Do you want to know how to make the best walnut milk? This recipe is super easy, really delicious, and is vegan (dairy -free), gluten-free, and paleo friendly. Walnut milk is so incredibly delicious, and I prefer it to almond milk. It is also alkaline-forming, loaded with omega fatty acids, and fantastic on cereal. I like to drink it plain over ice. Yum!

Walnut milk has a delightful nutty flavor without the bitterness of whole whole walnuts, and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Walnut milk is also great for our brains, and so rich and creamy. Homemade almond milk is ubiquitous and very popular, and I do make it a lot. But, this raw walnut milk features heavily in the nut milk rotation in our house. I make a different plant based milk every couple of days to mix things up for nutrition and flavor diversity. But, walnut milk is one of my faves.

Walnuts deliver brilliant bang for buck in the food world. They are health-promoting anti-inflammatory warriors. Highest of all nuts in omega-3s, amped up with antioxidant phytonutrients, rich in monounsaturated fats, and containing loads of L-arginine, this heart-healthy hero combats free radical damage, promotes cell integrity, regulates blood pressure and cholesterol, neutralizes acids, and repairs collagen for sensational skin. Walnuts are also one of the few food sources of melatonin, so they calm the nervous system and aid sleep. And, there’s a reason walnuts look like little brains. Rich stores of vitamin E and folate team up with the arsenal of omega fatty acids to delivers neuroprotective properties, making walnuts brilliant brain food.

I’m predicting that we’re going to see walnut milk get more and more popular. And, I’m not the only one who rates it high on the list of priorities. Elmhurst has added an incredible commercial walnut milk to their range that is absolutely delicious. Their product is really pure, too. (I love how the commercial nut milks are getting more pure and simple.)

But, with homemade walnut milk, you can control the quality and integrity of the finished product even more – the freshness of the nuts, the nut to water ratio, the sugar levels, and the texture. Furthermore, fresh raw walnut milk contains live enzymes, has not been pasteurized, and contains no additives or preservatives.

You can make simple unsweetened walnut milk by blending raw soaked walnuts and water. Unsweetened walnut milk is my preference, as it’s more alkalizine-forming. For the best results, choose fresh raw walnuts, and soak them to neutralize enzyme inhibitors, activate their full nutrient potential, and soften them so they’re easy to pulverize. You can find more information on soaking here.

Whole, unstrained walnut milk is a full-fiber experience, and contains the full nutrients of the whole nut. For a smoother, more commercial-style milk that is great for recipes, strain the milk using a nut milk bag (purchase these online or from health food stores) or knee-high piece of sheer nylon hosiery. Wash the bag thoroughly and dry fully to reuse.

If you want to sweeten and flavor the milk for drinking, or to pour over cereal, I love adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract and some pitted dates or pure maple syrup. Also, try gently warming some walnut milk in your high-speed blender or on a gentle low heat on stove top. Because of the natural melatonin, warm walnut milk makes an incredibly anti-inflammatory sleep tonic to drink before bed.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!