Homemade oat milk is an easy & delicious alternative to cow’s milk. Learn how to make oat milk at home with this easy tutorial, and check out all of the tested methods below to see if taking any extra steps is worth it.
Whether you need lactose-free milk or are looking for a vegan alternative to popular options like soy milk and almond milk, this oat milk recipe is a delicious option. It takes just minutes to prepare and can be used immediately in coffee, smoothies, over cereal, or for baking.
Unlike homemade almond milk, which makes AMAZING foam for lattes, oat milk will not foam when heated. In fact, it can become rather slimy if you bring it to a boil. (Think of how cooking oatmeal on the stovetop makes it congeal.)
I spent my week testing several popular methods for making non-slimy oat milk below, so be sure to check those out if you are curious, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Oat milk can be made with only rolled oats and water, but I like to add a touch of maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt for extra flavor. It reminds me of Elmhurst brand oat milk, which is made with similar ingredients.
If you are looking to make a barista-style milk, similar to Oatly brand, be sure to check out the extra steps I tested below.
Is oatmeal gluten-free? These grains are naturally gluten-free, but they don’t always work well for those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Oats can be contaminated during processing, so be sure to look for “certified gluten-free” on the package label if you need to use gluten-free oats in this non-dairy milk.
How to Make Oat Milk
1. Blend.
Combine the oats, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and water and blend briefly in a high-speed blender until the mixture looks creamy.
Important Note: Don’t blend for more than 30 seconds, or the mixture could heat up and become slimy in texture.
2. Double strain.
Arrange a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the blended oat mixture through it. This will separate the oat pulp from the liquid.
Do not squeeze or press the oat pulp to remove excess liquid, as this will make the oat milk slimy. (This is why I don’t recommend using a cheesecloth or nut milk bag, as you might be tempted to wring out the excess liquid.)
Save the oat pulp, if you like, or add it to your compost. It doesn’t have a particularly appealing texture, but you can add it to your morning oatmeal to reduce waste.
Pour the strained oat milk through the cleaned fine mesh strainer one more time, to make sure you’ve removed as much sediment as possible. (The more pulp left in your oat milk, the more slimy it will be later.)
3. Enjoy!
The strained oat milk can be used right away over cereal, in smoothies, or as a creamer in your morning coffee. It works especially well in iced coffee since homemade oat milk doesn’t like to be heated.
Store leftover oat milk in the fridge for up to 4 days. Separation is normal when you store any homemade dairy-free milks so be sure to shake well before using it again.
Tips for Making Non-Slimy Oat Milk
If you’ve ever tried making oat milk at home, you may have noticed that it can have a slimy texture when compared to other non-dairy milks. This is because oats contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which can create a slimy texture when combined with water.
(Similar to how psyllium husk creates a magical gel when you let it soak in water.)
Knowing this, research suggests that cooking oats or adding a digestive enzyme with amylase might help to reduce some of the starch that creates the slimy texture when making oat milk.
I tried both of these methods, along with adding oil to the mix, to try to create an oat milk more similar to the Oatly brand you’d buy at the store. Below are the results!
Test #1: Soaking oats with digestive enzymes.
The logic behind this method is that the enzyme amylase will digest some of the starch naturally found in oats. In theory, this should help reduce the slime-factor when blended later.
I tested this method two times. First, I used a super enzyme tablet dissolved in water that reached 150ºF. (The warm water, in theory, should speed up the enzyme activity, without killing it. Don’t use boiling hot water!) Then I added the oats to the warm water with the enzymes and let them soak for 40 minutes.
After soaking, the water did not taste lovely. It was bitter, and that flavor transferred to the oats, too. I thought adding maple syrup to the mixture might help balance out the bitterness, but it didn’t.
Despite the unpleasant flavor, I went ahead and tested this oat milk by heating it up on the stove top. It thickened up as if I hadn’t added the enzymes at all, so that was super-disappointing and a waste of my time and ingredients.
To make sure it wasn’t user-error, I tested this method again with a different digestive enzyme that contains both amylase and glucoamylase. I emptied a capsule into warm water (150ºF) and added the oats to soak for 40 minutes. This time, the results were MUCH better!
The soaked oat water didn’t taste bitter, and when I blended the oats with their soaking water, the results were creamy and tasted great. It can also be heated without thickening, if this is your goal. Ultimately, almond milk still creates a much better option for lattes (oat milk doesn’t create a thick foam), but this oat milk variation can be warmed up successfully.
Conclusion: This method added another 45 minutes to the overall prep time, as well as the extra expense of buying digestive enzymes. However, it does work, with one caveat. The correct enzymes reduced the slime factor significantly and prevented the oat milk from thickening up when heated. However, the added enzymes will continue to work as the oat milk is stored in the fridge, so the next day the flavor isn’t quite as delicious. Bringing the oat milk to a boil before you store it in the fridge should help to stop the enzyme activity, but that is another added step that makes this method less appealing overall (to me, at least).
Test #2: Toasting the oats.
Research suggests that toasting oats can break down the starches they contain.So, the logic behind this method is that toasting the oats before blending them might reduce some of the slime created by the starches naturally found in oats.
To test this, I spread dry rolled oats on a baking sheet and toasted them at 250ºF until they were lightly golden, about 1 hour. Next, I prepared the oat milk recipe as directed above.
Conclusion: Toasted oats create a slightly more tan-colored oat milk that is more grainy in texture, even with a high-speed blender. There is definitely no slimy texture in this case, and it did not thicken when heated. However, it’s also lacking in creaminess and doesn’t have a satisfying mouthfeel, so I don’t recommend this method for making a creamy non-dairy milk.
Test #3: Adding oil.
Popular store-bought brands add oil to non-dairy milk to help with texture. In this case, I wanted to see if adding expeller-pressed coconut oil would help improve the texture of the oat milk. (Refined coconut oil adds zero flavor, but another mild flavored oil could be used. Just make sure you enjoy the taste, since it might be noticed in your milk.)
I tested this method two ways. First, I added a tablespoon of coconut oil to the liquid ingredients of this recipe and blended until the coconut oil dissolved in the water. It became chunky at first, but eventually dissolved as the water warmed up from blending. Then, I added in the oats last so they wouldn’t be over-blended.
In this case, the oat milk didn’t act any differently than the oat milk made without oil. It still thickened, and did not create any foam when heated for a latte. (It also thickened when heated.)
The second way I tested this method was adding a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil to an already prepared oat milk, as directed above. I wanted to see if the oil would give the oat milk a better texture for coffee, so I heated it in my electric milk frother. The coconut oil did not add any flavor to the oat milk, but it also did not help with creating foam. It didn’t appear to be any different in texture when compared to the oil-free version.
Conclusion: Adding oil to the oat milk doesn’t seem to improve the texture of oat milk when heated.
Ultimately, none of the options above felt “worth it” when compared to the simple 5-minute method of blending oats and gently straining them. I hope reading about these experiments will save you some time & effort! (Not to mention, help to trim down your grocery bill.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike almond pulp, which has several uses, leftover oat pulp from this recipe will be quite wet and slimy. There’s also not a lot of it, so it’s difficult to save. With that being said, you can immediately add it to oatmeal, batter for pancakes, or into a smoothie for extra fiber.
Yes, but it’s best to start with the strained oat milk after you make the recipe above. To make one serving, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to 1 cup of prepared oat milk. Mix well and taste the milk and make any adjustments to your liking, such as adding extra cocoa powder for more chocolate flavor.
Oat milk is more affordable than nut-based milks, like cashew milk, but it’s not particularly high in protein or calcium, and is not always appropriate for those who suffer from gluten intolerance. Despite the fact that oats are gluten-free, those with celiac disease can’t always tolerate them.
Steel cut oats will not break down as quickly as rolled oats or quick oats. To make a creamier milk with them, soak the steel cut oats for at least 1 hour before blending and straining.
No! To make a non-slimy oat milk, you need to have the oats in contact with water for as little time as possible. This is why you should only blend them for 20 to 30 seconds before straining.
Looking for more oat-based beverages? Be sure to try this easy Iced Oat Milk Latte, which is made with home brewed coffee, or my favorite Oatmeal Smoothie.
How to Make Oat Milk (Not Slimy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the water, oats, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to a high-speed blender and blend briefly, about 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture looks creamy. Do NOT over-blend, as this will make the consistency more slimy.
- Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, and tap the sides of the strainer to make sure the liquid strains through. (Don't use a spoon to press the pulp into the sides of the strainer, or the resulting milk will be slimy. This is also why you also don't want to squeeze through a nut milk bag for straining.)
- For an extra-smooth milk, rinse off the strainer and then pour the milk through it a second time. This will strain out any extra sediment for an super-smooth oat milk.
- Use the milk right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This homemade milk will separate when stored, so shake it again before using.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this oat milk recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it worked for you.
this is going to sound stupid, but what about oat flour…oats are oats right?
Yes, oat flour is just ground oats, so I think that should work the same. Just keep in mind that you don’t want to over-blend this to avoid the “slime” factor, so the oat flour might need even less blending time.
Have you used the oat pulp in any recipes? I’m alway curious how to use up the pulps so 8 don’t waste any food. Thanks!
I think the only thing I’d save it for is to add to smoothies. The pulp is pretty slimy and hard to work with, and you’ll only wind up with maybe 1/4 cup or less after scraping it out of the strainer, so I’d just throw it in the freezer to save for a smoothie. (Or maybe you could add it to a bowl of oatmeal later?)
I agree with Jessica that this is the best oat milk recipe available. I also had nothing but slimy results with soaking rolled oats beforehand. I even tried re-straining the milk after it was in the fridge awhile (not as slimy but still?!)
(Tayler) I use the leftover pulp & the slimy residue to make dog & people food/treats (mix the pulp w/PB or whatever suits your taste & freeze for doggie popsicles, mix in muffins, add to a favorite dish)…the slimy residue is great for thickening sauces, etc…just save it in a jar or freeze as suggested. It doesn’t affect the taste of most things either. You’d be surprised at what you can actually do with it!
Dogs are NOT suppose to eat oats! or grains. they are carnivores! oats will eventually give health problems.talk to you’re vet.
Cats are carnivores. Dogs are omnivores.Dogs are also able to digest starch and oatmeal is not a bad grain for them overall.
My beloved greyhound DIED of the so-called “grain-free diet” fad in dogs. Dogs have evolved for over 40,000 years to eat human SCRAPS – which means grains. Dogs CAN eat oats, just like humans can. Please for the love do your research on actual websites not social media, look at PubMed and other sites for true data. 99% of dogs should not be on grain-free food. Dogs are not wolves either, they are hundreds of thousands of “generations” removed from them, so they don’t need to eat or live like them.
Our vet actually specifically warned us against grain free diet.Many dogs have health issues because of all the grain free dog food out there now. Also, dogs don’t need meat to be healthy. So please do your research using reliable sources before posting comments completely unrelated to subject of this blog.
Umm – dogs are actually omnivores, like humans, and grains are NOT bad for them. Cats, on the other hand, are obligate carnivores, so they have to have meat in their diet. This whole grain-free dog food trend is just silly anthropomorphizing. Yes, please DO talk to your vet about it. I’m sure he (or she) is a more knowledgeable animal nutritionist, having spent four years studying the subject in VET SCHOOL… I have more than a passing knowledge from my thirty-plus years as a veterinary technician.
When we got a cat my dog got very jealous and only wanted to eat the same food as her. We Complied until he started having health problems. Luckily we caught it in time and took him to the Vet who specifically told us he needed more grains and roughage
dogs are omnivores
My two pugs are fed a vegan dog food/diet and our vet says they’re the healthiest pugs he’s seen in all of his years of practice. Absolutely no health problems and they’ve been vegan for about 8 years.
This is a great idea! I just made some in ice trays. I’m sure doggies will love it.
The pulp makes for a great body and face scrub for kids and cures itchiness.I preserve mine in a bottle with a few drops of lemon.You can safely use it for 2-3 days.
I add the oat pulp to a regular pot of oatmeal. I can’t even tell it’s in there, and I believe it’s still nutritious. You don’t blend the heck out of it like you do with almond or coconut milk (where you squeeze every little bit out and you’re left with pure fiber). There should still be plenty vitamins and minerals, and that “slime” is soluble fiber that’s actually good for us!
We put the left-over oats in pancake mix. Adds some body and fiber!
How do you adjust the pancake mix ingredients when you add the oat pulp?
You can also add the pulp to a bath for a soothing, moisturizing oatmeal bath. If you don’t want all the pulp floating around in the bath then just wrap it up in some cheesecloth
I’VE BEEN MAKING DOG TREATS USING THE PULP LEFT OVER FROM HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK. I PLAN ON USING THE PULP LEFT OVER FROM MAKING OAT MILK AS WELL. I THINK IT WILL WORK SINCE I ALREADY USE OATS IN THE RECIPE. FOR THE DOG TREATS 🙂
You did it!! Thank you for sharing your method, because every other recipe I’ve tried online makes slimy milk. I figured I must be doing something wrong, but I think you’re right, soaking the oats first makes them slimy. I like how you use less oats than other recipes I’ve seen, too. This turned out perfectly.
Just made it this morning and it turned out awesome. I did your coffee creamer trick with the added coconut oil, and it worked great! It’s a little thinner than regular cream, but I’m trying to avoid dairy and I love that I can bring this to work with me without worrying about nut allergies. (I’m a school teacher, so we have to be nut-free in the classroom.)
Hi Naomi! I too am trying to reduce my dairy intake for better health and am hoping to try this recipe in my daily coffee creamer alternative.
Can I ask how much coconut oil you used in your blend? And do you add it right away? Or do you add it when you are making your coffee? Any helpful tips you can share for the “coffee creamer” aspects of this oat milk would be great!
This worked great for me. Much cheaper than buying it at the store. This recipe is going to be my new go-to.
What if you just have a regular glass oster blender? Is it not powerful enough?
In this case, the worry is about over-blending, so a normal blender should work just fine! Just blend until it looks creamy.
How interesting! We drink a lot of oat milk in Colombia, and it’s slimy. In fact, that’s my favorite aspect of it!
Hi megan! I love your recipes! Quick question: with the oat milk have you tried using any other oil than coconut oil? I can’t eat saturated fats. Would avocado oil ruin the taste? I’d love your ideas. Thanks!
If you like the taste of avocado oil, go ahead and try it! You’ll mildly taste whatever oil you use, but I think any added fat should work for use as a coffee creamer.
Love this recipe!
Suggestion for the pulp – Banana Oat Pancakes. Simply add a ripe banana, 2 eggs, tsp vanilla essence and a pinch of salt and blend. Sprinkle pancakes with cinnamon, add a dollop of natural yogurt, top with a few, berries and a drizzle of maple syrup … yum!!
PS – note to Kristie re Coconut oil -if you are avoiding saturated fats due to ” high cholesterol, you should know that the fatty acid chains in coconut oil are unique and actually help boost HDL (or “good”) cholesterol to ward off heart disease and lower high triglycerides. Studies also show that coconut oil helps to improve brain function and is even recommended for people with Alzheimer’s … so its a shame that people are afraid of using this remarkable oil. Just worth doing a little research before writing it off completely 🙂 .
Julie,
There is a lot of controversy around the claim that the medium-chain saturated fat in coconut oil (which is about 80% saturated fat) is not harmful to heart health or even improves it.
Here’s a good summary from Healthline:
***********
Superfood or Poison? Here’s What the Experts Say About Coconut Oil
Breaking down the coconut oil controversy.
Is coconut oil “pure poison”?
Last month, a doctor from one of the country’s leading health institutions sparked a tsunami of debate on the oil’s health benefits by uttering those words.
Karin Michels, PhD, ScD, professor at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and director of the Institute for Prevention and Tumour Epidemiology at the University of Freiburg in Germany, made the declaration at a conference in late August. Her speech quickly went viral and the backlash was fierce and pointed, particularly on Twitter.
The hashtag #coconutoilcontroversy quickly sprouted up with many people tweeting about the benefits of coconut oil, while disparaging the doctor for making such a blanket statement.
The long history of coconut oil
The general argument in favor of coconut oil is that it’s been used for centuries in Southeast Asian countries without detriment to those cultures. Many took offense that a Western doctor was imposing her beliefs on a product that non-Western countries have used for decades.
It’s true that coconut oil is a staple cooking ingredient in India, the Philippines, and Indonesia. In India, the oil is also popular for hair and skin care regiments.
What’s changed though, is that in the past five years or so, people in the United States and other areas of the Western world have come to embrace the use of coconut oil with a fervent passion. So much so that coconut oil has moved into the rarefied world of “health-halo” status.
Meaning, its health benefits tend to be viewed as a cure for a host of ills.
So, is it superfood or poison?
Melissa Majumdar, RD, is the senior bariatric dietitian at Brigham and Women’s Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She told Healthline that coconut oil isn’t poison, but it also doesn’t deserve superfood status either.
“I don’t like to call food good or bad, let alone poison,” she said, “but coconut oil is not the saving grace that we think it is.”
Coconut oil is derived from the white flesh of the tropical fruit. Once pressed, the oil can last up to six months without spoiling. That’s because it holds a low oxidation rate and therefore doesn’t become rancid as quickly as other oils.
Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, about 80 percent. Red meat contains 50 percent saturated fat, while butter holds about 65 percent of saturated fat.
Studies have shown that consuming too much saturated fats can cause to rise in the blood stream. This is the bad fat that can ultimate lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease.
How did a highly saturated fat such as coconut oil transition to superfood status?
According to a story from Business Insider, the buzz about coconut oil stems from a studyTrusted Source published in 2003 on the health benefits of medium-chain triglycerides. The report showed that these types of fatty acids can help people boost their metabolism.
It appears food bloggers and influencers, and food marketers caught wind of the report and extrapolated that information on to coconut oil — which also contains medium-chain triglycerides.
But according to Majumdar, people may not be aware that medium-chain triglycerides only make up about 14 percent of coconut oil. The rest are long-chain triglycerides — the ones that can cause heart disease.
What’s more, the author of the medium-chain fatty acid study told Time magazine that her report was done with so-called designer oil, which contained 100 percent medium-chain triglycerides (fatty acids). The study found that a person would need to consume 15 to 20 grams of the designer oil to boost their metabolism, according to the magazine.
Other studies have tried to answer this ongoing public debate about the benefits of coconut oil, but so far, research hasn’t provided a clear answer. A 2016 meta-analysisTrusted Source of coconut oil research published in Nutrition Reviews looked at 21 studies. The report said there aren’t enough well-designed studies yet for any real meaningful conclusions to be determined.
“Coconut oil generally raised total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to a greater extent than cis unsaturated plant oils, but to a lesser extent than butter. The effect of coconut consumption on the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was often not examined… Given the limited number of intervention studies in this area, along with the methodological flaws evident in existing studies, further well-designed randomized trials that include appropriate controls, are adequately powered, and examine a range of CVD risk factors are required,” according to the report.
Majumdar said despite inconclusive evidence, the health benefits of coconut oil continue to linger in the public’s collective mind. A New York Times survey showed that 72 percent of the public view coconut oil as healthy, compared to just 37 percent of nutritionists.
She noted that people also believe that coconut can help cure diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, among many others.
Majumdar said it’s challenging to fight the healthy narrative that now defines coconut oil. She doesn’t want to make people afraid of food, but she’s committed to making sure the public has the correct information about the oil.
Her main takeaway is that people should keep their saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of total calories consumed, which includes coconut oil.
“It needs to be put into perspective,” she said.
*************
Here’s some more good cholestererol and oat information from the Harvard Medical School website:
Cholesterol
Cholesterol isn’t entirely the health villain it’s made out to be, its name darkly linked to heart attack, stroke, and other types of cardiovascular disease. Our bodies need cholesterol, which is a type of lipid (another name for fat) to make cell membranes, key hormones like testosterone and estrogen, the bile acids needed to digest and absorb fats, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is so important to the body that the liver and intestines make it from scratch.
What is “bad” about cholesterol isn’t the substance itself — in fact, we can’t live without it — but how much of it is in the bloodstream.
The body packages cholesterol in two main particles: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the so-called good cholesterol. Too much LDL in the bloodstream helps create the harmful cholesterol-filled plaques that grow inside arteries. Such plaques are responsible for angina (chest pain with exertion or stress), heart attacks, and most types of stroke.
What causes a person’s LDL level to be high? Most of the time diet is the key culprit. Eating foods rich in saturated fats, trans fats, and easily digested carbohydrates boost LDL. Genes are sometimes at the root of high cholesterol, and some medications can boost LDL.
If you have high cholesterol, making changes in your diet can help bring it down into the healthy range. Exercise can help boost the level of protective HDL. Several types of medication, notably the family of drugs known as statins, can powerfully lower LDL. Depending on your cardiovascular health, your doctor may recommend taking a statin.
Also this:
“Grain of the month: Oats
“Oats, which are high in soluble fiber, appear to be the most effective grain for lowering cholesterol…”
Thank you for this recipe, what a great alternative to buying almond milk! I have a question.When I make this, the liquid flows through my strainer so quick I am not sure that it’s actually correct. Can you let me know, is it supposed to linger longer? Possibly my strainer is not fine enough? Thank you!
It may be that your strainer isn’t fine enough. I find that mine gets clogged during this process, so I usually can only do half the batch, then rinse the strainer, and then strain the rest.
Hi. I’m wondering if a cheesecloth will do the job, because that’s a bit different from a nut milk bag? Or will it just make the milk just as slimy?
I think of cheesecloth as having a similar mesh texture to the nut milk bag, so my guess is that it would make it slimy. You don’t want to squeeze or press any of the milk out, so if you can make it simply “strain” through the cheesecloth without squeezing or pressing, that could work.
I have tried making oat milk by soaking…rinsing…not blending long…timing the soaking to no more than 30 minutes…WOULD NOT GO THROUGH MILK BAG.
Tried again with sieve. Worked. But slimey. EWWWWWWWW!
Then I found YOUR way. Just made some. PERFECT.
No soaking. No milk bag. Followed your directions to a T…thank you so very much!
My blender just broke, can this be made in a food processor?
Probably! You might need to process longer than you would a blender, but since you’re straining out the pulp it should be okay!
I found this site after two unsuccessful attempts at making oat milk. After reading the bullet points at the beginning of the post, I could see what I did wrong. I followed the steps and it turned out perfectly! Mixing the date and the water first was brilliant and allowed the date to mix fully prior to blending the oats. 30 seconds in a cheap Oster blending (brand-new, though) was the right amount of time to break down the oats.
Hello—I noticed my oat milk got slimy the next day. Have you seen this before? Any ideas on how to prevent it?
My first time trying oat milk, not creamy, still tasty good. I’ll try again and mix it in a bit longer and higher level. I used the leftover oats from the straightener to make oatmeal, I added some rolled oats and half of a banana and used the oat milk. Not bad at all 🤪
Hi, Would you consider saying what kind of strainer/sieve you use? I’ve tried with my “fine mesh strainer” and I’m not sure it’s fine enough, but I don’t know how to tell. Would appreciate knowing what kind you use!
If you scroll to the bottom of my post, I have a “shop the post” area where I provide links to the equipment I use. You can find the strainers here: https://amzn.to/2TuqAms
Thank you! Sorry for missing this previously! Now I know where to look! Can’t wait to try this.
No Slime!!! And the coconut oil did the trick in making it creamier. I’m going to experiment with sunflower oil next. Question: I found the taste a little watery for me. Could I increase the oats or decrease the water to get more of the oat flavor?
I’m so glad it was successful for you! I think you can increase the oats a little bit more, just keep in mind that the more oats you add, the more risk you have of a slimy texture. It’s a tough balance! I believe most store-bought milks use a 10% ratio of oats to keep the slime-factor down.
try roasting the oats beforehand to increase the Oaty flavour! just put in a heated pan for about 5 minutes!
I am very excited to try this recipe. I am looking to make yogurt. Can I add cashews or mix cashew milk with oat milk Your suggestions are greatly appreciated
Hey, I followed your recipe, but my oat milk doesn’t foam 🙁 And that’s what I want to use it for… Can you help me?
Did you add fat to the milk to make it foam? That’s what the commercial milks sold at the store do. If you’ve tried that, I would possibly try adding a little more, or try blending it with some sort of nut or seed if you have it to help with foaming. Homemade almond milk foams ridiculously well, and I believe it’s due to the fat content.
So easy and seems to have come out creamy but not slimy.
I used my strained oats to make little griddle cakes. I’m not completely dairy free/vegan so I added a spoon of greek yogurt, 1 egg, spices and maple syrup for sweetness. Only yielded a couple cakes but perfect for those of us who live alone.
Hi,
Just found this great recipe after trying so many others.
Do you add the coconut milk at the time of blending or after you have put if through the fine-mesh strainer?
I have a Blendtec blender, do I use the highest speed or can I use the pulse for 20-30 seconds?
I made the Oat milk according to you recipe and I added a tsp of coconut oil. I tried frothing in my electric frother but it didn’t froth at all. When I use store bought it froths beautifully. I would really like to make my own Oat milk but frothing is really important to me. If you have any more suggestions for me I’d appreciate it.
Thanks, Daniele
P. S I added the Oat pulp to my home made kale soup as a thickener, yum.
Hi Megan! Thanks for so many wonderful recipes, I love your website and I use it all the time. I have a question about the oat milk: My husband uses it in his coffee, and he likes to make “lattes,” so he heats the milk to just before simmering to mix with his coffee. He’s been using Oatley, but we tried making our own this weekend with your recipe. It was great cold, but it turned very gooey and slimy upon heating…which the Oatley doesn’t. I’m wondering if they add something to prevent this? It wasn’t slimy at all until he heated it…thanks so much!
Yes, they add rapeseed oil and use a ratio that is only 10% oats, along with preservatives. I think you’d have to use some sort of nut or oil, and very little oats to get a similar result at home. (Not sure if the preservatives do something regarding that, either.)
They use an enzyme to break down the starch.
https://www.jeffnobbs.com/posts/is-oatly-healthy#comments
I rinsed and drained mine really well after soaking. It was not slimy but next time will try w/o soaking for a time saver.
I just gave this oatmilk a try. FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for the recipe!
I have an inexpensive Ninja blender and after blending and straining I had a lot of tiny pieces of oats stuck in the strainer and it was very thin milk. Is this normal or is my blender too weak?
How much liquid milk does this yield ?
It makes roughly 3 cups.
Made today without the date. So delicious. Heads above what we purchased at Trader Joe’s and $.33 a batch! Thanks for a great recipe 😀
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for coming back and letting me know.
Just made this, so easy and tastes good, thank you, I bet you could add cocoa and make chocolate oat milk 😀
Thanks for spending time on this baby 👶 very good information 😘
Do you rinse the oats first?
Can you use toasted oats? Just saw them at Costco and was curious if the flavor may be better?
I don’t rinse the oats. I haven’t tried toasted oats, but I imagine they would work well!
I was looking for something that would steam well for me lattes. This totally worked! I did use a teaspoon of soy lecithin for the first attempt. It held together and had the level of foam that I like. I did not use a date, but next batch I will add some sort of sweetener. Aside from that just wanted to let folks know that it is suitable for use with a steaming wand. You just saved me a boatload of money- thank you!!!
Forgot to mention- I blended it exactly 20 seconds in my Thermomix using 3 cups of water. No slime at all!!! (Themomix is a very high-end blender and blends comparable to a Vitamix.)
Thank you so much for this informative post. I needed to switch from nut milk to something else and this sounds so much easier. Do I conclude that oat milk would not be an appropriate substitute in recipes using hot milk like soups and cream sauces, etc.? I can use almond and soy and others but you said cold is better for oat milk? Thanks for any clarity you can bring.
Is it normal for it to separate in the fridge? Also is it supposed to have a powdery taste?
Separation is totally normal with any homemade non-dairy milk, so you’ll just need to shake it again before pouring. I’m not sure about the powdery taste, though. To me, oat milk tastes like a mild oatmeal flavor.
Hi, I have recently made oat flour in my vitamix. Couldn’t I use oat flour and blend it with the water? There must have been a reason why you did not go this route. Thanks!
How long will it last?
Usually my homemade milks last 3-4 days in the fridge, since I don’t use any sort of preservative. I’d recommend making only what you will consume in that amount of time!
This came out with zero slime, which was fantastic! However, the consistency is more like skim milk, very watery. Can I change the ratio of oats to water to make it thicker without making it slimy? Thank you!
The thicker it gets, the slimier it gets, unfortunately. I tested this recipe with more oats and found it to be a little to slimy for my kids’ tastes, but feel free to try it and see what you think! I think that’s why so many companies end up adding oil and gums to the store-bought brands, to help with the texture.
I’ve found that the more oats I use, the slimier it gets… so it’s definitely tricky! I think the best solution would be to combine it with some sort of nut for a creamier option, if you don’t need to avoid nuts.
hm For some reason adding the coconut oil didn’t work to make it creamy for me…. it still won’t froth…. But fine to add to smoothies instead of almond milk, which is why i needed it mostly, so thanks for sharing.
I loved it – so easy and cheaper than store bought!
Hi, could I use white oats and expect the same results ?
Thank you!!
I made this last week from another recipe (that claimed it would NOT get slimy) and it was terribly slimy. This took less time and came out perfect.
I’m so glad that it worked out for you! Thanks for letting me know!!
I love this. To make it more creamy I drop it to 2.5 cups of water. 2 batches gives me 500ml. Job done!
By the way, was the nutritional value for 100ml or 250ml. I apologise if you have already posted the info before.
Regards
Helga
Can the leftover oats be used in a recipe? What would you suggest?
Great, easy and super quick recipe! We had some in our coffee this morning and it tasted better than store-bought almond milk we usually buy! Thanks for sharing!
The reason why you soak oatsis that oats (like all seeds) contain phytic acid which robs the body of essential minerals. This only pertains to the actual meal or snack containing the oat milk and doesn’t accumulate or affect subsequent foods you eat. But worth being careful
We’re currently under stay at home orders due to the virus. I forgot to buy oatmeal. Can you make oat milk from oat groats?
I don’t think I’ve tried oat groats yet, but I imagine they could work. You’ll probably just have to blend longer. Please come back and let me know if you try it!
Any ideas how to add more protein.
As for pulp you can use in veggie burgers or loafs
I didn’t think I cared for slime or not when searching for variations to start making my own oat milk, but I truly appreciate all of the time spent identifying different techniques and their results !! Amazing post
I would like to put Vanilla in my oat milk? But how much?
I would probably start with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and then taste it from there.
Thanks you so much! Will try that!
Tastes like water with an undernote of undercooked oats. No one here liked it. Followed directions minus date cuz I don’t have any.
This recipe is great if you’re drinking the oat milk immediately. I followed the steps to a T and got non slimy beautiful oatmilk; however, when I stored it in my container and placed it in the fridge the next morning the oat milk was all slimy again 😪
Hi! I just used your recipe to make oat milk because the one I made earlier today was slimy. Yuck! It had a good taste but the slime was too much for me. So far your recipe isn’t slimy and works perfect in cereal. I love how cheap it is to make (opossed to almond milk which my family loves and we also make ourselves. ) I added honey and vanilla to make it a little sweet. Thank you for this recipe!
I think this is a great recipe! I am trying to make this oat milk for my morning lattes. I have been adding a 1/2 tsp of coconut in with the milk prior to heating to help it froth / foam better. However, my oat milk separates within a few minutes of adding the milk to my espresso shot. Do you have any tips or tricks on how to prevent it from separating so quickly? (I shake it already prior to heating it as well, but it just separates so quickly in my cup). Thank you!
Sunflower lethicin will bring the oil and water together 🙂
How much sunflower lecithin do you use? I have capsules I could drain into the milk.