Oat Milk is all the rage these days, and for a very good reason. This creamy, delicious, oat-based beverage is the ULTIMATE milk substitute. It’s creamy, it froths like a dream, and it can be used in everything from cooking to baking to even your morning coffee. Plus, it’s super easy to make at home. This recipe uses only 4 different ingredients to make the best oat milk of your life!
If you haven’t had oat milk yet, then run to your kitchen and make this recipe RIGHT NOW! Oat milk has been taking the dairy-free world by storm the past few years, and for a good reason. This creamy, delicious beverage is slightly sweet and is the perfect base for all of your cooking, baking, and coffee needs.
Now I know what you’re probably thinking: there’s a million different milk-alternative recipes out there, why would this one be the best? Well friends, I’m here to set the record straight. Oat milk is truly unlike any other milk-alternative on the market! It’s thicker than almond milk (and, for my nut-free friends, oat milk doesn’t have any nuts) and is much cheaper to make, too. Oats, especially when bought in bulk, are very inexpensive, making them perfect for those who are on a budget, or otherwise want to save a little $$$.
Why You Should Make Your Own Oat Milk
With oat milk being *everywhere* right now, the grocery stores are inevitably full of different oat milk options. But here in San Francisco, a single carton of oat milk will run you about $5, which is ridiculous, if you ask me. Especially if you’re someone who uses it in place of regular milk.
Making your own oat milk is not only infinitely cheaper, but it’s just as delicious (if not more-so) than the store-bought versions! Plus, some of the more conventional ingredients have added ingredients, like canola oil or refined sugars, which, if you ask me, is truly not necessary.
My homemade oat milk recipe has only 4 ingredients and NO added oils or sugars, making it a much lighter alternative!
What You Need to Make Homemade Oat milk
- Rolled Oats: Whole, rolled oats are perfect for this recipe. If you’re gluten-free, just make sure to use gluten-free rolled oats.
- Water: When making any milk-alternative, you need water. After all, the combination of the water and oats is how we make the milk!
- Maple Syrup: To give our oat milk a light sweetness, I like to add maple syrup. You can also add in a date instead, if you prefer.
- Salt: A pinch of salt will ensure that your oat milk isn’t too sweet!
- Vanilla Extract (optional): If you want to make your oat milk vanilla flavored, you can add in a little bit of vanilla extract! This is totally optional, and not necessary in order to make a delicious oat milk. 🙂
How to Make Sure Your Oat Milk Is Not Slimy
One of the biggest objections I hear from people on why they don’t make their own oat milk, is because when they do, it turns out slimy. And friends, let me tell you, it does NOT have to be that way! In fact, I have a few key tips for making sure that your oat milk turns out perfect, every time.
- Use Cold Water – remember, you are making oat MILK, not oat MEAL. Using hot water can cause the oats to coagulate and become slimy, which is obviously not the goal here. So, make sure you use cold water, every time.
- Do Not Soak Your Oats Overnight – soaking your oats will activate the enzymes in the oats, which, in turn, can leave your oat milk with a slimy consistency. In my opinion, this is a win-win, because not soaking = less work for you!
- Blend Your Oat Milk for only 30-40 Seconds – over-blending can cause the oats to turn to mush, and you’ll end up with something closer to oatmeal, rather than oat milk.
- Strain with Caution – when you strain your oat milk through a nut milk bag, let it drip through or give it gentle squeezes. If you squeeze too hard, the pulp can come through and it can turn gelatinous in texture.
How to Make Homemade Oat Milk
- Start by adding all of your oat milk ingredients to a blender- the rolled oats, water, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract (if desired).
- Blend on high, until the oats are fully broken down into a milk-like consistency.
- Then, take a large mixing bowl and place a nut milk bag inside of it. If you don’t have a nut milk bag, you can also use a cheese cloth.
- Pour your oat milk into the bag and slowly (and very gently) squeeze the milk into the bowl, letting it strain through the bag. The leftover pulp will remain in the bag, and that is totally okay.
- Pour your strained milk into a mason jar or carafe, and enjoy!
- You can store your milk in the fridge for up to one week.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! And, since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so that I can repost them! x
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Rolled Oats
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- ⅛ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 Cups Water
- ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, optional
Instructions
- Start by adding all of your oat milk ingredients to a blender- the rolled oats, water, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract (if desired).
- Blend on high, until the oats are fully broken down into a milk-like consistency.
- Then, take a large mixing bowl and place a nut milk bag inside of it. If you don’t have a nut milk bag, you can also use a cheese cloth.
- Pour your oat milk into the bag and slowly (and very gently) squeeze the milk into the bowl, letting it strain through the bag. The leftover pulp will remain in the bag, and that is totally okay.
- Pour your strained milk into a mason jar or carafe, and enjoy!
- You can store your milk in the fridge for up to one week.
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Delicious! This is such a simple and affordable recipe, I’m definitely going to make it in larger batches. I can’t believe I haven’t been doing this already, so thank you. 🙂 The only change I made was reduced the maple syrup, as I don’t like my milks too sweet, but that’s my personal preference.
Yay! I am so glad you loved this recipe, Victoria! Thank you so much for making it and for leaving such a sweet review 🙂 and isn’t it amazing how easy it is?!
I love this recipe! The hardest part is cleaning my blender, so I double the recipe 3 times and make 3 quarts at a time. My 23 year old eats cereal for breakfast before work and this is so much more cost effective and I feel better about the ingredients. We use half the maple syrup. Thank you! I’m from Terra Linda, originally. Kiss my home soil for me. ♥️
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Lisa! Thank you so much for all of your support. It means the world!
OMG this is amazing!! I had dropped oat milk from my list because of the lackluster ingredients but this is DELICIOUS!! And so easy to make. LOVE!
Hi! Excited to make this!! I was wondering if you could use a food processor instead of a blender? And if so, how long would I blend for so it doesn’t get slimy? Still 30-40 seconds?
Thank you!
Yes, you can totally use a food processor instead of a blender. The process should work the same; just pulse or blend for about 30–40 seconds, keeping it short so you don’t over-blend and end up with that slimy texture. Can’t wait for you to try it!