Ready to learn how to make oat milk? It's creamy, healthy, and made with 4 ingredients in just 15 minutes. It tastes so good!
Here you'll learn how to make oat milk, one of the most popular kinds of plant-based milk. It's light, tasty, and lactose-free, but it's hard to find store-bought oat milk that is not full of sugar and chemicals.
By making it at home, you'll make sure that your drink contains only natural and healthy ingredients, and it'll also be much more affordable! Besides, it's a great way to start switching from dairy milk to plant-based milk.
To make this homemade oat milk you only need 5 simple and easy to get ingredients and it's ready in just 15 minutes, which is awesome.
It's perfect to make plenty of other recipes and you can enjoy it plain or sweetened. Whether you drink it hot or cold, this healthy, soft, and delicious oat milk needs to be a must in your meals!
How to make oat milk - Step by step
- Soak the oats in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the oats and rinse them.
- Add the oats, 4 cups of clean water (1 liter) and all the remaining ingredients to a blender (photo 1) and blend until smooth (photo 2).
- Strain the milk using a cheesecloth, a strainer, a napkin or a nut milk bag (photos 3 and 4).
- Serve your oat milk hot or cold.
Pro tips
- You can use 1-2 Medjool dates (double the quantity if they are Deglet Nour) or any other sweetener if you like your milk sweet.
- I usually make unsweetened oat milk so I can use it to make savory and sweet recipes.
- Salt is optional, but it enhances the flavor.
- To make the milk, use just 3 cups of water (750 ml), try it and then add more water until you get the taste and thickness you're looking for.
- Oat milk goes well with everything. Drink it plain, sweetened, with cocoa, or even add it to your coffee or tea to make a healthy and delicious hot beverage for the cold winter days!
- Use the leftover oat pulp to bake spectacular vegan donuts, vegan oatmeal cookies or even make energy balls or truffles. You can also add it to your smoothies to incorporate more fiber into your diet.
What is oat milk?
Oat milk is a beverage made from oats and water. It is 100% plant-based and dairy-free, and it works as a great substitute for cow's milk.
Is oat milk good for you?
Yes, it is! Especially if you make it at home, that way you can make sure to only use whole and healthy ingredients and avoid artificial additives and preservatives. Besides, it will not raise your cholesterol levels.
Is oat milk gluten-free?
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they sometimes can be contaminated with gluten. So if you have gluten sensitivity or suffer from gluten intolerance, remember to buy certified gluten-free oats to make this recipe.
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How To Make Oat Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 3-4 cups water, I make my oat milk using 4 cups or 1 liter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup or 1-2 Medjool dates, optional
- A pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- Soak the oats in water for at least 30 minutes. I usually soak them overnight, but that’s not necessary.
- Drain the oats and rinse them. Discard the soaking water.
- Add the oats, 3 to 4 cups of clean water (750 ml-1 liter) and all the remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more or less water depending on how thick you like your oat milk.
- Strain the oat milk using a cheesecloth, a strainer, a napkin or a nut milk bag.
- Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can use 1-2 Medjool dates (double the quantity if they are Deglet Nour) or any other sweetener if you like your milk sweet.
- I usually make unsweetened oat milk so I can use it to make savory and sweet recipes.
- Salt is optional, but it enhances the flavor.
- To make this oat milk, use 3 cups of water (750 ml), try it and then add more water until you get the taste and thickness you’re looking for.
- Use the pulp to bake spectacular vegan donuts, vegan oatmeal cookies, or even make energy balls or truffles. You can also add it to your smoothies to incorporate more fiber into your diet.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2020, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in February of 2022.
Daria says
It was perfect. However, you may consider to change the timing in the listed procedure, preparation 15 min, total time should be 45 min, as the soaked oats have to rest at least half an hour. In any case, thank you.
Iosune says
Hi Daria! I don't include the soaking time in my recipes as you're not cooking, but thanks for the idea 🙂
Sarah says
Hiya! Excited to find this recipe - I'm trying to avoid plastic so this should be great. Your cookie recipe sounds ace too, if using the pulp in that recipe, would I be using it in place of part of the rolled oats amount?
Iosune says
Hi Sarah! Yes, you can use the pulp to replaced part of the oats 🙂
Karen says
I wanted a really simple recipe as I've never made plant milk drinks before and my confidence levels were low!
I can honestly say that it was easy.
I usually only have milk for smoothies or coffee, so it was perfect for me.
I had a teeny taste on its own and I had to add a little maple syrup.
Really impressed with the simplicity and the quality. Thank you.
Iosune says
Hi Karen! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Have a nice day!
marsha sweet says
Your Oat Milk is the best!
Have you ever made Oat Ice Cream?
Years ago there was a product called "Oatscream" (until about 10 years ago). It was the only vegan or any ice cream product given the okay by Heart Doctors.
Then the product vanished.
I would love to make it myself. Do you know how to make it??
Thanks,
Marsha
Iosune says
Hi Marsha! Thanks a lot 🙂 I’ve never heard about it before, so I can’t help you, sorry!
Jerry says
I have become a great fan of oat milk in a few short months. I branched out from a very simple recipe of oats, water , vanilla flavor & pancake syrup to experimenting with fruits,nuts , berries & varied other delicious sweetners. Good quality honey, ummm! Tomorrow it’s blueberry + home roasted pecans with 🍯🐝‼️
Iosune says
Hi Jerry! Sounds great 🙂
Carol Horne says
Once again, I feel more analysis of the benefits of physical acid for sufferers of colon or breast cancer should be done. Throwing away phytates may be misguided... let’s say the jury is still out.. after all, holistically, nothing is ever black or white. Perhaps a link to medical articles would be informative for those who are curious about this issue. As an NHS employee I will use our national library resources to see what exists and post any links later on
Iosune says
Hi Carol! I prefer to discard the water because the milk has a better texture when you use clean water, but it's up to you!
Carol Horne says
I notice 2 references about the benefits of phytates in comments, outlining medical research conducted and inclusion of phytates in healthy high fibre diets being ok- especially with cancer- Although you thanked commentators you don’t seem to have changed your opinion about the issue? Can you explain why?
Iosune says
Hi Carol! I'm not a doctor, and I've found articles about the benefits of including phytates in our diet, but I've found more that recomend to avoid them 🙂
Nilesh Joshi says
I am vegan.
Thanks for your simple recipe
I will try to make Oat milk tomorrow.
Iosune says
Hi Nilesh! You're so welcome 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Atma Love says
Hi iosune. Thanks for sharing, and for your remarkable patience to the repeated questions :-). I just made a batch, soaked 1 cup of Tesco whole rolled jumbo organic oats for about an hour (in filtered water - don't want to consume the fluoride or chlorine our governments use to control the population), strained and rinsed (filtered water) blended well with 3 cups (750 ml) of filtered water and a little Himalayan salt in a Tesco personal blender. Strained through a cotton tea cloth. Yield of 810 ml quite good tasting oat milk, good consistency. Just made a coffee for Mum and added the oat milk instead of toxic cows milk. No curdling! She hasn't commented so I guess it has passed the test. Now I just need to store it in a dairy milk bottle so she doesn't know the difference 🙂 Peace and love.
Iosune says
Hi Atma! Thanks SO much for your comment 🙂 So glad you and your mum enjoyed it!
Jean says
I used gluten free oats and a vitamix and had no pulp! Have you made this with the gf oats before? Did you get pulp out of yours? I strained thru cheesecloth in a sieve and just got a small bit of slime. Is this ok?
Iosune says
Hi Jean! I've always made this using regular oats. If the milk tastes good and have a good consistency, it's okay 🙂
Sheila says
I used a nut bag but it was sooo thick that i added several more cups of water. Also when i poured it on my cereal i observed a little bit od stringiness. Should i have strained it again.
Iosune says
Hi Sheila! Did you use a powerful blender? It could help... Add as much water as you need. You could also use a strainer, instead of a nut bag. Hope it helps!
Sheila says
Iosune, I used a Vitamix! I used a strainer after the nutbag. Not sure what I did wrong but I'm definitely going to try again! Does anyone else have it separate? Mine did--thick stuff on bottom, thinner on top. Still going to try again! I know it will be worth it.
Iosune says
Hi Sheila! You could also use another brand of oats. Hope it works next time!
Sarah says
Had great luck with this! I much prefer a bit of sweetener since it tastes "dusty" to me otherwise. Soaked version thickened a bit when heated for hot cocoa that was great. Quick, no-soak version became gelatinous and undrinkable though still worked in scones. I've recommended this to friends because it's so simple, cheap and comparatively low impact.
Iosune says
Hi Sarah! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂