Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (2024)

How can I make such a bold claim? Because, it’s true. Homemade almond milk creamer is more versatile, delicious (IMO), and seamless than store-bought varieties. It’s also healthier, “cleaner,” and truly plant-based. And did I mention, you can make it straight from your pantry with ingredients that you probably have on hand right now? There’s no need to go out for an unnecessary trip to the store when you have this dairy-free almond creamer recipe at your fingertips!

Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (1)

Homemade Almond Milk Creamer that’s Way Better than Store-Bought

This recipe is from my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook, which is available in print and instantly as an ebook. I’ve filled that book with dozens of dairy substitute recipes and shortcuts for every need that I could think of. This dairy-free almond milk creamer recipe can be found in the “Cream of the Crop” recipe chapter, and below! As always, I have some alternatives and tips to help this recipe work perfectly for you.

Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (2)

Instant Option

If you don’t have time to soak the nuts, I have a shortcut for you. Blend the nuts in your spice grinder, blender, or food processor until they are finely ground and close to powdered. (If using almonds, I recommend using blanched nuts since you won’t be able to peel them.) Add the powdered / ground nuts to your blender with half of the water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Blend in the remaining water and ingredients.

This method usually produces a thicker finish and less sediment, so I often need to add a little more water. In theory, this sounds like a better method, but we prefer the cleaner taste that you get with the soaked method over this instant option. If you have time, soak first.

Other Types of Nut Creamers

Yes, you can use this recipe with other nuts! Most work well, but check out my post on How to Make the Best Dairy-Free Creamer for a ranked list of the nuts that work best. That post also includes more tips and suggestions that you might find helpful.

Hazelnuts and cashews are the two alternate nuts I recommend most for this recipe, but you might like some of the other nutty options. You can always whip up just a half batch, and use the substitute suggestions that follow if it doesn’t work out.

Homemade Almond Creamer is a Good Substitute for Half & Half or Carnation Almond Cooking Milk

If you need a light cream or half & half for a recipe, and the light nuttiness of almond fits the flavor profile, you can use this almond milk creamer as a substitute! Simply omit the sweetener and flavoring. If you’ve already sweetened or flavored the recipe, it will still work well in smoothies, pancakes, baked goods, and over cereal. Just thin it with a little more water if you need more of a milk beverage.

Special Diet Notes: Almond Milk Creamer

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo-friendly, and optionally keto-friendly.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Dairy-Free Almond Milk Creamer

Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (3)

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Prep time

Total time

My favorite nut to use for this creamer is blanched or peeled almonds, but cashews and hazelnuts also work well. If you want a slightly creamier base and don’t mind a nuttier flavor, you can reduce the water to 2 cups. Please note that the Prep time is hands-on time only; the nuts need time to soak! You can pre-soak the nuts and keep them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Recipe type: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Serves: 2¾ cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds, preferably blanched* (see post above for other options)
  • 2½ cups water, plus additional for soaking
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons sweetener, to taste (optional)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond, or hazelnut extract, to taste (optional)
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Put the almonds in a container and cover with a few inches of water. Cover and place in the refrigerator to soak for 12 to 24 hours.
  2. Drain and rinse the almonds.
  3. Put the soaked almonds and 2½ cups water in your blender. Blend until relatively smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  4. For a smoother finish, pour the milky mixture through a nut milk bag or a few layers of cheesecloth lining a sieve to strain. Squeeze the pulp to extract as much milky goodness as possible.
  5. Return the nut creamer to your blender and blend in the sweetener (if using), extract (if using), and salt.
  6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Stir before each use; it will thicken and separate as it chills.

Notes

*If the almonds aren’t blanched, I recommend peeling them for optimum flavor and creaminess. It’s easy to peel a soaked almond, but there are a lot of them! I do this while watching TV or listening to music. If you don’t have time to peel them, the flavor will be a little deeper and more rustic.

Nutrition Facts: These are based on 1 tablespoon of sugar. Each tablespoon of sweetener added, will add about .3g sugar and 1 calorie per serving.

This recipe is from my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook, which is available in print and instantly, via eBook.

Nutrition Information

Serving size:1 tablespoon Calories:14 Fat:1.1g Saturated fat:.1g Carbohydrates:.8g Sugar:.4g Sodium:0mg Fiber:.3g Protein:.5g

For More Dairy Substiture Recipes, Get Go Dairy Free!

Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (4)

Almond Milk Creamer Recipe that's Way Better than Store-Bought (2024)

FAQs

Is homemade almond milk better for you than store bought? ›

Is making your own nut milk healthier? Absolutely. Not only is it healthier, but it's also much richer, creamier and more nutrient-dense.

How to thicken almond milk for creamer? ›

Emulsifying a bit of coconut oil into homemade almond milk creates a thick and creamy result, that actually makes you feel like you're drinking a traditional coffee creamer.

What can you mix almond milk with to make it taste better? ›

You can use the almond milk right away, or add any extra flavorings to taste, such as vanilla, maple syrup, or a pinch of sea salt.

What are the ingredients in almond milk coffee creamer? ›

Ingredients. Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cane Sugar, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Pea Protein, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Baking Soda, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Gellan Gum. CONTAINS ALMOND.

Is homemade almond milk worth it? ›

Instead of paying for expensive water or low percentage of almonds, when you make your own you know you're drinking quality. By making your own you also avoid all of the additives, preservatives and thickeners and guarantee you are drinking it at its purest state.

Why is my homemade almond milk going bad? ›

Store-bought almond milk has preservatives. These make it last longer. In contrast, homemade almond milk lacks these added preservatives. Hence, it goes bad quickly, often within a week.

What makes extra creamy almond milk creamy? ›

Almonds, of course! Added authentic Blue Diamond almond oil blended with the Almondmilk you already know and love creates the extra creamy texture reminiscent of whole dairy milk. So basically, our answer to make our new Almondmilk was the use of more of our almonds because the Best Almonds Make the Best Almondmilk®.

How do I make almond milk taste like heavy cream? ›

To make a heavy cream substitute with almond milk, we recommend adding soaked nuts or vegan butter, or plain silken tofu to get the right texture. Add sweeteners as desired to replicate the taste in sweet recipes.

Does almond milk make a good coffee creamer? ›

The straight answer is Yes, you CAN add almond milk just like regular cow milk. Here is the long version of it: Coconut Milk Or Almond Milk: For coffee enthusiasts who crave a creamy and at the same time like to sweeten coffee naturally, unsweetened coconut milk[4] and almond milk[5] offer delightful alternatives.

How to make almond milk taste creamier? ›

My general rule of thumb is to soak almonds for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours—any longer and your almonds may start to spoil or sprout. The easiest way to do it is simply to set up the soak before bed and let them sit overnight. You'll have creamy, dreamy almond milk just in time for your morning cup of coffee.

How do you jazz up almond milk? ›

You can also try adding a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor. Another option is to blend the almond milk with a banana or other fruit to create a delicious smoothie. Finally, you can experiment with adding different spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract to give your almond milk a unique flavor.

What happens when you add lemon juice to almond milk? ›

Putting lemon juice directly into Almond milk will likely curdle the almond milk. However, if you are eating something with lemon and drinking almond milk at the same time, that's fine.

Why is my almond creamer separating in my coffee? ›

Apparently, the acid in the coffee coagulates the proteins in almond milk, a chemical reaction that's heightened with the extreme difference in temperature of the hot coffee vs. the cold almond milk.

Why does almond milk creamer upset my stomach? ›

Almond Milk and Stomach Upset

Almond milk contains fermentable carbohydrates called FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). These FODMAPs can ferment in the gut, leading to symptoms such as bloating, gas, and stomach pain in sensitive individuals.

Does homemade almond milk have more calories? ›

This homemade almond milk recipe has about 50 to 60 calories per 8 ounce serving. That's about half of the calories of cow's milk. In addition to being a low calorie food, almond milk also has a number of nutritional benefits that make it a great choice for natural health and wellness.

Is homemade almond milk processed? ›

Some almond milks are sweetened with sugar or corn syrup, some are flavored, and some are plain. Almond milk is very easy to make at home if you have a blender or food processor, and you can make a minimally processed almond milk yourself. You do need some muslin or several layers of cheesecloth in a strainer.

Does homemade almond milk contain carrageenan? ›

If you're wary, this is an easy problem to solve, because not all almond milks contain carrageenan. And even better, almond milk is one of those products that's dead simple to make at home — like ricotta, paneer, mozzarella and cottage cheese, only even easier. You just need water, almonds, a blender and a little time.

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