How to Make Oat Milk at Home
Probably the cheapest and most quick way ever to make “milk”
Looking for an inexpensive non-dairy milk option? Oat milk is a fantastic alternative that’s not only budget-friendly, but also super easy to make!
Really, you won’t believe how quick it is to whip up a batch of creamy oat milk right now, because there is no soaking or cooking involved.
So, if you are curious about making some vegan milk without breaking the bank or if you need some milk alternative and don’t have any at hand, this recipe will be great for you.
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Pros and cons of diy oat milk
I’m all about giving you the real deal, so before going further, let me begin with terrible advertising: this homemade oat milk recipe won’t taste as sweet and smooth as the store bought version.
Actually, this is probably the only drink I find it personally better tasting when store-bought.
BUT, that being said, there are still some serious perks to making your own oat milk at home:
- Quick to make
One of the best things about making oat milk is that you don’t need to plan ahead and soak the oats overnight like you do with other non-dairy milks.
That means you can have a fresh batch ready to go in just a matter of minutes! - Convenient
The ingredients are super simple: all you need is oats and water.
Also, you can use any type of blender (I often use an immersion blender, specially when I’m making small amounts). - Cheap
Also, since you don’t need extra fancy oats (the best ones are rolled oats, the most common type), it’s probably the most cost effective cow milk alternative you can get. - Easy to customize
And of course, you can also flavor it to your liking by adding sweeteners, flavors, or even choose if you want it more or less thick.
So, in my opinion, making your own oat milk is worth a try: it’s a great way to save money and eliminate unwanted additives found in store-bought options.
Common questions about homemade oat milk
Unfortunately, homemade oat milk doesn’t have the sweetness as store-bought oat milk.
Here is why even unsweetened store-bought oat milk tastes sweet: it’s because of a processing method known as enzymatic hydrolysis.
During enzymatic hydrolysis, enzymes break down oat carbohydrates (oat is high in starch), converting them into dextrin (natural sugars).
This isn’t only to get that sweet taste we are used to from oat milk, but also to avoid it having a gelatinous texture, since oat starch becomes slimy when blended or heated.
Still, I think making your own oat milk can be a convenient and cost-effective alternative to store-bought varieties (even if it doesn’t taste as sweet!)
Oat milk has (unsurprisingly) a mild oat flavor.
As my 6 year old son says (without knowing what kind of milk he‘s drinking) “it tastes like muesli!”.
But the exact taste can vary depending on the ratio of oats to water used.
And of course, you can add flavorings or sweeteners.
While it may be possible to froth homemade oat milk, getting the desired results can be challenging.
There are many recipes online for making barista-style oat milk (milk that froths).
Usually these recipes involve straining the milk to remove solids and starches. Also, they add a neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola oil, and sometimes lecithin for stability.
However, despite straining and adding oil, I still couldn’t achieve the same results as store-bought oat milk (at least, for now). I will continue experimenting to achieve a fail proof oat milk that froths.
Yes, you can heat homemade oat milk, but it tends to thicken.
So, make sure you heat the milk carefully and don’t overdue it. You can either microwave in intervals or warm it in a saucepan, avoiding boiling. When oat milk boils it gets rather a creamy, bechamel-like texture.
What you’ll need
This is a quick recap: be sure to check out the full recipe below
2 ingredients
Equipment
- I find, rolled oat makes creamier milk, but if you only have steel cut oats, they also work
- Any type of blender works to make oat milk, both the hand mixer (inmersion) type or a high speed blender.
How to make oat milk in less than 1 minute
- Blend
Put cold water (or room temperature) in a blender and add the oats right before blending.
Blend for 10 to 20 seconds.
AS long as the mixture has a milky color, it’s enough! - Strain
Use a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or fine mesh strain to remove the oat.
Don’t squeeze the pulp to avoid the milk getting a gel-like texture.
If you are using your out milk right away to eat cereals or to bake, you may skip the straining altogether.
How much oats and water do you need to make oat milk?
Since oat milk is so quick to make, I often just make as much as I need right at the moment.
Fortunately, it’s quite easy to calculate how much water and oats you need – approximately*, you’ll need:
1/2 cup of oats (50 gr.) and 2 cups of fresh water (around 1/2 liter) to get 2 cups of oat milk
*You might get slightly more oat milk if you don’t strain it.
How to store homemade oat milk
Once strained, pour your oat milk into a airtight container (like a bottle or jar).
Homemade oat milk stored in the fridge will be good in the fridge for up to 5 days (however, I find, the fresher, the better).
Since homemade oat milk separates, you’ll need to shake well before opening the container.
And don’t forget to strain your oat milk if you aren’t using it up right after blending! (this avoids the milk getting a slimy texture)
How to avoid slimy oat milk
Homemade oat milk can get slimy because the oats have starch and when this starch absorbs water, the result is a gelatinous texture.
To avoid slimy milk, make sure to:
- Don’t pre-soak the oats: just add the water and blend
- Use cold water (room temperature water is also okay)
- Don’t over-blend the mixture: 10-20 seconds are enough!
- Strain the mixture if you aren’t using the milk right now. But when straining, don’t squeeze the nut milk bag or cheesecloth too tight (that can make the milk slimier).
How to flavor homemade oat milk
Just as any other homemade plant-based milk, like cashew milk or almond milk, flavoring is super simple: just add your desired flavor and sweeten to taste.
For example:
- Chocolate oat milk:
Add unsweetened cocoa and sweetener.
Usually, we use 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa and 1 teaspoon of dates syrup or yacon syrup per cup. Then stir with a spoon. - Turmeric oat milk:
Add some turmeric powder to taste (I usually use 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon per cup) and sweeten with honey or maple syrup. Optionally, round up with some powdered ginger and/or vanilla.
Ideas to use homemade oat milk
Homemade oat milk is very versatile and you can use it for many purposes:
- To make smoothies
When you’re making a smoothie, there’s no need to strain the mixture – just blend!
This makes it super convenient and way easier than other milk alternatives. - It’s also very convenient to make sauces, since it thickens a lot when cooked
- For baking
As when making smoothies, if you are using your oat milk for baking, you don’t need to strain it.
That’s why every time I need a vegan milk for baking, I just whip up a batch of oat milk in minutes.
In case you are curious, one of my favorite recipes using oat milk is this one to make vegan muffins.
These also turn great using my creamy almond milk, but when I don’t have any, I just blend some oat milk and use it without straining.
Oat milk is also a great alternative for cow’s milk in almost any recipe, but you should take it into consideration that it has less fat, so you might need to adjust some recipes if switching cow milk for oat milk.
What to do with the remaining oat pulp
You can use the oat pulp that remains after straining.
However, it can be quite viscous, so I don’t find it as versatile as other types of pulp. For this reason, I personally only use it as an addition to porridge or overnight oats.
Homemade oat milk recipe
Equipment
- Nut milk bag Or cheesecloth (however, straining is optional)
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup dry oats (rolled) (25 gr.)
- 1 Cup water (cold or room temperature) (250 ml)
Instructions
- Blend the oats with the water (be sure not to pre-soak the oats to avoid the milk getting slimy)
- Strain the mixture.This is optional. For example, if you are using your oat milk up to eat cereals or baking, you can leave it as is. On the other side, if you want a smoother drink or if you are storing leftovers, it’s better to strain.While straining, don’t squeeze the pulp to avoid the oat milk getting slimy texture.
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this very easy and quick to make vegan milk alternative!
While homemade oat milk doesn’t taste as sweet as store-bought, it’s a great way to save money, it’s satiating and it works great for many recipes.
If you are looking for other types of milk alternatives, check these other recipes:
Thank you very much for sharing this easy home made oak milk. I love oat!