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Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk is super creamy, delicious and easy to make. Perfect for Paleo, Keto, Low Oxalate, Low Carb, Gluten-free, GAPS, VAD and Vegan diets, Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk has the best fatty acid profile of any nut milk, and it’s versatile for all your dairy-free milk needs.
You’ll love this rich, 2-ingredient, nutritious milk!
Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk is also Low-FODMAP.
Why make homemade milk from macadamia nuts?
Macadamia Nut Milk is one of the most delicious dairy-free milks, which probably goes without saying … because who doesn’t love macadamia nuts?
Here are several other macadamia nut highlights:
- High in monosaturated fat (like extra-virgin olive oil), low in carbs and protein, macadamia nuts make a creamy, rich milk, perfect for Keto and Low Carb diets, but also other diets that are dairy-free. Macadamia nuts contain 4 grams of carbohydrates per serving (60% of which is fiber). The net carb count is 1.6 grams per serving, with 25 grams of fat.
- Macadamia nuts are also high in magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, B6, selenium, thiamin, niacin, iron and fiber.
- Macadamia nuts are lower in anti-nutrients than any other nut! That means they’re easy to digest and our bodies absorb more of their great nutrition. While I soak most of the nuts and seeds I eat to reduce phytic acid, this step isn’t necessary with macadamia nuts.
- Three tablespoons or one ounce of macadamia nuts are medium in oxalates. Made into milk, this is a great low oxalate non-dairy beverage.
- Very low in Vitamin A, homemade macadamia milk without any additives is a perfect milk choice for those doing a Vitamin A detox.
- Macadamia nuts are a Low-FODMAP food, gentle to digest, not likely to cause IBS symptoms or bloating.
- Lastly, macadamia nut milk doesn’t require straining! You don’t need a nut milk bag or that extra step to make this recipe. I do include the straining instructions below as optional, if you prefer to strain.
Why to soak macadamia nuts?
We soak macadamia nuts before puréeing them for two reasons:
- Soaking macadamia nuts makes them softer, so they blend into a smooth, creamy milk. A seven hour soak is ideal for the creamiest milk (but as few as 2 hours is helpful).
- Optional: As long as we’re soaking macadamia nuts to soften them, we add a small amount of optional Vitamin C powder. Vitamin C powder kills any unseen mold that is common in store bought nuts. (This is a good Vitamin C powder for soaking and a good step to include if you plan to enjoy nuts regularly.)
Soaking is easy: We simply stir together the nuts, water and optional Vitamin C powder.
The nuts soak for 2 hours (if you’re in a hurry), ideally about 7 hours or up to overnight, get rinsed and then puréed with just a few other ingredients.
What other ingredients go into homemade macadamia nut milk?
Filtered water, a tiny bit of optional sweetener, sea salt and optional vanilla — that’s all! Easy, pure and delicious!
Why make dairy-free milks homemade?
Why make it yourself when you can buy it? The answer is one word: additives.
Simply put, real food ages. Read food settles. So food manufacturers use stabilizers and preservatives. Additives cause food sensitivities, allergies and irritation to our gut lining.
Companies will keep using additives because they extend the shelf-life of products and make them cheaper to produce. Many additives affect the texture and flavor of a product, so fewer real food ingredients are needed.
Consumers, at this stage in history, will continue to buy and not ask enough questions about freshness and sourcing of ingredients because as humans we live stressed lives, so we crave convenience.
Real food diets, on the other hand, are made from fresh whole ingredients.
This recipe takes just 5 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to blend and store. SUPER easy and super fast.
Plus, there’s the satisfaction, pleasure and pride that come with making your own!
(You might also enjoy Homemade Chestnut Milk!)
Which macadamia nuts to buy?
Being high in fat, macadamia nuts are prone to rancidity if not kept in cold storage. Look for companies that use refrigeration after harvesting.
I recommend this product for the very best quality, freshness and care in handling. (No need to use the Vitamin C when soaking this brand of nut, in my opinion.) Here‘s another good brand, if the first is unavailable or to save money.
Once you know what a rancid nut tastes like, you’ll be able to decide better which nuts to keep buying from a certain source and when to look elsewhere. For example, while I appreciate the prices and many whole food products from Trader Joe’s, I no longer buy their macadamia nuts, which taste very rancid.
Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk (Paleo, Gluten-free, Keto, VAD, Vegan & Low Oxalate)
Equipment
- deep bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup macadamia nuts raw and unsalted
- 4 cups water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional (omit for VAD)
- optional sweetener for Paleo and Vegan: use 1 Tablespoon maple syrup; Paleo and GAPS: use honey; (for Keto: use up to 10 drops stevia or monk fruit to taste)
- ½ teaspoon Vitamin C crystals optional
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Place nuts in a bowl and cover with water and optional Vitamin C. Stir to dissolve. Soak 2 hours if you're in a hurry, or ideally about 7 hours or overnight. Drain the water off, and rinse well in a strainer.
- Place nuts in a blender. Add 4 cups filtered water and pinch of sea salt. Add optional vanilla and sweetener. Blend on high for 1-½ minutes. Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
- I do not strain mine, but if you'd like to --Optionally, strain: Nest cheese cloth over strainer and a deep bowl, or alternately use a nut milk bag inside a deep bowl. Pour the nut mixture over the cheese cloth or through the nut milk bag. Use a spoon to press out as much of the milk from the nut meal as you can. Pick up the cheese cloth or bag and squeeze out more of the milk with your hands. (Save the remaining nut meal for energy balls, porridge, smoothies etc.)
- Pour into storage jar, and refrigerate. Enjoy within 1 week.
Nutrition
For those not on a keto or low carb diet, why not use cashews?
While cashews make a nice creamy milk, cashews are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than other nuts. Cashews have more mold issues than most nuts (as do pistachios).
Cashews are high in polyunsaturated fats, whereas macadamia nuts are high in healthy monounsaturated fats.
Lastly, most cashews are not fair trade, and sadly, as Time Magazine and others have reported, most cashew processing conditions are horrific for workers.
In contrast, macadamia nuts are eco-friendly nuts! The trees take only 5 to 7 years to start producing, then keep producing for up to 100 years, protecting the soil from erosion, nutrient depletion and chemicals. Sustainable macadamia nut farms are common.
My macadamia nut tree
I grew up with a large macadamia nut tree in my front yard, in San Diego. 🙂 I spent a lot of time under the umbrella of that tree, alone, with my walkie talkie, sitting on the fallen shells and husks. I’d crawl in under the branches and leaves on my belly. Then, by the trunk, there was an opening all around where I could sit privately, observing the tree and imagining.
Our family did eat the macadamia nuts. I used my dad’s vice to crack the hard, mahogany-colored shells. Sometimes I used his hammers, and the spherical balls would occasionally go jetting off across the wood shop’s concrete floor to hide under some saw or other. 🙂
Where to use Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk? Here are a few recipes into which you can incorporate this creamy nut milk:
- Best Grain-free Granola
- Drinkable Oatmeal recipe
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- The Very Best Matcha Latte
- Lavender White Hot Chocolate
- Bulletproof Hot Chocolate
- Copycat Cream of Wheat Porridge
- Constipation Smoothie
linda spiker says
Macadamia nuts are my favorite nut but I never thought of making milk out of them…which is weird since I make my own nut milks! Thanks, definitely doing this!
Megan says
Great Linda!! I think you’ll love it! 🙂
Carol says
I use my instant pot to do the soaking, softening of my almonds for my milk. Now that I’ll be making your nut milk I’ll do the same. 1 min in the instant pot, against a long (overnight) soaking for almond milk). 1 min cook time (takes care of the soaking).
Edith romanello says
Hello, can I use the almond cow milk machine to make
Macadamia nut milk?
Megan says
Hi Edith, I don’t own one yet, but they seem awesome. I would think so. My only question is, does the machine leave behind pulp that you discard? Because with macadamia nut milk, it all comes out smooth; you don’t really need to discard any of the fiber.
tina says
Macadamia nut milk is a great dairy sub! Can’t wait to try making my own.
Joni Gomes says
Made this recipe without the vitamin c crystals and it was delicious! Thank you for the step-by-step images, those were helpful!
Megan says
I’m so glad Joni. 🙂 Thanks for coming back to comment!
STACEY CRAWFORD says
I saw macadamia milk in the store yesterday & I was wondering if I could make it at home & here is your post! Thanks for the detailed instructions!
Megan says
Wow, yay, great timing!
Raia Todd says
I’m not a huge macadamia nut fan, but this milk looks so creamy and delicious! It’s so great that dairy-free milks are so simple to make at home. 🙂
Megan says
Raia, I think you’re the first person I’ve ever met who doesn’t like macadamia nuts, LOL! 😉
Meredith says
I drink cashew milk in my coffee EVERY DAY. You have convinced me to try macadamia nut milk… thank you for such a simple recipe!
Megan says
I’m so glad to hear this. You may want to strain it for use in coffee. But well soaked macadamia nuts will be pretty smooth. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Hope says
I love how creamy and delicious this milk is! Such a great dairy free alternative. I was lucky to receive a bag of macadamia nuts recently (my son had lots of fun trying to crack them out of the shells). This recipe was perfect timing – thanks!
Megan says
Great Hope! That’s so much fun and a lot less common these days. I’m happy your son got to have that experience! 🙂
Erin says
So cashews aren’t low-carb? I had no idea! That’s good to know. And I’m so jealous of your former macadamia nut tree! That must have been amazing. Macadamia nuts are so beyond expensive here but if they weren’t, I’d absolutely try this!
Don Baiocchi says
Wow, there is so much helpful info here. I never knew that about adding vitamin c, didn’t know that about cashews, etc. But I love macadamias so I can’t wait to try this!
ChihYu says
I love the simplicity of this recipe! Macadamia nuts have such a wonderful flavor that is perfect for a milk-type beverage!
jennifer says
thanks for the step-by-step on this! how long can I store it in the fridge safely?
Megan says
Hi Jennifer. You’re welcome. 5 days.
Jean Choi says
I’ve drank only store bought macadamia milk before but now I need to try making it at home! Who knew it was this easy?
Vanessa says
This sounds so delicious!! I love almond milk, but now I’m itching to try this!
Jenni LeBaron says
We are huge fans of macadamia nuts, but I’ve never thought to make nut milk out of it. I bet the flavor is the perfect sweet and balanced. Can’t wait to try this out!
Zuzana says
I enjoy making our own milk. I have never tried macadamia. Time to try.
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says
I love macadamia nuts so it’s seems obvious that I’m going to to love this, can’t believe I’ve never had macadamia milk before!
Heather Harris says
I’ve had just about every nut milk except this one! Is it not common in stores or have I just not noticed it?
Megan says
Hi Heather, it’s newer in stores, maybe in the last year or two. But has a bunch of additives. 😉
Katherine says
Hi Megan,
The macadamia nuts you link aren’t organic. Do you know something about this particular brand that makes the non-organic status ok?
Thank you!
Megan says
Hi Katherine, no, I don’t. Here’s a good organic source: https://nuts.com/nuts/macadamianuts/organic.html Thanks for the great question!
Katherine says
Thank you very much, Megan!!
CC says
Have you tried to make the milk with roasted macadamia nuts? What is your oppinion?
Megan says
Hi, you could do this, if you still soak them first, so they’re soft enough to purée.
Aliya says
Hello, I want to make this for my daughter as she is on keto diet for her seizures. She is 1 year old and would be drinking this from a bottle. Can you please let me know how accurate are the nutritional values and if they’re fairly accurate how should I calculate the wasted amount of nutrients from the pulp? Is weighing the pulp at the end a fair assumption of the wasted fat etc?
Thanks
Megan says
Hi Aliya, the nutritional data is relatively accurate, but you may want to compute it yourself because it’s for medical reasons. You are right about the pulp changing the values to some extent, although it is mostly fiber. I personally do not strain this milk, so that’s an option, too. I’m sorry I can’t give you exact specifics, but because you’re using it for medical reasons, I think it’s best you are sure.
Aliya says
Is the nutritional value without straining it?
Megan says
Yes, Aliya, that’s right.
LilVegan says
Hi I was just wondering how long this lasts for in the fridge? If it doesn’t last long would I be able to put it in the freezer? My goal is to have a milk that doesn’t have any emulsifiers in it (xantham guar gum etc) I’m trying to get. Out of my diet as much as possible.
Megan says
Hi, and good for you. Homemade macadamia nut milk lasts about 5 days in the fridge. It might freeze okay, but I think it might not be as creamy after freezing, so I think I’d try re-blending after it defrosts. I’m sorry I don’t know for sure. Let us know if you try it. 🙂
Ray says
Hi.
How do you make macadamia nut flour ?
Thanks
Megan says
Hi Ray, you just pulse the mac nuts until they become flour, stopping before they become butter. A food processor works best for this. Happy to help!
Dorothy says
I ordered some of the second brand of macadamias, I believe, and look forward to trying to make the milk. My vitamix is wearing out, but I can still use the dry container for some things.
I have another blender with a glass pitcher that doesn’t seem to have enough power for most solid things. I use an immersion blender for a lot of things, but it may not be the best for something like this.
Megan says
I know how that is. I just found yesterday the only Ninja blender with a glass pitcher and was pleased at its price and power. So that may be a good option for you if you decide to replace your blender and don’t want to spend as much as the competitors charge. (Ninja’s is 200, and the others [like Vitamix] are over 300: https://amzn.to/3XJizgz) I hope you love the milk (and that it works in the blenders you have)! 🙂
Dorothy says
Thank you, Megan! I like the story about your sitting under the macadamia nut tree growing up.
I’m wondering how this would work for yogurt or ice cream, if you could use it as you would canned coconut milk.
Megan says
Thank you, Dorothy. It’s one of my favorite childhood memories that I still go back to from time to time. 🙂 Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk won’t do well for ice cream unless real heavy cream or creamy coconut milk are used additionally. It just still doesn’t have the same smoothness or fat content.
Dorothy says
Ok thanks, Megan. Would that go for yogurt too, or have you tried it yet?
Megan says
I think it will work better for yogurt, but you’d want to use a thickener, as with this oat milk yogurt recipe, to get the right texture, unless you want thinner yogurt for smoothies or drinking. I haven’t tried it myself, as I’m not eating fermented foods right now on my current diet.