Nutritious walnuts transform into creamy, non-dairy milk in this Homemade Walnut Milk recipe that anyone can make!

I love making homemade nut milk.
But for some reason, I've never made homemade walnut milk before!
We love walnuts in my family, yet for some reason it never occurred to me to transform walnuts into homemade walnut milk.
I've been making homemade almond milk and homemade oat milk for ages, but now I'm officially obsessed with homemade walnut milk as well.
Walnuts are such a nutritional powerhouse, so I'm so excited to share this creamy and delicious Homemade Walnut Milk Recipe with you all today!
Nutritional Benefits of Walnuts
Before we jump into this incredibly simple homemade walnut milk recipe, let's talk about the nutritional benefits of walnuts...cause there are quite a few!
Not long ago, people used to be scared of eating nuts due to their high fat and calorie content.
Yet now we know that eating fat doesn't actually make you fat. Instead, fats from whole plant foods can provide a ton of health benefits.
Benefits of Walnuts
- Walnuts are high in the good kind of fats, including polyunsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids
- They can help lower cholesterol
- Walnuts can ease inflammation that may lead to heart disease
- Walnuts are an excellent source of antioxidants
- They can help promote a healthy gut as they feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut
This list could continue, but as you can already see, walnuts are a great food to include in your diet!
How Many Walnuts Should I Eat a Day?
Too much of anything, even good things, is a bad thing.
So while walnuts are very nutritious, eating about 2-3oz. a day is probably best.
Everything in moderation!
What Nuts Can Be Used to Make Milk?
I feel like once I discovered homemade almond milk, a whole new world was open to me!
You guys, you can use all kinds of nuts and seeds to make homemade milk!
I really don't think there is a nut or seed you can't use, although some may be better than others.
I'll share which nuts and seeds I've used to make homemade milk below, as well as which ones I've enjoyed in store-bought non-dairy milk:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Peanuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Flax seeds
I've had all of these nuts and seeds at some point in homemade nut/seed milk and each one has created a delicious, unique non-dairy milk.
So start experimenting with whatever nut or seed you have on hand!
Equipment You Need to Make Homemade Nut Milk
Homemade nut milk is so easy to make, however you do need to have a few small kitchen appliances and items on hand.
I'll list out everything you'll need to make this homemade walnut milk below:
- Blender (preferably a high-speed blender)
- Nut Milk Bag
- 1-liter jar for storing (or a few smaller jars)
How to Make Homemade Walnut Milk
Making homemade walnut milk is so easy.
I'll share how to do it with a few simple step-by-step instructions.
- Soak the walnuts in water over night or for about 8 hours.
- After the walnuts have soaked, drain and rinse them and place them in a blender. Add in the filtered water and blend on high until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the milk through a nut milk bag or through two layers of cheesecloth and use your hands to squeeze out as much milk as possible.
- Pour the strained milk into an air-tight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
If you want to flavor your homemade walnut milk, simply blended pitted dates with the walnuts to add sweetness.
Alternatively, you can place the strained milk back into your blender and add in some maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and blend until combined.
You can even make homemade chocolate walnut milk or hot chocolate with this walnut milk!
Use it as you would any other kind of store-bought milk!
How to Store Homemade Walnut Milk
You can store your homemade walnut milk in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Before enjoying your milk, give it a good shake!
I love to use swing-top bottle to store my homemade nut milk, but any other kind of sealable pitcher or jar should work.
How Long Does Homemade Nut Milk Last?
This homemade walnut milk is similar to any other homemade nut or seed milk.
Homemade walnut milk should last about 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Before using homemade nut milk, I like to smell it to make sure it hasn't gone off and give it a good shake.
Homemade Walnut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts soaked
- 3 cups cold filtered water
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid sweetener OR 3-4 Medjool pitted dates
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Soak the walnuts in water over night or for about 8 hours.
- After the walnuts have soaked, drain and rinse them and place them in a high speed blender. Add in three cups of water and blend on high for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the milk through a nut milk bag or through two layers of cheesecloth and use your hands to squeeze out as much milk as possible
- If you are using the optional ingredients, then pour the strained milk back into your rinsed out blender and add in the vanilla extract and liquid sweetener to taste. Blend until combined.*
- Pour the strained milk into an air tight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Laura says
I tried walnut milk before and I did not care for it but I am excited to try your recipe in the near future cause it sounds delish! Thank you!
Johnson Olu says
What about the pulp? Is it edible or just waste? Thanks
Faith says
Definitely edible! I just posted a recipe using almond pulp and I'm sure the recipe would work just as well with walnut pulp. The post also shares other helpful information so check it out! https://theconscientiouseater.com/almond-pulp-freezer-brownie-bites-recipe/
Zlatko says
One question: what do I do with the water left over from soaking the wallnuts? I thought that's going to become milk, but the way this recipe reads, it looks like that's not going into the blender, just the nuts?
Faith says
Hi Zlatko. Sorry for the confusion. The soaking water isn't listed in the ingredients. So yes, you throw out the soaking water and then blend the walnuts and 3 cups of fresh water together to make the walnut milk. I hope that answers your question!
Angelina says
Yes ! just the nut
Patou says
Awsome !
Faith says
Yay!
Sydni Jackson says
Okay, I have something for you to come up with a recipe for! At Whole Foods the other day I found chocolate pecan butter!!! Of course I had to buy it because 1 - I've never had pecan butter and 2 - it has chocolate in it!! Have you ever tried it?? If you come up with a recipe for it I will love you 🙂
Faith says
YAY! I love a good challenge!! I'm thinking pecans, cocoa powder and maple syrup?? Seriously, I hope I can try and recreate it this week:)
Sydni Jackson says
Sure! At Whole Foods it looked like it was just made from chocolate chips and pecans, but your idea sounds great too!
Faith says
AHH!! That sounds great too! Good to know. I'm hoping to try it out tomorrow:)
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Yum! I'm a big almond milk fan but I've never tried walnut milk! I could definitely see myself making this, especially if I didn't have almonds on hand!
Faith says
Yeah, it's super easy! And walnuts are usually cheaper for me so that's an added bonus:)