Easy Homemade Almond Milk

I love coffee. If I had a stomach ulcer and was told I had to stop drinking coffee for it to heal, I would still drink coffee. One could say it’s unhealthy, if he or she were the type of person who hates joy. This isn’t about coffee though, directly. I stopped drinking dairy milk over a year ago and replaced it with almond milk. I became spoiled by the homemade almond milk at my favorite coffee shop. It was creamy and delicious and had ingredients that I could pronounce. But I couldn’t have it everywhere, and I wanted it everywhere. It was impossible to drive to the coffee shop every day to get almond milk, and ridiculous to buy a pint for nine dollars. So not only did I need coffee, but also, I needed special almond milk. Sure, I simply could have drunk black coffee, and called it a day. But like many coffee connoisseurs, I wanted coffee all the ways.

I decided to set myself free. No, not from coffee. That’s laughable. I needed to set myself free from the restraints of that good, good almond milk. So, I made my first batch of almond milk, and it was so easy. I felt empowered. I spent less money on to-go coffee and store milk, and therefore had less plastic waste. Less gas waste, less time waste. It was my first step into zero waste living, and I was enamored. If I could make my own delicious almond milk from water and almonds, what else could I do? It became the catalyst for reducing waste in my life. One small change opened the door to free living. 

And I want you to be able to do the same, so below I explain the easy process of making fancy-pants, hippy, earth-friendly, all-natural almond milk.

Accoutrement:

Blender or Food processor

Cheesecloth

Bowl

1 cup measuring cup

Fine-mesh metal strainer (optional but helpful)

1 cup/112g All-natural, raw, unsalted almonds (I prefer weighing)

6 cups filtered water (unless you have tasty tap water)

Pinch of salt

2 whole pitted dates (optional)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

I realize not everyone will have all these items. I had everything except dates, so it was very easy for me. If you do not have some of the utensils and want to be frugal, which I recommend, I would try your local thrift shop. I have a Ninja blender and have not made almond milk with any other device. However, the almonds do not need to be completely fine, so I would try whatever blender/food processor you can get. There are several inexpensive cheesecloth options on amazon that are biodegradable, reusable, and 100% cotton. You can buy almonds and dates in bulk food sections to eliminate plastic.

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First, soak your almonds in enough water to cover them, usually about 2 cups. I put them in a bowl, with a towel over them, and let them sit on the counter for 12-24 hours. You can also put them in the fridge while they soak. 

Before soak

After soak

Then, take your soaked almonds and rinse them in a strainer, getting rid of the soaking water. Don’t be disturbed by how your water looks when you do this step. My mother-in-law described it as “almond pus,” but she loved the end product. The almonds’ enzymes get activated while soaking and yield more nutritional benefit.

Next, place all your ingredients in your blender or food processor. I added my cup of almonds, 4 cups of filtered water, 2 whole pitted dates, and a pinch of salt. Blend for 2-3 minutes. You can use more or less water, depending on your preference. I love the natural sweetness of dates. You don’t even need sugar! And, we all know salt makes everything taste better.   

Next, cut and place a piece of cheesecloth inside your strainer with a little overflow. Place the strainer inside a larger bowl to collect all the yummy almond milk. Pour your blended almond mixture into the strainer. Let the milk filter through the strainer and cloth for a few minutes. This is a great opportunity to make some coffee. 

When all the milk is filtered out, and no more is dripping into your bowl, squeeze out the rest of your milk from the cheesecloth. 

Simply, grip all the edges of the cloth into your hand, and no pun intended, milk your way down the cloth. When you start to see almond paste trying to escape your cloth, you probably have all the milk you’re going to get. You can keep the paste if you like and use it for baking or making energy ball bites, which are delicious. Yay zero waste!

Finally, wash your cheesecloth with water and set it out to dry. You can reuse them several times. At this point, I add a splash of vanilla extract to the milk for a little extra flavor. Pour your milk into a storable container, and it is ready to drink! Store in the fridge for around four days. Mine never makes it beyond four days. So, if you want to store it longer, you’re on your own!

I hope you feel as free and empowered as I do. Enjoy! 

#sarahsfreeliving