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The other day, I wandered around Trader Joe’s with a friend of mine and we ended up finding their maple oat milk. Of course, it was pretty high in carbs and definitely not keto-friendly, but it got me thinking, and inspired me to try to make a maple-flavored vegan keto coffee creamer. After trying a few different nut milk bases, this vegan keto maple walnut milk was the winner.
This is a super simple recipe that only requires a few ingredients and takes virtually no time to make. That being said, because the ingredients are so minimal, it’s important to make sure the ones you choose are high quality and stored properly to maintain freshness. This is especially important with nuts that are high in oils like walnuts. I have made the mistake of buying cheap walnuts before to use in a similar recipe (my vegan keto eggnog, actually!) and they tasted so rancid, there was no saving it and I had to toss the whole batch and buy new walnuts. Lesson learned. Along those lines, I also recommend storing nuts in a cool, dark place. If you have room in your fridge, this is ideal, but as long as your pantry stays pretty cool, the nuts should be fine.
Similarly, because so much of the flavor in this recipe comes from the sugar-free maple syrup, you will want to choose a high quality one. My absolute favorite keto-friendly syrup is from Lakanto. This has been my go-to for YEARS. It is the only sugar-free maple syrup that I’ve tried that has not upset my stomach (so many are made with gross sweeteners that can kick you out of ketosis and cause some intense digestive discomfort). The flavor is also fantastic! You can also save 20% on your order with the code MeatFreeKeto, and help support the site while saving money – win, win!.
Notes on Making Vegan Keto Maple Walnut Milk
- Like I mentioned above, the syrup I use here is from Lakanto and you can save 20% with the code MeatFreeKeto.com!
- A little separation is totally normal. Just shake up the milk before using. This stores for a week in the fridge (though I always drink mine well before we hit that mark!).
- I always strain my milk with a nut milk bag to remove pieces of the skin and any large chunks. It’s not totally necessary, but definitely greatly improves the texture!
- The thickness of this walnut milk is around that of almond milk, but you can make it extra creamy by doubling the amount of walnuts used. Just keep in mind that this will basically double the calories and carbs per serving as well.
- If you can’t eat (or don’t like) walnuts, you can substitute them for an equal measure of any of the following: pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews or almonds. Just keep in mind that cashews are a bit higher in carbs and that hazeluts and almonds are a little harder, so more soaking and blending will be necessary!
- While I strive to provide accurate nutrition information, different brands and varieties of ingredients will have differing nutritional values. So, your calculations may vary slightly.
Vegan Keto Maple Walnut Milk
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts (30g)
- 2 cups water, plus a bit more for soaking (480ml)
- 1-2 tbsp sugar free maple syrup I use 2 if I'm making this to put in tea or coffee and 1 if I'm using it to pour over granola or cereal
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Place the walnuts in a small bowl, cover with water and soak overnight OR soak in boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Drain the walnuts and add to a blender with the 2 cups (480ml) water.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain using a nut milk bag to remove any remaining chunks or bits of skin.
- Transfer to a jar with a lid that seals tightly. Add in the sugar-free syrup and salt and shake to combine.
- Store for up to a week in the refrigerator
Just found your website. Hooray, another person who it’s like I do. Actually, I don’t eat dairy either. So this recipe is just wonderful. I have a bunch of walnuts that have been sitting in the fridge for a while. I’m going to try this. Happy Thanksgiving to you.