You’ve probably heard of almond milk, macadamia milk, and possibly even hazelnut milk, but the latest nut milk that’s all the rage is walnut milk. But before you get into the ins and outs of walnut milk, check out this article.

What Is Walnut Milk?

As the name suggests, walnut milk is a dairy-free milk alternative made using walnuts. Although the idea of turning hard, dry walnuts into milk may seem strange, it’s actually a surprisingly easy process and produces a deliciously nutty, creamy, and nutritious drink. 

The Health Benefits Of Drinking Walnut Milk

When it comes to walnut milk, not all walnut drinks are created equal, and the health benefits you can expect to gain will depend on the quantity and quality of nuts used. While some walnut milk is barely more than a water emulsion, other brands use more nuts, and therefore more of the nuts' health benefits make it into the final drink. If you’re looking to boost your intake of healthy fats or are trying to consume more antioxidants, then eating walnuts in their whole form is your best bet. However, if you’re looking for a nutritious, dairy-free milk alternative, walnut milk is definitely worth trying. 

How To Make Walnut Milk

There are plenty of jokes about how to best milk a nut, but the truth is, nuts aren’t milked, and their journey to becoming nut milk usually starts in a blender. Here’s how to make your own walnut milk at home. Before you begin, check out these 5 tips on how to make sure you're getting fresh, high quality walnuts.

You Will Need: 

To make 4 cups of walnut milk.

2 cups of high quality shelled walnuts 

4 cups of water 

1 teaspoon of sea salt 

A nut milk bag

Optional: Maple syrup, sweetener, or agave for a sweetened version

Turning Walnuts Into Walnut Milk:

To get the most out of your walnuts, you will need to soak them overnight. Add your walnuts to a bowl and cover them with cold water, leaving them at room temperature to soak overnight.  

Once your walnuts have soaked, drain away their water and rinse them clean. 

Add your soaked walnuts, 4 cups of water, and sea salt to a blender. If you’re making sweetened milk, then add in your sweetener at this stage too. 

Blend everything together at high speed until finely ground and the water looks opaque. 

To create smooth milk, you now need to strain your walnut milk mixture using a nut milk bag or a fine cheesecloth. You may need to do this a couple of times. Give the pulp a massage to ensure that you capture as much liquid as possible. 

And that’s all there is to it. Bottle up your walnut milk and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. You will need to shake the bottle before you use it. 

How To Use Your Walnut Pulp

Whenever you make any kind of nut milk, you’re always going to be left with a pile of pulp. Nut pulp is still extremely nutritious and is packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats - so don’t throw it away! Here are some things to do with your leftover nut pulp. 

Add It To A Smoothie

Freeze your nut pulp into an ice-cube tray and add an ice cube whenever you want some extra fiber in one of your smoothies. If you drink many smoothies, you can keep your pulp fresh in the fridge for 1-2 days. 

Make It Into Muffins

If you’re making walnut milk, then a tray of coffee and walnut muffins are definitely on the cards. Simply add your walnut pulp to your muffin mixture, and away you go. If your walnut pulp is still quite wet, then you may need to adjust your ratio of wet to dry ingredients. 

Bake It Into Granola

Finally, spread your nut pulp evenly on a baking tray and bake until golden and crisp for an easy, nutty granola base. Throw in some oats, raisins, cinnamon, and seeds to create your own granola mix without wasting anything from your nut milk.