The Almond Cow Nut Milk Maker is a combination of a blender and a strainer in one device that resemble a large stainless steel carafe. The inside includes the collector cup, which is where the water goes, and the filter basket, which holds and strains the nuts or oats after they’re blended. The top of the carafe has a blade that extends down into the basket and blends the nuts. The appliance, which has a 4.4-star average rating from 478 reviews on Amazon, only takes a few minutes to blend and strain the milk from the pulp, according to the brand. You can remove the top once it’s finished and then dispense it or store it in a carafe in the fridge.
After using both of the nut milk bag options, I made milk with a total of 16 ounces of raw almonds. While most recipes for almond milk say to soak the almonds for eight hours overnight, I used a quick-soak method, which involves boiling the almonds for a minute and then letting them sit off the heat for about 15 minutes. The almonds came out more plump and soft and the skins were easy to remove. The Nutribullet Personal Blender had no trouble blending the almonds after I boiled them, and the sweetener I added (in my case, honey) didn’t stick to the blades or the sides of the blender cup. As with most blenders, it’s loud, but its thoroughness more than makes up for it.
As someone who cooks and studies online recipes often, I can say that dates are by far the most commonly recommended sweetener when it comes to making homemade nut or oat milk. This is largely because dates add both sweetness and flavor to the milk, without a lot of calories. They have a pleasant caramel or brown sugar-adjacent taste that makes them great for baking. Plus, a little goes a long way — you can use one for each carafe of non-dairy milk you make, depending on how sweet you want it to be. The dates coms in single or multi-packs and have a 4.2-star average rating from 13,467 reviews on Amazon. They also come with the pit already removed, which saves lots of time if you plan on making a large amount of milk.
Water filter pitchers, such as the Brita Metro Water Filter, help maintain minerals and electrolytes in water while also filtering out contaminants that affect the taste of tap water, according to Brita. This six-cup pitcher, which has a 4.5-star average rating from 11,899 reviews on Amazon, includes a filter that sits in the top compartment, and lasts for two months, according to the brand. Plus, the top has a Smart Filter Alert light to let you know when it’s time to replace it.
You should also use a glass carafe to store your homemade nut milk, particularly one that closes securely at the top to keep it fresh. This 1-liter glass bottle includes both a twist-off cap and a pour spout that you can replace it with, so you can dispense it without taking it off. After making nut milk myself, I would recommend using a bottle that’s either one liter or less, depending on the size of your household. This is because, unless you drink a lot of nut milk or a lot of people in your home drink it, then you probably won’t finish a gallon’s worth before it isn’t safe to drink anymore (more on this below).
There are a variety of nuts you can use to make non-dairy milk, like almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and walnuts. Plus, there are nut products that are processed differently, which alters their flavor. For example, raw almonds taste different than roasted ones, so they’ll each make for a slightly differently flavored almond milk. Some nuts also come without their skins, which can also impact the flavor of the milk, too.
While you can use any type of water you prefer, Swan recommends using cold unfiltered water for the best-tasting nut milk. Unfiltered water can sometimes have a mineral flavor that some may find unpleasant when used to make non-dairy milk.
Be sure to add all of your ingredients into a powerful blender that has the power to fully blend all of the nuts, even after soaking or boiling them, and any sweeteners like dates or honey. This way, you’ll get the most milk and flavor from them. Also, choose either a cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or a combination of both, similar to ones I tried above. The bag shape of the cheesecloth gives you more control than regular non-reusable cheesecloths in my experience.Store properlyLastly, make sure you store the milk in a carafe in a cold area in the fridge, which is often in the back, and keep track of how long it’s good for. Homemade nut milk can last up to a week in the fridge when stored properly.
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I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I wrote about several home and kitchen related topics, such as cookware, kitchen appliances and more. I also have experience testing recipes and cooking at home. I spoke to multiple culinary experts and tested products for this story.
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