The dairy-free milk alternative market just keeps growing. Sales have increased from 15.7 billion in 2018 to an estimated $25.2 billion this year. Even pecan milk is hitting the mainstream, but it’s still too expensive for most budgets. (See the Pecan Milk Brands Available Here.) Fortunately you can enjoy this luxury at home for a fraction of the price. My homemade dairy-free pecan milk recipe is affordable, deliciously nutty, and perfect for using with breakfast, in baked goods, and even for cream sauces.
The Best Homemade Pecan Milk
This easy recipe is adapted from my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. Homemade milk beverages are actually quite simple, but I have answers to some FAQs to help ensure success in your kitchen. It includes some preparation and taste options that you might prefer.
Do I Have to Soak the Pecans when Making Pecan Milk?
Soaking the nuts has two primary benefits. One is that it softens the nuts so that they more easily and more thoroughly blend into the milk. Two is that many people like to soak nuts to improve their digestibility and nutrient absorption. If you aren’t concerned about soaking the nuts, you can skip the soak. But grind the dry nuts in a food processor or spice grinder before blending with water. This will actually result in less leftover pulp and a richer milk beverage. It will thicken more as it sits, so you might need to re-blend and thin it a little. The non-soaking, pre-grinding method is also great if you don’t have a high-speed blender.
Is There a Use for the Leftover Pecan Pulp?
Nut pulp is pretty dry and tasteless. When you soak, blend, and squeeze the milk out, most of the flavor goes into the pecan milk. For extra fiber, you can toss it into homemade granola before baking, or add a little to your oatmeal. But it won’t add much pecan flavor. I prefer to use it in a homemade scrub for the skin. Since it’s soaked, it’s relatively soft, but is still coarse enough for skincare.
Do I Have to Add Sweetener?
Pecans are more astringent than most other nuts, which can result in a little bitterness and a different mouthfeel. A little sweetener helps to offset this. You can omit the sweetener, but the astringent taste will be more notable. But if you plan to use the pecan milk in a savory recipe, I would omit the maple syrup and vanilla. The astringent notes usually aren’t a problem in savory cream sauces or soups.
Can I Use Another Sweetener?
We like maple syrup because it marries with pecans perfectly. But you can use another sweetener, to taste, if preferred. Brown sugar or coconut sugar would also be delicious, however most sweeteners will blend just fine. Honey also makes it delicious pecan milk, but it doesn’t always emulsify well. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the honey in a thin stream to ensure it mixes in properly. We haven’t tested this recipe with any sugar-free sweeteners. However, we have made this with 1 to 2 pitted medjool dates in place of the maple syrup. It is tasty, but doesn’t sweeten as much as you might expect.
Do I Have to Add Salt?
Salt helps to round out the flavor and bring the pecan taste to life. You can use just a pinch, if preferred, but 1/8 teaspoon really isn’t much. It adds about 65 milligrams of sodium per 1 cup of pecan milk, which is a smidgen less than most of the store brands listed below.
Can I Use Toasted or Salted Pecans?
For the best and most consistent results, use raw unsalted pecans. Toasted pecans can be used, but they will impart a different flavor. I have included a roasted pecan milk option, just in case you want to try this toastier alternative. But the main recipe is still my favorite. Although I do add a little salt to this pecan milk, salted pecans will usually make the end result too salty.
How Does Pecan Milk Compare to Other Plant Milks?
Naturally speaking, it’s richer than oat milk, rice milk, or other grain milks. Those require added oil or special processes to make them creamy. But pecans are naturally balanced with fats and proteins, so they easily blend into a creamy milk. Compared to almond milk or cashew milk, it has a more pronounced flavor that’s a bit nuttier, warmer, earthier, and a touch bitter.
Is Pecan Milk Good In Coffee or Tea?
Some people do like it in coffee and tea, but it wouldn’t be my top choice. It doesn’t curdle, but it also tends to separate and doesn’t emulsify and cream as well as many other bases. With weaker coffee and tea, the astringent flavor can also be more noticeable. Using sweetener can help to mitigate this.
How to Buy Pecan Milk
It is still a specialty type of dairy-free milk alternative, but there are some niche brands on the market.
- This PKN – national distribution
- Pecana – national distribution
- Nuthatch – online only
- Treehouse – online only
- Indulge – online only
Is Homemade Pecan Milk Cheaper than Store-Bought?
Yes, it is quite a bit cheaper. In fact, it’s cleaner than and costs less than half as much per quart as the cheapest brand currently on the market in the United States. You need about 4 ounces of pecans for this pecan milk recipe. A quick search yielded Fisher’s chopped pecans for just $2.13 per 4 ounces. If you prefer to buy pecan halves I found Kirkland pecan halves for $2.73 per 4 ounces. Here’s a quick breakdown on the cost of homemade pecan milk versus the brands currently on the market.
Homemade Cost: $2.50 to $3.00 per quart
Store Bought Cost:
Flavored Pecan Milk Options
Whether homemade or store-bought, pecan milk pairs well with flavors, especially chocolate and spices.
- Chocolate Pecan Milk: Blend 2 1/2 tablespoons of Dutch processed cocoa power into roughly 1 quart (one batch of the recipe). After blending, taste and add more cocoa powder to taste, if needed. Enjoy it chilled, or warm it for a naturally delicious hot chocolate.
- Spiced Pecan Milk: Blend 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into roughly 1 quart of pecan milk. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger. The spices meld extremely well with the maple and vanilla in my pecan milk recipe below.
Special Diet Notes: Homemade Pecan Milk
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, and paleo-friendly. This could be a good keto option if you omit the sweetener.
Pecan Milk
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the nuts in a container and cover with a few inches of water. Cover and place in the refrigerator to soak for 6 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse the nuts.
- Put the soaked pecans in your blender with about 2 cups of the water. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the milky mixture through a nut milk bag or a few layers of cheesecloth lining a sieve to strain. Squeeze the pulp to extract as much milky goodness as possible.
- Return the milk beverage to your blender and blend in the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt, until combined.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Stir before each use; it will separate as it sits.
Nutrition
Notes
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2 Comments
I used to buy MALK pecan milk when they made it. This reminds me of it. The maple really makes the flavor pop! Love it on oats in the morning. Do you think it would work well in muffin recipes?
Yes, it should work well in all types of baked good recipes. Glad you like it Em!