How to Make Peanut Milk

Homemade peanut milk is creamy, silky, and made with just 3 ingredients using whole peanuts (or peanut butter). It’s a budget-friendly, healthy, delicious dairy-free milk!

3-Ingredient Homemade Peanut Milk Recipe

Recently, we’ve loved making fun alternatives to the ever-popular almond milk and have, so far, slurped our way through creamy homemade cashew milk, pecan milk, and chocolate oat milk. Now, we’ve let our peanut butter obsession take over for this tasty peanut milk. If you love peanuts and consume a lactose-free or dairy-free diet, you’ll love it!

Made with just three simple ingredients, PB milk is creamy, silky, and super nutty (tasting milder/nuttier depending on whether you use raw or roasted nuts). It’s also naturally lactose-free and dairy-free, can be flavored, and enjoyed warm or chilled.

While our recipe using whole peanuts requires soaking (and optionally toasting) peanuts for the best texture, flavor, and nutrition, if you’re running low on time, you can even throw together ‘peanut butter milk’ with peanut butter in under a minute.

Not only does it taste great, but peanut milk is also nutritious and satisfying, loaded with plant-based protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats, along with several vitamins and minerals – like magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. So, let’s jump in!

The Ingredients

• Peanut: Use raw or roasted, unsalted peanuts (toast them at home for more flavor). Roasted will taste most like ‘peanut butter’ – but don’t use pre-roasted peanuts, as they won’t taste nearly as good as toasting them yourself.
• Water: You’ll need room temperature filtered, bottled, or tap water.
• Sweetener: We naturally sweetened the peanut milk with Medjool dates (or raisins). However, a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, agave, date syrup, brown rice syrup, or even a sugar-free syrup. Adjust the amount to taste, or omit it entirely.

A pinch of salt can also help to balance and enhance the nutty flavor.

Flavor Variations

• Vanilla extract: Just ½ tsp of natural vanilla adds delicious warm depth.
• Other spices: Boost the plant milk with cinnamon, pumpkin spice, chai spice, cardamom, etc.  
• Orange zest: Just a little adds a wonderful, subtle citrusy flavor.
• Cocoa powder: Add about 2 tbsp cocoa powder for vegan chocolate peanut milk.
• Espresso: Replace equal amounts of water with 1-2 shots of espresso.

How to Make Peanut Milk

• Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and leave them to soak overnight (or at least 6 hours).

If you’re running low on time, boil the peanuts and dates for 10-15 minutes to soften.

• In the morning, blend the ingredients on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

If preferred, drain and replace the water to avoid consuming the phytic acid and anti-nutrients/enzyme inhibitors that leech into the soaking water.

• Pour the plant milk through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh sieve or a nut milk bag and squeeze/press into a pitcher to remove any pulp from the peanut milk.

30-Second ‘CHEAT’ Peanut butter milk: If you’re running super short on time, simply add 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter (without added sugars/oils) and 4 cups of water to a blender and blend until creamy. It’s milder but still tasty.

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Using raw vs. roasted peanuts: Either option is fine, but roasted peanuts taste more like peanut butter than raw peanuts. For the latter, toast the peanuts in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350F/177C, then rub them in a kitchen towel to easily remove the peels.
• Use a high-speed blender: While not 100% necessary, this helps the peanut milk blend as smoothly as possible, leaving the least amount of pulp.
• To adjust the creaminess: Adjust the ratio of peanuts to water. For creamier peanut milk, reduce the water by ½-1 cup. For lighter peanut milk, increase the water by ½-1 cup. Simmering the plant milk for a few minutes can also help make a thicker, creamier consistency.
• Save the pulp: Leftover peanut pulp can be added wet to smoothies, oatmeal, and dairy-free yogurt bowls. Alternatively, dry it, grind it into flour, and add it to baked recipes, etc.

Storage Instructions

Homemade peanut milk can be stored in an airtight jar or bottle in the refrigerator for 4-6 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

As it contains no stabilizers, the peanut milk separates while it sits, so shake it well before each use.

More Peanut Recipes

• Peanut butter soup
• Peanut butter oatmeal
• Peanut noodle salad
• Chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie
• Spicy peanut dipping sauce
• Peanut butter sandwich cookies

Photos by Alfonso Revilla