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Have you ever wondered how to make oat milk? This homemade oat milk recipe is easy to make with step-by-step instructions teaching you how. Milking oats has never been so easy with this nutritious and good-for-the-planet recipe.
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Oat Milk is all the rage these days. And for good reason! It’s a delicious, plant-based alternative that is easy on digestion and on the planet. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some good almond milk (try these homemade almond milks!) but did you know that almonds are one of the highest water consuming crops? The almond business is booming here in California but it’s also putting a major stress on our already fragile water supply.
So I decided it was time I explore some other alternatives out there. There are a few store-bought versions out there – namely Oatly– but they can be pricey and almost always have some kind of added oil (usually canola) to act as an emulsifier and lots of sugar. Making oat milk certainly doesn’t require an emulsifier and it’s actually insanely easy and cost-effective. After A LOT of recipe testing, Jess and I finally nailed the recipe for a non-slimy oat milk. Let us know what you think!
What Is Oat Milk?
The name is pretty self-explanatory but basically it is a delicious, vegan, plant-based milk alternative made from rolled oats. You essentially soak raw oats, grind them up with water and then strain them. Since oats are pretty cheap and accessible, it is a great alternative for people wanting to reduce their dairy-consumption without putting a major strain on their wallet.
Is Oat Milk Good for You?
Absolutely! There are plenty of oat milk benefits including fiber, plant-based protein, B vitamins, and minerals, including iron, calcium, and magnesium. It’s safe to say that oat milk is healthy for you and a great dairy-free milk. In full transparency, it doesn’t contain nearly as much calcium as traditional milk but there are plenty of other sources for protein that don’t include cow’s milk. Just make sure you’re aware of this if you’re making the switch.
Ingredients in Homemade Oat Milk
The process is very simple. All you need are rolled oats, water and a few other ingredients to add flavor and a touch of sweetness.
- Quick Cook Oats – buy the quick cook kind to make the process faster + we find it makes a less “slimy” mixture but regular rolled oats are fine in a pinch. Do not use steel cut oats!!!
- Water – for soaking as well as for blending
- Sweetener – we like maple syrup, but date syrup or honey works well
- Spices – a pinch of cinnamon adds some nice flavor – don’t forget a pinch of salt too!
- Nut milk bag/cheese cloth/fine mesh sieve or strainer – to strain your mixture
Homemade Oat Milk [Step-By-Step]
STEP 1: SOAK OATS
Soak your quick cook oats in water for 30 minutes.
STEP 2: DRAIN + BLEND
Drain oats and then add to blender. Pulse in blender roughly 20 times or blend for about 30 seconds. Oats will be broken down but it won’t be a perfectly smooth mixture.
STEP 3: STRAIN
Strain your oat milk through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.
STEP 4: SWEETEN + STORE
Stir in sweetener and/or spices if desired, to taste and pour into a glass bottle or mason jar for storage.
Why is my Oat Milk Slimy? + Other Tips for Homemade Oat Milk
-Be sure to use quick cook oats and not steel-cut or rolled oats. You can use rolled oats instead of quick cook but you’ll need to soak slightly longer and we find it does make a “slimier” mixture.
-For gluten-free folks, this oat milk is absolutely gluten-free so long as you use gluten-free oats
–Don’t overblend! It’s easy to go crazy on the blending but it will actually make for a stickier texture so try to keep the blending to a minimum (instructions below)
-Add a splash of vanilla extract for a vanilla flavored oatmilk
-Add 1-2 tsp cocoa powder for a chocolate flavored oatmilk
-Heating up your oat milk? Be sure to keep heat on med-low and cook only for 3-4 minutes as too much heat for too long will cook the mixture and make it gelatinous (no bueno!)-separation is normal. Give your oat milk a generous shake before using.
How to Use Oat Milk
You can use homemade oat milk in place of any dairy or non-dairy milk, but here are some ideas:
- Lattes – Check out this post with 3 oat milk latte recipes including a favorite chocolate oat milk mocha latte!
- Smoothies – Use in place of regular milk or dairy-free milk in any smoothie recipe. I highly recommend these green smoothie recipes or banana peanut butter smoothie
- Cereal or granola – store-bought cereal or homemade granola are all great pairings for homemade almond milk. Try this almond cranberry granola for a delicious flavor boost!
- Oatmeal – Here are 5 ways to make overnight oats or use in place for your favorite steel cut oats!
Storage Instructions
Store your oat milk in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar for up to 1 week. Give it a good shake before using.
And since I know you’ll ask, what can you do with the leftover oat pulp? Personally I compost it. I find it’s just a bit too slimy for me to want to bake with it. Some people seem to like using it as an extra form of fiber in their smoothies so that’s always an option. Feel free to get creative here and let me know what you try out!
More Drink Recipes:
- Homemade Almond Milk
- How to Make a London Fog
- Turmeric Latte Recipe
- Homemade Cold Brew
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Recipe
- Superfood Hot Chocolate
- How to Make Green Juice
- Cucumber Spa Water
Homemade Oat Milk
Have you ever wondered how to make oat milk? This homemade oat milk recipe is easy to make with step-by-step instructions teaching you how. Milking oats has never been so easy with this nutritious and good-for-the-planet recipe.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Blend
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick cook oats
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp of sweetener (maple, honey, date syrup)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Soak the oats in water for 30 mins.
- Drain and then add oats with 3 cups water to your blender
- Pulse on medium for about 20 pulses or roughly 30 seconds (do not overblend)
- Strain using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth.
- Stir in or blend with liquid sweetener, cinnamon, salt, or any other spices you want.
- Store in fridge for up to 1 week. Shake before use. Separation is normal.
*note: the milk will get gelatinous and goopy if you overblend it. It will also become an icky texture if you overheat it. Heat it over a medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes.
Find it online: https://www.thehealthymaven.com/how-to-make-oat-milk/
Try one of these oat milk latte recipes!
Hi there, just curious as to why you can’t use rolled oats? Does it provide a different result to the milk, or do they just require a longer soaking period? Cheers, Sarah
Yes! Just soak for an additional 30 mins for rolled oats!
Hi! Quick question – do you then use the oats to make oatmeal or throw them away?
throw them away. They’ll be way too soggy for oatmeal.
Add it to your smoothies
HI, why do you soak the oats first? Thnks
Getting the oats soggy ensures a smooth texture for the milk. Otherwise it can be a bit gritty even with the straining.
How long does it last in the fridge? I also heard you have to use filtered water?
It will separate a bit in the fridge but usually lasts up to a week. You can certainly use filtered water but you don’t have to.
If making this with a nutra bullet how long do you recommend blending?