Homemade Milo
The classic and delicious Homemade Milo is an easy DIY version to make at home. Nuts and seeds mimic the malt flavor in regular milo and cocoa is included as the chocolate element.
What is Milo
Milo is a powdered chocolate drink with malt undertones. Typically mixed with cold milk or hot water and milk. You can find tinned milo products in the supermarket in Australia.
It’s wildly popular amongst kids and adults alike. This homemade milo powder recipe is easy with clean ingredients. Give it a go and see how you enjoy it compared to regular store-bought milo.
I’m sure if you grew up in Australia, drinking a glass of cold milo was a regular occurrence for you.
Include your homemade milo in no-bake slices such as this No Bake Milo Slice. Or in these Kid Friendly Rum Balls by replacing the cocoa powder with this milo powder.
What is Milo Made Of?
Pecans: These can be substituted with walnuts.
Hemp and sesame seeds: You can use either of these seeds. I love to add hemp seeds for extra nutrition but if you cannot get your hands on hemp, use sesame instead.
Chocolate chips: Either milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate can be used in your homemade milo. I love to use dark chocolate chips.
LSA: This stands for linseed, sunflower & almond meal. It’s a mixture of those ground-up seeds and nuts. Purchase it from your supermarket or health food store. The combination of these ingredients adds extra flavor and texture to the milo. To substitute the LSA you can simply use just one of these, ground linseed (flaxseed), ground sunflower seeds, or almond meal.
Coconut milk powder: adds creaminess and extra flavor. I use the brand Ayam. To substitute, use regular milk powder or omit it from the recipe. If you would like your homemade milo to be completely vegan, double-check the coconut milk powder you’re using. Sometimes certain brands can contain casein, which is a milk derivative.
How to Make Milo (with photos)
Step one: In a coffee grinder and working in two batches, add half of each of the cashews, pecans, and hemp seeds (sesame seeds if using). Grind until they’re completely ground up.
Step two: Add chocolate chips to the grinder and blend until ground up into a powder with a few smaller chunks left. Transfer into the large mixing bowl.
Step three: Stir through LSA, coconut sugar, and coconut milk powder.
Step four: Sift over cocoa powder and whisk through until well blended.
Step five: Transfer to an airtight glass jar or container where your milo will be stored.
Expert Tips
- Grinding the nuts and seeds be sure to grind them until they turn to a fine powder/meal. Leaving zero small or large chunks. However, be sure not to over-grind as they can turn into a paste.
- Sift the cocoa powder especially if it has lumps. This makes it easier to mix through and prevents lumpy bits when enjoying your milo.
Store Instructions
Store milo in an airtight glass jar or container, refrigerated, for 2-3 weeks. Refrigeration is important to keep this fresh as the nuts and seeds need to be kept chilled so they don’t go rancid.
Recipe FAQ’s
This homemade milo recipe includes cashews, pecans, and almonds which add flavor very similar to the iconic malt flavor found in regular milo. Try substituting these with seeds such as sunflower, linseed (flaxseed), and sesame.
Absolutely! The coconut milk powder adds creaminess to the texture, especially when you’re making hot milo. However, it’s not crucial enough that it will drastically change the result if you were to omit it. You can also substitute it with regular milk powder.
Simply fill a glass with your milk of choice and sprinkle over 1-2 tablespoons of milo and enjoy with a spoon! If you’re looking for a dairy free milk, try my Homemade Almond Milk.
Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of the milo powder to a mug and fill it 3/4 of the way up with boiling water. Top it up with cold milk and enjoy!
Homemade Milo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup raw pecans
- 2 Tbsp hemps seeds or sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup LSA (linseed, sunflower, almond meal) see notes
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut milk powder see notes
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
Instructions
- In a coffee grinder, in batches, grind cashews, pecans and seeds to a fine powder. Be sure not to grind too much otherwise they will turn into a paste, which you do not want. Once grounded into a fine powder, transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- NOTE: if you do not have a coffee grinder, you can blend the nuts & seeds using a high-speed food processor or a Thermomix. You want them to turn into a fine powder, similar to the texture of LSA (linseed, sunflower, almond meal).
- Add chocolate chips to the grinder and blend until they’re broken down, partially into a powder but still leaving a few small chunks. Transfer into the large mixing bowl.
- Stir through LSA, coconut sugar and coconut milk powder.
- Sift over cocoa powder, whisk through until ingredients are well blended.
- Transfer to an airtight glass jar or container where your milo will be stored. Keep stored in the refrigerator.
- Add to a cold glass of milk (use dairy free milk if desired) or make a hot milo by adding 1-2 tablespoons of milo to a mug and fill it 3/4 of the way up with boiling water. Top it up with cold milk and enjoy!
To make a cold milo
- Simply fill a glass with your milk of choice and sprinkle over 1-2 tablespoons of milo and enjoy with a spoon.
To make a hot milo
- Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of the milo powder to a mug and fill it 3/4 of the way up with boiling water. Top it up with cold milk and enjoy.
Wow I just didn’t really think something so easy and nutritious could be such an excellent substitute for Milo. First mouthful: it’s a little bit different, but good. Third mouthful: wow it is so close and tastes delicious. Fifth mouthful: I don’t remember what processed Milo even tastes like, this stuff is amazing. An excellent, excellent recipe. My husband considers himself an old school milo critic and absolutely loved it. Thank you, you are too clever!
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for your feedback about this homemade milo recipe! So happy to hear you and your Husband love it 🙂 I was the same when I was testing it, it had a different texture and flavour but as you continue with it, it’s quite tasty and certainly difficult to go back to regular store-bought milo. Have you tried a hot milo with it yet? Thanks again for sharing your experience Kate! Sam x
Can I use malt powder instead of the nuts and seeds. I’m planning to make it with homemade malt powder.
If anyone is wondering what is in the store-bought milo:
Extract of Malt Barley or Malt Barley and rice (Total Extract 38%), Milk Solids, sugar, cocoa and maltodextrin
What are earth is “rice (Total Extract 38%)”?
Hi Chanel, I haven’t tried that myself with this milo recipe but I don’t see it being an issue if you do. Try replacing it with the same quantity as the nuts and seeds or taste test along the way as the malt powder will be stronger in flavour compared to the nuts and seeds.
Thanks for sharing those ingredients, that’s why I love making this homemade version and I hope you enjoy it too using your homemade malt powder. Love to hear how it goes! Sam 🙂
Hi Chanel, I interpret this to mean they are A) using either 100% extract of malt barley, or a combination of extract of malted barley and rice mixed together (perhaps it depends on what ingredients are available for malting) and B) That extract, the malted grains, makes up 38% of the total ingredients. So it you were to make 100grams, you’d need 38 grams of malt and then the rest of the ingredients make up the rest of the 100grams, in descending order.
This is a great recipe Samantha, thanks for providing.
How do you make the Milo powder using malt extract, rice, cocoa, sugar and milk solids? I think I should use regular rice and powdered milk.
Will this https://www.theblendergirl.com/recipe/homemade-lsa-linseeds-sunflower-seeds-almonds/ work in this recipe?
Hi Chanel, yes that will be absolutely fine to use in this homemade milo recipe. Enjoy, Sam 🙂
Hi Sam Thank you so much for the recipe. It was so easy to follow and it was so much nicer than the bought milo.
Hi Christine, thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed this homemade milo recipe. I would have to agree, love it compared to the store bought!
Just made your milo recipe, it is pretty amazing! 2 other family members had a ‘taste test’ and they were just as impressed with the taste too. Thank you for sharing
Hi Pam! Thank you so much 🙂 Glad you and everyone enjoyed this homemade milo, it’s so close to the real thing right?! Hope you make and enjoy it again! Sam 🙂