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A few weeks ago, I started making my own almond milk! I was sharing this with a friend over drinks and she rolled her eyes at me.
“First, homemade pickles, and now homemade milk?” she asked.
I know, I know!
But making nut milk at home is even easier than homemade pickles. Let’s get into it.
Why make your own nut milk?
I’ve been drinking nut or oat milk for 10+ years. I’ve never felt great after drinking cow’s milk, and I try to keep my dairy intake to a minimum to have better control over allergies.
However, I admit I haven’t paid much attention to store-bought nut or oat milk ingredients. I’ve heard there are oils or thickeners in them, but I never thought anything beyond that.
Then I saw some almond milk at the store advertised as “simple” and “only 3 ingredients.” This almond milk just had almonds, water, and salt.
I bought it, and it tasted the same as other dairy alternative milk I’d had — but only three ingredients!
I typically only use milk for my coffee; I sometimes have cereal, so I’ll use it then.
But when I used the “simple” milk for cappuccino foam, it was some of the BEST foam I’d ever made! I was shocked because, typically, almond milk doesn’t make good foam.
Then, I really started thinking about making my own milk.
I immediately researched countertop machines that make the milk for you. They ranged from $50 to $200, and even on the less-expensive end, I didn’t want to invest.
When I started looking around for how to make nut milk, I realized how easy it would be and all I really needed was a good piece of cheesecloth.
I bought this cheesecloth bag for $5 and then tossed a bag of raw, unsalted almonds into my next grocery order.
Let’s do this!
Recipes for homemade nut milk
I found a guide to homemade nut milk that really helped me. You only need nuts (or oats or seeds) and water to make milk — and you can add salt if you want.
Of course, you can add other ingredients, which is why making your own is so cool! You can add sweeteners, spices, or extracts to create your desired flavor.
The most important part of the recipe is the ratio of nuts to milk. The more nuts you use, the creamier and richer the milk will be.
I’ve been using 1/2c of nuts with two cups of water. I’ve made four batches, so I’m still perfecting it. I’ve used almonds and walnuts (in separate batches), but I really want to create my own mix of nuts, seeds, and oats!
I like that there are so many options, and you can get what’s on sale. The almonds I got were $12 for 16 ounces, so it’s enough for approximately six batches of milk.
The walnuts were $8 for 16 ounces, making them more affordable.
Truthfully, though, I wouldn’t say making your own milk is a way to save money (unless you have a nut hookup). It’s more of a way to control ingredients, have fresh milk, and reduce plastic waste.
Tools and tips for making nut milk
Making nut milk is pretty easy, and you’ll likely figure out the best method for you the more you make it.
Here’s what has worked for me:
Making small batches means less work (less pulp and milk to deal with) and ensures you’re consuming fresh milk.
Use jars you’ve already got. I save jars from sauces, pickles, etc., and this way, I have a variety of sizes to choose from — I refuse to buy jars!
Use your “nut pulp” for smoothies or to top yogurt, ice cream, or oatmeal. Get your money’s worth from the nuts! There’s loads of recipes you can use if you want to make cookies or crackers from it, too.
Soak your nuts in filtered water, and use good water to make your milk. You might be lucky and have good water coming from the tap, but I do not. So, I use filtered water for soaking and making milk to ensure I’m getting the best flavor and the right nutrients.
Use the blender you’ve got. This is where the smaller batches also helps. I actually used my immersion blender, which is easy to clean and makes the process faster.
There you have it! Have you made your own milk? I’d love to know what you’ve tried and what works best for you.
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