How to Make Oat Milk - Guide Recipe
Have you tried oat milk in your coffee yet? Oat milk is creamy and quite tasty , assuming you enjoy the flavor of oatmeal. If I had to come up with another name for it , I’d call it , “essence of oatmeal.” Never mind , let’s stick with oat milk.
Oat milk captured my attention as a particularly eco-friendly milk alternative. Oats can be good for farming land and good for us , too. It’s a win-win situation , so I’m excited to share this oat milk recipe with you.
Oat milk really has a lot going for it. It’s special diet-friendly , since it’s dairy free , vegan and gluten-free (if you’re using certified gluten-free oats). It’s nut free as well , unlike my other favorite homemade milk alternatives , cashew milk and pecan milk.
Plus , homemade oat milk is the cheapest of the bunch and the easiest to make. Ready to learn how?
How to Make Oat Milk
Here’s a rundown:
1) Soak a cup of oats in water for about 15 minutes.
This brief step is worth the effort! After soaking , your oats will blend up better and strain out more easily.
2) Rinse and drain the oats.
This ensures that your oat milk has a nice , clean flavor and creamy (not slimy) texture.
3) Add some fresh water , maple syrup and vanilla.
We’re going to add the water in two equal batches (I’m convinced that the oats blend more thoroughly this way). You’ll also add a bit of maple syrup , vanilla extract , and the teeniest pinch of salt to enhance the milk’s flavor.
4) Blend until smooth.
This will take a minute , but even cheap blenders should be up for the job. Then , add the remaining water and blend again.
5) Strain and chill.
Pour the mixture over a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. The sieve will catch any stubborn oat bits that refused to blend into creamy oblivion. For best flavor , chill your oat milk for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Oat Milk Notes & Tips
- Fact: Oat milk inevitably tastes like oats. It reminds me of cereal sometimes. Since it’s not entirely neutral in flavor , it’s going to work better in some recipes than others. (If you’re looking for a more neutral milk alternative , try cashew milk.)
- Store-bought oat milk foams up nicely. That’s why oat milk is becoming more and more popular in coffee shops as a dairy-free milk alternative. I’ve been having fun playing with oat milk in our new milk frother (affiliate link/a wedding gift).
- Homemade oat milk thickens when heated. This can be quite undesirable , leaving an oatmeal-like film at the bottom of your pot. I tried making homemade hot chocolate with oat milk , and I didn’t like the results. I’m experimenting with a workaround for this issue and will report back if I find it.
- Is oat milk healthy? Oats are nutritious , so I’d say yes. Oat milk is basically just oats diluted in water , so oat milk offers a lower level of nutrients (and fewer calories) than a thick bowl of oatmeal. Nutrition is relative. My recipe differs from most store-bought options because it is free of preservatives and additives , including added vitamins and minerals.
Change It Up
This recipe , as written below , yields lightly sweet oat milk with the consistency of skim milk. It’s suitable for serving with cereal , etc. Here are a few ways to change it up:
- For thicker oat milk (closer to half-and-half or whole milk) , experiment with less water. For the thickest results , use as little as 2 cups water.
- For more savory applications , reduce or omit the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- For some warming spice , blend in 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend , or more to taste.
Please let me know how your oat milk turns out in the comments. I want to hear how you put it to use.
Interested in more oat recipes? Here are a few favorites:
How to Make Oat Milk
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 ¾ cups 1x
- Category: Alternative milk
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Vegan
Learn how to make oat milk with this easy recipe! Oat milk is delicious and inexpensive. It’s also vegan , dairy free , nut free and gluten free.* Recipe yields about 4 ¾ cups oat milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats*
- 4 cups water , divided
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- First , we’re going to soak the oats for 15 minutes so they blend and strain more easily. Place the oats in a pitcher or bowl , and add enough water to cover by a couple of inches. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Drain the soaked oats in a fine-mesh sieve , and rinse them thoroughly under running water.
- Next , transfer the oats to your blender. Add 2 cups of the water , plus the maple syrup , vanilla extract and tiny pinch of salt. Blend on high speed until the oat milk is smooth , about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups water and blend again.
- To strain , place the fine-mesh sieve over a pitcher and pour the mixture through. Taste , and add more maple syrup for sweetness , if desired.
- Oat milk tastes best after it’s been chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving. Oat milk will keep well in the fridge , covered , for up to 5 days.
Notes
*Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Suggested equipment: My Vitamix blender (affiliate link) blends oat milk and nut milks like a champ.
▸ Nutrition Information
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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