Creamy milk featuring a blend of raw nuts and fresh coconut flakes, boasting fiber and omegas! This creamy plant-based milk can be enjoyed as a delicious fresh plant-based beverage without any fillers or gums. Can be used in cereal, smoothies, and cooking.
Last May, I posted my Oat + Nut Milk recipe and reference it all the time. But since I don’t always use this recipe, I thought it might be time to post another recipe. Both are all natural, refined sugar-free, oil-free, and gluten-free. Where as the Oat +Nut Milk recipe contains oats, this one contains coconut.
Not a huge difference, but enough to warrant a different post. One of the things I love about the Oat + Nut Milk is that it thickens nicely when heated. This works great if you’re making a light gravy or want to enjoy a heavenly cup of Moon Milk.
But a lot of times, I don’t need a thickening property. and prefer something with a lighter flavor. This Coco+Nut Milk is what I use, unless I’m using commercial milk. When we purchase our plant milk, mostly for convenience, we prefer the unsweetened almond milk at Aldi. It’s inexpensive and does the job we need it to do.
But I also like making my own milk. Do you make your own plant milk? If so, what kind do you make?
There are so many different methods and ingredients. Many people add sugar or another sweetener like dates or maple syrup, salt, and/or vanilla to their milk. But since my husband and I do not drink the milk, these sweeteners and additives seem unnecessary. I use milk solely for cooking and my husband pours milk onto his cereal or granola. So, we’ve kept our plant milk recipes fairly simple. Feel free to add vanilla, flavors, or dates if you prefer.
As for this milk recipe, you’ll need fresh raw nuts and shredded or shaved coconut. If you have fresh, that’s awesome. Fresh is always better. I only have access to dried coconut so that is what I use. Much like dry beans, I soak the nuts and coconut in filtered water in the refrigerator overnight. It’s important to know that soaked nuts can go rancid very quickly. So please store them covered in the refrigerator to avoid this.
If you’re pressed for time, no problem. For a quicker soak, soak the raw nuts and coconut flakes in steaming hot water for 30-60 minutes. You can use the soaking water in your milk. Just be sure to refrigerate your milk before serving. If you just don’t want to soak your nuts and coconut, just know that you may end up with a little more pulp. Soaking helps blend things a lot more and results in a smoother and fuller milk product.
Speaking of pulp, you can use your leftover pulp in so many different things. It’s great in granola, pancakes, muffins, crumbles, smoothies, oatmeal, and porridge. It can even be dried out to make a course flour to substitute bread crumbs in a meatless loaf. So many possibilities!! Again, be aware that soaked nuts go rancid, so the pulp should be used within a few days.
You can use any raw nuts you prefer – roasted nuts are not as creamy and are not good for milk making. I primarily use almonds bought in bulk; but also like adding a blend of macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews. Aldi sells small bags of raw nut blends.
I’ve included two methods in the directions below The first is using a high-speed blender, like my trusty Vitamix. The second is using a milk maker, like my Almond Cow. Since each person has various kitchen tools and gadgets, I’ve included both. Simply follow the one method for the tool you have.
If using a high-speed blender, simply blend all of the ingredients and then use a nut milk bag to extract the milk, leaving the pulp inside the bag. This process is super easy and works great. One of the perks I love about my Almond Cow is the foam it creates. This is great if you like a frothy foam topping on your beverages, as you might find on a latte, cappuccino, or moon milk. Look at all those little bubbles!!
The one thing I don’t enjoy about making my own milk is the very reason I do make it in the first place. I prefer my foods without unnecessary fillers, whenever possible. And yet, I’ve always been a bit disappointed with how quickly the bulk inside my milk settled, creating a sediment layer of nut particles at the bottom of my plant milk.
Since then, I’ve learned a little trick that helps create a smoother milk that doesn’t separate as quickly. The incredible ingredient that changed my milk-making skills forever is sunflower lecithin. Sunflower lecithin contains natural phospholipids and fatty essential acids that aid “in emulsifying fats, enabling them to be dispersed in water.” Basically, it keeps milk particles from separating! I find that I still need to shake my milk but it stays together a lot better now.
I hope you enjoy this Coco+Nut Milk as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup raw nuts*
- ½ cup raw coconut
- 4-5 cups filtered water (see instructions)
- 1 tsp sunflower lecithin** (optional)
- Dash of salt (optional)
High-Speed Blender Instructions
- Soak raw nuts and coconut in water for 6-9 hours in the refrigerator.***
- Place the soaked nuts and coconut, 4 cups of water, sunflower lecithin, and salt in a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high speed for 40-50 seconds, or until very smooth.
- Place a large bowl on the counter or sink and hang your nut milk bag on a cabinet knob or window hanger.
- Slowly pour your milk into the nut milk bag and allow the milk to drain into the bowl. The pulp will remain in the nut milk bag.
- When the majority of milk has drained through the nut milk bag, gently squeeze out the remaining milk.
- Use your milk immediately or pour into an air-tight sterilized bottle.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Shake slightly before enjoying.
Almond Cow Instructions
- Soak the raw nuts and coconut flakes in water for 6-9 hours in the refrigerator.*
- Transfer the nuts, coconut flakes, and sunflower lecithin (if using) in the metal filter basket.
- Attach the filter basket to the top of the Almond Cow and twist closed.
- Fill the Almond Cow base to the MIN line (~5 cups) with filtered water.
- Plug in the Almond Cow and press the cow start button. It will run through 3 automatic stages. Your milk is ready when the green light stops flashing and becomes steady green.
- Use your milk immediately or pour into an air-tight sterilized bottle and refrigerate.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Shake gently before enjoying.
Notes
* You can use any raw nuts you prefer – roasted nuts are not as creamy and are not good for milk making. I primarily use almonds bought in bulk; but also like adding a blend of macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews. Aldi sells small bags of raw nut blends.
** Shake gently before using your milk as the particles do tend to settle a little. The soy lecithin does aid in emulsification; but nut and coconut particles weigh more than water and tend to settle.
*** For a quicker soak, soak the raw nuts and coconut flakes in steaming hot water for 30-60 minutes. You can use the soaking water in your milk. Just be sure to refrigerate your milk before serving.
Important Note: Soaked nuts can go rancid very quickly. Keep them in the refrigerator to avoid this.
Feel free to soak 1-2 dates with your nuts and coconut if you want to add a natural sweetener. You can also add a dash of vanilla if you prefer.
Coco+Nut Milk (vegan; paleo)
Equipment
- high-speed blender or Almond Cow (or milk maker)
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw nuts*
- ½ cup raw coconut
- 4-5 cups filtered water see instructions
- 1 tsp sunflower lecithin** optional
- Dash of salt optional
Instructions
High-Speed Blender Instructions
- Soak raw nuts and coconut in water for 6-9 hours in the refrigerator.***
- Place the soaked nuts and coconut, 4 cups of water, sunflower lecithin, and salt in a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high speed for 40-50 seconds, or until very smooth.
- Place a large bowl on the counter or sink and hang your nut milk bag on a cabinet knob or window hanger.
- Slowly pour your milk into the nut milk bag and allow the milk to drain into the bowl. The pulp will remain in the nut milk bag.
- When the majority of milk has drained through the nut milk bag, gently squeeze out the remaining milk.
- Use your milk immediately or pour into an air-tight sterilized bottle.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Shake slightly before enjoying.
Almond Cow (plant milk maker) Instructions
- Soak the raw nuts and coconut flakes in water for 6-9 hours in the refrigerator.*
- Transfer the nuts, coconut flakes, and sunflower lecithin (if using) in the metal filter basket.
- Attach the filter basket to the top of the Almond Cow and twist closed.
- Fill the Almond Cow base to the MIN line (~5 cups) with filtered water.
- Plug in the Almond Cow and press the cow start button. It will run through 3 automatic stages. Your milk is ready when the green light stops flashing and becomes steady green.
- Use your milk immediately or pour into an air-tight sterilized bottle and refrigerate.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Shake slightly before enjoying.
Notes
** Shake gently before using your milk as the particles do tend to settle a little. The soy lecithin does aid in emulsification; but nut and coconut particles weigh more than water and tend to settle.
*** For a quicker soak, soak the raw nuts and coconut flakes in steaming hot water for 30-60 minutes. You can use the soaking water in your milk. Just be sure to refrigerate your milk before serving. Important Note: Soaked nuts can go rancid very quickly. Keep them in the refrigerator to avoid this. Feel free to soak 1-2 dates with your nuts and coconut if you want to add a natural sweetener. You can also add a dash of vanilla if you prefer.