Love homemade almond milk? Craving chocolate? Then learn how to make unsweetened chocolate almond milk for a refreshing, dairy-free drink.
Sometimes a tall glass of chilled chocolate milk is just what you need to start your day. But if you are avoiding cow’s milk for health reasons, you may fear your chocolate milk days are over. Don’t worry. Chocolate almond milk is the perfect substitute.
Almond Milk Chocolate is one of those rare treats.
To make chocolate almond milk, blend almonds, cocoa powder, a sweetener, and flavorings. Filter the almond pulp out and chill the milk. When it is cold, you will have a smooth, creamy, chocolatey delicious treat.
Learn how to make unsweetened chocolate almond milk without any other undesirable additives. Too often chocolate almond milk from the grocery store has ingredients the health-conscious wish to avoid.
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 Make Your Almond Milk
If you already make your almond milk, homemade chocolate milk will be no problem.
You never miss dairy milk when you use unsweetened almond milk in baking. You pour vanilla almond milk on oatmeal or cereal with great results.
But chocolate milk is another matter. You drink chocolate milk by itself. As a stand-alone treat.
You need a homemade chocolate almond milk recipe that tastes fabulous. But is still healthy. Then when the craving hits, you can drink with no guilt.
What Does Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk Taste Like?
Homemade unsweetened chocolate almond milk has a light, yet creamy chocolate flavor. Â
Soaked almonds blend into a rich, smooth texture. Raw cacao powder infuses a deep earthy chocolate flavor. Unsweetened cocoa powder is an easy substitute for cacao powder.
When sweetened with dates or maple syrup, the chocolate milk tastes naturally sweet, rather than sticky sugary sweet.
I do not like the taste of store-bought almond milk. It is fine to pour on cereal. But drink it from a cup? No way. You probably feel the same way if you are exploring any homemade nut milk recipe.
All the almond milk I have tried has a higher water-to-almond ratio than this recipe. That high water ratio dilutes the flavor.
Almond milk companies try to remedy the lack of flavor by adding sugar. Sugar does not bring back lost flavor.
If you are going to learn how to make chocolate almond milk, use a recipe that tastes good. Add more almonds. Do not dilute the flavor. Sweeten naturally.
Making your nut milk is a healthier option and a better-tasting one too.
Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk Recipe
This recipe has no sugar or dairy in it. Â However, It has 4 simple ingredients blended with water and an optional pinch of salt.
Ingredients
- Almonds. Use whole, unpeeled almonds for the best flavor. Blanched almonds are too devoid of flavor to use in milk.
Some recipes use almond flour instead of whole almonds. However, it does not give the best flavor to the milk. Avoid that route, if possible. - Raw cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder. Note that cocoa powder is heated cacao powder. Cocoa powder can be substituted for cacao powder if desired.
- Pitted dates, maple syrup, or your sweetener of choice. If you need to limit your sugar intake in any form, skip the sweetener.
- Dash of cinnamon. Optional spice, but it enhances the chocolate flavor.
Directions
- SOAK the almonds for 6 to 24 hours (depending on how creamy you want the milk). Use ½ cup of almonds for every 1½ to 2 cups of water
- DRAINÂ the almonds
- POURÂ 2 cups of fresh water into a high-speed blender. I recommend Vitamix
A quick note: For recipe success, you need a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix or a food processor
The Vitamix is a great choice and my go-to blender of choice. I love mine. I have had it for years and expect to own it forever
It especially shines when blending an ingredient with a liquid, like water and almonds. I can blend water and almonds in under a minute - ADDÂ the cacao or cocoa powder, almonds, dates (or sweetener of choice), cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt into the blender
- BLENDÂ for 1 minute
- POURÂ the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to catch the thick pieces. Then pour it into a nut milk bag. Or use a cheesecloth
- SQUEEZEÂ the chocolate milk through the nut milk bag. The almond pulp will stay in the bag. Use the pulp in smoothies or muffins
- CHILLÂ for 2 or more hours
- ENJOYÂ during any chocolate craving
How to Use Chocolate Almond Milk
Drink any chocolate nut milk as a healthy sweet drink. Or use it in any recipe calling for chocolate milk.
So, Try it in hot cocoa, smoothies, and almond milk pudding.
Use any homemade almond milk in ice cream, pancakes, crepes, and waffles.
Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk Nutrition Facts
Most commercial almond milk has cane sugar unless it is unsweetened. Unsweetened chocolate almond milk does not have any added sugar.
However, Commercial almond milk has been fortified with calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, and D-alpha-tocopherol.
If you make your chocolate almond milk, you will not have these added minerals. That may be a downside.
However, store-bought chocolate almond milk contains artificial gums and emulsifiers. These add-ins make the milk thick and creamy. You may see gellan gum and sunflower lecithin on the label.
Gellan gum is an emulsifier and a vegan thickening agent, artificially made by manufacturers. Its role is to keep the milk from separating. Since it is not an ingredient in homemade chocolate almond milk, you may have to shake your milk before pouring a glass.
Meanwhile, Sunflower lecithin plays a similar role as an emulsifier. It keeps the milk from separating. Some people even add it to their homemade almond milk.
When you compare the taste of store-bought versus homemade, the taste difference is obvious. However, that difference is also reflected in the nutrition facts.
Homemade Chocolate Almond Milk Nutrition Facts
Based on a serving size of 1 cup:
- 75 calories
- 9 grams of fat
- 4 grams of protein
- 2 grams of fiber
- 4 grams of carbs
Keep in mind that this is an estimate only.
Commercial Almond Milk Nutrition Facts
Blue Diamond Unsweetened Chocolate Almondmilk has a higher ratio of water to almonds. The nutrition facts reflect this.
Based on a serving size of 1 cup:
- 40 calories
- 3 grams of fat
- 1 gram of protein
- <1 gram of fiber
- 2 grams of carbs
In addition to almond milk, cashew milk, and soy milk are great dairy-free milk alternatives.
Homemade chocolate almond milk plays an important role in a plant-strong diet. Drinking it is a guilt-free way to satisfy your chocolate cravings.
FAQs
Sure, here are some frequently asked questions about unsweetened chocolate almond milk:
Unsweetened chocolate almond milk is a dairy-free, plant-based alternative to cow’s milk that is made by blending almonds and water with unsweetened cocoa powder. It has a rich chocolate flavor and is low in sugar.
Yes, unsweetened chocolate almond milk is a healthy alternative to cow’s milk as it is low in calories, fat, and sugar. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium.
Yes, unsweetened chocolate almond milk can be used in recipes that call for milk or dairy-free milk alternatives. It can be used in baking, cooking, and even in coffee or smoothies.
Yes, unsweetened chocolate almond milk is a vegan-friendly alternative to cow’s milk as it is made from plant-based ingredients and does not contain any animal products.
No, unsweetened chocolate almond milk is gluten-free as it is made from almonds, water, and cocoa powder, which do not contain gluten. However, some brands may add gluten-containing ingredients, so it is important to check the label.
Unsweetened chocolate almond milk typically lasts for 7-10 days in the refrigerator after opening. It should be consumed within this time frame to avoid spoilage.