2-Ingredient Almond Milk From Almond Butter

Use this incredible kitchen hack to make almond milk from almond butter in a blender in 30 seconds. This plant-based milk has clean ingredients and is cheaper, and fresher than store-bought alternatives.

You may be familiar with the traditional way of making homemade almond milk: first, you soak raw almonds overnight, then you blend them, and finally, you strain the milk through a nut milk bag. It works, but it takes time and effort.

Why you need this recipe

• You'll never run out of milk again! This 30-second almond milk can be made at any given time as long as you have almond butter at home.
• It's so much cheaper than store-bought almond milk. Let's do the math: one 16-ounce jar of almond butter contains about 32 tablespoons. You need about 2 tablespoons of almond butter per cup of water. This means that you can make 16 cups of almond milk (1 gallon) with one jar of almond butter. If your almond butter jar costs 7 $USD, 1 gallon of homemade almond milk would only cost 7 $USD.
• It's made with 2 simple ingredients. No gums, oils, or other additives as often found in plant-based milks from the grocery store.
• No need to soak almonds and no leftover almond pulp.
• No need to buy an expensive plant-based milk maker.
• It's a great alternative to soy milk or oat milk for people on a vegan or dairy-free diet.

Key ingredients and substitutions

• 100% pure almond butter – you can use store-bought or homemade almond butter. You can also choose between almond butter made from whole almonds (with skin) or blanched almonds for a more neutral flavor. If you need a substitute, I recommend cashew butter to make cashew milk that has a similarly neutral flavor.
• Filtered water.
• A pinch of salt really prevents the milk from tasting bland (without making it salty). If you read the ingredient list of plant-based milk alternatives, you'll notice that most of them contain salt for that same reason.

Note that, unlike most store-bought plant-based milk, this homemade recipe is not fortified (e.g., with calcium).

Elo's tips

1. If you're feeling bold, you can try making homemade nut milk with different kinds of nuts and seed butter – such as peanut milk from peanut butter, hazelnut milk from hazelnut butter, or even sunflower seed milk from sunflower seeds.
2. Use lukewarm water to help the almond butter blend with the water.
3. Scrape down the sides of your blender jar if the almond butter is sticking to them. Then, blend again.
4. Feel free to adjust the almond butter-to-water ratio! The more almond butter you add, the creamier it gets (as you also increase the fat content), and the less almond butter you add, the thinner the milk gets.

Step-by-step instructions

STEP 1: Give your almond butter a good stir to make sure that the oil that sometimes sits on top of the jar is evenly incorporated – especially if you're using store-bought almond butter.

STEP 2: Add water and almond butter to your blender jar. ALWAYS start with the water and then add the almond butter. This prevents it from sticking to the blender jar. This is also the time to add salt, the sweetener of your choice (if using), and other add-ins (see tips below).

Equipment

I like using my Kitchenaid K400 high-speed blender to make this instant almond milk. I find that it provides incredibly creamy results in a very short amount of time. A Vitamix blender would work great, too.

If you don't have a fancy blender, you can use a small personal blender (e.g., for smoothies) but you may have to make smaller quantities at a time. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or an immersion blender and blend everything in a large bowl. It may be a little messier but it should provide the same results.

Add-ins

• Maple syrup is amazing to sweeten your almond milk. You can leave it out if you prefer unsweetened almond milk.
• Dates are another great natural sweetener. However, I do recommend using a highspeed blender if adding them. You may also want to soak them in warm water for 5-10 minutes prior to blending.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder makes the milk even more delicate and delicious, especially if you're using it in lattes or breakfast recipes.
• Coconut butter (NOT coconut oil) adds a subtle coconut flavor to the almond milk that makes it feel super luxurious. I like adding about 1 teaspoon of coconut butter and 1 ½ tablespoons of almond butter to 2 cups of water.
• Cinnamon is great to switch up the flavor from time to time.
• Cocoa powder is a great addition if you like chocolate almond milk.

Recipes using almond milk

This homemade almond milk tastes amazing in smoothies, overnight oats, chia pudding, but also in baked goods such as crepes and banana bread.

Frequently asked questions