How To Make Oat Milk
Oat milk is a delicious and creamy plant-based, dairy-free milk. All you need are oats, water, and a blender – it’s easy! But there’s one drawback, homemade oat milk is known to be a bit slimy. Watch the video below to see how to make non-slimy oat milk (with a secret trick!)
Oat Milk is a Dairy-Free Favorite
There are so many non-dairy milk options available nowadays, including almond milk, cashew milk (my personal favorite), hemp milk, and even homemade banana milk.
But oat milk has really taken the world by storm over the last couple of years and surged in popularity. You’ve probably seen it at your local market or favorite coffee shop. Which is no surprise given that this is one of the creamiest dairy-free milks with just the right amount of sweetness and perfect for those with nut sensitivities.
But when it comes to ingredients, commercial brands like Oatly undergo quite a bit of processing. Intensive heating may be used and there’s added oils or thickening agents such as xanthan gum, which help make it extra frothy with a longer shelf life. So if you want to avoid these additives, it’s time to whip up your own right at home.
Let me show you how to make oat milk with a few tips and tricks to create the perfect consistency.
What Type Of Oats Are Best For Oat Milk?
When it comes to choosing oats, rolled oats are your best option. Quick oats are too processed (which can create more slime) and steel cut oats are not processed enough. I describe the different types of oats on my oatmeal recipe.
But always make sure to buy certified organic, gluten free oats. Many commercial oats are processed in facilities that are contaminated by grains such as wheat, barley, or rye. And non-organic oats have been tested to have unsafe levels of glyphosate, an herbicide you definitely want to avoid.
How To Make Oat Milk
In just 3 easy steps you’ll have delicious oat milk in no time:
- Blend all the ingredients. Add the oats, water, and any additional sweeteners to a high powered blender. Then blend for 20-30 seconds (make sure not to over blend).
- Strain the mixture. Pour it through a nut milk bag or thin towel over a large mixing bowl or pitcher. You’ll want to double strain the mixture to make sure all the sediment is removed.
- Store the oat milk. Transfer the oat milk to a sealed container and store it in the fridge.
Oat Milk Recipe Video
There’s a little nuance to oat milk, so it really does help to watch a quick tutorial video. And in the video below I’ll share my tips and tricks. Give it a watch!
How To Avoid Slimy Oat Milk
The number one complaint of homemade oat milk is that it’s slimy. But you’re in luck. After testing more than 6 batches of oat milk, I have a few tips:
- Use ice cold water: heat can make the oats more starchy and gummy (just think what happens when you make oatmeal), so use ice cold water or swap a cup of water for ice cubes when blending.
- Don’t overblend: if you blend the ingredients too long they’ll start to warm, and you’ll run into the same problem I just mentioned above. Don’t blend for more than 30 seconds.
- Strain well: strain through a high-quality nut milk bag with a very tight weave. I hardly have any sediment in mine when I use this nut milk bag, but you could use dish towels as well. Just don’t use a strainer or cheesecloth as it’s not tightly woven enough.
- Don’t over squeeze: as you’re straining and squeezing the oat milk in the nut milk bag, be gentle. You don’t want to squeeze firmly like you do with almond milk as you’ll squeeze out more of the starchy compounds.
How to Make Oat Milk the Least Slimy
If you’d like to go a step further and make your oatmilk the least slimy possible, there’s one more trick: enzymes.
After reading how Oatly processes their milk with enzymes I decided to try the same concept with store-bought digestive enzymes. Here’s what I did:
- Added oats to a bowl and covered with an inch of water.
- Opened two capsules of digestive enzymes and stirred those in the bowl with oats and water, then let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Strained the mixture over the sink and rinsed it good with water from the faucet.
- Transferred the washed oats to the blender along with 4 cups of cold water.
- Blended the oats for 20-30 seconds.
- Strained the oat milk through a nut milk bag.
- Stored the oat milk in a sealed container in the fridge.
This was BY FAR the least slimy oat milk option. Why? It’s due to the amylase. Digestive enzymes are typically broad spectrum, with a variety of enzymes to break down many foods, including sugar (sucrase), fat (lipase), protein (protease) and carbs/starch (amylase).
It’s that last enzyme that’s most important to oat milk though. The amylase breaks down the oat starches and makes the oat milk non-slimy.
So then I got to thinking, is there a food with enough enzymes that could do the same thing? Well, there are many foods with natural enzymes, but keep in mind that they’d flavor the milk as well. I tried adding a banana in one batch and honey in another, which both contain natural enzymes. And most importantly, they wouldn’t make the milk taste gross, like if I were to add kimchi or sauerkraut.
Unfortunately, other than flavoring the oat milk, the banana and honey didn’t have much effect on the sliminess factor. But the effect of the digestive enzymes was quite dramatic. The only drawback was that this milk was not only less slimy, but also less creamy. It had a consistency more similar to skim milk. But some folks may prefer that.
If you’d like to experiment further in the kitchen with your oat milk, then give enzymes a try!
How To Store Oat Milk
After it’s blended and strained, pour the oat milk into an airtight jar such as these juice jars or mason jars. Then store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Note: without any stabilizers or emulsifiers the milk will separate in the fridge. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before drinking.
Ways To Use Oat Milk + Tips
Homemade oat milk works great in baked goods, smoothies or cold beverages. But it’s not the best option for hot beverages as it may thicken up and become slightly slimy again. Because it lacks fat (unlike nut milks), it doesn’t froth well either. I did try adding a little coconut oil, but it still didn’t froth well (in my opinion).
When adding a sweetener to your oat milk I recommend maple syrup rather than a date. Because the blend time is so short, a pitted date may not fully blend into the liquid.
What To Do with Leftover Oat Pulp
You can add the leftover oat pulp to cookies, granola or to any smoothie for a nutrient boost. You can also pamper your skin with the oat pulp and create a face mask or add it to a bath.
More Dairy-Free Milk Recipes
While homemade cashew milk is still my personal favorite, it’s always fun to try different options or make blends of these homemade milk recipes:
How To Make Oat Milk (Non-Slimy + Tips!)
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 4 cups ice cold water
Optional
- 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add oats, water, and any additional sweeteners to a high powered blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Make sure to not over-blend.
- Strain the oat milk mixture by pouring through a nut milk bag or thin towel over a large mixing bowl or pitcher. If you'd like, you can double strain the mixture to make sure all the sediment is removed.
- Transfer the oat milk to a sealed container and store in the fridge.
Lisa's Tips
- This is my favorite nut-milk bag and the large glass measuring bowl I use (so helpful for pouring!).
Hi, and thanks for this, it’s super clear. Do you think it would work okay in a food processor?
A blender is best for this recipe!
i can’t for the life of me find the link to the video. Help!
Hi Dani – The video should be in the post! But, you can also head on over to my Youtube channel for the video.
Hi, I wanted to know if this method of making oat milk is considered fortified milk and am I getting vitamin D from this recipe?
Hi Johnny – no, this is not fortified milk. Most homemade nut milks are not fortified.
My family stopped drinking cows milk as we became more aware of how a cows are treated. We discovered that milk has mucus and pus in it, since the animals are treated so horrible, have diseases and forced to breed at least 6 times so that they can lactate! This is animal cruelty to the max. No wonder my family and I always felt sick after we drink it. I drink oat milk and my family drinks soy. They are now starting to drink oat milk since I informed them about its benefits. I am thankful for your video to learn how to make my own oat milk. Thanks!
Happy to hear my video was helpful in creating the best oat milk!
Is there a name of the type of enzyme to use? That way I can look for it online please. Thank you.
Hi Roxanne – you can use any brand of digestive enzyme, as long as it has amylase.
The only recipe I use when making oat milk. After months of trying others.
How long can you store this milk? And can I use dates as sweeetner?
Hi Erin – I will normally put the storage instructions in the post :) But this will keep for about one week in the fridge. And yes, you can use dates as a sweetener instead.
looks great! I am buying the same nut milk bag and will try this recipe because i don’t want the store bought oat milk that has oil which causes me inflammation.
Question – how do you easily remove the oat pulp from the bag? Looks very very sticky. thanks :)
Can’t wait for you to give this a try! I normally just rinse it out thoroughly in the sink. It’s not that bad :)
Lisa 1st time making oats . Used vitamix it was very thick.
Can you tell me why is it imp to not have a slimy consistency?
It’s just personal preference, more than anything.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much, I have tried and totally amazing, not slimy at all, and beautiful texture. However, I have trouble with oat milk separating after a few hours. I know it’s normal but do you have any idea to prevent that?
Hi Ann- It’s completely normal for the milk to separate! Just give it a good shake before drinking :)
You are amazing, great website ! Blessings to you from switzerland, Jeanne
Thanks so much, Jeanne! I appreciate the lovely feedback. :)
This worked well and tasted great. I don’t have a vitamix but my old blender wasn’t too bad took some more time but the end result was all that mattered. Another great Lisa recipe.
Glad this oat milk recipe was a success Salome! :)
Hi, here’s some additional hacks I’ve used in the past that work well without causing sliminess:
After you’ve made and strained the oat milk put it back in the clean blender with dates, purée and strain again if you don’t want to use maple syrup
I’ve made and strained nut milk and then used it to make oat milk instead of plain water, the variations are limited only by your tastes (banana, almond, oat is my favorite).
Thanks for sharing your tips, Tony!
Hello Lisa, thank you for sharing this simple yet delicious recipe> I was wondering what can I do with the left over oat pulp?
Hi Ana – I have a few tips listed in the blog post above. :)
Thanks, fast and nice
Hi. Your oat milk recipe was delicious! Thanks for sharing. I noticed the measuring cups you were using and the dripping on the counter. I wanted to share a better brand of measuring cups … Anchor Hocking. The large ones have the measurements embossed into the glass so they never fade from dishwasher use. I also find far less dripping when pouring.
Looks great! I’m just a little confused how this whole recipe can have only 12 grams of carbohydrates. 1 cup of oats have about 56 grams of carbohydrates, how does that translate into being only 12 in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Hugh – that’s because you’re straining out much of the oat pulp and not eating it. :)
Just to ask another clarifying question – is the nutrition information per serving or total? Couldn’t tell for sure. Thanks!
Hi Kate – the nutritional facts will always be per serving :)
Thank you so much for this recipe and the tips. I just made this. It was super easy and it came out PERFECT!
I am a new vegan and this will be my go to recipe. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe. Blessings to you.
Hi Gail- Wonderful! Glad to hear this recipe was a success :)
Thank you so much for such an informative video addressing making healthy Products.
Josie
This recipe was super easy and delicious! My family is loving this oat milk. I feel great knowing exactly what’s in the oat milk we are drinking. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Becky- Homemade oat milk is the best! Glad the entire family is enjoying this recipe :)
Hi Lisa,
Could you please tell me at what speed do you blend the ingredients in Vitamix? And for how long?
Thank you!
Hi Roma- You’ll blend for about 20-30 seconds on high :)
Lisa—first of all, thank you so much for this recipe! My partner made oat milk one time and it was so slimy that it was undrinkable! So I’ve been using this recipe ever since and it’s so good and quick-total lifesaver since I never want to wait for cashews or almonds to soak. :) I’m now trying to accurately measure this so I can use it for another recipe, and wanted to know approximately how many total ounces this recipe yields? Since the recipe says 8 servings is 19kcal, etc., how many oz in each? Thanks again!
Hi Keala – I’m so happy you love this version! The recipe makes approximately 4 cups, and each serving is 1/2 cup (4 ounces). :)
Hi Lisa, is it possible to remove the raw taste of oats in the milk. I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats. Thank you!
Hi Margaret – you could always use more sweetener or vanilla flavoring. But I do think the oat flavor is to be expected with oat milk.
Thank you Lisa
Thank you for a simple and easy recipe, which will save us so much money in the future. Just awesome!
Hi Cindy- Homemade oat milk is the best :) Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
You forgot the ingredient list! Made one for myself from the video; just sayin’. Trying this this week,
Hi there – You can find the ingredients in the bottom recipe card!
Thanks for this recipe!
I noticed that the enzymatic prep involved rinsing the oats prior to blending, a step that the “standard” prep omitted. Could this (eliminating powdery starch before it’s dissolved in water) be the reason for reduced sliminess, and not the enzymes?
The rinsing reminded me of rinsing rice to reduce grains sticking together, so it seems possible to me.
Might be worth trying a rinsed version and rinsed with enzyme version if you care about knowing for sure. I’m not a scientist either, but remember from school that we should only modify 1 variable at a time when experimenting.
Hi Caitlin – I did try soaking the oats (without the enzyme) but that actually made them more slimy. The enzyme definitely made the most profound difference.
I was also curious about this – the rinsing, not the soaking! I’m going to try it. I’ll let you know!
I tried it. It didn’t make a difference really. The milk wasn’t slimy until I started squeezing the nut milk bag. It’s not too bad, but I was hoping for better!
Can you make oat milk in a food processor
Hi JoAnne – This will be better in a blender :)
Hi Lisa,
I’m so excited to try your oat milk recipe, as I’ve made slimy oat milk before and it’s horrible. I looked up your type of digestive enzyme, just to compare, and the amylase is a BAU (bacterial). Most digestive enzymes on Amazon have amylase in a DU form (non bacterial). Do you think this would make a big difference in the outcome?
Thank you!
Hi Heather – that’s a good question, and unfortunately I’m not sure on the answer.
Is this suitable to add to porridge or will it become thicker/slimy?
Hi Tahira – You can add this to porridge if you’d like! The consistency will be fine since this oat milk recipe isn’t too slimy or thick.
I made this and the milk became slimy even before I could drink it.
Hi Laura – Do you make sure to use ice cold water and only blend for 20 seconds? Did you also try with the enzyme? Oat milk is naturally slimy but there are ways to minimize it.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for experimenting to get the milk right and describing the different outcomes! I only have quick steel cut oats (they cook in 7 min) I can’t get anymore groceries for now, as I have everything I need. My question is: If I use those oats, what kind of adjustment should I make? I’m not very picky when it comes to consistency, or even sliminess. I also don’t have enzymes. I hope you can help me with this.
Hi Rosie – steel cut oats can just result in a less creamy oat milk. But if you use them, I’d recommend soaking for 15-20 minutes before blending. Hope that helps!
I like this oatmilk recipe. I’ve been trying to find an alternative milk that is more like real milk – ie, I like that cow milk changes the color of my coffee to be lighter, and it adds a creamy texture to my milk. I think that almond milk is to “thin”. I’m not supposed to have cashew :( I had heard that that will add a creaminess to the milks also. Any other suggestions?
Hi Lisa- Yes, almond milk is a bit on the thin side if you’re looking for a more creamy texture. So oat milk is a great alternative for this! This specific recipe is not as thick as store-bought oat milk, but it will still do the trick.
any thoughts on “whitening” it up? its an aesthetics thing when drinking coffee, needs to have a lighter shade….;)
Haha, that’s not something I worry about.
Thanks for the great tip. Just started this adventure with oat milk :)
Awesome! Hope these few tips and tricks help :)
If only using this recipe for coffee and cereal will the sliminess even be a factor or is it even “slimy” in coffee? I rarely if ever just drink a glass of milk.
Hi Crystal- This recipe can be used in coffee, however if you’re warming it up, it might not be the best choice since it won’t froth up like your store-bought versions. I will hope to create a new recipe that mimics the barista version :)
How much is a serving?
Hi Belle – One serving is about 1/2 a cup
made this today and as promised it was REALLY easy! it’ll tide me over until this period of restricted movement is done and I can buy oatly again :’) it really wasnt slimy at all!
quick question though – I’d like it to be a bit thicker, this felt a little thin. can i reduce the water by about 10-20%?
thanks!!
Hi Sunny- So glad you found this recipe easy to follow! In terms of consistency, you can try reducing it a bit. Also, usually it will thicken up a bit by the second or third day sometimes.
Hi Lisa
What about phytic acid? I always thought that it‘s really important to cook oats or let them soak at least over night, in order to reduce the phytic acid in them? I’d be interested in your opinion about this, thank you in advance.
Hi Diana – Yes, phytic acid can be reduced by soaking and sprouting grains, but if you eat a balanced diet it shouldn’t be a problem. As always, everyone’s body is unique and you can always work with a nutritionist to determine what’s best for you. :)
Hi, if this helps I love the brand: “One Degree” sprouted rolled oats.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your post, it was really helpful for my oat milk experiments!
As you mentioned, the broad spectrum digestive enzymes contain lipase, I would imagine that’s why your enzyme oat milk was less creamy (commercial oat milk producers also add oil to their product to make it creamier). Amylase and glucoamylase are readily available for home brewing and can be used for oat milk. Amylase is the main enzyme used by commercial manufacturers and it can be put right in the blender with your oats and water, the oat milk just needs to be heated to 63C/145F to denature the enzymes and stop them from breaking the starches down further.
A study from 2012 found that allowing the amylase to ‘digest’ the oat starches for about 50 minutes produced the optimum yield and texture. You actually get more “milk” from the mixture by using the enzymes than you would otherwise (with an amylase/glucoamylase mixture, my strained oat slurry comes out to about 1/4 the amount of oats I put in).
The process is a bit more involved, but I’ve had great success using 1 tsp amylase for every cup of oats used. I put the oats, water and amylase in the blender, blend until smooth, let it sit for about an hour, strain and then heat however is convenient (I use a candy/meat thermometer to check the temp). I then put the strained ‘milk’ back in the blender and add some coconut oil, salt and any other sweeteners/flavoring, blend it up until the oil is incorporated and then use/store.
I promise it’s actually super easy than and I wouldn’t think it was homemade if I didn’t know better!
Thanks for sharing all of your information and knowledge Marie!
Marie
Does your method make it suitable for hot liquids?
Hi Lisa! I love all your recipes. I’m wondering if using a sieve would work to strain the milk. I just don’t want to spend the money on a nut milk bag if it won’t make a huge difference. (poor college student over here!!)
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kylie – If you don’t have a nut milk bag, then you can use a sieve :)
Hello! Does regular Quaker old fashioned oats work with this?? Thank you!
Hi Emily – Those should be fine, only if you are not gluten-free. I have autoimmune diseases and can’t eat gluten, therefore I have to be careful as to what type of oats I buy!
Yes it does
There are many digestive enzymes, or ingredients of these out there, from the looks of it. I don’t know anything about them. Which kind or type worked for you? Thank you.
Hi John – any broad spectrum enzyme that contains amylase should work just fine.
So excited to try this but have a question for the future. Do you think it could be modified to make a “creamer” for my coffee and tea. Perhaps lowering the amount of water? I really miss creamer and hate to think of all the junk in some I’ve seen in the market or if they are pretty good ingredient wise they seem to be very cost prohibitive ,
Hi Lisa- Yes! I hope to make a more creamier version sometime in the future that will be great for hot beverages!
This was so so quick and easy! I used about a half cup of ice cubes as part of the 4 cups of cold water and used my large nut milk bag. Very tasty (even without salt) and it has no additives or excess sugar like the boxed products. Thank you for the recipe!!
By the way, my husband loves your your breakfast egg muffins and makes them himself!
Hi Donna – So glad this recipe turned out well for you! It’s always nice to know that homemade versions have no excess ingredients :)
Really great tips, Lisa! I was wondering what is the best way to fortify nut- or plant-based milks you make at home? I’d like to sneak in some extra vitamin D and calcium if possible. Thanks!
Hi Christine – I personally don’t fortify my milks as I take a calcium and vitamin D supplement, but that would be a great question for your doctor or nutritionist. :)
I adore oat milk but haven’t tried making it myself until now! Thanks for all the great tips. This must be the absolute cheapest way to enjoy ‘milk’! And I love that there are no tetra paks like when you buy it.
Hi Katherine – It’s nice to know homemade versions don’t have all those extra additives :) I’m glad you can enjoy it!
We get through a lot of oat milk, so it has saved us so much money making it ourselves.
Hi Dannii – Making it right at home is definitely cost effective, but also just as delicious!
This is just great. I love all the great tips. I’m going to make my own oat milk now.
Hi Krissy- Definitely did a lot of testing for this one :) Can’t wait for you to try it!
Hola Lisa… i luv cashew milk just like you. But lately its been hard for me to find it. So, saw your video and i happened to have all the ingridients… i just made this just as you explained it to the “T”
Came out perfect! So excited… Thank you 🤗
Hi Yoliana – I’m so glad you enjoyed this oat milk recipe! It’s a great nut-free alternative as well :)
Love your recipe. It is a great alternative to regular milk. Plus, it is healthy! :)
Hi Irina – This has definitely become a new favorite alternative milk :)
Made this with my daughter who has trouble with regular milk. We filtered twice with a nut milk bag and then one final pass through our Kone filter (which we also use for coffee – Chemex). Came out silky and delicious!
Hi Steve – So glad this recipe came out perfectly for you and your daughter! Definitely a recipe to keep on hand as a milk alternative :)
Oh ! Lisa, j’adore vos vidéos. Bises
Thanks so much! I’m glad you’re loving my recipes and videos. :)
Oh wow! Thank you for all the work you testing so many recipes of this to bring us the perfect one. Can’t wait to try making this oatmilk!
You’re more than welcome Laura! I hope you enjoy this homemade version. :)