Saffron Almond Milk (Vegan)
Real homemade almond milk — soaked, blended, and strained from scratch, not a store-bought carton — with saffron and cardamom infused in afterward. A dairy-free take on classic kesar milk that tastes distinctly of almonds rather than trying to imitate dairy.
Making almond milk from scratch takes more effort than pouring from a carton, but it means you control exactly what's in it — no added stabilizers, gums, or sweeteners you didn't choose yourself. It also means the saffron has a genuinely clean base to work with, without competing against the added flavourings that some commercial almond milks include.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
- 4 cups water, plus more for soaking
- 5-6 strands Kashmiri Mongra saffron
- 2 tablespoons warm water, for the saffron infusion
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or 2-3 pitted dates, to sweeten (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Soak the almonds in water overnight, or for at least 8 hours — this softens them enough to blend smoothly. Drain and rinse before using.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of water and soak the saffron strands in it for about 10 minutes.
- Blend the soaked almonds with the 4 cups of fresh water on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until fully broken down and the water turns milky white.
- Strain through a nut milk bag or a few layers of fine cheesecloth into a bowl, squeezing firmly to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Return the strained milk to the blender along with the saffron infusion, cardamom powder, salt, and sweetener if using.
- Blend briefly, just to combine everything evenly.
- Warm gently on the stove if you'd like it hot, or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Tips for Best Results
Don't skip straining — unstrained almond milk has a gritty, chalky texture from the almond fiber that most people find unpleasant. Save the leftover almond pulp (called almond meal) rather than discarding it — it works well in baking or can be dried and used as flour.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm on a cold morning the way you'd have regular kesar milk, or chilled over ice in warmer weather. It also works well as a base for the saffron overnight oats or smoothie bowl recipes on this site, if you'd like a fully dairy-free version of either.
Storage
Keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for 3-4 days. It will separate on standing since there are no stabilizers — just shake well before drinking.
