Skip to main content

Tired of buying almond milk? Here’s how to make your own

Plant-based milk is easy to make with this guide

Ingredients to make almond milk.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Many people find that cutting out dairy is one of the hardest parts about going vegan. Milk, cheese, cream, ice cream, yogurt, and butter are certainly prevalent in the typical American diet and found as an ingredient in many foods. Although you can now buy many plant-based alternative milks, such as almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, and coconut milk, at most grocery stores, these plant-based milks can be quite expensive. If you’re a big milk drinker, switching to plant-based milk can cause a hefty hike to your grocery bill, especially if you’re buying organic vegan milks.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • Cheesecloth

  • Water

  • Nut, Seed, or Grain of Choice

  • Blender

The good news is that you can make your own plant-based milks at home with just a few ingredients and simple steps. Ready to save some money and tackle some DIY plant-based milk recipes? Keep reading to learn how to make almond milk and other nut milks at home.

Ingredients to make almond milk.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to Make Almond Milk At Home

You can easily make almond milk, or any nut milk (cashew, hazelnut, pecan, etc.) with a blender and a cheesecloth to strain the mixture.

Although the actual preparation takes only a few minutes, you need to soak the almonds or nuts overnight to optimize the smoothness and flavor of your nut milk.

Step 1: Measure 1 cup of raw almonds or any other raw almonds into a large bowl or mason jar that has at least half the available volume remaining.

Step 2: Fill the container with filtered water. Optional: add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Step 3: Soak the almonds or nuts overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

Step 4: Drain and rinse the almonds and add them to a blender. If you prefer a richer, thicker almond milk, do not drain and rinse the nuts; pour them directly into the blender with their soaking liquid.

Step 5: Add 3 cups of filtered water (2 cups if you keep the soaking liquid).

Step 6: Blend until very smooth (60 seconds or more).

Step 7: Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth into a clean container. Squeeze the cheesecloth afterwards to pass any extra liquid through. You can use the almond pulp in your cereal, oatmeal, granola, smoothies, etc.

Step 8: Add a pinch of salt, and any additional flavorings, such as vanilla extract or cinnamon.

Step 9: Store in the refrigerator.

If you’re less of a recipe follower and want the ultimate convenience when it comes to making dairy-free milks at home, consider investing in something like the Nutr Machine or the Almond Cow’s Milk Maker. These sleek gadgets are zero-waste alternatives to buying store-bought plant-based milks, and don’t require any work or time on your end. To use the Nutr machine or the Almond Cow Milk Maker, all you have to do is add water and any nut, seed, or grain, press one button, and this machine automatically produces 5-6 cups of fresh, plant-based milk in less than a minute.

Amber Sayer
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Amber Sayer is a fitness, nutrition, and wellness writer and editor, and was previously a Fitness Editor at Byrdie. She…
Out of brown sugar? Here’s how to make your own
Here's how to reverse-engineer brown sugar to create the ultimate version
A jar of brown sugar.

In all its forms, sugar plays a fundamental role in baking, but none more prominent than as brown sugar. Brown sugar often stands out with its distinctly warm caramel notes, perfect for your favorite cookies. But what if you’re out of it? While it's readily available in stores, you can easily make your own brown sugar at home using a combination of white sugar and molasses.

Read on as we reverse-engineer this amazing ingredient to create the ultimate brown sugar at home. Here’s what you should do.
How to make brown sugar
Gather the ingredients
To make brown sugar, you'll need two primary ingredients: White granulated sugar and molasses. White sugar is refined and devoid of molasses, which is responsible for the distinct color and taste of brown sugar. Molasses, a thick syrup obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet processing, is the key to achieving the desired result. By adding the molasses back into the white sugar, you can create the ultimate brown sugar.
Determine the ratio
The ratio of white sugar to molasses will determine the darkness and flavor intensity of your brown sugar, so it’s highly customizable.

Read more
These are the 5 best plant-based protein sources for your meatless meals
Looking for food rich with protein that doesn't happen to be meat? Check out this lis
Cubed tofu on top of a salad.

Most people are well aware of the importance of eating enough protein, but many of the commonly consumed foods rich in protein are animal-based products like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, yogurt, milk, and other dairy products.
The good news is that there are good plant based protein sources for vegans, vegetarians, or those who prefer meatless meals as well. Keep reading to learn the five best plant-based proteins.

Soy

Read more
The butter board trend is hot right now: Here’s how to create your own
Butter board ideas: Impress your guests with this tasty, newly popular trend
how to make your own butter board recipe tik tok

Finally, a new TikTok trend we can be excited about. With all of the stupidity going around on the popular app lately, it's about damn time. The butter board trend involves a completely customizable spread, topped with any and all of your favorite toppings. It's simple to put together and great for large or small crowds. Or, you know, when you're on the couch Netflix-ing alone. No judgment, here.

Sound good? We think so, too.

Read more