What is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is a popular dairy-free milk alternative that’s made with oats. It is ultra creamy, very simple to make, and tastes great. It also calls on simple, inexpensive ingredients. You only need two main ingredients to make oat milk: rolled oats and water. From there, you can add extra ingredients to really make the oat milk your own. We’ve provided suggestions below.
Making Your Own Oat Milk From Scratch
Once I realized how simple oat milk is to make, I’ve found myself making it regularly. In fact, whenever I’m baking and realize I’ve run out of regular or other dairy-free milks, homemade oat milk is my hero! How can I prevent my homemade oat milk from being slimy? Starches in the oats can contribute to a slimy texture in homemade oat milk. Here’s exactly what we do to minimize sliminess:
Use cold water when blending. Don’t soak the oats. Don’t blend the oats too long. Stick to 30 to 40 seconds. Strain the oat milk, which removes excess starch (the main culprit for slimy oat milk). In fact, we prefer to strain twice.
Can I add sweetener or flavors like berries or chocolate to oat milk? Absolutely! For a slightly sweetened oat milk, add a little maple syrup or honey. You can also add a pinch of salt to balance the flavors.
For a berry flavored milk, add fresh or thawed frozen berries. For chocolate oat milk, add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder.
Do I have to use rolled oats to make oat milk? Will instant or steel cut oats work? For the best results, we recommend using rolled oats to make oat milk. Instant oats are more processed and risk a slimy oat milk. Steel cut oats are tougher to blend and won’t make oat milk that’s as creamy as when made with rolled oats. You can use them in a pinch, just make sure your blender is high powered. Why did my oat milk separate? Is it ruined? Don’t worry, some separation is completely normal. Simply stir or shake the milk before using. Does homemade oat milk froth? Unfortunately, no. Store-bought oat milks that froth have a few more ingredients added (like stabilizers) to help it froth and heat up without turning slimy.
More Recipes with Oats
Our Apple Crisp with Oats has sweet tender apples and a crisp and crunchy topping. These Extra Easy Black Bean Burgers taste amazing and are ready to eat in about 20 minutes! We use oats for the binder instead of eggs and breadcrumbs. Simple, Soft and Chewy Granola Bars are delicious as-is or can be adapted based on your favorite dried fruits, nuts or chocolate. Thanks to melted butter, these Easy Oatmeal Cookies require very little time to make and taste amazing.
4 cups cold water 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for vanilla milk 2 tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder, for chocolate milk Handful berries, for berry milk 2Strain the oat milk. This is best done with a nut milk bag, clean cotton dish towel or multiple layers of cheese cloth that has been set over a large bowl or pitcher. 3For the best results, double strain the mixture so that most of the solids are removed. 4Store homemade oat milk in a sealed container and store up to a week in the fridge. Shake or stir before using.
