How to Make Cold-Pressed Juice at Home (Juicer Optional)

To make cold-pressed juice at home, you crush washed fruit and vegetables, then press the pulp to squeeze out the juice without heat. A slow (masticating) juicer does both steps in one go. Without a juicer, blend produce with a splash of water and strain it for a similar homemade juice, although this is not the same process as commercial cold pressing. Homemade juice is unpasteurised: choose pasteurised juice during pregnancy and for children. For storage advice, see below.

Updated October 2026

Bottled cold-pressed juice is lovely, but it is pricey for a family. The good news is that you can get very close at home with gear you probably already own. Below are three methods, three recipes with full quantities, and the food safety points that matter, especially if you are pregnant or making juice for kids.

Three ways to make fresh juice at home

Method	You need	Estimated preparation time	Result
Slow juicer	A masticating or “cold press” juicer	About 10 minutes	Juice separated from pulp in the machine
Blend and squeeze	Blender, nut milk bag or fine sieve, large bowl	About 15 minutes	Smooth juice, slightly diluted by water
Grate and squeeze	Box grater, nut milk bag or clean muslin cloth	About 20 minutes	Small batch; best for apple, carrot and ginger

What does “cold-pressed” actually mean?

Cold-pressed juice is made by crushing produce and then pressing it, rather than spinning it at high speed like a centrifugal juicer. Commercial producers often use a hydraulic press, and many bottled juices are then treated with high pressure processing (HPP). CSIRO explains that high pressure processing uses very high pressure, rather than heat, to kill yeasts, moulds and bacteria and extend shelf life.

Your homemade version gets the pressing part but not the HPP. That means it is raw, unpasteurised juice. It tastes fresh, but it needs to be handled like a perishable food and drunk quickly.

Slow juicers are often marketed around nutrient retention. A “cold-pressed” label alone does not tell you how nutritious or safe a juice is. The bigger nutrition point is that any juice loses much of the fibre in whole fruit, which is why the Australian Dietary Guidelines treat fruit juice as an occasional choice.

How to make cold-pressed juice: step by step

Method 1: With a slow juicer

1. Wash your produce under cold running water and scrub firm items like carrots.
2. Cut it into pieces that fit your juicer’s chute. Remove hard pits, and peel citrus and pineapple.
3. Feed soft and hard items in turns. Hard produce such as carrot helps push softer fruit through.
4. Stir, taste, and pour over ice or into a clean, sealed bottle in the fridge.
5. Rinse the juicer straight away, before the pulp dries on the screen.

If you are thinking about buying one, our guide to cold press juicers in Australia explains what to look for.

Method 2: Without a juicer (blend and squeeze)

This is a practical blender-and-strainer alternative when you do not own a juicer. It makes fresh juice, rather than replicating a commercial hydraulic press.

1. Wash and roughly chop your produce into 2–3 cm pieces. Peel citrus and remove seeds and cores.
2. Put the softest, juiciest items in the blender first, then add 125 ml (½ cup) of cold water to help it blend.
3. Blend for 45–60 seconds, until completely smooth. Avoid blending for minutes on end, as the motor warms the mixture.
4. Set a nut milk bag over a large bowl (or line a fine sieve with clean muslin). Pour in the purée.
5. Twist the top and squeeze firmly with clean hands until no more juice comes out. This takes 3–5 minutes.
6. Pour into glasses or a sealed bottle and refrigerate.

Any decent blender will do. If you are shopping for one that also handles purées for a little one, see our blender for baby food guide.

Method 3: No blender (grate and squeeze)

For a single glass of apple, carrot or ginger juice, grate the washed produce on the fine side of a box grater into a bowl, tip the gratings into a nut milk bag or muslin cloth, and squeeze hard. It takes some elbow grease, but it works. Citrus is even easier: halve and squeeze it on a hand juicer, then add it to your pressed juice.

Three cold-pressed juice recipes

Australian measures are used (1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml). Weights, preparation times and yields are estimates. The amount of juice depends on your equipment, produce and how hard you squeeze. Each recipe makes roughly 2 small glasses. If using the blend-and-squeeze method, add the 125 ml (½ cup) of cold water mentioned above, except in the watermelon recipe, which needs none.

1. Green apple, cucumber and mint

Serves: 2 small glasses. Time: 10–15 minutes.

• 2 green apples (about 350 g), cored and cut into wedges
• 1 Lebanese cucumber (about 200 g), cut into chunks
• 2 celery sticks (about 120 g), trimmed and cut into 5 cm lengths
• ¼ cup loosely packed mint leaves (about 5 g)
• ½ lemon, peeled

Method: Juice or blend everything, adding the mint between harder pieces so it does not get stuck. Squeeze through a nut milk bag if blending. Taste and add more lemon if you like it sharper. Serve over ice.

2. Carrot, orange and ginger

Serves: 2 small glasses. Time: 15 minutes.

• 4 medium carrots (about 500 g), scrubbed and trimmed
• 2 oranges (about 400 g), peeled and seeds removed
• 2 cm piece fresh ginger (about 10 g), scrubbed (no need to peel)

Method: Juice or blend the oranges first, then the ginger and carrots. Press through a nut milk bag if blending. Stir well before serving. Leave the ginger out, or halve it, for kids who find it too spicy.

3. Watermelon, strawberry and lime

Serves: 2–3 small glasses. Time: 10 minutes.

• 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (about 600 g), rind removed
• 1 cup strawberries (about 150 g), hulled
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)

Method: Blend the watermelon and strawberries without added water for 30 seconds, then strain through a nut milk bag or fine sieve. Stir in the lime juice. This one also works in a slow juicer. For a party version, our tropical summer punch is another fruity option.

Tips for better homemade juice

• Start cold. Fridge-cold produce gives you colder juice that you can drink straight away.
• Balance flavours. A good starting ratio is about two parts sweet fruit or carrot to one part greens or cucumber, plus a little citrus.
• Add citrus. Lemon or lime brightens the flavour and helps slow browning.
• Expect separation. Fresh juice settles in layers. Just shake or stir.
• Use the pulp. Carrot and apple pulp can go into muffins, fritters or soup on the same day, or into the compost.

Food safety and storage

Homemade juice has not been pasteurised or pressure-treated, so good hygiene matters.

• Wash produce properly. The Food Safety Information Council advises washing fruit and vegetables under running water just before use, and not using soap or detergent (fruit and vegetable safety).
• Keep it cold. Food Standards Australia New Zealand advises keeping perishable food at 5°C or colder, as bacteria can grow quickly between 5°C and 60°C (food safety basics).
• Drink it fast. There is no official use-by time for homemade juice. As a cautious rule, drink it the same day and do not keep it longer than 24 hours, sealed in the fridge. Discard it if it has been poorly chilled or smells sour or fizzy. Harmful germs can be present without a change in smell or appearance, and refrigeration does not make raw juice safe for higher-risk drinkers.
• Freeze extras. Pour leftover juice into ice-cube trays and add the cubes to water or smoothies.
• Clean your gear. Rinse the juicer, blender and nut milk bag straight after use, wash in hot soapy water, and let the bag dry fully.

If you are pregnant

The NSW Food Authority’s listeria and pregnancy guide advises avoiding unpasteurised juices as a precaution, including freshly squeezed juice sold by the glass. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby explains why listeria is a concern in pregnancy. Homemade juice is unpasteurised, so talk to your midwife, GP or obstetrician about whether it suits you, or eat the whole fruit instead.

Juice for babies and kids

• Under 12 months: the national Infant Feeding Guidelines say fruit juice is not necessary or recommended. Stick with breastmilk or formula, plus small amounts of cooled boiled water from around 6 months.
• Toddlers and older kids: water and milk should be the main drinks, as Raising Children Network explains in its guide to healthy drinks. If you offer juice, choose pasteurised juice and keep it occasional and small. Healthdirect advises avoiding unpasteurised juices to reduce infection risk for you and your children. That includes the raw homemade recipes above. The Australian Dietary Guidelines count 125 ml (½ cup) as one serve, and whole fruit is the better everyday choice.
• Teeth: juice is acidic and can contribute to dental erosion. Serve it with a meal, offer water afterwards, and do not put juice in bottles or sippy cups to sip on all day.

If you are using juice to sneak veggies into a picky eater, our article on fussy eaters has gentler long-term ideas.

Allergies

The fruit and vegetables in these recipes are not on the list of allergens that must be declared on food labels in Australia (FSANZ allergen labelling), but any food can cause a reaction. ASCIA notes that some raw fruits and vegetables can cause oral allergy syndrome, an itchy or tingly mouth, especially in people with hay fever. Use a separate, clean bag and utensils when making juice for someone with a nut allergy, to avoid traces from previous nut-milk batches.

FAQ

How do you make cold-pressed juice without a juicer?

Blend chopped produce with about 125 ml (½ cup) of cold water until smooth, then squeeze it through a nut milk bag or muslin-lined sieve. For small amounts, you can grate apple, carrot or ginger and squeeze the gratings instead. This makes strained fresh juice, rather than reproducing commercial cold pressing.

How is cold-pressed juice made commercially?

Commercial producers typically crush produce and squeeze it in a hydraulic press, then often use high pressure processing to make it safer and last longer in the fridge. Homemade juice skips that last step, so drink it quickly.

How long does homemade cold-pressed juice last?

Treat it as perishable. Keep it sealed in the fridge at 5°C or below, drink it the same day where you can, and do not keep it longer than 24 hours. Freeze any extra in ice-cube trays.

Can kids drink cold-pressed juice?

Not babies under 12 months. For older children, choose pasteurised juice if you offer a small glass occasionally. Healthdirect advises avoiding unpasteurised juice, including these homemade raw recipes. Water and milk should be their main drinks, and whole fruit is the better everyday choice.

Can I drink homemade juice while pregnant?

NSW Food Authority advice is to avoid unpasteurised juices during pregnancy as a precaution, and homemade juice is unpasteurised. Check with your midwife or GP, and choose whole fruit or pasteurised juice in the meantime.