Master Homemade Almond Milk with Top AC Hacks & Tips

General Machine Tips

“My personal favorite, and most impactful, is to hold the Almond Cow top with your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand to attach the filter basket. It’s life changing” - AC Employee

“The lock icon on the top of the filter basket refers to the direction that the basket should be turning, not the direction that the top should be turning. -CS/CI Member

“For me (and maybe this is stupidly obvious to other people) the biggest game changer is using the collector cup to remove the wet filter basket - keeps your hands clean! The second biggest thing is giving the machine just a little short shake when trying to position the filter basket. It lifts the ingredients out of the way of the blades and makes assembly MUCH easier.” - AC Employee

“The one addition of the Almond Cow I really like is the collector cup. Having it to help loosen the filter basket if the basket is slippery, having it to hold the Almond Cow top upright when putting it to the side to strain out a bit, or just using the collector cup method for a more dense milk with less water.” - AC Employee

“If a customer cannot get the filter basket off when they first receive their AC, they can insert a wooden spoon or other long handled utensil under the filter basket to use as leverage and twist the basket to the right (opposite direction of the arrow). If that doesn’t work, spraying some cooking oil where the filter basket attaches also helps.” - AC Employee

“For super convenient storage, I put the collector cup inside the base and then wrap the power cord around the cup. That way everything stays together in one place.” - AC Employee

“From surveys, we have found that 87% of people only make milk or creamer in the AC. We have loads of other delicious and easy to make recipes, from cocktails, to soups, to baked goods, to entrees. See more here. “  -CS/CI Member“

Cleaning Tips

“Use a finger to cover the plug on the base and avoid any accidental water intrusion when rinsing the base out in the sink.” -CS/CI Member

“Dry the base with a cloth after using it to avoid water spots on the stainless steel finish.” -CS/CI Member

“It’s good to note: it’s okay for the black bottom beneath the silver base of the Almond Cow to get wet. Customers can set the Almond Cow down in a slightly wet or damp sink without having to worry about the machine breaking.” -CS/CI Member

“When washing the blade, hold the top of the Almond Cow with a towel. This makes it easier to grip and covers the vents, making it less likely that water will get into the top.”  -CS/CI Member

“To deep clean your Almond Cow, let the filter basket, blade, and collector cup soak in vinegar. You can also fill the base with vinegar to deep clean it as well.” -CS/CI Member

Pulp Tips

“When using the pulp press, I like to not just press straight down when using it. Doing so usually causes pulp to seep up over the pulp press and then fall into the collector cup. I actually press until I start to get that pulp extruding up around the sides, but then roll the pulp press around the sides of the filter basket to press the milk out of that pulp coming up along the sides. It kind of creates a dam that stops other pulp from coming up any farther and then allows me to press out the milk without worrying about pulp going everywhere. ” - AC Employee

“I love eating pulpmeal straight from the basket! I top mine with blueberries, pumpkin seeds and maple syrup- the perfect breakfast for when you're in a hurry! ” - AC Employee

“To facilitate pulp draining without a pulp press, I will usually use a soft rubber spatula. Stir the pulp by scraping the sides of the filter basket. This actually breaks up the pulp that is clogging the filter mesh and allows fluid to drain through. This usually takes a couple of minutes to get most of the fluid out, but it doesn't require a pulp press!” - AC Employee

“To make the pulp drain faster; put the top with the filter basket full of wet pulp still locked on in the collector cup and move the whole thing in a slow circle (like you're drawing a big circle with the bottom of the collector cup) a couple of times. Then just let it sit and drain.” - AC Employee

“If I don't have time to bake my pulp into cookies, I love to freeze it for later! I use a teaspoon to press the pulp into ice cube trays, then use it later in smoothies or defrost for baking. No waste here!” - AC Employee

“Before removing the basket, I like holding the top perpendicular to the base for a few seconds. This drains out a lot of the excess milk trapped in the pulp without having to use the pulp press.” - AC Employee

“I really love drying out my leftover pulp in the oven and then processing it in my mini food processor until it turns into a butter (almond butter, cashew butter, etc.). It’s delicious!” - AC Employee

“Mine is kinda along the same lines as pulp-pressing, but when I've finished making milk I hold the filter basket above the collector cup, then stir the pulp really fast with a spoon to dry out the pulp as much as possible” - AC Employee

“I usually add rolled oats to my breakfast smoothies, but have found that using leftover WGO pulp instead is a great alternative.”- AC Employee

Milk Tips

“This is something the product team has mentioned somewhat off-handedly in the past - what we call the "pour through" method. Make milk as normal, but then dump the filter basket into the base with the rest of the milk. Stir thoroughly, then pour a little bit at a time back through the filter basket into a container with a large opening. You DO need to stir the pulp in order to keep the fluid dripping through, and the whole process takes a few minutes, but it does make a much richer milk without adding much - if anything - to the grittiness.” - AC Employee

“I have really come to love adding ice to the base to offset the water. It allows me to make less than five cups and more than 2 when using the collector cup. I typically make about 3 1/2-4 cups which works out better since it is just me using the milk.” - AC Employee

“Run the AC a regular full cycle, then 1 more phase (not the full 2nd cycle) for a 4th phase to add an extra layer of creaminess.” - AC Employee

“I love running a batch of cashews through to make cashew milk, then emptying out the filter basket and adding in soaked oats. I then run the machine again with the cashew milk still in the base. It creates the perfect tasting oat milk but with the added creaminess of the cashew milk. So much better than straight oat milk in my opinion.” - AC Employee

“I always add a tablespoon of coconut oil and a tablespoon of hemp seeds. Helps bind everything together and adds creaminess.” - FB Community Member

“Ok so I would sometimes throw in a big piece of cinnamon stick to my milk (usually cashew) but then my mom gave me the idea of boiling my water with the cinnamon stick in it. Letting it cool completely and then using that water to make my milks… seriously guys .. game changer (that is if you like cinnamon)” - FB Community Member

“When using dates in the Almond Cow, the machine may jump a bit. That is okay! However, to avoid this, be sure that dates are pitted and chopped into smaller pieces. You can also hold down the top during the first blending cycle.” -CS/CI Member

“For a subtle coffee flavor, I soak my almonds or oats in coffee for a few hours before milking. So delicious!“ - AC Employee

Creamer Tips

“I recently discovered that when doing the collector cup method, after a batch is done, I pour the contents of the collector cup into the base to then pour into my cup or jug. It’s less messy and easier to pour that way!” - AC Employee

“I love using the collector cup method but always need just a little more milk. 2 cups just isn't quite enough, so I just use the collector cup method but when it is all done, I just add 1 more cup of water to the final milk and it's the perfect amount!”- AC Employee

“I put the filter basket (still with the pulp in it) into the collector cup after running the machine and use a pulp press (or any kitchen tool that works) to press the pulp to squeeze out the extra milk. The milk that comes out of the pulp is especially creamy and rich, and I like to use this specifically to cream coffee.” - AC Employee

Additional Resources:

Want to know more about the creamer method and how the collector cup can be used? See here.

For more filter basket tips, see this article.

For additional cleaning tips, see this article.

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