Nut Milk Maker: 3 Easy Ways To Make Plant-Based Milk

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I am a plant-milk junkie.

That’s why I got a nut milk maker, that makes the nut milk in less than a minute. The result is creamy, delicious, less wasteful, cheaper homemade milk!

In this article, I will share with you how to make ANY plant-based milk with a soy & nut milk maker, plus 2 more ways (without a milk maker).

We will go through:

1. Homemade plant-based milk with soy & nut milk maker

• How is nut milk made?
• Homemade plant milk with a nut milk maker
• Homemade plant milk with nut milk bag
• Plant-based milk with nut butter

2. FAQ: 

• Is it faster to make nut milk with a blender or with Soyabella?
• Can I freeze my homemade nut/oat milk?
• Which method is easier?
• Is there a difference in the taste?
• What to do with the leftover pulp?
• How long does homemade nut milk last?
• Is it cheaper to make your own nut milk?
• How do you sweeten nut milk?
• How to make almond milk without a nut bag?
• Why should we soak the nuts before making nut milk?
• Why does homemade nut milk separate?
• Is it necessary to strain almond (nut) milk?
• Are nut milk makers worth it?
• Where can you buy a nut milk maker, such as Soyabella?

1. Homemade plant-based milk with soy & nut milk maker

First off, how is nut milk made?

Nut milk is made by blending nuts with water and then straining the mixture to remove the solids.

The 3 most popular ways you can make homemade nut milk are:

• With a nut milk maker
• With a blender, nuts & nut milk bag
• With a blender & almond butter (or any other nut butter)

Let’s take a look at each method.

1: Homemade plant-based milk with a nut milk maker

Making homemade milk with a plant-based nut milk maker is probably the most simple & quick method.

You can make plant-based milk in less than a minute with a nut milk maker like Soyabella!

The machine is designed to make soy milk, but you can use it to make any type of plant-based milk – from almond milk to cashews and oats.

The benefits of getting a nut-milk maker are:

• Faster homemade milk – with a push of a button, you can have plant-based milk in less than a minute!
• No straining – Less hassle.
• Reduces waste – No more Tetra paks!
• Cheaper – if you buy your nuts, oats, or soybeans from a bulk store, you will save money.
• Easy to use – Check out my video below, to see exactly how easy is to use the machine.
• Suitable for any type of plant milk – soy, oat, coconut, hemp, nut milk – it is your pick!

To learn more about Soyabella, read my full review here.

The recipe for homemade nut milk with a nut milk maker is: 

Ingredients

• 100g (2/3 cup) nuts/oats
• 1 liter of water ( ~4 cups)
• nut milk bag & blender

Instructions

1. Soak your nuts*, for at least 4 hours, or do a quick soak – boil water, and place the nuts in the boiling water for 15-20 minutes. (if you use oats, you don’t have to soak them)
2. Place the nuts in the small metal top part of the machine and close it well.
3. Add water (between 0.9 – 1.1 liter) to the stainless steel chamber.
4. Make sure to attach the top part of the machine to the stainless steel chamber well! Then, click “Mill.”
5. The cycle will “grind” the nuts, and it will run for about 10 seconds. Once the cycle is over, the red light (next to the buttons) will flash. Repeat this step between 3-5 times, depending on how thick and creamy you want your milk to be.
6. Once you are done, transfer the milk to a bottle/jar. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

• You can add a bit more nuts or oats, to make your milk thicker.
• Before you start, you can add flavors inside the stainless steel chamber, like cinnamon, vanilla, cacao powder, or agave/dates to sweeten the milk.
• * Soaking isn’t necessary to make the milk with the machine; it is recommended to maximize health benefits. You can omit the soaking if you wish.

2: Homemade nut milk with a nut milk bag:

This is probably the most common method. You need a blender, a nut milk bag, or cheesecloth.

Once you blend your nuts/oats with some water, you strain it so you can get smooth plant milk.

Follow the guide below, which shares the exact process:

Ingredients

• 100g (2/3 cup) nuts/oats
• 1 liter of water ( ~4 cups)
• nut milk bag & blender

Instructions

1. Soak your nuts, for at least 4 hours, or do a quick soak – bring water to boil, and place the nuts in the water for 15-20 minutes. (if you use oats, you don’t have to soak them)
2. Place the nuts in your blender with 1 liter of water, and blend.
   If you use oats, then do 10-20 seconds on, then 10 seconds off, to avoid slimy milk.* Repeat the blending process for a few cycles.
3. Pour in a bowl, and strain with the nut milk bag**.
4. Transfer to a bottle/jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

• *Sliminess comes from overheating the blender, which warms up the oats. This may cause the final product to be a bit gluey.
• **If you don’t have a nut milk bag, you can also use cheesecloth, a coffee filter, a fine mesh bag, or cotton fabric.
• You can do milk by mixing different nuts. For instance – 50g hazelnut, and 50g cashews is a very good combination.
• You can add cinnamon, vanilla extract, or cocoa powder if you want to create a specific flavor.- You can add agave, or dates if you wish to make it sweet.

3: Plant-based milk with nut butter

There is a simple way to make nut milk without a nut bag, and it is with nut butter!

Instead of grinding nuts, you can use your favorite nut butter, to make healthy and delicious plant milk.

The benefit is that it is easier, and you don’t have to strain anything, so it is also faster:

Ingredients

• 4-5 tbsp (~60-70g) nut butter
• 0.9ml (4 cups) water
• 1-2 tbsp maple syrup or agave (optional)
• Blender

Instructions

1. Add to your blender:- about 4 tablespoons (that’s around 60g) nut butter such as almond butter- 0.9ml (4 cups water)- Optional: Add maple syrup or another liquid sweetener
2. Then blend. Once it’s done, pour into a glass bottle/or a jar, and voila. You have your nut milk without the need for straining.

Notes

• If it’s too thin, add more almond butter, or try adding less water.
• Add agave or maple syrup to sweeten the milk.

2. Frequently asked questions:

Is it faster to make nut milk with a blender or with a nut milk maker, like Soyabella?

Using a nut milk maker such as Soyabella is a bit faster, and it will make the whole process quicker. 

When you place all the ingredients in the machine, you just have to push a button and you will have milk in less than a minute.

In the second place is the blender method with nut butter – since you don’t have to strain anything.

With a blender, you will have to strain the milk, which doesn’t take too much time, but it is the slowest method.

Can I freeze my homemade nut/oat milk?

Yes, you can freeze your homemade nut milk. Almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk – you can freeze them without any negative effect on flavor.

I tried to do it with cashew milk, and oat milk, and the texture ended up a bit different. However, most people don’t have any trouble with freezing their nut milk.

You can give it a try, in case you make a few batches at once, which will be ideal if you don’t have time to do it every few days.

Which method is easier?

All of the methods are effortless. The difference is that the process of making milk with the Soyabella machine might be slightly faster.

Is the homemade milk tastes the same as the store-bought?

No. The milk from the shop often has additives and sugars or even oils. 

So, when you make your homemade milk, you will just use water and nuts (and if you add some other flavors).

Then, it comes to the thickness you will make it – if you add more water, it will be more watery. If you add less – it will be thicker.

That’s the cool part about making your milk – you can make it how you like it the most. I love homemade milk much more, especially hazelnut milk!

But I needed some time to get used to the taste.

Is there a difference in the taste between the homemade milk with a blender and the nut milk with Soyabella?

There might be a slight difference in the taste, but it is very similar.

I prefer a bit more to the taste of the milk with the Soyabella machine. It becomes very creamy!

But in general, it depends on how much water you use, whether are you adding additional flavors, and if you are sweetening the milk with something.

The taste will always vary, but with experimenting, you will find your favorite way of making it.

What to do with the leftover pulp?

You can use the pulp in:

• cake recipes
• baked goods, such as brownies
• add in your homemade granola
• if you make oat milk, you can make porridge with the leftovers

How long does homemade almond milk last?

Homemade almond/nut milk can last around 4-5 days in your fridge, and about 2-3 months if you freeze it.

The milk will get bad if you keep it for a week or more. You may see color, texture, or smell changes.

If it smells similar to sour milk, or it has thick parts, then the milk went bad.

Is it cheaper to make your own nut milk?

It mostly depends on how cheap you buy your nuts. Also, if you do soy, only nuts, or you mix the nuts with other ingredients.

In general, it can be much cheaper, if you do half nuts and half oats or coconut flakes.

How do you sweeten nut milk?

You can sweeten your homemade nut milk with dates, maple syrup, agave nectar, date sugar, xylitol, or raw sugar. You will need 1-2 tbsp for 1 liter of milk (~4 cups).

How to make almond milk without a nut bag?

No nut bag? No problem! You can also use cheesecloth, a coffee filter, a fine mesh bag, or cotton fabric.

Why should we soak the nuts before making nut milk?

Soaking softens the nuts, which also helps the flavor to be much creamier.

Soaking also removes the nuts’ phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, making the nut milk much easier to digest.

Why does homemade almond milk separate?

If you tried making homemade nut milk before, you know that sometimes, the fat and the water separate over time, because fat and water cannot mix.

If this bothers you and you want to avoid it, you can add sunflower lecithin when you make your plant-based milk.

Sunflower lecithin will act as a fat emulsifier – it will bring the fat from the almonds and the water together, holding them together.

However, if this doesn’t bother you, simply shake the milk before drinking.

Is it necessary to strain almond (nut) milk?

It is better to strain your milk if you use almonds. Otherwise, it will have a grainy taste, which isn’t very nice.

However, if you use a high-speed blender and (soaked) cashew nuts, you don’t have to strain it!

Are nut milk makers worth it?

Yes! Nut milk makers are worth it because they simplify the whole process of cooking (if you are making soy milk) blending, and straining the milk for you.

Consider getting one only IF:

• If you are certain you will use it
• You are sick & tired of making milk with a blender & straining it
• You want to save money from Tetra paks & reduce your trash

To learn more about the pros (and cons) of nut milk makers, read my review, which compares two machines – Soyabella vs. Almond Cow.

Where can you buy a nut milk maker, such as Soyabella?

Sometimes you can find Soyabella on eBay. I bought mine from there (secondhand). You can also get it from Amazon.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to make your homemade nut milk, with or without a nut milk maker.

The main benefits are that:

• it will be completely waste-free (especially if you get your nuts from a bulk store)
• it will be much healthier
• it can be cheaper

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below!

What’s your preferred way to make homemade plant-based milk?