Easy Homemade Oat Milk
- PREP 5min
- TOTAL 5min
Oat milk is a creamy, delicious, plant-based milk that only requires a few ingredients and about five minutes to make. Use oat milk to replace dairy milk in baked goods, add to smoothies, coffee or pour over your favorite cereals.
You Will Need
1 cup (113g) rolled oats
4 cups (946ml) cold water
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, optional
1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional for vanilla milk
Pinch fine sea salt, optional
Directions
Add the oats, cold water, and any optional ingredients to a blender. Cover with the lid and blend for 30 to 40 seconds. It’s okay if you see little speckles of oats. It is best not to over-blend since it can cause a slimy texture.
Strain the oat milk. This is best done with a nut milk bag, a clean cotton dish towel, or multiple layers of cheesecloth set over a large bowl or pitcher. (I like to double strain the mixture so that most of the solids are removed.)
Store homemade oat milk in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Shake or stir before using.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Steel cut oats: These will not make milk as creamy as rolled oats, but they will work. For the best results, use a high-powered blender. We do not recommend using instant oats since they are already processed, which adds more starch to the milk (risking a slimy texture).
- Preventing slimy homemade oat milk: Starches in the oats can contribute to a slimy texture in homemade oat milk. To prevent it, use very cold, icy water, don’t soak your oats, do not over-blend the oats, and strain the oat milk to remove excess starch.
- Make strawberry oat milk: Add frozen berries for a berry-flavored milk. Fresh are fine, but the cold berries help reduce starch.
- Chocolate oat milk: Add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder and sweeten it to taste with maple syrup or honey.
- Why did my oat milk separate? Some separation is completely normal. Stir or shake the milk before using.
- Does homemade oat milk froth? Unfortunately, no. Store-bought oat milk that froth has a few more ingredients added (like stabilizers) to help it froth and heat up without turning slimy.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.