November Comfort: Homemade Plant Milks for the Last Month of Autumn

November, the last chapter of autumn

November is autumn's quiet final act. The leaves are mostly down, the evenings arrive early, and the kitchen becomes the warmest room in the house.

It is also the best month of the year for homemade plant milk. Chestnuts, hazelnuts and walnuts are at their peak, and a fresh batch takes minutes. No cartons, no additives, just real ingredients and real flavour.

Here are our favourite November plant milks, plus ideas for turning every last bit of pulp into something cosy.

What's in season for your plant milk

November's market stalls are full of ingredients that make rich, naturally sweet milks.

Tip: lightly toast hazelnuts or walnuts before blending. It deepens the flavour and makes your kitchen smell like a winter market.

Recipe: creamy chestnut milk

Chestnut milk is November in a glass: naturally sweet, silky and perfect served warm. Makes about 1 litre.

Ingredients

• 100 g cooked, peeled chestnuts (roasted or vacuum-packed)
• 1 litre filtered water
• 1 Medjool date, pitted (optional)
• A pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt

Method

1. Roughly chop the chestnuts and add them with the date to your Milky Plant.
2. Add the water and start the cycle.
3. Stir in the cinnamon and salt, then taste and adjust.
4. Serve warm, or chill and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake before pouring.

Try it in hot chocolate: whisk 2 tablespoons of cocoa into a mug of warm chestnut milk. No extra sugar needed.

Two more November favourites

Spiced hazelnut latte

Skip the coffee-shop syrup. Make hazelnut milk with 40 g toasted hazelnuts and 1 litre of water, then warm 200 ml with a pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Froth it, pour over a shot of espresso, and finish with a dusting of cinnamon.

Pumpkin seed milk

Pumpkin seeds make a pale green milk with a gentle, savoury-sweet taste. Blend 40 g of raw pumpkin seeds with 1 litre of water and a teaspoon of maple syrup. Warm it with a little pumpkin spice for a cosy evening drink, or use it unsweetened in autumn soups for extra creaminess.

Don't waste the pulp: autumn baking ideas

The pulp left after each batch is full of fibre and flavour. Here's how to use it this month:

• Chestnut pulp pancakes: swap a third of the flour for chestnut pulp for soft, nutty Sunday pancakes.
• Hazelnut energy balls: mix hazelnut pulp with dates, cocoa and a spoon of nut butter, then roll and chill.
• Walnut banana bread: fold walnut pulp into your batter for extra moisture.
• Oat pulp crumble topping: combine with oats, a little coconut oil and brown sugar, then bake over apples or pears.

Keep pulp in the fridge for 2 days, or freeze it in portions for later baking.

Make the most of the last weeks of autumn

November goes by fast. Before winter arrives, grab a bag of chestnuts, toast a handful of hazelnuts, and make the season's flavours part of your daily routine.

With Milky Plant, fresh plant milk is ready in minutes, with no packaging and nothing hidden on the label.