Hazelnut-Almond Milk
This hazelnut-almond milk is perfect for pouring over cereal or hot oatmeal, adding to coffee or tea, making chia pudding, or drinking on its own! One sip and you will be longing for more!
I know, you are probably wondering why you should make homemade nut milk when it’s so easy to buy. It’s true, these days there are more wonderful nut milk options than ever at the store. But none are quite like homemade…although the Elmhurst brand is pretty close!
Oh, and it’s fun! And making nut milk brings that sense of satisfaction and joy that making anything from scratch does. So while I don’t make it every week, I definitely go through phases where I make it often!
Make Your Own Milk in 6 Simple Steps
It’s easier to make nut milk than you think. Here is the basic process (check out my Instagram saved stories for step-by-step pictures):
- Soak 1 cup nuts in water 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain and rinse nuts.
- Add nuts to a high-speed blender along with 3 1/2 – 4 cups filtered water, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add 2 Medjool dates for a touch of natural sweetness.
- Blend on high until all mixed.
- Pour into nut milk bag held over a mixing bowl (or over a cheesecloth and strainer).
- Use a funnel to help pour the milk into a Mason jar or another clean container. Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Delicious on its own or in/with: hot oatmeal, cold cereal, iced coffee, lattes, smoothies, and chia pudding.
The Right Tools
In addition to a high-speed blender, the other essential tool for making nut milk is a something to strain it.
When I first started making nut milk a couple of years ago I used a cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer to filter out the milk from the pulp. However, I soon upgraded to a nut milk bag from Ellie’s Best. I have to say, it makes the whole process so much easier. I found the cheesecloth a little difficult to clean and reuse, but the nut milk bag rinses out easily. It also does a better job of separating all the pulp from the milk.
Hazelnut Love
You could, of course, make this milk with all almonds or a different nut. But I love the flavor that hazelnuts bring. It’s a very Nordic nut after all, often used in Scandinavian baked goods and other treats. But honestly, I also just love to mix it up. Try experimenting to see what nuts you like best.
Like almonds, hazelnuts are packed with healthy fats and other important nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E. Add the Medjool dates and you’ve got yourself a nutrient-packed milk drink. Do note that homemade nut milk does not have the added vitamin B12 or D that you often find in store-bought versions. Also, a lot of the fiber and nutrients will be left in the pulp that you filter out.
What to Do with the Pulp?
Instead of throwing away all that leftover pulp, add it to granola, throw it into a batch of muffins, or use it to make these no-bake Cookie Dough Nut Pulp Bites. They are so delicious and so easy to make.
Not to mention, they will make you feel good about reducing waste and creating a treat at the same time! They are a perfect example of how you can “Go Further with Food”, which is this year’s theme for National Nutrition Month!
So go ahead and give homemade nut milk a try. Just be warned, you may have a hard time going back to store-bought!
- ½ cup raw hazelnuts
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 3.5-4 cups filtered water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Medjool dates (or 1 tablespoon maple syrup) (optional)
- Soak nuts in water 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Drain old water and rinse nuts.
- Add nuts to a high-speed blender along with 3½ - 4 cups fresh filtered water, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add 2 Medjool dates or maple syrup for a touch of natural sweetness.
- Blend on high until all mixed.
- Pour into nut milk bag held over a mixing bowl (or over a cheesecloth and strainer).
- Use a funnel to help pour the milk into a Mason jar or another clean container. Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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