Pumpkin seed milk is an easy, nutritious, dairy-free and vegan, milk recipe. The agave nectar gives the milk its sweetness, and the pumpkin seeds add a subtly nutty and creamy taste.
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Sip on Something New This Fall
The process of milking the seeds will challenge your upper body strength (especially if you are using a nut milk bag), but the added time and effort is worth it for homemade seed milk!
Pumpkin seeds normally come in a shell, but in this recipe you will be using raw, shelled seeds; this will save time in preparation. You can also make pumpkin seed butter with them.
You can drink it on its own, use it in a bowl of cereal or elevate it by using it in this recipe for fresh strawberry milk instead of cow's milk.
For more pumpkin-flavored recipes, try out this pumpkin and goat cheese galette, savory creamy pumpkin soup or one of my fall morning favorites: pumpkin spice coffee creamer.
Ingredients
- pumpkin seeds - they need to be raw and shelled
- filtered water - for quality purposes
- salt (not pictured) - a touch of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt as a flavor enhancer and natural preservative
- agave nectar (not pictured) - or honey
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Make Pumpkin Seed Milk
Step 1: Soak the Pumpkin Seeds. In a bowl, soak the pumpkin seeds in 2 cups filtered water for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 2: Drain & Process the Seeds. Drain and rinse the pumpkin seeds with cool water. Process them with 3 cups filtered water and salt in a large blender, until mostly smooth and creamy.
Chef's Note: The liquid will have a very slight, green hue.
Step 3: Strain the Milk. Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to make it smooth.
Step 4: Add Sweetener & Vanilla. Optionally, add the vanilla and agave nectar. Mix well.
Step 5: Serve! Serve in glasses or chill first.
Joss' Tips On Straining The Pumpkin Milk
In the recipe, it calls for either a cheesecloth or a nut milk bag. I prefer to use a nut milk bag. For those who do not know, a nut milk bag is a bag used to extract the liquid from the nuts or seeds.
Its fabric is strong, easy to clean and has finer woven filters, making creamier, smoother milk. They are washable and reusable, which is a bonus.
Cheesecloth has its advantages, different sizes being one of them, but tends to be less strong and it may not strain the milk as smoothly. Nut milk bags contain the liquid easier and sometimes have drawstrings at the top.
Check out the above video to see exactly how to use a nut milk bag. Or, head over to my orgeat recipe to see more photos of a nut bag in use.
What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Seed Pulp
I cringe at the thought of throwing good pulp away when there are so many ways to use it up! Check out a few of the ways below:
- Dry it at a low temperature in the oven, cool and process it to make a pumpkin powder for smoothies, baking, salads, cereal, yogurt, soups, etc.
- Form it into a crust for desserts, pizzas, etc.
- Make crackers.
- Make energy bites.
- Make a spread.
Pumpkin Seed Milk FAQs
Store any remaining milk in a glass jar in the fridge. You can chill your fresh pumpkin milk in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Give it a shake before serving. If it smells sour, it's gone bad.
If you are not going to use the milk in the next few days, you can attempt to freeze it, but I don't really recommend it. Although the nutritional value is not lost, freezing will cause separation in an unpleasant way. If you must, thaw it in the fridge and then try blending it before consumption. If you do decide to freeze it, leave some extra space in the container because milk expands when it freezes.
When storing your milk, it is recommended to store them in glass jars because they are airtight and keep milk cold longer.
The shelled seeds contain fiber, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B2, polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good fat), as well as many more vitamins and minerals. Consuming pumpkin seeds has also been associated with a lower risk of certain cancers such as breast, prostate and colon. The seeds are a natural source of the amino acid tryptophan, which can help promote sleep.
💛 More Pumpkin Recipes To Try This Fall
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📋Recipe
Pumpkin Seed Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds - shelled
- 5 cups filtered water - divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt - sea salt or Himalayan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons agave nectar - or to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak the pumpkin seeds in 2 cups filtered water for 4 hours or overnight.1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- Drain and rinse the pumpkin seeds with cool water. Process the drained pumpkin seeds with 3 cups filtered water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large blender, until mostly smooth and creamy. It will have a very slight, green hue.
- Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to make it smooth.
- Add the vanilla and agave nectar. Mix well. Serve!1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoons agave nectar
Equipment
Notes
- Note on doubling the recipe: If you're doubling the recipe, make sure to adjust the filtered water amounts.
- Fridge storage: Store any remaining milk in a glass jar in the fridge. Keeps up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Give it a shake before serving. If it smells sour, it's gone bad.
- Freezer storage: If you are not going to use the milk in the next few days, you can attempt to freeze it, but I don't really recommend it. Although the nutritional value is not lost, freezing will cause separation in an unpleasant way.
- Storage container: When storing your milk, it is recommended to store them in glass jars because they are airtight and keep milk cold longer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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