Vitamix Almond Milk With Dates

Do you buy almond milk from the grocery store? Are you concerned about added ingredients? Here’s my favorite homemade Vitamix almond milk recipe that's Whole30 and paleo compliant. It is so easy, sweetened with dates, and it tastes way better than store-bought almond milk.

What I really like about this recipe is that you can control exactly what you put into your almond milk. It's easy to step up the sweetness or leave out the vanilla. It's creamy, smooth, and can be made in less than 10 minutes. Not to mention, this almond milk recipe is what I use to make dairy-free almond milk rice pudding.

Ingredients You'll Need:

• Almonds: I recommend using plain raw almonds.
• Dates: I recommend sweetening the almond milk with dates, however, you can also use honey and agave nectar. My preference for dates is Sukari dates because they are very soft and extremely sweet, but Medjool dates work also. If you find that your dates are tough and dry, you can soak them in water for an hour to soften up a bit.
• Salt: You need just a pinch to balance things out.
• Optional: You can add some cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg if you would like to vary things up!

Tips for Making Smooth and Creamy Dairy-Free Milk

1. The most important thing with this almond milk recipe is to use a Vitamix blender. It doesn't matter which model of a Vitamix blender that you use. I've tried to get around this for a long time until one day I gave in. My life has changed since, and so will yours. Now I can't imagine living without one, and I've included it on my Top 10 Best Kitchen Tools list. Even though the Vitamix blender has a hefty price tag, I use mine almost daily. Not only does a Vitamix make excellent almond milk, but it can also make excellent pomegranate smoothies, baby food purees, tahini, and hummus. If you factor in the cost per use of this thing, it's pretty worth it. So enough about the Vitamix and why you should already have one.
2. The second most critical step with this almond milk recipe: use an undyed 100% cotton cloth napkin. I first learned to make homemade almond milk at a Whole Foods cooking class in Houston. I used that recipe for many years. The class taught us to use a cheesecloth, but still, bits and pieces would strain through. I lived with grainy almond milk for a long time until I changed how it was strained. Straining the liquid with fabric cloth instead of cheesecloth is the best way to get a smooth milk texture. Trust me on this.

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Do You Need To Soak Almonds Ahead of Time?

If you are short on time, you do not have to soak the nuts. The benefit of soaking the nuts ahead of time is slightly creamier milk. I've tried the almond milk recipe both ways- with and without soaking overnight and it wasn't a big difference. So if you want convenience, skip the soaking.

I just want to add a side note here. You can make this recipe with cashews, pecans, and pistachios. However, I don’t recommend soaking those nuts prior to making them. Also, make sure you get your nuts raw. If you accidentally buy roasted, you can still use the nuts in a smoothie.

How To Make Almond Milk With a Vitamix

1. Round up the ingredients. My top two natural sweeteners are agave nectar and dates. For this recipe, I will use Sukari dates.
2. Put the almonds, sea salt, and dates into the blender with ⅓ of the water needed. Blend to a pulp. Add the remaining water and blend on high for about 1 minute. You want to make sure that the almond milk is well blended so it doesn't separate easily.
3. Strain almond milk with a cotton cloth. This is how to make it smooth like actual milk.
4. Pour the almond milk into your favorite glass carafe and enjoy!

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Is Homemade Almond Milk Cheaper?

It depends on where you live! In Abu Dhabi a cup of store-bought almond milk costs me about $1. I buy a 35 ounce bag of raw almonds for $12 here. Dried dates are so cheap here they are almost negligible. I would estimate a cup of homemade almond milk costs me about $0.30 a cup, so it's much cheaper than buying it in the store. On top of that, my homemade almond milk is leaps and bounds more delicious than the store-bought watered down almond milk that has additives.

In the US, a cup of store-bought almond milk costs about $0.50. I just checked the prices at Kroger and an 8-ounce bag of raw almonds costs about $4. This recipe uses ½ a cup of almonds which is about 2 ounces, so the almond ingredient costs $1. I'm going to estimate that 2 Medjool dates cost another $1, so homemade almond milk costs about $0.40 per cup in the US.

How Long Does Homemade Almond Milk Last?

This is the downside to making homemade almond milk. It depends on the quality and freshness of your raw almonds. I've had almond milk last 5 days without issue and another batch go rancid after 3 days. To be on the safe side, I'd say you can keep the almond milk for up to 3 days in the fridge. Almond milk can be frozen as well.

Other Drinks to Try

• Strawberry Smoothie with Banana and Pineapple
• Keto Almond Cream Latte
• Jasmine Iced Green Tea
• Karak Chai

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