What Does Almond Milk in Tea Taste Like?

If you’ve considered using almond milk in tea, I’m here to cheer you on: do it, do it, do it!

I’ve spent the past month testing almond milk in different Plum Deluxe teas, and I’ve come up with several heart-, soul-, and toe-warming bevvies. I haven’t had time (or the desire) to explore iced options yet (I have all the ice I need outside and on my windows, thankyouverymuch), but you can bet your honey sticks I will.

Almond milk definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it can make a great dairy-free alternative to milk and cream and an even better flavor adventure.

A New Year, a New Flavor Adventure

Whether you’re vegan, dairy-free, a nut enthusiast, or a flavor explorer, almond milk provides an interesting and delicious alternative to milk or cream as a tea additive.

The rising popularity of non-dairy milk is evident on store shelves where, even with supply-chain problems, we have a choice of soy, coconut, rice, oat, barley, cashew, almond, and other “milk.” Almond milk can be purchased sweetened or unsweetened, plain, or flavored with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and, I suspect, more. You might find it refrigerated or in a foil box for a longer, unrefrigerated shelf life.

For this adventure, I went with a (readily available in my pantry) plain, unsweetened almond milk. I like to control the kind and quantity of sweetener in my diet. For these experiments, I used agave syrup, honey, and—my favorite—maple syrup.

Note that even this “plain” variety of almond milk contains additives and vitamins. As always, read labels.

Almond Milk: What It Is and What It Tastes Like

It’s simple: almond milk tastes like liquid almonds. That’s because it’s made by soaking almonds in water, grinding the two into a slurry, and then straining and wringing out the solids. It adds an underlying richness to tea and a warm base for lighter flavors, like fruity teas. It also plays nicely with more complex blends, like chai and nutty teas, as long as we’re mindful of proportions.

Almond Milk in Tea: First Tests (Umm...not the best)

Given my love of nutty Plum Deluxe teas and almond milk, I was all over this assignment. I immediately brewed up some Toasted Nut Brulee oolong tea. An already-nutty tea seems like a perfect match, no?

Alas, my pour-it-in, I-love-almond-milk approach overwhelmed one of my favorite teas. It’s funny how two great flavors can create a less-than-great result when combined. My hasty, uncontrolled action muddied my Toasted Nut Brulee and my almond milk. On the bright side, I had a lot of it. Why test with just six or eight ounces when your everyday mug is 16 ounces? Ahem.

So almond milk has a more assertive flavor than I anticipated. What it needs is an equally assertive tea flavor, right? Enter Comfort Blend black tea, with its robust cinnamon-orange spiciness. I make an orange-almond breakfast cereal, so I know I like an orange-almond combo.

Unfortunately, the quantity lesson didn’t take after the first failure. Again I overwhelmed the tea with too much almond milk, thinking I could control quantity by noting the color change. And, oh yes, I was still working with my 16-ounce mug. Doh!

Tips for Experimenting with Almond Milk in Tea

1. Work with small quantities: say, six or eight ounces of tea and a teaspoon of almond milk. Those little creamer cups that come with take-out coffee have a paltry 1.5 to two teaspoons of creamer in them. Who knew?

2. Add one teaspoon increments of unsweetened almond milk, taste, and add some more, if you like.

3. Do the same with sweetener: add in one teaspoon increments, taste, repeat.

Almond Milk in Tea: Success at Last!

Once I settled down and took a more controlled approach, I discovered some delightful combinations.

Once upon a time, there was a commercial seasonal tea concentrate called something like “Chai Nog.” I’d heat one part concentrate with one part dairy milk for what I considered the best beverage ever.

Sadly, and to my great consternation, the company discontinued the product after a few years. Rainy Day Puerh with almond milk and maple syrup is my new Chai Nog. Ohmygosh, it’s soooooo good!

There’s already a delicious Vanilla Latte Tea option, but it’s made with black tea. I often want this tea in the evening when I don’t want caffeine, so this is my bedtime alternative.

I’m led to believe almond milk will froth, but I’m not equipped with a proper frothing device. It’s worth a shot, though.

An herbal option that requires no sweetener is Meadow Walk. Honestly, I hesitated to try this because Meadow Walk is already a favorite of mine. I feared almond milk might muddy the flavor.

Au contraire. Almond milk is to Meadow Walk what a good bra is to breasts. For real—stick with me here. Almond milk supports the flavors in Meadow walk, providing a smooth, alluring taste. Moreover, it lifts and separates the lavender and rosemary flavors, accentuating them. It is a perky combination sure to invigorate a conversation, an afternoon, a mood.

Other Contenders and General Guidelines for Using Almond Milk in Tea

It’s hard to choose favorites. The following teas were all serious contenders:

Chocolate Mint ‘Like-the-Cookie’ oolong tea: Chocolate and almonds combine in beloved candy bars, and creamy mints are popular after-dinner treats, so chocolate and mint are good places to start exploring almond milk in tea.

Pears and Cinnamon herbal tea: Honey won out over maple syrup in my tests, but this works just as well with no sweetener. In general, I find almond milk effectively winterizes fruity teas, which I more often crave in warm summer months.  

Caramel Snickerdoodle herbal dessert tea - I don’t know how this didn’t make the top three. Cookies and cream, anyone? Almond milk boosts this tea from delicious to decadent. I’d try almond milk with any dessert tea.

Still more options for trying almond milk in tea are the already nutty teas and the chai teas. I found these worked well once I employed some self-control.

Choose Your Own Almond Milk in Tea Adventure

One of the reasons I drink tea and one of the reasons I joined the Plum Deluxe community is because I enjoy the pursuit of new and exciting flavors. I love the vetted blends that Plum Deluxe offers, but I also enjoy playing around on my own. Plum Deluxe understands and goes so far as to support this with a tea blending kit. Oh, the possibilities!

Conclusion: Almond milk in tea makes a splash! (Like I was gonna let that one go.)