How to make oat milk, where to find it, and everything else you’ve ever wondered about the new plant based milk that’s currently taking the grocery aisle by storm!
Table of Contents
- What does it taste like?
- How do you use oat milk?
- Oat Milk Flavors
- What are the health benefits of oat milk?
- Where can you buy it?
- Can you make homemade oat milk?
- What kind of oats do I use? Will steel cut work?
- Is oat milk gluten free and vegan? Does it have any vitamins?
- Can I use the leftover oat pulp?
- Can you heat up oatmilk? Or cook the oats first?
- How To Make Oat Milk Recipe
Have you tried oat milk yet?
The popular beverage is suddenly all over the place – and for good reason!
With just two ingredients (seriously, just two!), it’s a soy free, dairy free, and low calorie plant-based milk that’s even creamier than almondmilk, with NO added thickeners or stabilizers required!
In other words, this might very well become your new favorite nondairy milk…
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What does it taste like?
Oat milk has a smooth and creamy texture, and many people say its naturally sweet flavor makes it the most similar to dairy milk of all the plant based options on the market.
How do you use oat milk?
Plain unsweetened oat milk is perfect for using in savory recipes—such as this Vegan Mac And Cheese—and it’s a fantastic option for thickening soups and stews.
It’s also great for smoothies or protein shakes, pouring over cereal, adding to Vegan Pancakes or baking cakes or muffins, or just drinking straight up.
Stirring in a little sunflower or coconut oil will increase the fat content and mimic the texture of heavy cream, making it perfect for coffee.
You can keep it unsweetened or add your favorite sweetener of choice, such as pure maple syrup, brown sugar, dates, stevia, etc.
I’ve included an easy recipe for oat milk below, along with a few different flavors:
Oat Milk Flavors
Vanilla: Add 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste to the base recipe
Chocolate: Add 2 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Thin Mint: Use the add-ins for the chocolate flavor above, then also add 1/8 tsp pure peppermint extract, or more if desired
Pumpkin Spice: Add 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract. Or do the same thing with cinnamon or apple pie spice
Mocha: Use coffee instead of water in the base recipe. Add 2 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Strawberry Or Blueberry: Add 1 cup fresh or frozen berries and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Or Nutella: Blend in 2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread or Healthy Nutella, or almond or peanut butter
What other flavors can you think of?
Other flavors I’ve brainstormed but not yet tried include coconut, caramel, apple, chai, dutch cocoa, cherry, green tea, turmeric golden milk, maple, pineapple, mango… honestly the flavor possibilities are endless!
OAT MILK FAQ
What are the health benefits of oat milk?
- Low Calorie
- Cholesterol Free
- Quick & Easy To Make
- Soy, Dairy, Nut, & Coconut Free
- And it’s naturally thick with no emulsifiers or other additives – No xanthan gum, no guar gum, no carrageenan!
(Some commercial brands do include these ingredients, as well as added sugar; and not all brands source oats that are organic or certified glyphosate-free, so make your own if you want full control over what goes into your finished product.)
Where can you buy it?
Especially in the past year, oatmilk has become increasingly available at both health food stores and major chains such as Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Walmart, Safeway, Giant, and Wegmans, as well as both large and small coffee shops around the US, Canada, and the world.
Brands include Quaker Oat Beverage, Elmhurst, Califa Oat Barista Blend, Pacific, Planet Oat, Mooala, Oat Dream, Coffee mate oat milk creamer, Silk, and Oatly (the forerunner, which has been popular in Sweden for over two decades).
Starbucks now offers it it in select UK and US locations, and So Delicious has even come out with oatmilk ice cream and oatmilk yogurt!
Can you make homemade oat milk?
You can definitely make your own, and it only takes about 5 minutes!
Simply combine the ingredients in a blender, strain out the oats (or you actually don’t even have to), and enjoy! It’s cheaper than store-bought, and it’s also both cheaper and faster to make than almondmilk or soymilk.
Homemade oat milk will last for up to 5 days stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. If it separates, simply shake the container.
What kind of oats do I use? Will steel cut work?
I like to use old fashioned rolled, quick oats, or Irish oats, because they don’t require an extra soaking step, but steel-cut are also fine.
For steel-cut oats, start by soaking the raw oats in a bowl of water for at least 1 hour (or you can soak overnight).
Rinse extremely well to remove any sliminess. Then proceed with the recipe the same way as if you were using rolled.
Is oat milk gluten free and vegan? Does it have any vitamins?
Oats are naturally gluten free, but it’s always a good idea to check before serving a recipe to someone with allergies or following a special diet.
Many with Celiac disease avoid oats or only buy brands that say “certified gluten free” on the package to ensure no cross-contamination with wheat products.
Oat milk is low in fat and both lactose free and vegan. Most commercial brands are fortified so you’re getting vitamins and minerals as you would with cow’s milk.
Silk’s Oat Yeah Oatmilk, for example, is an excellent source of bone building calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and riboflavin – it actually has more calcium than the same amount of skim milk.
Some brands also include added protein or fiber, but the homemade version doesn’t use filler ingredients like chicory root.
So if you’re making your own and want the extra heart healthy fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins from the nutrition powerhouse oats, I’d recommend either going with the unstrained option or consuming the leftover oat pulp instead of discarding it. (See directly below.)
Can I use the leftover oat pulp?
Yes, you can use it to thicken smoothies or sauces, add a spoonful to muffin or bread batter for extra nutrition, stir in fruit and sweetener to eat on its own, or even use it as a nourishing face mask!
It can also be frozen for another time.
Can you heat up oatmilk? Or cook the oats first?
Most commercial brands of oatmeal milk can be heated just like any other nondairy milk.
The homemade version will thicken when heated, but I’ve found that adding the optional oil prevents it from thickening too much to use as a creamer or in an oat milk latte.
Because it gets thicker when heated, this is a great vegan milk choice for sauces, gravies, or any recipe that you want to thicken naturally.
As for cooking the oats first, you absolutely can.
Years ago, one of my favorite breakfasts was cooked oatmeal that I’d blend after cooking for added creaminess. You can still find these recipes on my site if you search (as well as a recipe for how to make oatmilk I originally posted back in 2010!)
As another fun idea, you can also toast the oats before turning them into milk.
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How To Make Oat Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- water
- optional 1/8 tsp salt
- sweetener of choice, such as maple syrup, dates, stevia, sugar, raisins, banana, etc.
- ingredients for flavor of choice if desired
InstructionsÂ
- *Use 2 1/2 to 4 cups water, depending on desired thickness. Be sure to scroll up in this post to find recipes for 10 different flavors. The recipe is similar to skim milk; if a richer milk or cream is desired, simply add 1-3 tbsp oil (such as sunflower or non-gmo canola) before blending. To make the oat milk, simply combine all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. You can stop here if you prefer some texture and extra thickness. Otherwise, pour mixture into a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, coffee filter, or nut bag set over a large bowl. Squeeze out the liquid. (Discard pulp or save for a different use.) If needed, strain a second time. Store leftover milk sealed in the fridge up to five days, or it can be frozen for a later date.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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How much of the sweetener do you use for this recipe? Thanks!
It depends totally on your preference and what type of sweetener you are using. If you want it similar to commercial brands, a few dates or 2 tbsp sugar or maple syrup is a good amount. Or you can keep it unsweetened or blend in a banana, etc.
Sounds easy. I wonder if it would froth for using on top at a mocha. I’ll have to try it. Thank you for the recipe.
Definitely be sure to report back if you do try it. The homemade version is best if you include the oil if using it as a creamer, because otherwise it just gets thick and gelatinous when heated. Oatly brand of oatmilk is actually said to be one of the best nondairy milk options for frothing or latte art, which is why it’s been so popular at coffee shops / Starbucks. Or Califa Farms Barista Blend might be worth looking into as another option!
Would you need to change anything for rolled oats? I do not know if I would need to soak them prior to blending. And could this recipe be halved, or doubled? Or would the amount of liquid vary? Thanks!
No need to soak rolled oats prior to blending 🙂
The recipe can absolutely be halved or doubled. You can even do a 1/4 of the recipe in a Magic Bullet if you want a much smaller serving size.
Thanks for your comment, I’ll be sure to try this!
I recently tried store-bought oat milk for the first time and loved it! Can’t wait to try my own; this post is so informative and helpful-thank you! And so many fun flavor variations too 🙂
I might have gotten carried away with the flavors… ??
I made this in my Blendtec blender and the texture is slimy. i tried straining it, but there was nothing caught in the strainer. Any suggestions?
I read that if you blend it too long or pre-soak the oats, it makes it slimy. It’s actually better to blend it less, 30-45 seconds.
Hi Katie,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been wanting to try making oat milk for a while. Did you strain yours when you made it?
The pictured oat milk has been strained (just once), but I don’t mind it unstrained either 🙂
Oh, Katie, thank you SO much for posting this! I’ve been seeing posts on Instagram with oat milk (and even oat cream, but apparently, that’s only in Europe), but when I look up recipes, I get different information on how to make it (some of them actually look intimidating!). You have made me so happy today. Can’t wait to try this out!
Aw I hope you like it! I am all about making recipes as unintimidating as possible… mostly because I get overwhelmed when I see long or complicated recipes too. Easy ones are much more my style 🙂
I keep trying to make oat milk but it gets really slimy and gelatinous. I’ve tried not to blend it too much, soaking and rinsing, but nothing worked. I also noticed that it’s not that slimy by the time I strain it, but it gets really thick after 1 day in the fridge. Can someone give me tips? Or is it just the way it’s supposed to be? Maybe the rolled oats in my country have something different? Help!
Increasing the water amount also helps! What about cutting the amount you make to be a smaller serving size, and then just making it more often so it’s not sitting in the fridge as long? I’ve never noticed a sliminess to mine, but I love oatmeal so might just not notice.
Jason
Thank you , Jason! I might stick to single serving.
I’m having the very same problem! More water, less oats. Still goopy. Can someone help? There must be more than two of us having this issue.
Have you had store bought oat milk? Perhaps the texture is just not your thing? (Which is completely ok if so!) Or try using a different brand of oats?
I used 1 cup rolled oats, 3 cups water and 1 cup ice .. 35 seconds in blender and it came out great . No goop or sliminess 🙂
try soaking the oats overnight then rinsing them in a fine mesh sieve before blending
I made this and enjoyed it on my cereal this morning.
This oat milk recipe might be the best thing you’ve ever posted on the blog, not because I don’t make your deep dish cookie pie all the time (I do) but because this one is something I can see myself using every day. I love almond breeze almond milk but don’t love all the added ingredients, and making your own means way more calories. This on the other hand is thick and creamy, and still low calorie! I made it as soon as you posted (because of course I have oatmeal in the house already) and I will be making it again 🙂
I love that this is easy and made with things I usually have on hand. What a great idea. Thanks CCK
Vanilla, chocolate, pumpkin spice, and peanut butter oat milk all sound TO DIE FOR. Personally, I am not crazy about oat milk just because it can be more expensive in grocery stores, but making my own at home is probably the best way to enjoy it as much as I want to! Thank you so much for the easy techniques! Can you please provide recipes that would incorporate the leftover pulp from the oat milk procedure?
Can definitely put oat pulp recipes on my list of things to post 🙂
Omg, this would be fantastic for hot chocolate! Imagine how rich and creamy it would be without having to have all the saturated fat like coconut milk does! Can’t wait to try that (yes I know the weather is warm out now but I don’t really care when it comes to chocolate! :P)
I followed the link to the vegan mac n cheese to see how you used the oatmilk there–but I didn’t see a milk alternative listed in the ingredients? Where would you use the oatmilk in the mac n cheese? Thanks
Hi! You can use milk instead of the water. I’ve done it 🙂
Jason
I really like this recipe. Oat chemistry question: Is there a healthy way to make the oat milk recipe – something to add – where it wouldn’t thicken when heated?
Hi!
I tried your recipe right away. I’m wondering if I did something wrong? I turned out thick and creamy, but also sort of …stringy or goopy. Hard to explain. I tried thinning it and also adding a small amount into my cashew milk recipe, but still a strange texture. Please advise.
Thank you
Tried the oat milk recipe but added 2 small bananas for sweetness. Turned out just right though not very sweet. I love it and will be making more of it definitely ???. Thanks Katey