How to Make Your Own Milk in a Nutshell

You’ve probably been wondering: what’s the big deal with people substituting dairy milk for nut milk?

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Some people are lactose intolerant, some are living a vegan lifestyle, and some just enjoy nut milk more. There are benefits to both, but it can be good to give your body a rest from dairy. Nut milks can be found in grocery stores, but be on the lookout for unnecessary additives in the ingredient list.

I enjoy making my own nut milk because I know exactly what I am putting in my body when I use it in my smoothies, cereal, and matcha. As a busy college student, you may not have time to make your own as often as you need. For those days, my go-to brand is MALK. They sell almond, cashew and pecan milk with five ingredients or less, and they taste amazing. I get mine from Kroger, but it’s also sold in some regions at Whole Foods, Sprouts and more.

So far, I have successfully made almond, cashew and coconut milk. I plan to continue my milk-making adventures, and I hope you find time to try these simple recipes or even modify them to make your own!

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Coconut Milk

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1–3 Medjool dates (optional)
• Large bowl
• Nut milk bag (I use Ellie's Best nut milk bags. For a discount, use the code abigailchambley.) You can also use a cheesecloth, or old panty hose — just something to strain the milk with.

Preparation:

• Add all ingredients into a blender and let them soak for about 10 min. This allows the coconut to soften so it blends better.
• Once soaked, blend on high for 3-5 minutes.
• Pour liquid into a nut milk bag or strainer of choice and strain into a large bowl.
• Once strained, store in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
• Tip: For coconut milk, separation and hardening into chunks is normal! It is natural and doesn’t mean it is bad. This will occur after about a day or so. Don’t be freaked out. Stir your milk or even heat it on the stovetop to thin out.

Almond Milk

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 6 cups filtered water, divided
• Dates (optional)
• Large bowl
• Nut milk bag, cheesecloth, old panty hose (something to strain with)

Preparation:

• Add almonds, 3 cups of water, and dates (optional) to an air tight container and store in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight.
• When properly soaked, drain water, cleaning the almonds under fresh water simultaneously. The almonds release toxins when they soak.
• Add almonds and the remaining 3 cups of filtered water to blender, and blend on high for 3 minutes.
• Strain into large bowl.
• Store in air tight container for up to a week.

Cashew Milk

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup cashews
• 6 cups filtered water, divided
• Large bowl
• Nut milk bag, cheesecloth, old panty hose (something to strain with)

Preparation:

• Add cashews and 3 cups of water to an air tight container and store in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight.
• When properly soaked, drain water, cleaning the cashews under fresh water simultaneously. .
• Add cashews and the remaining 3 cups of filtered water to blender and blend on high for 3 minutes.
• Strain into large bowl.
• Store in air tight container for up to a week.

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If you’re looking for something different, other options for making nut milk include hazelnuts, hempseed, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, and more!

Tried out one of our recipes? Have some tips to make it even better? Let us know in the comments below, or share with us on social media @AuburnCampusRec!

Be Well, Auburn.

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Photography: Abigail C.