Homemade Almond Milk is deliciously creamy, good for you, and simple to prepare. Drink it cold with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a healthy treat! The almond pulp that remains after straining the milk can be dried in the oven to make almond flour for baking. If planning to make almond flour, sweeteners and flavorings should be added after straining. Directions for both processes are provided. Adapted from The Beautiful Balance
Place almonds in a bowl and add enough water to cover by at least one inch. Soak 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Remove skins from almonds by gently pinching one end. The soaked almond will slip right out of the skin.
Place skinned almonds, 3 cups of water, and dates into a blender and mix on High speed until smooth (about 1 minute in a Vitamix, 3-4 minutes in a regular blender.)***
Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and line the strainer with a double-layer of cheesecloth (or use a milk bag). Pour almond mixture into the cheesecloth, and stir gently to help the liquid strain through. When the mixture starts to thicken, gather cheesecloth tightly around the almond mixture and squeeze the milk through the strainer and into the bowl.
Refrigerate milk until well-chilled. Mixture may separate; shake to combine and serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired.
To Make Vanilla Almond Milk and Unsweetened Almond Flour:
At step 3 above, blend only the soaked, skinned almonds and 3 cups water until smooth. Strain as directed (Step 4).
Return strained milk to cleaned blender container and add dates and vanilla, blending on High until smooth. Re-strain through a fine mesh sieve (no cheesecloth required) and chill as directed.
To make almond flour: Spread almond pulp in a thin layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 150 degrees F, stirring occasionally, for 2-½ to 3 hours, until dry. Cool and pulse in a food processor until finely-ground. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
*3 cups of water yields a creamy almond milk. If you prefer your milk thinner, try using 4 cups or more. I've seen some recipes with as much as 6 cups of water to 1 cup of almonds. 3 cups is my personal favorite.**I love the natural sweetness and subtle flavor that dates add to the almond milk. They can, however, be swapped out for another sweetener of your choosing. Honey, agave, or maple syrup would be delicious. Since you can always add but can't take away, I would start with ½ tablespoon of any of these sweeteners and adjust to your tastes from there.***Depending on the strength of your blender, you might need to pause after a minute or so to avoid taxing the motor.