Making homemade almond milk is so simple and affordable that it’s really unnecessary to buy it in the grocery store. It’s worth trying to make at home, at least once, so you understand the difference between homemade almond milk and shelf-stable almond milk from a carton. When you make almond milk at home, stripped down to its bare essentials (nuts and water), it becomes more than just almond water.
Store-bought almond milk is undeniably convenient. It’s also cheaper than anything you can make at home. So, why make your own?
With packaged almond milk, you’re certainly paying for convenience, but you’re not necessarily paying for many almonds. Most almond milk at the grocery store contains only 2% almonds; the rest is water, flavors, and additives. Manufacturers aren’t currently required to list the percentage of almonds on the packaging, so it’s impossible to know the percentages of various brands. However, in most cases, you’d have to drink an entire half-gallon of almond milk to get the same nutrients as a handful of almonds.
Homemade almond milk recipes typically call for 1 cup/145 g of almonds to 2-4 cups/480-960 ml of filtered water, so making your own should result in about 10 to 20% almonds. This is why homemade almond milk is typically creamy and thick even without additives – it contains way more almonds. It also has a beautiful bright white color incomparable to the store-bought variety. If you ask me, homemade almond milk tastes and looks way better than store-bought. I doubt you’ll be able to go back to a store brand after seeing how good it tastes and how easy it is to make.
Tips for Making Raw Almond Milk
Ingredients
This raw almond milk is a classic recipe I’ve used for years. It requires only two (or three) ingredients:
- Almonds: the taste of almond milk reflects the taste of the almonds. So, get high-quality, organic, fresh almonds. If your almond milk tastes sour or the flavor is unpleasant, the almonds are most likely the culprit. Nuts go bad faster than you’d think, and nowhere is that “off” flavor more apparent than in a batch of nut milk. I used to have this problem when buying almonds from a supermarket. The results have been incomparable since I started buying almonds in a local health food store. So, if you don’t like the taste of your homemade almond milk, try buying nuts from a different store. For the best result, always start with raw almonds. Roasted almonds are dry and brittle, making for less-creamy milk. Roasting also highlights the bitter undertones of almonds. Blanched (peeled) almonds work too. Almond milk from blanched almonds has a less intense almond flour and an even brighter white color. Almonds also come in many forms – whole, sliced, slivered, ground (in the form of almond meal or almond flour) – all of these are fine to use.
- Water: since almond milk is mostly water, clearly, the water you use will also have an impact on the taste of the almond milk. My tap water is alkaline in the aftertaste compared to filtered water with a much brighter and sweeter flavor. When I make almond milk with tap water, it’s slightly basic with a metallic aftertaste, while filtered water produces a little more acidic yet sweeter almond milk. It really comes down to your specific geographical source as to whether filtering offers any real benefits.
- Sunflower lecithin (optional): the one issue with homemade nut milk is that the fat from the nuts and the added water separate over time. Sure, it’s not a big deal – give it a shake, and it’s all good. However, if you’re trying to entice your family into switching over to non-dairy milk, it can make or break the deal. Fortunately, I have a solution for you – an emulsifier. Sunflower lecithin acts as a fat emulsifier in this recipe. In other words, it brings the fat from the almonds and the water together, holding them in suspension.
How to Make Almond Milk
The process of making homemade almond milk is relatively simple, but it does require a high-speed blender. Almonds are hard and dense – perhaps the most challenging nuts for a regular blender. It’s possible to make almond milk in a standard blender, but it’s watery and bland, with just a slight almond flavor. Making almond milk in a high-speed blender is a different story. A high-speed blender – I use the Vitamix – blends so thoroughly that it breaks down cell walls, making the nut milk smooth and creamy. There is also very little leftover almond pulp with the Vitamix because most almonds have been broken down during blending. So, here’s how to make Vitamix almond milk:
- Soak the almonds. Add the almonds to a medium bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 8 hours to soften up and blend easily. You can also add 1 tsp./5.7 g of salt to the soaking water to help activate the almonds and neutralize enzyme inhibitors in the nuts. Soaking saturates the nut from the inside out, producing smoother, creamier almond milk. When the almonds are done soaking, drain the water and rinse the nuts thoroughly. If something comes up and you can’t use the almonds within 24 hours, store them in the refrigerator, changing the water twice a day.
- Blend the ingredients. Add the soaked almonds and water to a high-speed blender and blend on high until all the almonds have broken down and the mixture is frothy. A high-speed blender is a must-have when it comes to making nut milk.
- Strain the almonds. The almond milk will look creamy at this stage but still have little almond pieces. So, set a nut milk bag over a large bowl (I prefer a large measuring cup with a spout to prevent spilling when transferring the milk later on) and pour the milk in. Bring the top of the bag together and use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You could also use cheesecloth, but it’s not very practical – it needs to be doubled or tripled; otherwise, it comes apart and is nearly impossible to wash. Nut milk bags work so much better because they are already bag-shaped, don’t stretch over time, are resistant to picking up stains or food odors, and can be easily washed.
Note: the leftover almond pulp, also known as almond meal, is perfectly fine to use. Transfer it to a baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer. Bake the almond pulp at 200°F/93.3°C until dry, for 2-3 hours. You can also dehydrate the almond pulp at 115°F/46.1°C until dry, for 4-8 hours.
How to Make Instant Almond Milk
If you don’t own a high-speed blender, like the Vitamix, you can still make almond milk at home – all you need is almond butter with almonds being the only ingredient. That’s right – you can make almond milk from almond butter. This hack is almost too easy to believe, but it works!
Almond butter is already smooth and creamy, so you don’t have to worry about pulverizing the almonds. There is also no need to soak the almonds or strain the milk afterward. To make almond butter almond milk, simply add the almond butter and water into a blender (a regular one will do just fine), blend, and voila – instant raw almond milk.
I still prefer classic almond milk from whole almonds – it’s richer and creamier than almond milk made from almond butter – but if you don’t have a Vitamix, this instant almond milk is a great alternative.
How to Store Almond Milk
- Refrigerating: transfer the almond milk to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. If separation occurs, shake before serving.
- Freezing: transfer the almond milk to an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. You can also pour the milk into ice cube trays and freeze it.
Almond Milk Variations
You can change the almond milk by alternating the almonds to water ratio or by flavoring it.
My go-to ratio of water to almonds is between 1:3 and 1:4, but the ratio is up to you. Other than playing with the nut-to-water ratio, there is one more technique for changing the thickness of homemade plant-based milk. Bringing the almond milk to just under a boil for a few minutes permanently increases its viscosity. In fact, this is how I make plant-based coffee creamer (half-and-half) at home.
As far as adding flavor goes, you can add a date or two or 1 Tbsp./15 ml of maple syrup for sweetness. For vanilla almond milk, use 1 tsp./5 ml of vanilla extract. If chocolate almond milk is your thing, use 2 Tbsp./14 g of cacao powder.
How to Use Almond Milk
Almond milk (or some other type of nut milk) is one of those staples I always have on hand.
You can blend it into a smoothie, pour it over granola or cereal, stir it into a chia pudding, use it in all things oatmeal, add it to your morning coffee, froth it for a matcha latte, or bake with it!
More Nut Milk Recipes
- Cashew milk: my favorite dairy-free milk is cashew milk. It’s slightly sweet, smooth, and creamy, with a beautiful white color. It’s also really easy to make at home as it doesn’t require any straining.
- Coconut milk: the taste of fresh coconut milk is so clean, so refreshing, and so fragrant. It’s just like fresh coconut in the creamy liquid form.
- Tigernut milk: this plant milk is naturally sweet with a mellow nutty flavor (despite tiger nuts not being a nut).
If you try any of these recipes, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.
Almond Milk
Ingredients
Classic Almond Milk
- 1 cup almonds
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp. sunflower lecithin , liquid or powdered (optional)
Instant Almond Milk
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Soak the almonds. Add the almonds to a medium bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 8 hours to soften up and blend easily. You can also add 1 tsp./5.7 g of salt to the soaking water to help activate the almonds and neutralize enzyme inhibitors in the nuts.
- Blend the ingredients. Add the soaked almonds, water, and lecithin (optional) to a high-speed blender and blend on high until all the almonds have broken down and the mixture becomes frothy.
- Strain the almonds. At this stage, the almond milk will look creamy, but it will still have little almond pieces inside it. So, set a nut milk bag over a large bowl (I prefer a large measuring cup with a spout to prevent spilling when transferring the milk later on) and pour the milk in. Bring the top of the bag together and use your hands to press and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. All you should have left is nearly a dried ball of almond meal.
- Store. Leftover almond milk keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
I saw your comments on Almond milk, I’ve done 8 batches of it with my Vitamix, and it has not separated. Last week, for whatever reason, batches 9-12 are separating. The first set of batches I used cheesecloth, and the last set of batches I used flour sack (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-5pk-Flour-Sack-Kitchen-Towel-White/14938258), and that’s where I noticed that it was separating. Also, the second batch of almonds sat for more than 24 hours, and I noticed a white substance coming out, so I don’t know if it had anything to do with it (maybe some protein or binder that was leeching out). Let me know if any of these issues would cause the milk to separate, where it had not done so before! Thanks! Tom
Hi Tom. To be honest, I’ve never used flour sacks before. I know of them, but don’t own any. However, I don’t think that they would cause the almond milk to separate – it doesn’t matter whether you use cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or flour sack – they should still work the same. When you’re talking about the second batch of almonds sitting for more than 24 hours, are you talking about the almonds soaking for more than 24 hours?
My last batch of almond milk separated. I had soaked the almonds overnight, couldn’t make milk until later that day. I had them drained in the refrigerator and the batch made from them seperated. I’m thinking that was a bad thing!
Hi Nancy – was this your first batch or was this just the first batch that separated? Also, did you leave the wet/soaked almonds in the fridge without water or were they still covered in water? Not that this would matter for the separation, but it’s always better to keep the nuts covered in fresh water rather than just letting them sit in the fridge wet. My final question is – if this was not your first batch, did the other batches work and if they did, was there anything else you did differently with this batch? Sorry for so many questions, but it’s sometimes difficult to troubleshoot when I don’t have more info. Thank you 🙂
Hi!
Same almonds, same water, never seperated before. I haven’t made a lot of batches, but never had problems.
The almonds soaked overnight in the fridge, then in the morning when I couldn’t blend them, I strained them and put them back in the refrigerator for probably 10 hours. I’ve read that they can sour quickly left like that so maybe that was where things went wrong?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Nancy – yes, almonds definitely do sour quickly. I actually find that even non-organic almonds taste a bit sour compared to organic almonds (but maybe that’s just me). To be honest, I have never left soaked almonds in the fridge for several hours. When I soak nuts, I either use them right away or I dehydrated them (so they don’t develop mold). So maybe the almonds were the culprit? It’s definitely interesting but I honestly don’t know what cause the separation. I am sorry I couldn’t be of more help 🙁
How long does this almond milk last in the fridge?
Hi Sarah – the storage instructions are in the recipe box, so I’m just going to copy and paste it here: “The milk will keep for up to 4 days, though best when fresh.” Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Hi Petra. I find that if I blend my almonds with boiling water then add cold water during the straining process, it doesn’t separate.
Interesting!!! I have never tried that method. Thank you so much for sharing this, Veronica! I will definitely give this a try!
You are helpful, I need better scheduling for my milk making! Will make some this weekend, the right way! Thanks, have a great weekend!
Thank you Nancy! I hope the next batch turns out excellent 🙂
I definitely have had the experience of separation coming from lower quality, or simply unrefrigerated almonds. We have a store here that keeps all of it’s nuts refrigerated. Those nuts always do better at not separating than nuts bought off the shelf.
Hi Caroline – thank you for sharing. I agree – the quality of almonds is so important for homemade almond milk. I wish the stores I visit in my town had refrigerated almonds. I store my nuts and seeds in the fridge or the freezer, but always wonder how long they had been sitting on the shelf in the store. Fortunately, I have never had a problem with separation even after using nuts off the shelf. (However, I do notice a difference in flavor when I soak nuts in the fridge vs on the counter). Also, I get much better results using organic vs non-organic almonds. Go figure …
Thanks!
Dear Petra, thanks for your advice! I just wanted to ask you one question – why should one only boil a 1/4 of the milk to increase viscosity? Thanks!
Hi Pam – a great question. The 25% (1/4 of the mixture) is not set in stone. It’s a way to control viscosity. If you heated the whole batch, it would be too thick and impractical (unless you were going for a thick cream). I find that the best way to control the viscosity is to reserve some of the almond milk in its unthickened state, heat and thicken the other part (doesn’t have to be exactly 75:25 ratio), then combine them together for the perfect consistency of whole milk. Please, let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
If people are using mason jars and have a sous vide stick, you can just pop it in the bath for 2-4 minutes at 80-90C, depending on desired thickness and it’ll do the same thing. Don’t add spices and vanilla before this step. Do it after, instead, once the milk cools off in the fridge.
That’s so interesting! I have never even thought about it. Thank you for sharing. I am sure some people will find it very helpful.
Such great instructions! My problem is when i try to strain milk- I get no pulp- it’s all blended?! I use Vitamix at a highest setting for a bit under a minute. 🙁 It tastes good but almost chalky! :/ Not like the ones I bought from juiceries before.
Hi Leeka – are you using raw (with skins) or blanched (peeled) almonds? Either way, are you sure that what you refer to as “chalky” isn’t the almond pulp? Have you tried straining the milk just to see if you would get any pulp? I have never heard of anybody being able to completely blend almonds (even when using a Vitamix). There is usually some fiber (pulp) left. And because you’re saying that your milk tastes chalky, it makes me think that you’re still getting a bit of fiber in your milk. What are your thoughts? IF you don’t think that’s the case, just let me know and I will look into it a bit further. These are just my initial thoughts 🙂
Wow, I’m so glad i found your YouTube channel and blog! So grateful for your detailed well made tutorials <3 Thank you for all the work you do to share these recipes with us. Your almond milk recipe is the first i find that does not require the almonds to be blanched (peeled), i was wondering if there was a difference? Does keeping the peels make it more bitter or nuttier? I definitely would prefer not to take the extra step to peel them haha. What are your thoughts?
Hi Gisela – I am glad you found me and enjoying my content 🙂 I really appreciate your comment. To answer your question, I always use raw almonds for homemade almond milk and it works great. However, removing the skin does give the almonds a smoother texture. The most common reasons for using blanched almonds are:
1. Milk flavor – blanched almonds give a less intense flavor to the almond milk.
2. Almond pulp – when you use blanched almonds, the leftover pulp (almond flour) is light in color and lacks the dark specs of almond pulp with skins (almond meal). For delicate (light-colored) baked goods you would want to use almond flour as opposed to almond meal.
Hope this answers your question 🙂
I made almond cashew milk. It was perfect my favourite so far. I left it in the fridge overnight and it got clumpy and viscous. I tried shaking it up to know avail. I poured bit iin my tea and it appears to have gone sour overnight! I was so disappointed. Any idea what could cause this to happen?
Let me ask you a few questions and hopefully we can figure it out. So if I understand it correctly, you soaked cashews and almonds together and then made milk out of them. If that’s the case, I do have to say that as far as I know, the non-separation trick only works with almond milk. So if you made almond-cashew milk, this might the first problem. Another question I would have is how long did you soak the nuts for and were you soaking them in he fridge or on the counter? Hopefully we can figure out what went wrong together 🙂
Hi
I’ve got a bad batch. The milk got separated heavily (2 layers with water in the middle) and smelled bad just after few days (made on Sunday evening and throw them off on Tue evening :(). Any idea? Also I wonder how long the milk could be kept at its best quality? I stored them in an Tupperware airtight bottle (not made of glass), is this the problem? Do we really need to strain/boil the milk?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Hi – I am so sorry to hear that. Let me ask you a few questions: 1. your milk separated into 3 layers – milk-water-milk? 2. You’re asking if you need to strain and boil the milk so I assume you didn’t strain it and/or boil it? If you just blend almonds with water and do not boil portion of the milk, it will separate because there are no additives. The reason store-bought milk doesn’t separate so much is because there are usually emulsifiers, stabilizers, and/or thickeners to keep the milk from separating. 3. Homemade almond milk should last in the fridge for at least 4 days. There are several reasons your almond milk could have gone bad – how long did you soak the almonds for? Where did you soak the almonds – in the fridge or on the counter? Also, you have to make sure your appliances and kitchen tools are clean (even better – sterilized) so there are no bacteria that could ruin your milk. I know this is a lot to take in, but hopefully we can figure out what went wrong together.
I didn’t realize till recently that all almonds sold in the USA are treated, due to a salmonella scare back in 2007. I now buy organic almonds in bulk from Spain through Amazon. People use almond milk for a healthier lifestyle and our gov’t. is spraying them with Propylene Oxide!
My almond milk always separates, but I just shake it before using and it’s fine. I use it for smoothies, so it doesn’t need to be perfect, and I also no longer strain mine, for added fiber.
I hadn’t read anywhere about heating 1/4 of the milk – that’s a fantastic idea for a creamier milk, thanks!
http://naturalsociety.com/discovered-dirty-little-secret-almonds/
Thank you so much for sharing! That’s some valuable information (especially for those living in the US).
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ve been trying my hand at almond milk for a couple of months now and the most frustrating part of it was texture. Either I dropped the nuts:water ratio to 1:3, thus making it way more expensive than store bought (almonds cost about $14/pound in Rio de Janeiro), or I had to make do with a watery, albeit tasty, drink. Heating part of it up fixed the problem for me. Thank you!
That’s so awesome, Deborah! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi Petra, I’ve always had trouble getting the right consistency when it comes to nut mylk. Thank you for the recipe, I think boiling a portion of the mylk will solve that problem. Your recipes are amazing. Thank you again. Keep posting your amazing vegan recipes.
Thank you so much for the comment, Revathi! You’re so kind. Hope you enjoy the recipe ❤
hi Petra, can I soak the almonds a bit longer? As the milk will stay just for four hours.
Hi Rasha, yes, you can. You just have to be careful if you soak the almonds longer that they don’t go bad. I would either put the almonds in the fridge after a few hours or at least change the soaking water a few times.
I am from Mexico, United States border, I love raw foods, thank you for teaching me, it is very good for my health.
Thank you for the lovely comment, Martha! Enjoy the recipes 🙂
Hi Petra
Could you please share a recipe for Macademia nut milk
Thanks
Hi Parineeta – you can follow the same steps from the almond milk recipe. Macadamia nuts are softer than almonds, so they only need to be soaked for 1-2 hours. The ratio of macadamia nuts:water depends on how thick you want your milk. I usually go with 1:3 ratio. If I am making the milk for smoothies and cereal, I also like to add 1 date for every cup of macadamia nuts. Hope it helps. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Hi, I’m curious too know if you have tried the boiling technique with oat milk at all?
Oats react differently to other nuts and my first batch was a little slimy and separated quickly. Next time I’ll try without soaking the oats beforehand, I read that can help.
Thanks in advance, Ali
Hi Ali – getting the oat milk consistency right can be a little tricky. Usually the problem with sliminess has more to do with the actual blending (rather than soaking/not soaking). If you blend the oats for too long, the milk does tend to get slimy. Ideally, you wouldn’t be blending the oats for longer than 45 seconds. Also, you want to use rolled oats (not instant oats). I am not sure which oats you used, so I thought I would mention it. You don’t need to have the oats perfectly blended (that’s what causes sliminess). Rather, use a nut milk bag to strain the milk. It has been quite some time since I made oat milk (my husband prefers almond milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk, so those are the ones I make at home regularly). So, to answer your question – no, I haven’t tried the heating method with oat milk. Please, let me know how it goes if you give it a try.
I’ve tried 3 times now heating a little of our milk just as you instructed. Each batch of milk has “curdled” when I mix it with the remaining milk. Each time I did the heating process right after making the milk the water was room temperature cool not super from the refrigerator. I read that temperature shock can cause this effect? I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong. Or if I’m ruining the milk. Afraid to give it to the kids like this in case I’m spoiling it.
Hi Marissa – so sorry you’re having difficulties with the recipe. I have never had this happen, but here are a few things that come to mind. 1. Heat the almond milk gradually, over low to medium heat. This is important because you don’t want the milk to boil. It just needs to reach a high temperature (almost boiling). 2. Temperature shock can definitely cause milk (any milk, really) to curdle. My almond milk is always warm from the Vitamix. It shouldn’t be cold. If you mix together hot and cold milk, it will indeed curdle. 3. The last thing – which I am sure you’re aware of – is acidity. If you add anything acidic to the milk (lemon, apple cider vinegar, coffee …), the milk will curdle. It doesn’t mean that the milk went bad. You can still drink it, but it’s not very pleasing to look at. Hope this helps a little. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Can I send this to school with my son for lunch in an insulated bottle?
HI Obi – I just realized you mentioned an insulated bottle. I guess it depends on how long your bottle keeps liquids cold and how quickly you son drinks the milk. Ideally, the milk would stay cold.
Hello,
I’ve seen on your website that you are using cashew milk quite often.
So my question is: would you use the same quantities to do it 1cup of cashew for 4 cups of water? and then can I use the same technique (warm some part of the milk) to thicken it?
Thanks for all your recipes and videos.
Hi Cathy – a great question. It depends on what I’m using the cashew milk for. If it’s for drinking, I do 4:1. If it’s for desserts, I usually make it thicker (for instance, I used 1:2.5 for frozen hot chocolate). I will test the thickening part tomorrow and let you know how it goes 🙂
Hi Petra,
Thank you so much for your answer and the information. The idea is to make an ice cream, so I will try to use the ratio 4:1 … or maybe 3:1 to make it a little bit “creamier”!
Thanks for all the recipes and info… GREAT job
If you’re making ice cream, the creamier the better. You want to avoid water as much as possible when making ice cream. If there’s too much water in the mixture, it all comes together to form larger crystals when it freezes, resulting in icy ice cream. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Hello Petra – I tried heating up a 1/4 of my walnut/pecan recipe and it never thickened. Is this just an almond thing? If anything, now my milk has an interesting marble look of separation throughout. I just shake and seems to taste okay. Maybe my recipe of 4:1 with walnuts and pecans should be changed slightly? Maybe don’t soak? I’ve never soaked them before. Thank you!
Hi Reg – believe it or not, I have never tried making pecan milk. So far, I have tried almond, cashew, coconut, hazelnut, and hemp. Almond milk is definitely unique in terms of thickening and homogenization. However, I am about to try the heating method with cashew milk tomorrow to see what happens (I will update you once I have the results). I change up the ratio of nuts to water depending on what I’m using the recipe for. The ratio doesn’t influence whether the milk thickness or not. (Homemade almond milk will thicken whether the ratio is 4:1 or 3:1). I do soak nuts and seeds mainly to remove phytates and enzyme inhibitors. Another benefit of soaking nuts and seeds is that they break down easier (which is especially important when making milk).
Thank you so much for your response Petra. 🙂
I look forward to hearing how the cashew milk turns out. I appreciate all your tips and expertise.
Hi Reg – so, I made cashew milk yesterday (1:4 ratio) and then heated it up, just like I would almond milk. It thickened quite a lot, so the heating method definitely works in this case. I will have to try the pecan milk now to see what happens 🙂
Thanks for the update. I will try cashew also!
Hi Petra ,
Thank you for your recipes also tips and tricks with the almond milk. I have been making almond milk Continually for 4-5 years I think.. but still i been struggling a lot with this special nuts. Hehe. Sometimes it goes smoothly, super fine, super delicious.. but day after that i make The new again and it’s Sour quickly, sometimes it stinks (Smelling like you know weird acid nutty) .. i wonder why would it be?
Any suggestions?
Thanks before…
Tineke.
Hi Tineke – thank you for the kind words! just to make sure that I understand you correctly. Sometimes you make almond milk and it’s great. Then you make a new batch, and it doesn’t turn out all that well. Is that correct? If so, are you using the same almonds or is it a different batch of almonds as well? Whenever I make nut milk now, I sterilize all my equipment to make sure there are no bacteria. This helps tremendously with shelf-life. Do you pay attention to how clean/sterilized your kitchen tools are? That could definitely be a factor as well. I always put the milk in the refrigerator as soon as I am done making it, which is yet another factor in how long the milk keeps.
Hi Petra! I’m curious to know if the method of heating 1/4 of the milk would also work for other non-dairy varieties? Oat, hemp seed, cashew, etc.? I often make other types depending on what I have on hand and I’d love to solve the seperation probelm! Great post and thank you!
Hi Annie – so far I have only tried heating homemade almond milk and homemade cashew milk. Both milks thickened beautifully. I haven’t been able to pin point the variable, but some people have had problems with separation even after heating. If that happens to you, I would recommend using sunflower lecithin (this is what I do to keep the homogenized almond milk raw). Sunflower lecithin is a supplement with many health benefits. So by adding it into the milk, you’re boosting the nutritional value of the milk (as well as making sure the water and the fat from the almonds do not separate). Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Hi Petra,
I’m glad to learn about heating up a portion of the milk to homogenize it. How ever I am also interested in increasing the nutritional value by adding the Lecithin. As yet I have not been able to locate where you state the amount to be added, say for a quart of almond milk to be effective. I already have Lecithin on hand and would like to utilize it more. Thanks.
Hi Hoyt – sorry about that! I just updated the recipe (you will need 1 tsp. sunflower lecithin for 1 cup of almonds. If you use more than 4 cups (960 ml) water, you will need to add more.
Thank you so much, not only for the recipe, but also for all the information related to it. Finally I can drink an almond cappuccino that doesn’t suck
You’re very welcome, Julia!
Hi, if you don’t mind, would you please share the recipe of your almond cappuccino? Thanks
Hi Petra,
I just came across your YouTube channel, and I’m loving it!
Question: Can I use “almond flour” to make almond milk? I’m not sure how to handle the soaking situation.
Thank you so much!
Hi Monica – thank you so much! I have never used almond flour to make almond milk, to be honest. I make my almond milk from whole almonds and then use the pulp for baking. (I dehydrate the pulp and then grind it into flour). I am sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
For how long can I store them?
Hi Nayera – the milk will keep in a refrigerator for 4-5 days.
I’ve tried your recipe for both almond and oat and really like it!
I’m curious if you’ve ever tried pasteurising your milks and if so, do you have any tips? Mine goes sour way to quick.
Thanks!
Hi Ashley – yes, I’ve tried pasteurizing homemade nut milk a few times. It definitely helps preserve the milk, but it also leads to loss of several nutrients, so I no longer do that. Here is what I do instead:
1. Sterilize all the equipment that comes into contact with the nuts/seeds (jars, blender container, nut milk bag …). The nut milk bag is really important but rather tricky. In order to sterilize a nut milk bag properly, it needs to be made from 100% natural ingredients (no synthetic materials or glue). Boiling, soaking in vinegar and sun drying (which is how I sterilize my nut milk bag) can damage the synthetic fibers, which can lead to chemicals and synthetic particles (plastic) ending up in your food.
2. Store the milk in small vacuum sealed mason jars to give it an extra protection. The reason I say small is that you will then need to open one jar just a few times before its finished.
3. Place the milk in the refrigerator as soon as it’s made. The same goes for soaking the nuts/seeds for the milk – soak them in the refrigerator. The reason this is important is that cold temperatures slow biochemical reactions taking place in the milk. There is a research done by CSIC on tiger nut milk preservation. According to their findings, nut milk that is stored at 41-46 degrees F lasts 3-5 days. Nut milk that is stored at 32-35 degrees F lasts 8-10 days!
If you want to try pasteurizing the milk, there are two ways to do that: standard pasteurization: 145 degrees F and maintain temperature for at least 30 minutes. Flash Pasteurization: 165 degrees F for at least 15 seconds. Remember to stir constantly to maintain an even temperature and avoid scalding/burning.
All that said, if I know that I won’t be able to drink all the milk I have, I freeze it. Thawing the milk does negatively affect its texture. So, I usually then just use it for smoothies or baking (which works just fine).
Please, let me know if you have any questions.
so i buy raw almonds in bulk, soak them over night. remove the skins, soak another night and then make milk. i do a 1:3 almond to milk ratio and its great. but EVERY damn time i try to heat a quarter of it to thicken it refuses to thicken. i use a thermometer and bring it to about 170 but not to boiling point let ic cool, but it never thickens. what am i doing wrong?
Also: ive tried sunflower lecithin up to 2 tsp per 3 cup batch, blend it in let it sit blend some more and it still separates. any suggestions? i dont mind the separation just was hoping to not have to shake it up all the time.
Hi Carlo – thank you for reaching out! The only thing that’s different from the way I make homemade almond milk is that you peel the almonds. I use almonds with the skins on. I am currently travelling, so unfortunately I can’t test this recipe with blanched almonds. However, if you wanna do a little experiment, try using unpeeled almonds the next time you make the milk. If not, I can try making homemade almond milk with blanched almonds as soon as I am back in Canada, and let you know my results.
As far as the separation goes, do you find that the milk separates just like when you don’t use any lecithin? When I make the almond milk, it never separates into water-cream layer. It stays homogenized. However, what does occur is sedimentation where a layer of milk proteins forms at the bottom of the bottle (in which I store the milk). It’s natural and normal. This is why even store-bought almond milk separates a little and you’re supposed to “shake the milk before use”.
im kind of confused, i dont use blanched almond these are just soaked raw and peeled. and the only reason i peel them is the skin doesnt blend as easily when its been soaked as it does dry.
no mine really separates, not just sediment layer at the bottom. no matter what ive done to the milk itself. but if i add my favored protein powder to it it does not separate…..
Hi Carlo – I am sorry for the confusion. I should have referred to the almonds as “peeled” almonds, not “blanched”. The point I was trying to make is that I have never tried making almond milk with peeled almonds, so I’m not sure how it behaves. As I mentioned, I will make almond milk with peeled almonds as soon as I am back home (early next week), and will let you know how it went. From what you wrote, it seems that you’re doing everything right, so I honestly don’t know why the milk doesn’t thicken and/or why it separates. Could you, please, tell me what brand of sunflower lecithin you’re using? Is it liquid or powdered?
im kind of confused, i dont use blanched almond these are just soaked raw and peeled. and the only reason i peel them is the skin doesnt blend as easily when its been soaked as it does dry.
no mine really separates, not just sediment layer at the bottom. no matter what ive done to the milk itself. but if i add my favored protein powder to it it does not separate…..
Hi Petra, I’m so grateful for your well-made, detailed tutorials! If you accept recipe requests my vote would be for one utilizing the pulp.
A great suggestion! Thank you Daria.
Fantastic! I used 1 cup almond , 2 cups water and the lecithin to make creamer it’s delicious and did not separate in my coffee. Thank you!
Awesome! I really appreciate your feedback, Shelli! Thank you so much. ❤️
Hi Nancy
Thanks for sharing
I have problems needing your help
When grinding almonds at high speed for 2 minutes, the high speed causes the milk solution in the blender to heat up, is this the cause of water splitting? I usually grind 30s at a time, a batch of milk 5 times so, between each grinding time to take time to cool down the solution before running the blender again?
Thanks a lot! Nice day!
No, heat is not what causes the milk to split up. The reason almond milk separates is that fat (from the almonds) and water simply do not mix. The solution to the “problem” is an emulsifier. such as sunflower lecithin. Sunflower lecithin is not only an emulsifier, but it’s also a supplement, so it actually improves the nutritional value of the milk. Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Hi, is it possible to switch sunflower lecithin to soy lecithin? do they act the same as the emulsifier?
After adding the lecithin, do we have to heat some part of the milk either? Or we can just skip the heating step.
Thanks =D
Hi Jacqueline – you can use soy lecithin if you’d like. They serve the same purpose. However, I prefer sunflower lecithin for its health benefits. And no, you don’t need to heat the milk after adding lecithin 🙂
Thanks for the insight.
Do we actually need to heat the milk after straining to kill the bacterias ?
Thanks
HI Jacqueline – as long as your equipment is clean, you don’t need to heat the milk to kill bacteria. I heat it up when I want a thicker, more homogenized milk.
Thanks for the recipe. For me, I would soak the number of nuts I need for one week (try not to keep for more then a week). After soaking for about 8 hours, I would wash the nuts thoroughly and freeze them. Every day I’ll just blend the number of nuts required for the day. So far there is no sour taste and taste just as good.
That’s so clever! Thank you for the tip, Suzanne!! I will definitely try it.
hi from Australia,, just found your site. Question:
my last batch of almond milk soured really badly, it always separates in the fridge. I just shake it up before use to combine the oils, water and residue in the bottom of the bottle.
i always soak in filtered water and change several times, use filtered water to blend.
what have i done out of 20 or so batches to have one sour badly on me.. almonds in australia are really expensive.
also is it ok to put the pulp back through the blender with a little more water to get a bit more milk?
I also have noticed that the milk is warm after blending is that ok?
Hi Christina 🙂 I give a lot of tips in the blog post. I am not sure if you read it, so just in case, I’m going to repeat a few of the points I mentioned there:
1. Try buying nuts from a different store. If your almond milk tastes sour or the flavor is too intense and unpleasant, the almonds are most likely the culprit. Nuts go bad faster than you’d think, and nowhere is that “off” flavor more apparent than in a batch of nut milk. I used to have this problem all the time when I was buying almonds from a large supermarket. Ever since I started buying almonds in a local health food store, the results are incomparable.
2. Store raw nuts in the freezer or in a cool, dark cupboard in an airtight container. (I store mine in a glass mason jar in the freezer all the time.) This helps the nuts stay fresh longer.
3. Soak the almonds in the fridge. This will help the almonds remain fresh (and not go sour).
4. Discard the soaking water and rinse the almonds thoroughly.
5. The milk will get warm during blending (especially if you’re using a high-speed blender). That’s not a problem. Just make sure you store the milk in the fridge after it’s done blending and straining.
6. Sterilize your kitchen equipment. Now, I don’t usually do this step. However, if you do have some bacteria on your kitchen utensils, that might cause your milk to go sour quickly. So, give it a try.
The milk does last only about 4 days in the fridge. So, if you know that you won’t be able to use it all during that time, freeze it.
You could put the pulp back, sure. If you have a juicer, you could put the pulp through a juicer too to get even more liquid.
Do you use sunflower lecithin to keep the milk from separating? Sunflower lecithin is an emulsifier, so it brings the fat from the almonds and the water together, holding them in suspension.
Please, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions.
hi from Australia 🙂 thank you for the reply… yes read your article and several others trying to figure what i did wrong… i buy almonds now from the health food stores… and reduced the blending time to 1 minute and 45 sec only not 2 minutes…
i have found some glass milk jars and sterilised those with wider mouth openings so i can put them in the dishwasher .
i am very meticulous with cleanliness in cooking and the last batch of milk was fine and it was not warm after processing….. but has me on alert all the time now
so you feel putting the pulp back in the blender with more water is not the way to go? to get a bit more almond milk…???
thank you again for the help
Hi Christina – I am glad the last batch turned out better 🙂 You can definitely try re-blending the almond pulp and see if you like the result. Just taste it first (to make sure you actually like it) before you mix it in with the rest of the milk.
Hi, very useful post, Petra, thanks. I just bought a Vitamix and blended my first almond milk last night. I had it on cereal today and I didn’t really like it to be honest. The flavour was too intensely nutty and it was too thick. I think, next time, I will use a larger ratio of water to nuts (I used 3:1). I also didn’t strain it because I put ground seeds on my breakfast cereal so it seemed a bit silly to strain out the pulp from the nut milk, dry it in the oven and then I would use it for exactly something like putting on my cereal, ha ha!
I soaked for a bit longer than I should have because I was busy – it was more like a day and a half than 8 hours. I also didn’t soak in the fridge – I’ll do that next time. However, it doesn’t taste sour – just too thick and nutty and gloopy. I also used tap water for soaking and for blending (different water!) because I don’t have a water filter jug.
Hi Debbie – I totally understand your reasoning for not straining the pulp 😀 but this is exactly why your milk was too nutty and thick. The milk is much thinner and less nutty once you strain the pulp. Also, you can always adjust the ratio once your milk is blender. Start with 1:3, strain, taste, and if the milk is still too thick for your liking, simply add more water. It’s fine to soak the almonds longer. However, I would recommend draining the almonds after 24 hours and then just let them sprout until you’re ready to use them. I have all the instructions here: https://nutritionrefined.com/guide-to-soaking-and-sprouting/ If you soak the almonds for too long, they might start getting moldy. Please, let me know if you have any questions. I am happy to help 🙂
Can you use egg yolks in place of the lecithin?
Hi John – a good thinking. Egg yolks are an effective lecithin substitute. So, in theory, using an egg yolk should work. However, I have never tried it, so I can’t guarantee the results.
Wouldn’t they need to be cooked in the almond milk? Sort of like a sabillon (sp?) or ice cream base?
Hi Carlo – I don’t think so. It would be the same as preparing a salad dressing with vinegar, oil, and raw egg yolks. The lecithin acts like a bridge holding the two otherwise unmixable liquids together. You can read more about it here.
Love your recipe. Used 2 dates and vanilla bean paste and the sunflower lecithin. Came out awesome!
Yay! That makes me so happy. Thank you for the feedback and rating, Esther. ❤️
is it ok to shake the separated almond milk before use it?
or it is gone bad after separated?
If the milk smells ok, you can just shake it and use it. Separation doesn’t mean that the milk has gone bad.
This recipe worked the first time I tried it. Thank you for the thorough instructions and guidance! We have benefitted from your trial and error indeed. I am so grateful to you for putting this together. I must say, the chocolate version is just divine: dark chocolatey and sweet. I happened to have some really fresh and luscious medjools on hand and fresh organic almonds straight from an almond ranch, so mine really turned out amazing. But it was your instructions and your recipe that made it so good. Thank you, Petra. Thank you!
Yay! So excited to hear you liked the recipe so much, Nancy! Your comment just made my day. Thank you so much for the feedback and rating!❤️
Miss Petra…Hi! I am in near heaven that I found you! I had switched my family over from dairy milk to Almond milk already. But dear Lord we were missing out on real FLAVOR! Thank you for this presentation on making different kinds of plant-based milk and I have to find those nut milk bags ASAP! I have some queries.
1. What brand blender are you using?
2. Your thoughts on this aspect of cashews. Through my research on inflammation cashews list the highest in causing an inflammatory rise in our bloodstreams. I am not privileged to the ONLY research on that so am very interested in your opinion as a holistic health practitioner.
3. Will you be publishing a real hard copy version of your recipes? I am most certain I am not the one and only person who would be BLESSED to buy that!
4. You are terrific!
Please and Thank you- Keep Safe and Well!
Big Hugs from my boys and I, here in NC
Aw, thank you so much, Beth! So happy you like the recipe so much.
1. I am using Vitamix. I have a blog post with all the Vitamix blenders I have used and tried (and which one is the best), if you’re interested.
2. Cashews have a similar nutritional profile to other nuts although they are one of the lowest-fiber, highest-carbohydrate nuts. I can send you links to studies that suggest that cashews particularly are good for bone health (because of their high copper content), help prevent heart disease (thanks to their healthy fats including MUFA and PUFA), promote the formation of red blood cells (again, copper), boost immune system (zinc), etc. I am surprised you’re talking about inflammation because cashews actually contain antioxidant compounds. That being said, if you’re on an AIP (autoimmune-protocol) diet, then you should avoid cashews – just like any other nuts – because they have the potential to irritate or damage the intestines of some people. Same goes for if you’re on a low-carb diet. As I already mentioned, cashews are on of the highest-carbohydrate nuts.
3. Thank you for asking, Beth. Maybe in the future (I would only do that if I had a publishing company behind me). For now, I only have the e-book with dinner recipes.
4. Aw, you’re too kind!
Hi Petra!
If I want to pasteurise my cashew milk to extend the shelf life, should I put dates, lecithin and all those ingredients together since the begining or should I add them after?
Hi Narada – I am not an expert at pasteurization, but I would pasteurize the milk with all the add-ins. I believe that producers heat and quickly cool down milk right before packaging. (This is true for both pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization).
Hi Petra, thank you very much for your amazing tips in making almond milk. I’ve been internet surfing here and there to search for the best tips in making almond milk, and Thank God I found your article, which is amazing and really helpful. I’ve struggled in making almond milk that stays, even when I put it inside the fridge.
the first time, I soaked a cup of almond for 12 hours on counter, put in 6 dates, 2 big spoons of honey, no vanilla extract/sugar/salt. I have a small blender, so I blend the almond pulp back and forth up to 2 times in order to get 1500ml–> it turns out to stay for two days in the fridge (the next day after I made it, it still fine). I finished it up on the second day. It has a very strong Medjool dates taste which I dislike
Second time, I soaked a cup of almond for almost 24 hours on counter, put in 5 dates, synthetic vanilla extract (can’t find the real one in-store), 0,5 tsp of sea salt, 3 big spoons of coconut sugar. I blend the almond pulp back and forth up to 5 times in order to get 2250ml –? I tried on it, and it’s too salty, the salty taste even dries my tongue and stays for the whole day. I only put around 3 pinches of sea salt in a 2250ml of almond milk. then, it turns out sour and bad on the next morning. I made it at 12 pm the day before. It turns bad in less than 24 hours inside the fridge. I was so confused. what did I do wrong? Why did it go bad so fast? why did the saltiness taste so strong? I saw a lot of almond milk was made with sea salt and it’s fine.
Third time, I soaked the almond milk for 12 hours in the fridge, put in 2 leftover dates, real vanilla extract, and a pick of regular salt. I blend the almond pulp back and forth up to 5 times in order to get 2250ml. then I try to steam a quarter of it in a pot, it doesn’t thicken at all. So I decide to steam the whole badge, I stir it and turn off the stove when I see bubbles. added three big spoons of sugar and additional vanilla extract–> The smells of the milk suddenly turn sour and the first layer of the milk seems broken (it’s not clumpy, but it’s not blend well like normal almond texture), it’s different from the smell before. But the taste was normal. it turns out to stay for three days in the fridge.
Sorry for a long comment here, since I was really confused and didn’t know who to ask. Here are some questions which I hope you can help enlighten:
1.) I don’t own a big fast speed blender. It’s only can fit up to 1 L. Is it okay for me to reblend the almond pulp back and forth to collect 2250ml? does it affect how long the milk lasts?
2.) Is it normal for the almond milk to smell sour and the first layer texture turns broken after I warm it? I turn it off before the boiling point. Small bubbles were formed.
3.) How do I make the almond milk last longer like for three days as you mentioned before? My friend told me that warming can make it longer, is it true?
4.) In my case, Warming doesn’t make the almond milk thicker, and the ratio of one cup of almond milk + one cup of water blend didn’t create a thicker texture as well. How do I make the almond milk thicker then? is there something I did wrong?
Please help, I hope you can help answer my questions. I was kinda desperate in this almond milk making journey 🙁
Hi Vioni – I am sure we can figure this out.
1. What exactly do you mean by re-blending the pulp? If I understand it correctly, you add the almonds into the blender with water, blend, strain, then put the pulp back into the blender with more water. Is that right? What is the ratio of almonds to water you typically use?
2. What type of almonds are you using? Raw? Organic? Whole unpeeled? Have you experimented with different brands?
3. Are you rinsing the almonds before adding them into the blender?
4. Have you tried sterilizing your blender container and all other tools that come into contact with the almonds/milk?
5. That’s really odd that 1 cup almonds blended with 1 cup water wouldn’t create a thicker consistency. It should be really thick and creamy (since there is so little water). What was the consistency like?
6. How long were you warming up the milk on the stove to get thicker consistency? Your friend was probably referring to pasteurization, which can indeed eliminate pathogens.
Don’t despair – we will figure it out 🙂
Petra
I have read your recipe for almond milk and it is the only one so far that doesn’t use coconut in some form. Your recipe s the best one I have found yet.
Since I’m allergic to cows, that translates into no beef and no dairy. So, I use almond milk for everything. My question is can I make the almond milk recipe thick enough to serve in place of softened cream cheese, or sour cream? If so, how would I approximate the taste of sour cream? So far the creamer works in lots of recipes, and the unsweetened almond milk also works just fine. But, where I need more moisture in cake batter, I need something thicker, like buttermilk or sour cream. These are the add ins that hold more moisture, which prevent the cake from coming out of the oven dry and crumbly. I could also use the sour cream alternative for dips and a whole host of foods that only the taste of sour cream will work. This may be impossible to do. But, I’m hoping you might know a way of making the almond milk taste like sour cream.
I appreciate any help you can give me.
Thank you!
Hi Virginia – I am glad this recipe is helpful! I actually do have a recipe for sour cream on my blog, but it is made from cashews. You can make it with blanched almonds instead. However, the texture won’t be as smooth. Almonds, even when blanched, just don’t break down as well as cashews (almonds are more fibrous). You can use that sour cream as a dip or to add moisture to baked goods (I do it all the time and it works great!)
Hi Petra. I have been making my own plant based milk for quite a long time and I am trying to find ways to improve it. Thanks to the stabilizer idea it looks much better now. However, I still have another question:
– Can I use other types of dates than Medjoul because it is hard to find it where I live and sometimes it is costly?
– What can I do to make my milk to last longer? I am afraid that heating it only makes it thicker and creamier and I end up with something else than milk.
Hi Zineb, you can certainly use other types of dates. The reason I like Medjool dates is that they are a fresh fruit, so they are soft and juicy. Dried dates are harder, so they need to be soaked to blend perfectly. If you want to use other type of dates, I would recommend soaking them first. How long would you like to make your milk last for? Nut milk can last for about a week without any type of preservation. The most important thing is to keep it at cold temperatures. There is a research done by CSIC on tiger nut milk preservation. According to their findings, nut milk that is stored at 41-46 degrees F lasts 3-5 days. Nut milk that is stored at 32-35 degrees F lasts 8-10 days! So, place the milk in the refrigerator as soon as it’s made. The same goes for soaking the nuts/seeds for the milk – soak them in the refrigerator. The reason this is important is that cold temperatures slow biochemical reactions taking place in the milk. Hope this helps 🙂
Hello Petra! hope you are doing great!
I have some questions, if you can please guide me
1. If I buy the almonds in bulk can I freeze the raw almonds and just take out and soak what I use and for how long?
2.Does the heat of the blender affect the taste?
3. If I want to do different flavors, should I first do it plain and the put ti back on the blender to add them ?
4. I have tried stevia as a sweetner but the taste is not that good, kinda artificial, which sweetner do you recomend, monkfruit white or golden ? coconut sugar? since I want to keep it with the least calories or added sugar? and the dates dont seem to sweeten it enough.
5. Can I do a a batch of milk and freeze it? for how long? and does it change in flavour!
thank you very much for your help!!!
Hi Isabelle,
1. Yes, definitely. That’s exactly what I do.
2. The heat of the blender shouldn’t affect the taste.
3. It doesn’t matter at all. You can do either or.
4. This really depends on what you like. I love dates in my almond milk (plus they thicken it a little), so that’s what I would go for. When I make hot cocoa, I usually add coconut sugar (because that’s what my kids prefer) but monk fruit would be great too. You could also do a combination of dates plus whatever other sweetener you like to get it to your desired sweetness.
5. You can certainly freeze almond milk. I find that the texture changes slightly though, so I tend to use it for desserts and smoothies (or anything else I would normally use almond milk for) rather than for drinking.
Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Hello Petra! Thanks for the video!
I recently tried to avoid dairy products, so I’m making almond milk from organic raw almond butter (cold press ,with the peel, 100% almonds). I use 1-cup of water with 10 grams of butter and blend it. It tastes very good, but separate in coffee and in the friedg, even when I warm it. Do you have any idea if Sunflower Lecithin will help here too? Maybe you have other suggestions?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Jasmin – to be honest, I have never made almond milk using almond butter although I know it’s possible. Considering that the almond butter you’re using is made of just almonds, the lecithin should help. However, because the almond butter is made of unpeeled almonds, there is probably going to be quite a bit of sedimentation (since the pulp is not strained). The lecithin won’t do much in that regard, but it should help with the separation. May I ask why you’re using almond butter and not whole almonds to make almond milk?
Will this recipe work for making yogurt? Is there a recipe/process you would recommend for yogurt from this almond milk? Thank you!
Hi Karen – yes! That is exactly what I recommend. I have had most success making almond milk yogurt using this homemade almond milk.
Hi Petra, does this recipe work with a cold press juicer?
Hi Ally – yes, it does. Do you have a pulp extracting juicer? If not, you will need to use a nut milk bag to strain the milk.
Hi, Petra. Do you think soy lecithin can be used if I can’t get sunflower lecithin?
Kisses
Hi Sergio – yes, soy lecithin will work here.
I have an almond cow and we make almond milk daily. We generally only use it for smoothies but my 3 year old has issues with dairy and while his older siblings drink regular milk he asks for almond milk. I usually add maple syrup and vanilla extract to it and he never complains (he doesn’t know any different) but it’s really thin and not near the creaminess and thickness as what it could be. I have all the supplies needed (sans the sunflower lecithin…but it’s on order!) for this recipe and I’m going to try it… it’s the first one I’ve seen that makes sense to me as far as thick and creamy almond milk. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Deb – I have heard a lot about the almond cow and always wanted to try it. I am glad you shared your experience with it. I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe 🙂
I’ve just made Almond Milk for the first time. Finding lethicin in Hong Kong was initially a problem (even a translation problem! What’s Cantonese for lethicin?) but it turned up easily in a local dispensary (pharmacy) shop. And this recipe is superb. In HK I can buy commercial tetra pak almond milk from USA, France, Spain, Australia (everything from everywhere is available here) but at a price. The worst (California) is thin and watery; the best (France) is creamy and flavourful but expensive. This was as good as the best (if not better) and less than 30% of the cost. Thank you. It now goes on my regular make list, along with cold brewed hibiscus tea.
That is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback, Philip! It means a lot.
Hello! I am wondering if I can use soy lecithin instead of sunflower. I live in Portugal and some ingredients are harder to find. I regularly see soy lecithin, but haven’t found sunflower lecithin in any stores.
Hi Sarah – you can use soy lecithin if you’d like. I prefer sunflower lecithin for its health benefits, but soy lecithin will work.
Hi Sarah and Petra
I live in Hong Kong and had the same problem: soy lecithin (in gel capsule form) quite easy; sunflower lecithin impossible. I weighed the soy lecithin capsules and found 2 weighed 4 grammes. The capsule casing is comparatively thick so I made the guestimate that 2 capsules contain around 2.5 grammes of lecithin. I pierce each capsule and squeeze them into the water and almonds in the blender before blitzing as I don’t want the capsule skin in my final milk. A bit messy but works perfectly. Hope this helps
And to Petra
Second making just as successful. And I’ve created a most lovely bedtime drink: a cup of your almond milk warmed gently, a little honey to sweeten and 1 tspn of an approximately 2:1 blend of freshly ground green cardamon pods to freshly ground real (not cassia) ceylonese cinnamon bark. Heaven!
Cheers Philip
Wow! Thank you so much for the helpful tips, Philip! Really appreciate you sharing your experience! And your bedtime drink sounds amazing. I make hot cocoa with cardamom and cinnamon for my kids and they love it. I imagine that they would really enjoy your drink too. Will have to give it a try!
Hello hello! Love this recipe. Few questions about the lecithin. 1. Does it supposed to smell? Does it change the taste/ smell of the milk?
If you only do one cup of milk (I have a nutr) which means I only use 2 spoons of nuts per glass of milk, how much lecithin should I add?
Thanks for the lovely recipes!
Dana
Hi Dana – sunflower lecithin has a nut-like smell. I add no more than 0.5% as a rule because the taste is not particularly fabulous. But then, the lecithin is added for emulsification not taste, hence the small amount. I much prefer sunflower lecithin, ideally organic.
Hello. I noticed you removed your oatmilk video from youtube but left the apmond one. Is there a reason?
Hi Maryam – hmm, I have never had an oat milk recipe on my YouTube channel.