Here’s our 3-step tried-and-tested oat milk recipe that you can make in a matter of minutes.
We spent 3 hours testing various oat-to-water ratios, single vs double-straining, and water at different temperatures.
The results were interesting, to say the least…
There’s also good reason to make your own oat milk.
By making your own, you avoid the long list of additives found in the store-bought stuff.
On top of that, it’s super easy to blend. No fancy blender is needed.
So let’s get right into it.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Equipment Needed:
- Blender
- Nut milk bag (makes it super easy, but if you don’t have one a dish towel will suffice)
- Large bowl for straining
- Juice jar or mason jar to store your homemade oat milk!
2 Simple Ingredients, Plus Optional Sweeteners:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 4 cups ice-cold water
- Optional 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Recommended!)
Before We Start (Important Oat Milk Recipe Tip!)
You must use ICE COLD water. This is to ensure we don’t end up with slimy oat milk.
You know what happens when oats get heated… They turn into oatmeal!
That’s not what we want.
On top of that, do not soak the oats before blending.
And do not use quick oats (too slimy) or steel-cut oats (not oaty enough).
Got it? Great. Now, onto the recipe…
Step 1: Blend the oats, ice-cold water, optional sweeteners on HIGH for 30 seconds (Don’t over blend!)
Add the ice-cold water first, then the sweeteners if you’re using them, and the oats last.
Make sure you don’t over blend here. You’ll have slimy oat milk if you do. 30-40 seconds is plenty for most blenders.
Step 2: Gently strain the blended mixture through a nut milk bag
Spend a good 10 minutes here for the best results.
The key is to be as gentle as possible.
You can lightly rock the bag back and forth, but do not squeeze the leftover pulp.
If you’re careful on this step, there’s no need to double-strain.
When most of the liquid is in your bowl, transfer the remaining oatmeal pulp to a tub to reuse later.
You can freeze it if you don’t want to use it so soon.
Here are some ideas for using the leftover pulp:
- Mix into any baked goods. Think vegan cookies, donuts, bread making.
- Add to a smoothie for an extra fiber boost.
- Mix into your normal oatmeal.
- Oatmeal face mask! (Great for those with acne because it soaks up oil from the skin’s surface)
Step 3: Transfer oat milk from the bowl into a juice or mason jar. Chill, and enjoy!
Simple, right? You’ve made your oat milk and it’s ready to consume. Hopefully it’s not slimy.
If you’ve followed the steps correctly, your milk should have a smooth and slightly creamy texture.
It’s typically good for 5 days in the fridge. If it’s gone bad it’ll smell funny.
Note that natural separation will occur after it’s left in the fridge. This is normal.
When separation occurs, you can either pour the oat milk off the top for a thinner, more watery texture. Or give it a shake to restore its creaminess. We like to mix it up as both taste good.
Oh, and by the way… We suggest not heating your oat milk up. It’ll get thick, clumpy and generally not nice.
You can add it to your favorite hot drinks, but it’s certainly not the best option.
When you’ve finished…
Don’t forget to clean the bits at the bottom of the glass/jar after you’ve finished your oat milk. They are very sticky.
What’s next?
Check out our list of best heavy cream substitutes. (#2 whips perfectly.)
