15 Homemade Alternatives to Dairy Milk

Milk allergy has widespread within babies over the past few years. Not only is it a problem for children, but for mothers as well. If the mother is breastfeeding, she has to completely cut off any dairy products. However, cow milk alternatives available in the markets are usually hard to find, expensive, little variety, artificially sweetened, packed with unreadable ingredients, and usually have very light consistency.

Since it’s hard to imagine our moms live without our beloved cup of chai bel laban or the cup of coffee that embraces our soul every morning, we need to consider homemade alternatives to dairy milk. The ingredients for the following 13 types of milk (or mylk) are available in Egypt, and most of them are very affordable. And no, soy milk is not one of them.

Oat Milk

Photo credit: Quick and Dirty Tips

Very rich, creamy and perfect with tea and coffee.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of rolled oats
3-4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Pro tip:

Always opt for gluten-free oats. Oats do not naturally contain gluten, however, if treated in a facility that processes other gluten-containing products, it can be contaminated. In this case, your oat milk will be slimy. Most recipes online recommend soaking oats in water overnight. I personally don’t soak it as it makes it a bit sticky.

Almond Milk

Photo credit: UCSF

I get it, it is extremely popular, but here’s the trick, you can make almond milk at home using almond butter. Forget about soaking almonds overnight, you can get this done in no time, with absolutely no difference in taste and less hassle.

Blend on high speed:
1 tbs of almond butter
1 cup of water
Pinch of salt

Or if you want to go all classic:
1 cup of raw almonds (soaked overnight)
2 cups of water
Pinch of salt

 Rice Milk

Photo credit: Parenting First Cry

Neutral taste and inexpensive!

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of steamed or cooked rice (unsalted)
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Walnut Milk

Photo credit: Elmhurst 1925

Creamy, fluffy and delish!

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of walnut
3 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Cashew Milk

Photo credit: Table For Two

The creamiest and richest of them all.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of raw cashews (soaked overnight)
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Pro tip:

The cashew butter trick works here too.

 Quinoa Milk

Photo credit: Supermarket News

Great source of protein. Just make sure to soak the quinoa before cooking.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of cooked quinoa (unsalted)
3 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Hazelnut Milk

Photo credit: Reading My Tea Leaves

So good, especially if you added a tablespoon of raw cocoa powder and a generous drizzle of honey.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of raw hazelnuts (soaked for 8 hours or overnight)
3 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Pumpkinseed Milk

Photo credit: Savory Lotus

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Flaxseed Milk

Photo credit: NDTV Food

Super easy and cheap. You’ll probably find it at your nearest local spice shop/attar.

Blend on high speed:
1/4-1/2 cup flaxseed
4-6 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Pro tip:

Vanilla and honey would be a really good mix with flaxseed milk.

Pistachio Milk

Photo credit: Freepik

I could drink it every day!

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of shelled pistachios (soaked overnight)
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Coconut Milk

Photo credit: BBC Good Food

A classic, but we love how rich and foamy it is.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of  shredded coconuts or coconut flakes (preferably unsweetened)
2 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Pecan Milk

Photo credit: Amazing Paleo

You can choose to strain it or not – An amazing lazy option.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of pecan (raw or roasted)
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Peanut Milk

Photo credit: Tara’s Multicultural Table

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of peanuts
4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

You can do it with pure peanut butter too.

Macadamia Milk

Photo credit: OMD

This one is a winner as it’s high in calcium.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of raw macadamia nuts
6 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Sunflower Seed Milk

Photo credit: Fitness in the City

Hey, it helps with anxiety.

Blend on high speed:
1 cup of sunflower seeds (unsalted)
3-4 cups of water
Pinch of salt

Tips to make the best non-dairy milk in town:

• Soak nuts for at least 12 hours or overnight. If you’re making the milk on the spot, blend nuts with hot water for a creamier consistency.
• To sweeten, use a pitted date, honey, agave, or maple syrup.
• For an extra boost of flavor add vanilla, cinnamon, or cardamom.
• A pinch of salt helps infuse the flavors.
• If you don’t have a high-speed blender, blend for no less than 1-2 minutes.
• If you don’t have a nut milk bag, butter muslin, or cheesecloth to strain the nut milk, use a sieve or a clean white t-shirt.
• Be creative and make milk out of a blend of different nuts, such as almond, cashew, and coconut.
• Add more or less water based on your preferred milk thickness and consistency.
• Use the pulp to make flour (mostly gluten-free).
• Store nut milk in the refrigerator if it’ll be consumed within 2-3 days, otherwise, freeze.