4 days.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Four ingredients and zero cooking mean you can make this half asleep, which is exactly how I did it the first time.
- The flavor is richer and fresher than anything you will find in a store, with no gums or preservatives hiding in the ingredient list.
02 -
- Skipping the soak is the biggest mistake you can make because unsoaked almonds will never blend smooth enough and you will end up with gritty, watery disappointment.
- Do not throw away the leftover pulp because it can be dried and used as almond flour or stirred into oatmeal and smoothies for extra protein and fiber.
03 -
- Soaking almonds in the refrigerator during summer prevents fermentation, which I learned the hard way after leaving a bowl on the counter during a heat wave and finding fizzing, weirdly bubbly water the next morning.
- A nut milk bag is worth the small investment because cheesecloth lets tiny particles through and a fine sieve takes forever with disappointing yield.