Warning addicting product, I repeat ADDICTING. This almond milk goes as quick as water in my house. Ever since I started adding dates to my almond milk, I end up having to make multiple batches each week. The dates give it a unique sweetness without the guilt. There is a world of a difference between homemade almond milk and store-bought almond milk. Once you make it yourself, you’ll never go back. I used to love store-bought almond milk before I made it myself and realized how different it tastes without all the preservatives and additives.
Another bonus in making your almond milk at home is the ability to customize it. You can adjust the sweetness and add vanilla or cinnamon at your convenience. The quality of your ingredients really depicts the taste of your milk since there are only 3 ingredients (one being water). Therefore, I like to use fresh Californian dates from Rancho Meladuco’s farm and Wild Soil Raw California Almonds. Continue reading to learn how I like my almond milk but feel free to adjust to your liking!
Start by soaking 3 cups of almonds in water over night. They can soak uncovered in the fridge for up to 3 days but anything over 12 hours is sufficient. I use Wild Soil Raw California Almonds because they come directly from the farm, contain naturally occurring prebiotics and probiotics and are available in large quantities- since I go through them so fast!
In the morning, place 8 dates in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside and let them soak for 5 minutes if fresh and 15 minutes if dry. I use Rancho Meladuco’s delicious dates that come straight from the farm in Coachella Valley, California. They come in the cutest packaging and are the freshest dates I’ve ever bought. Since they are so recently picked, they only have to be soaked for about 2 minutes as they are already so soft and mushy.
While the dates are soaking, remove the the almonds from the fridge and place the almonds in a strainer. Rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear. The almonds should have expanded and should now account for 4 cups.
Add 2 cups of almonds, 3 cups of water and 4 of the soaked dates to a blender. At this point, you have the option in adding vanilla bean or cinnamon. Blend at medium speed for 1 minute then add 3 more cups of water and blend at high speed for an additional minute.
Meanwhile, prep a medium bowl and a cheesecloth. I use a Nut Milk Bag that is specially made for almond milk. This makes it super easy to squeeze and not spill.
Pour half of the milk into the bag at a time and squeeze until the ‘pulp’ is dry. Don’t throw away the almond pulp as it can be substituted for almond flour in many recipes. Check out the Academy of Culinary Nutrition’s 9 Uses for Almond Pulp + Almond Pulp Recipes or my favorite Almond Pulp Brownies.
This should make about 12 cups of almond milk. Feel free to double or half the recipe depending on your desired cups of milk. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
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