Yes. I have made homemade almond milk numerous times on the blog already. So why is this any different? Not even focusing on the inclusion of vanilla beans, this version is hands down, the best homemade almond milk I've ever made.

And there's 1 easy trick to making it.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Blanched almonds!

Recently, I was at a little blogger get together in Denver. We all headed to Cafe Max for a breakfast/coffee/chat-fest. Ashlae raved about their homemade almond milk and said it was fantastic in their lattes because it didn't have a bitter flavor. If you've ever made homemade almond milk before you know what she's referring to. It's fairly bitter with a pretty big aftertaste and is quite different from the type of almond milk you buy at the store.

I thought about this before but figured there was some part in the processing of store-bought almond milk where they were able to get rid of this bitter flavor. While it worked just fine in recipes and in cooking things like oatmeal, I could never just drink a glass straight up.

Sure enough, my almond milk latte came and was smooth as could be. No lingering raw almond flavor at all.

So then I got to thinking...could it be the skin on almonds? When you eat raw almonds they have that same bitter taste but blanched almonds never do. Could blanched almonds possibly solve this problem?

Indeed they could.

That bitter flavor is held completely in the skin of the almond. Take it away and you get perfectly smooth and mildly flavored almond milk. It tastes just like store-bought except better, because the only ingredients are almonds and water. It doesn't have that odd thickness to it that the store-bought kind has. It's totally drinkable.

Of course after making the milk I turned to Google, where I found a boatload of people who have already been making blanched almond milk. Looks like I'm late to the game! But it's a new realization for me and maybe some of you, too!

I started by making plain almond milk with blanched almonds. Then, I boiled the almonds and let them sit in the hot water for 1 1/2 hours for a quick-soak method. You can also let them soak overnight for easy blending. Or, if you have a high-powered blender the soaking is not totally necessary.

I was ecstatic to have homemade almond milk that I actually want to drink!

You can either blanch raw almonds at home or buy them blanched. I chose to buy them blanched, as there really was no price difference where I bought them.

And then I added vanilla beans and 2 dates for a hint of sweetness.

And then I was left with what you see below.

Which is the most amazing plant-based almond milk you'll ever taste.

Print Recipe!

Blanched Vanilla Bean Almond Milk gluten-free, vegan // yields: appx. 32oz

1 cup blanched almonds
3 1/2 cups filtered water
2 medjool dates, pits removed
1/2 vanilla bean, beans scraped

Cover almonds with water in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Turn heat off, move to a cool burner, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let sit for 1 1/2 hours. Or, let almonds soak for 4-12 hours.

Drain and rinse almonds thoroughly. Place in a blender with the filtered water and pitted dates. Blend on low working to full speed for about 30 seconds, until almonds are fully blended.

Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and pour the milk through the bag. Squeeze as much liquid through the bag as possible.

Rinse your blender. Place strained milk back in your blender with the 1/2 scraped vanilla bean pod (beans only). Blend for just a few seconds. Pour into a 32oz jar and seal with an airtight lid. Shake before pouring. It's normal that it separates. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can smell/taste when it has gone sour.

Empty almond pulp into a container and store in your fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Or, store in a freezer bag for about 3 months.

Notes:

Homemade almond milk is most easily strained with a nut milk bag. They cost about $10 (or less) on Amazon and other sites. Cheesecloth is very difficult and messy to use.
Almond pulp crackers + bread recipes

I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this realization (that I could have made years prior with the help of Google)!!!!

Happy Friday!

Ashley

This is one of those recipes where I’m like, “how is this the first time I’m making this!?”

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Homemade almond milk has been a staple in my kitchen for some time now. I became hooked the day I ditched the cheesecloth and bought a fancy nut milk bag [which I still despise the name of].

They’re inexpensive, reusable, easier to clean, and easier to use. My mom is in town right now and we joked for far too long about nut milk bags and all possible name variations. It somehow never gets old. I still prefer NMB.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Being a lover of Earthbound Organic’s products well before we started working together I was ecstatic to see their line of frozen fruit start popping into stores. Frozen fruit is always, always in our freezer, and EBF’s frozen fruit has been ripe + sweet every time. There’s nothing worse than buying a bag of sour frozen fruit.

And their bags! First, I just love how vibrant they are. They totally jump out at you when walking down the freezer aisle. Second, they have a resalable zipper. This is a huge convenience, as I always just twist the bag shut hoping it seals enough to prevent freezer burn, which it usually does not. And lastly, each bag includes a recipe idea on the back to experiment with.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Their strawberries, blueberries, and cherries have been a staple in my cart for months now. And then one day it hit me while whipping up a batch of almond milk.

FLAVORED almond milk. I’ve made chocolate almond milk before but never thought to experiment with other flavors. Enter Earthbound Organic’s frozen strawberries. Such a no brainer.

It’s refreshing, lightly sweetened, and kind of addicting. Not nearly as filling as a smoothie but it makes a great snack, especially post work out.

Perfect for the kiddos or the kid in you.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Today’s post is sponsored by Earthbound Farms. Product opinions and recipes are always my own. Thank you for supporting the occasional sponsored post that helps fund all the deliciousness + behind the scenes action you see here.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

While I typically wouldn’t sit down to sip a glass of plain almond milk I would most definitely sit down to sip a glass of strawberry almond milk.

I actually drank this straight from the jar. Because sometimes I not only have a messy kitchen but also no manners.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Print this!

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk

gluten-free, vegan // yields 4 1/2 cups

1 cup raw almonds, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight then rinsed + drained
3 1/2 cups filtered water
2 1/2 cups Earthbound Organic frozen strawberries, thawed and halved
4-6 pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 1 hour then drained
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Rinse almonds and place in your blender with the water. Turn to low working up to the highest setting and blend until the almonds are pulverized, ~30 seconds. Hold your nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the milk through the bag. Squeeze all of the milk out through the bag being sure to hold the top tightly so no pulp comes through.

Turn the bag inside out and place the almond pulp in a sealed container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Rinse out the bag.

Place the strained milk back into your blender with the thawed strawberries, dates, and vanilla extract. Blend until completely combined. Pour through the nut milk bag over the empty bowl once again and squeeze all of the milk out. Pour into a jar and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can taste when it has gone bad.

notes: To soak almonds, place in a bowl covered by water on your counter for at least 4 hours or overnight, then rinse + drain. Depending on the sweetness and flavor of your strawberries you may need to blend in more. Feel free to sub in a sweetener of choice instead of dates. Start with 1 1/2 tablespoons then taste and go from there. Fresh strawberries can be used. Cheesecloth can be used instead of a nut milk bag but the bags make straining much easier and they can be used over and over again. Excess milk can be frozen into ice cubes before going bad and used in smoothies.

Homemade Strawberry Almond Milk | edibleperspective.com

Leftover almond pulp ideas: Almond pulp can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen in a sealed bag to use at a later date.

add almond pulp to smoothies
make peanut butter banana almond pulp crackers or breakfast bread [and then use the crackers as cereal!]
make savory almond pulp crackers
dry almond pulp in a dehydrator or in your oven on the lowest temperature and add to baked goods