Vanilla Almond Milk Recipe

Almond milk is a delicious and healthy alternative to dairy milk and is incredibly easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. Homemade almond milk is creamy, nutty, and perfect for those who are lactose intolerant, vegan, or simply looking for a dairy-free option. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for vanilla almond milk and says, "Plant-based milks have become popular over the last ten years and even though they are readily available at all grocery stores, if you have a blender and a nut milk bag, you can whip up your own supply right at home. I especially like making my own almond milk because I can control the ingredients. Because it's not going to sit on a truck, and then on a shelf in the grocery store, there is no need for preservatives to make it shelf stable or emulsifiers to deal with the natural separation."

To make this recipe, we'll of course need some almonds. "You'll want to buy unsalted, raw almonds to make almond milk. I find the best way to buy these is in the bulk section at your local healthy grocery store. You only need 1 cup to make a batch, making it super cost-effective. I usually buy a few cups at a time so I can make a batch every week and I store the raw almonds in the fridge to keep them fresh," Hahn shares. Then we'll need some filtered water and vanilla extract. "Another option for flavoring is maple syrup, which is delicious too," Hahn shares. You'll also need a high-speed blender for breaking down the almonds and a nut milk bag to strain out the pulp.

The first step is to soak the almonds to get them soft enough to blend smoothly. Put them in a bowl and cover with water. Set them aside for 4 hours to soak. "If you want to let them soak overnight this is fine too," Hahn remarks. Then just drain and rinse them well under cold water.

Now it's time to pull out the blender and make the magic happen. Add the almonds and the fresh, filtered water to the blender and blend on high speed for about 3 minutes. "The mixture will start out looking tan in color and then when it is fully blended it will be white and bubbly," Hahn explains. We are going to add the vanilla in the last step after we have removed all of the almond pulp.

To make the nut milk thin and creamy, place a nut milk bag into a large bowl. Then carefully pour the milk into the bag. Then squeeze tightly on the nut milk bag to release the liquid into the bowl while the pulp remains in the bag. "I usually use a large batter bowl with a spout, so I can easily pour it into my jar for storing," Hahn shares. "It's a little messy but only takes a few minutes," Hahn goes on to say. Discard the pulp and add the vanilla to the bowl. Then just pour the almond milk into your storing container and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Now that you have your almond milk you can use it to make a mango smoothie or pour it over granola. You just might walk right past the almond milk at the grocery store now that you know how to blend it yourself!