Learn how to make oat milk at home! With this easy recipe, it always comes out smooth & creamy - perfect for adding to coffee, baking recipes & more!
Have you tried oat milk yet? Lately, it seems to be popping up everywhere. You can add it to your coffee at Starbucks, buy a carton of it at the store, or even pick up a pint of oat milk ice cream! I had to see what all the fuss was about, so I tried making my own homemade oat milk. I have to say, I’m hooked! It’s super easy to make, it’s smooth and creamy, and it has a yummy oat-y flavor that tastes great in coffee or tea.
Unlike other non-dairy milk recipes, this one doesn’t require any special equipment (looking at you, nut milk bags). And because you don’t need to soak the oats beforehand, it takes minutes to make. All you need is 5 minutes, a handful of whole rolled oats, filtered water, a fine mesh strainer, and a powerful blender! What are you waiting for?
How to Make Oat Milk
Making delicious oat milk is easy! But if you have made other plant-based milks in the past, a word to the wise: it is NOT like making almond milk, where you wring as much liquid as you can out of a nut milk bag. In this recipe, your goal is to squeeze and press the mixture as little as possible. Otherwise, it will end up slimy and grainy. Here’s my method:
- Blend. First, I add the oats and filtered water to a powerful blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend for 30 seconds, until the water looks creamy and white. For the best texture, be careful not to over-blend!
- Strain. Next, place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the oat milk through it. Some liquid may pool at the bottom of the strainer. That’s ok! Discard this liquid and any oat pulp below it. DO NOT try to press the pulp to get more liquid through the strainer, as it will make the milk slimy and gritty.
- Strain again (optional). For extra-smooth oat milk, strain the liquid twice, discarding the leftover pulp both times. This step is optional, but it will yield the smoothest final texture.
- Chill, and enjoy! I like my oat milk best when it’s cold from the fridge. Unlike other dairy-free milks, don’t shake it when you go to use it. Instead, allow any leftover oat pulp to settle at the bottom of the container, and pour the creamy milk off the top.
How to Use Oat Milk
Once you’ve made oat milk, use it as you would dairy milk, cashew milk, or any other type of milk you like. I like to chill it and drink it with ice, add it to coffee, or use it to make a matcha latte. It would also be great in breakfast/brunch oat-y recipes like oatmeal, baked oatmeal, overnight oats, or no bake cookies. Alternatively, use it in any brunch baking recipe that calls for milk, like my vegan chocolate cake, blueberry muffins, banana bread, or cinnamon rolls.
Because it has a strong oat-y flavor, I don’t recommend using it in savory recipes. You’ll find my favorite way to enjoy it in the recipe below. I like to add a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla and maple syrup to sweeten it up!
Next, try these plant based basics: tofu, tempeh, quinoa, chickpeas, or lentils.
How to Make Oat Milk
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole rolled oats
- 3 cups water
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the oats, water, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a blender and blend for 30 seconds.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the milk without pushing any excess pulp through the strainer. This will create a creamier texture that’s not gritty or gummy.
- Add more maple syrup, to taste, if desired. Chill overnight. If you want to drink your oat milk right away, I recommend adding ice - it's flavor is best when well chilled.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Detoxinista’s method
How long does oatmilk last. I have some in frig past expiration date that taste just fine. I just can’t find anything online if it’s harmful to consume. I hate to waste…
Hi Jenn, I keep this for about a week, store-bought oat milk probably lasts longer because it has preservatives.
I just made this and doubled the recipe. I used cheesecloth to strain. Not gritty at all, however, very thin. I need to use a lot to lighten up my coffee. Is there a fix to this? Maybe adding more oats?
Def worth trying a few variations Sean, you might need to blend for longer than 30 sec too. I found that a base of around 50-60% oats, 30% sunflower seeds (soak in hot water for good time as they are very hard) then a few almonds or cashews or similar, plus a dash of something like chia egg or tapioca a touch of salt & syrup to balance the taste which was awesome, like a hybrid milk, They take a bit of faffing so its best to make more & freeze some. making it every other days is too much hassle.
Hi I was wondering if you had the nutrition breakdown on this? Calories & carbs?
Love the recipe !
Hi I was wondering if you had the breakdown on nutrition? Calories and carb wise?
Hi Sara, it’s hard to say since some oat pulp gets strained out – I’d guess it’s similar to store-bought oat milk.
I was into Aldi the other day and came across oatmilk. Was looking to try something different for my coffee since I have troubles digesting other coffee creamers. Wow! Delicious! Curiosity on how it’s made led me to this recipe. Just couldn’t belive it was that simple. Looking forward to making my next batch! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Could you tell me where you got the beautiful glass jars with the cork stoppers pictured in the article?
Ikea!
Hi Jeanine – dis your oat milk stay fresh in these glass jars with cork lid – mine seems to get a mould on the inside part of the lid
Hi, how long are you storing it for? We don’t usually keep it for longer than a week.
I put more oats to make mine slightly thicker because I use it for iced coffee. So good. My question is; Would toasting the oats give the milk a better flavor?
My milk is weak and thin if I don’t shake it when the pulp settles. Any suggestions on how it is to be thick? Thanks
Same question… oat milk is the only thing I can use for smoothies & muesli for breakfast… was hoping for the “creamy” part to be there?
Hi LeCora, you can shake it when the pulp settles if you like it better that way. You can try adding more oats if you want it to be thicker.
I prefer to cook my oats a long minute before pureeing- if I bother with that because I use for further cooking and most fiber has broken down.
One question: I get a delicious creamy milk every time I make this, BUUUT, when I heat it for hot chocolate it thickens to the consistency of ….well, of semen, frankly. My hot chocolate is more like chocolate pudding. Any recommendations avoiding this or thinning it without destroying the flavour?
Ewwww. Lol! I’ve read elsewhere that commercial oat milk makers use the enzyme amylase to break down the very long polysaccharides that can cause oat milk to be slimy. Amylase is used in brewing beer so it’s pretty easy to find online these days. I’m probably going to order some. I’ll try to remember to follow up here with results.
wow so easy ! i will never buy plant based milk again and no additives, so much better for you ! How many calories would a cup have ? and protein ?
How long is the milk good for? Expired by time?
Hi Lisa, I keep it in the fridge for about a week, shake when it separates.
Wow. I feel like an idiot for spending all these years paying good money for non dairy milks at the store. I used Robin Hood large flake oats for this. Tastes as good or better than store bought and is so much creamier. Still kicking myself for not going homemade sooner.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent recipe.
I had no oatmillk left in the house and only shop bought almond milk for my coffee which is too bitter. I thought I would try this recipe to save a trip to the store. It worked perfectly and is nice and creamy in my coffee. Although I did use a full cup of oats and strained it 4 times rather than twice. A great alternative to paying £1.85 for a 1 litre carton of shop bourgt oat milk and so quick and easy to do.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the oat milk.
I second your comment. The first time I made it it came out super watery and was just kinda bland. I doubled the amount of oats and added 4 dried dates, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 table spoon syrup and blended and blended and blended, came out AWESOME. This was a great starting point but the added flavors when along way to bulking it up.
This oat milk is like eating cereal with water. Waaaay too thin! Did I do something wrong? A lot of other recipes have twice as many oats to water.
Any suggestions for what to use the left over oats in? Any muffins or cake recipes? (I was thinking banana bread but that’s not super original)
Oatmeal! Oatmeal cookies. Pancakes. It’ll mix into pretty much anything baked.
Flavour it up and eat it like oatmeal. That’s what I do. Just add cinnamon and maple syrup. It’s just a different consistency. I haven’t tried it yet but it looks like it would also be an amazing binding agent in vegan baking, basically anywhere you currently use a flax egg.
Soo good!!!
AMAZING! I just found your recipe and within 5 minutes had oat milk! I can’t believe I’ve been buying this for so long. I used the blender attachment to my Nutribullet and made a double batch. I strained back and forth between a pitcher and the blender (rinsing in between) and it came out perfect! I left out the vanilla, but used the syrup and sea salt. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Been experimenting……First of the best oats to use is Bob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Oats and even has a Gluten Free version. I’v experimented a few different ways already and here is what I found. If you want oat milk than keep it simple. Tried vanilla, tried, maple syrup and to me brought me away from what I wanted. Tried adding some flax seed and no good. So far the very best I’ve found is to rinse your oats extremely well. Than spread out on cookie sheet and bake at 225 for 20 minutes or so. Half way through oats should be mostly dry so spread out a little more and continue to roast. Next I put the oats in the freezer along with water. Blend 30-60 seconds. Strain 2 or 3 times in strainer. Than put back in blender and maybe add a pinch of salt and blend again for short period. Hands down the best oat mil I’ve tasted. You MUST rinse oats and roasting the oats really gets rid of that oaty, grainy flavor. It is very good. Rinsing and roasting is the way to go. Only think I may try is to add a few organic roasted macadamia nuts for my last experiment. I searched the internet and could not find anyone baking the oats first so thought I would experiment. So glad I did. Hands down the very best way to make oat milk.
Did you use whole, rolled or steel cut oats? I have been experimenting with all but end up getting slimy liquid!
When you said you “put the oats in the freezer along with water” do you mean that you mixed the roasted oats with water and then put them in the freezer? Or were the oats and water kept separate in the freezer? And how long do you keep them in the freezer? Thanks!!
I don’t know why I put that in there…..lol I just put the oats back in the same bag and in the freezer….
Sooooo good so easy to make in other recipe It said I needed nut milk bag or cheesecloth