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Vanilla Almond Milk

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This homemade vanilla almond milk is so easy to make and much better tasting than the watered-down stuff that costs an arm and a leg at the store!

Two glasses of almond milk with a bottle of vanilla extract.

A while back, one of our old college pals posed an interesting question: What would the ’90s version of me think of my modern-day cave-person incarnation? Without hesitation, I blurted out, “She would’ve hated the current me.”

It’s the truth. Despite having spent my college years among the tie-dyed masses at Berkeley, ’90s-Me would ridicule my new hobbies: home-brewing kombucha, collecting bones in the freezer for broth, and soaking almonds overnight to make dairy-free milk. To top it off, the eye-rolling, Doc Martens-wearing ’90s-Me would mock any near-40-year old who still sports pigtails. Seriously: when did I become this person?

Thankfully, the 2014 version of me fully embraces my midlife crisis transformation. She would tell ’90s-Me to go barefoot, stop eating gut-irritating foods, turn off the TV, and make some almond milk already.

Soaked almonds in a glass.

Have you ever made your own almond milk? A frosty glass of this homemade stuff totally hits the spot—particularly for those of us who are dairy-abstainers or lactose-intolerant. It’s so lumpin’ delicious that I don’t care if activating my almonds makes me an easy target. Call me an aging hippie—I don’t care.

Making your own almond milk is super simple, too. As long as you remember to soak your almonds for 12 to 18 hours, you can blitz a batch of homemade almond milk in about 5 minutes. Plus, squeezing nut bags relieves a lot of stress. (Heh, heh.)

Someone pouring vanilla almond milk into a glass.

There are tons of recipes for homemade almond milk on the Interwebs, like this one, this one, this one, and this one. I know I’m not reinventing the wheel with this recipe, but I wanted to share my own method for whipping up a satisfyingly creamy, nutty, vanilla-y bottle of almond milk. I don’t add any sweeteners to it (mostly ’cause this old lady doesn’t need to swig cloyingly sweet drinks like I did in the ’90s). Confession: Once upon a time, I chose to drink Zima at college parties. Don’t hate.

Let’s make some vanilla almond milk together!

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup organic raw almonds
  • 2½ cups water, plus extra for soaking
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of sea salt

Here’s what you do:

Measure out 1 cup of almonds…

Measuring out one cup of almonds for homemade vanilla almond milk.Measuring out one cup of almonds for homemade vanilla almond milk.

…and rinse well.

Someone rinsing almonds in a colander for vanilla almond milk.

Transfer the almonds to a large pitcher or mason jar…

Transferring the rinsed almonds into a large glass cup.

…and add at least twice the volume of water (use filtered water if your tap water is icky).

Someone pouring water into a large glass with almonds.

Cover with a towel and let the nuts soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours (but no longer than 24 hours).

Someone covering the glass filled with almonds and water with a dry towel.

When the almonds are ready, dump them in a colander…

Dumping the soaked almonds into a colander.

…and rinse well with several changes of water.

Rinsing the soaked almonds in a colander for vanilla almond milk.

Your almonds should be delightfully plump at this point.

Someone holding a fistful of rinsed almonds for vanilla almond milk.

Add the almonds and 2½ cups of water to a high speed blender. I recommend using a powerful blender, folks—otherwise, you risk damaging your appliance and spoiling your milk.

Pouring water into a blender full of almonds for vanilla almond milk.A blender filled with almonds and water.

Add the vanilla…

Pouring in measured vanilla extract into a blender for vanilla almond milk.

…and a pinch of salt.

Someone adding a pinch of salt into a blender filled with almonds and water.

Blend on high until the nuts are pulverized.

Someone turning on the blender to mix the almonds and water to make vanilla almond milk.The vanilla almond milk being blended.

Grab your nut milk bag (these days, mine can always be found hanging from my cabinet knob)…

Someone grabbing a hanging mesh nut milk bag from a cabinet knob.

…and place it in a pitcher or large measuring cup.

Someone placing the nut milk bag inside a measuring cup while folding the edges over the glass.

Pour in the blended almond milk…

Pouring the milk mixture from the blender through the nut milk bag and into the measuring cup.

…and seal the top of the bag. Slowly squeeze out the milk from the top to the bottom.

Someone squeezing the nut milk mixture into the glass measuring cup.

Be patient—the more you wring out, the more milk you’ll have to enjoy!

Transfer the strained milk into a spill-proof bottle and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Pouring the vanilla almond milk mixture into a glass bottle.Pouring the vanilla almond milk mixture into a glass bottle.Pouring the vanilla almond milk into a glass cup.A cup of homemade paleo vanilla almond milk on a cutting board with raw almonds scattered around it.

I’ve been a fan of Vitamix for years. It was my first big appliance splurge (purchased at Costco) back when smoothies were all the rage. My trusty blender has outlived my low-fat vegetarian phase and has continued with me as I turned full-on Paleo. I used it to make everything from Green Chicken to Sriracha. If you can afford it, a Vitamix is a good long-term investment.

Someone unboxing a Vitamix.

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).

 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Vanilla Almond Milk by Michelle Tam / Nom Nom Paleo
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Vanilla Almond Milk

This homemade vanilla almond milk is so much better tasting than the watered-down stuff that costs an arm and a leg at the store!
Cook Time5 mins
Soaking time12 hrs
Total Time12 hrs 5 mins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond milk, almonds, gluten-free, paleo, Vegan, Whole30
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 278kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 2½ cups water plus extra for soaking the almonds
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Rinse and drain the almonds. Transfer the almonds to a large pitcher or mason jar and add at least twice the volume of water (use filtered water if your tap water is icky).
  • Cover with a towel and let the nuts soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours (but no longer than 24 hours).
  • When the almonds are ready, dump them in a colander and rinse well with several changes of water.
  • Add the almonds, 2½ cups of water, vanilla, and salt to a high powered blender. Blitz on high until the almonds are pulverized.
  • Grab a nut milk bag and place it in a pitcher or large measuring cup. Pour in the blended almond milk and seal the top of the bag. Slowly squeeze out the milk from the top to the bottom.
  • Transfer the strained milk into a spill-proof bottle and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Fiber: 6g

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