A Smarter Way to Make Almond Milk (No Soaking, No Straining)

Almond milk is sort of a pain to make and the stuff that comes from the store, no matter how pricey, sort of tastes like mucky water.

Phewf! Felt good to get that off my chest.

But in The First Mess Cookbook, the new book from the wildly popular plant-based blog by the same name, Laura Wright reveals a better, smarter, faster, less pain-in-the-neck method for almond milk that actually tastes like something—and like something good.

Her recipe for "Fresh, Instant Almond Milk" is, at its core, almond butter blended with water, founded on the smart observation that the two differ by only one essential ingredient: water. With almond butter as a starting point, you can skip the soaking and the straining.

All you need to do is blend 3 tablespoons of almond butter with 1 1/2 cups water. Laura also adds 1/8 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, and strain if you like (though not necessary).

The almond milk I made using Laura's method was approximately a million times more flavorful than the fancy milk I had in the fridge. It was richer, frothier, and more deeply almond-y. If I closed my eyes, it tasted almost like butter pecan milkshake (...only, with almonds). I'd gladly drink it by the chilled glass, and I can imagine that it'd make for lusher smoothies, porridges, and overnight oats, too.

Since this almond milk is less neutral-tasting (read: less watery) than store-bought almond milk, however, it might not be the best candidate for adding to coffee or pouring over cereal.

Keep it stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Since the almond butter particles will settle, you'll want to give it a good shake before using.

Almond milk: Do you love it, hate it, or feel totally neutral towards it? Tell us in the comments.