Making homemade nut milk is easier than it seems. And it uses just a few ingredients that you might already have in your pantry. With the rising cost of groceries, this easy, do-it-yourself version can save you money at the store and leave you with a… dare I say… better-than-store-bought nut milk.
Homemade non-dairy milk vs store-bought
First, let’s do a quick analysis of homemade versus store-bought products, because the nutrition aspect is important, and there are small differences.
Store-bought will be fortified with nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin D. But there is a trade-off. They often have ingredients like gums and added sugar.
That’s not always the case, though. If you’re in a rush and want a good, Whole30 Approved non-dairy option, Malk Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk can be your go-to!
However, this recipe gives store-bought nut milk a run for its money. Per serving, this homemade non-dairy milk gives you 8 grams of protein (which is comparable to dairy milk) and also provides 2.4 milligrams (mg) of iron using all whole-food ingredients.
Homemade nut milk will be lower in vitamin D and calcium because they’re not fortified, but there are plenty of plant-based foods to ensure adequate consumption.
Nut varieties to use
To make homemade non-dairy milk, you can use a variety of nuts. In this recipe, I used cashews because they’re easier to break down in the blender. They also don’t have a skin, like almonds do, that need filtering out and creates additional waste.
The ratio for making homemade nut milk is 1 cup of nuts to 4 cups of water. The ratio of non-nut varieties like hemp milk is ½ cup of hemp seeds to 4 cups of water. When blending nuts and seeds, I found that using ½ cup of nuts and ½ cup of seeds with 4 cups of water worked well.
This recipe uses a blend of cashews and pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds add a “natural fortification” of iron and act as a protein booster.
How to make nut milk
Making nut milk is seamless when you have a good blender. Without a good blender, it will be hard to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.
Make it quicker:
- Tip 1: You don’t have to strain the milk. If you are looking for a smoother consistency, straining will help but it will also remove some nutrients. If you’re coming from store bought I would strain it and then slowly reduce how much you strain out each time.
- Tip 2: Add nut butter instead of nuts. You can make nut milk easily just using 2 tablespoons of Whole30-compatible nut butter with 4 cups of water. You can add in seeds if you want extra nutrients or you can leave it as is.
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 2 dates, pitted (optional)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and run on high until smooth—usually about 1 minute.
- For a smoother texture, you can strain the milk or drink it as is. Drinking it unstrained adds more nutrients, but you'll just need to shake or stir before drinking or using.
- Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
