At Sweet Laurel, almond mylk is one of our favorite pantry staples. We use it in baking, in pasta sauce, in our morning coffee, it’s a flavor panacea for anything in need of a bit of richness and roundness. We even like drinking it straight, too. Almonds contain delicious, filling fats, and are a good source of protein, making a glass of almond mylk a lovely afternoon pick-me-up. This simple drink is the perfect canvas to let your palette run wild, so we compiled our favorite flavor combinations for this cool, refreshing drink. But have fun with it and get creative!
*Note: For the longest lasting nut mylks and juices, work with cold ingredients and refrigerate immediately.
Sweet Almond Mylk Base Recipe:
Makes 5 cups of Milk
Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds, preferably organic
4 cups cold filtered water, plus more for soaking
2-3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 vanilla bean, cut in half
1 pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Directions:
Place the almonds in a bowl and cover with about an inch of water. They will plump as they absorb water. Let stand, uncovered, overnight (or 8 hours) in the refrigerator. The longer the almonds soak, the creamier the almond milk.
Drain the almonds from their soaking water and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water.
Combine the almonds, half of the vanilla bean, dates, a pinch of salt, and water in a blender. Blend at the highest speed for 2 minutes until the almonds are a very fine meal and the liquid is opaque.
Line a strainer with cheese cloth, or use a nut milk bag, and place over a bowl. Pour the almond mixture into the strainer. Press all the almond milk from the almond meal. Gather the nut bag or cheese cloth around the almond meal and twist close. Squeeze and press with clean hands to extract as much almond milk as possible. If you want a thicker almond milk, you can add some of the almond meal back into the liquid.
Refrigerate almond milk immediately. Store the almond milk in sealed containers in the fridge for up to two days. It will separate, so shake before drinking. Enjoy!
Here are our fun variations!
Chocolate Banana
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 banana, peeled and chopped
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Tumeric black pepper
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 two inch nub of turmeric, or 2 tablespoons powdered turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Cinnamon Date
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground
Extra two dates, pitted
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Matcha Mint Chocolate
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1/2 cup mint
1/2 cup grated cacao, stir in at the end
2 tablespoons matcha
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Chai
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Blackberry Honey Vanilla
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 1/2 cup blackberries
Replace dates with 1/4 cup honey
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Cold Press Coffee
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 cup cold pressed coffee
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Strawberry Rose
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 teaspoon rosewater
1 1/2 cup strawberries
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Lavender Rosemary Honey
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 tablespoon lavender, ground
2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Orange Creamsicle
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
1 orange, peeled with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup orange juice
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
Power Mylk
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
2 teaspoons roasted dandelion
2 teaspoons reishi powder
2 teaspoons maca
2 tablespoons Chia seeds
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients, except the chia seeds, just before blending everything together. Strain, add the chia seeds, and store as directed above.
Greens
Sweet Almond Mylk Base
2 cups spinach
3 kale leaves, stalk removed
2 romaine leaves
2 sprigs mint
Prepare almond mylk as you normally would, but add the above ingredients just before blending everything together. Strain and store as directed above.
