This homemade walnut milk recipe was originally posted in March 2020, but has been updated as of October 2021 with some extra notes, tips, uses, and flavor varieties! Since the early 2010s, dairy alternatives have exploded onto the market. However, although shelves are filled with instant almond milk, coconut milk, and oat milk, there is still a distinct lack of walnut milk available commercially. More so, when there is, it’s often overpriced and filled with gums, stabilizers, and preservatives (which can irritate those with autoimmune diseases and gut sensitivities and issues like IBS). Luckily, learning how to make walnut milk at home is quick and simple and will save you some on packaging and money, too! If you’ve never tried walnut milk before, then prepare to be amazed at this creamy, buttery, and frankly delicious nut milk. Not only does it taste great, but it’s nutritionally impressive too. When compared to popular almond milk, this homemade walnut milk definitely holds its own, too. Whereas almonds contain more fiber (with almost twice the amount), more protein (6g vs. 4g per serving), and are more abundant in certain minerals while remaining slightly lower in calories. Walnuts provide a higher source of a variety of vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Benefits of walnut milk
They’re a great source of heart-healthy essential omega-3s – which are great for heart and brain health, among other body functions. Packed with vitamin E – which has brain health-boosting properties and can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Packed with antioxidants – to protect cells from oxidative damage and against inflammation. In fact, they are more abundant in antioxidants than most nuts. Helps to control blood sugar levels. Walnut milk is low carb, high protein, and high fat (but healthy fats). Although walnuts may be fairly calorie-dense with high-fat content, studies have shown that our bodies may not absorb all the calories. In fact, studies show that walnuts are very unlikely to cause weight gain and can even help curb cravings and support weight management.
You can read through my homemade walnut butter post for more health benefits! You might also enjoy adding them to your diet more, as I’ve done with this fig jam, quinoa salad, and muhammara dip! Plus, by making this walnut milk at home, we’re able to use soaked walnuts (aka activated walnuts), which is even better for our health. In fact, there are several reasons why it’s important to soak the walnuts before blending your walnut milk.
Benefits of soaked walnuts
For now, let’s jump right into the walnut milk recipe!
How to flavor walnut milk
There are several ways to sweeten and flavor homemade walnut milk easily and naturally. Here are just a few of my top recommendations.
Blender: luckily, you don’t necessarily need a high-speed blender for this soft nut milk. However, if you are using a mid-level machine, it will likely take slightly longer to blend. I use the Nutra Milk (which is specifically designed with nut milk in mind) to produce the creamiest nut milk with the least amount of leftover nut pulp (yay for less waste). However, I’ve also made walnut butter with several different blenders over the years. A nut milk bag, a coffe filter, or cheese cloth – if you use a regular blender, you’d need to filter the milk through one of these.
And that’s it! (For the base recipe anyway). However, if you want to make flavored walnut milk, keep reading for my favorite add-ins!
Basic optional add-ins
Salt: a pinch of salt helps enhance the nuts’ flavor in a wonderful way and will act as a natural preservative. Sweetener: there are several ways to sweeten your homemade walnut milk. You can use dates (or date paste to avoid any bits in your nut milk), sweeteners (like monk fruit or erythritol), or even liquid sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup.)
Flavored walnut milk
Vanilla: add 1 teaspoon of homemade Vanilla extract or Vanilla Powder, increase to personal taste. Chocolate walnut milk: I recommend adding 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder with the sweetener of your choice (adjusted to taste) and a pinch of salt. Maple walnut milk: this flavor combination is perfect for the Fall/Winter months. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup and a pinch of salt (add more for a salted maple nut milk). Optionally add some vanilla too. Golden milk: easily boost the healthful properties of this walnut milk with some turmeric paste or golden milk powder. Cinnamon date: cinnamon and walnuts pair SO well. For this cinnamon walnut milk, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2-4 Medjool dates (based on how sweet you want the milk to be) or the sweetener of your choice. Vanilla spice nut milk: there are several spice blends that you can combine with vanilla and the sweetener of your choice. Pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, gingerbread, chai spice, etc.
Walnut milk also makes for the perfect base for an apple cinnamon smoothie (aka apple pie smoothie).
How to make walnut milk
The process for making homemade walnut milk is incredibly simple, but you need to plan for enough time to soak the walnuts (aka activate them). This process is very hands-off and can be done overnight. If you didn’t add any salt to the soaking water, it could be saved to use to water plants (your plants will love it, as it will contain higher levels of carbon dioxide). However, if salted, discard the water. Do not drink either version, as it will contain all the phytic acid and other nasties that we’ve specifically tried to remove. Add the walnuts to a large bowl, cover with cold/room temperature water, and add ½ tsp salt. Leave to soak for at least 6 hours, up to 12 hours. I like to do this overnight (8-9hrs). When simply soaking nuts, I usually don’t use any salt. However, salt is used when activating nuts to help to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors. Then, drain the nuts and rinse them once more. Activated nuts then generally go through a dehydrating process. However, we want the nuts soaked when making walnut milk so you can skip that step entirely.
How to store
Store: You can store the walnut milk in an airtight bottle in the fridge for between 3-5 days. Transfer the soaked walnuts to your high-speed blender and blend into a rough crumb consistency. Be careful not to over-blend, or you’ll start to make walnut butter, Then, add the filtered water and allow the machine to blend for around two minutes until the liquid is creamy and milky-looking. I use a Nutra Milk processor, which automatically strains the nut milk, using a spout to drain the nut milk, leaving any leftover nut pulp in the jug. However, when using a regular blender/food processor, you’ll need to strain the milk manually. To do so: Use either a nut milk bag, coffee filter, or several layers of cheesecloth over a bowl (if using cheesecloth, it’s easiest to lay it in a sieve – otherwise, you’ll need a second person to hold the cloth while you pour). Then, pour the walnut milk through the nut milk bag. Then squeeze the bag to strain as much liquid as possible from the leftover pulp. You may also use a fine-mesh sieve and press the walnut pulp to drain the liquid. You can then enjoy the walnut milk immediately or transfer it to a bottle (easiest using a funnel) and store it in the fridge. It’s natural for the walnut milk to separate as it sits in the fridge, as it contains no stabilizers. Just give it a good shake before using it each time. When it’s past its best, the walnut milk will begin to smell bitter or off. Freeze: I don’t often freeze this homemade walnut milk. However, if you want to try, you could freeze it either in a freezer-safe container or an ice-cube tray, ready to pop out as needed.
How to use walnut milk
Just like any dairy-free milk, there are several ways to use this nutritious nut milk, including:
Use for cereal and healthy granola. Use for oatmeal porridge or overnight oats. Mix into healthy smoothy recipes. Use to make coffee ice cream. Use for banana milkshakes and other drinks. Flavor and drink as-is!
Top tips and recipe notes
One-minute “cheat” walnut milk: if you’ve run out of walnut milk, you can actually make “instant” nut milk by combining ONE tablespoon of raw, unsalted walnut butter (or nut butter of your choice) per ONE cup of water. Use a combination of nuts: yup, you read that right. If you want to mix and match nuts, feel free to do so. Just make sure to soak them all so they blend easily. To strain or not strain: walnut milk (and cashew milk) are particularly great for making nut milk that doesn’t leave behind a ton of pulp since they’re so soft. This means you can get away with not straining the milk at all in some cases (especially if using a high-speed blender). Though there will be sediment in the milk, so it won’t be completely smooth unless strained. To quick-soak nuts: if you want to quickly soften the nuts but aren’t too fussed with “activating” the walnuts, you can soak the walnuts in boiling water for 15 minutes before blending. Be careful not to under-blend: I blend for a full two minutes in my high-speed machine until the liquid is super milky and opaque – to try to extract as much from the soaked walnuts as possible. For less powerful machines, you will likely need more time. To avoid the milk separating: you can add around one teaspoon of sunflower lecithin – a natural emulsifier. You can read more about sunflower lecithin at Healthline, including the health benefits. However, note that some people may experience stomach issues with this, so I don’t include it in the main recipe.
Other nut and seed milk recipes
Hazelnut milk Pistachio milk Instant almond milk Tiger nut milk (horchata de chufa) Hemp seed milk Cashew milk Mexican Horchata (Agua de Horchata)
As always, if you give this homemade walnut milk recipe a try, let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
