Homemade Oat Milk
Homemade oat milk is a smooth, creamy dairy-free milk that’s surprisingly easy to make with just a handful of inexpensive pantry ingredients. In only a few minutes, you can blend up a fresh batch that’s perfect for coffee, smoothies, baking, or pouring over cereal. Once you see how affordable and simple it is to make at home, you will never want to buy store-bought oat milk again.
Never run out of oat milk again
Once I started making oat milk at home, I got hooked on the convenience of always having it on hand. I keep a few simple ingredients in my pantry, so whenever I run out, I can blend up a fresh batch in just a few minutes instead of making a trip to the store.
Homemade oat milk has a clean, fresh flavor, and unlike many store-bought brands, it contains only the ingredients you choose to add. It’s naturally dairy-free and nut-free, making it a great option for many households.
One of my favorite things about making it from scratch is how easy it is to customize. Leave it unsweetened, add a little maple syrup or honey for sweetness, or flavor it with vanilla and cinnamon to make it exactly the way you like it.
If you enjoy making simple, from-scratch beverages at home, be sure to try my homemade fruit kvass, herb-infused mocktails, and old-fashioned fresh squeezed lemonade too.
Recipe ingredients
- Whole Rolled Oats: Choose old-fashioned rolled oats for the smoothest, creamiest oat milk. Avoid instant oats, which can produce a slimier texture, and steel-cut oats, which won’t soften enough during the brief blending time.
- Water: Cold tap water is perfectly suitable for this recipe unless your water is heavily treated or has a noticeable flavor. If it does, use spring water for the cleanest, freshest taste.
- Pure Maple Syrup (Optional): If you like your oat milk a little sweet, add 100% pure maple syrup. It brings a light, natural sweetness that complements the oats far better than maple-flavored pancake syrup.
- Pure Vanilla Extract (Optional): Pure vanilla extract gives the oat milk a subtle, well-rounded flavor. Choose pure vanilla extract rather than imitation vanilla for the best overall taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make homemade oat milk
Step 1: Add the rolled oats, cold water, maple syrup (if using), vanilla extract (if using), and salt to a high-speed blender.
Step 2: Blend on low speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or just until the oats are fully broken down and the mixture looks smooth. Avoid overblending, which can make the oat milk thick and slimy.
Step 3: Pour the blended mixture into a nut milk bag or flour sack towel set over a large bowl or measuring cup. Gently squeeze until you’ve extracted as much oat milk as possible, leaving the oat pulp behind.
Step 4: Transfer the strained oat milk to a clean glass jar or bottle and seal it tightly.
Step 5: Refrigerate for up to 5 to 7 days. Shake well before each use, as the oat milk will naturally separate during storage.
Top tips
- Sweeten with Medjool Dates: For a whole-food alternative to maple syrup, blend one or two pitted Medjool dates with the other ingredients. They add natural sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor.
- Add Warm Spices: A little bit of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg adds gentle warmth and makes homemade oat milk especially delicious in coffee, chai, or fall-inspired recipes.
- Make Chocolate Oat Milk: Blend in two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolate variation. Add an extra drizzle of maple syrup or an additional date if you prefer a sweeter chocolate flavor.
- Start with Ice-Cold Water: Keeping the water as cold as possible helps minimize starch release while blending, resulting in a smoother, lighter oat milk.
Serve
Oat milk is incredibly versatile in the kitchen and can be used in place of dairy milk in most recipes. It’s delicious in your morning coffee — especially my French press iced coffee — and poured over a bowl of your favorite cereal.
It also works well in baked goods, smoothies, and homemade overnight oats. If you’d like to try it in recipes that were developed with plant milk in mind, use it to make my easy pumpkin smoothie, homemade chai spiced cacao, or traditional farmhouse pancakes.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you loved this simple homemade beverage recipe, give these other great drink recipes a try too!
Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade with Honey
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Homemade Arnold Palmer
Homemade Orangeade with Fresh Squeezed Oranges
Homemade Oat Milk
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole rolled oats
- 3 cups filtered water cold
- 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the rolled oats, cold water, maple syrup (if using), vanilla extract (if using), and salt to a high-speed blender.
- Blend on low speed for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag or flour sack towel set over a large bowl or measuring cup. Gently squeeze to extract as much oat milk as possible, leaving the oat pulp behind.
- Transfer the oat milk to a clean glass jar or bottle.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 to 7 days. Shake well before serving, as natural separation will occur.
Notes
- Cold water helps produce a smoother oat milk with a less starchy texture.
- Pure maple syrup and pure vanilla extract are optional and can be adjusted or omitted to suit your taste.
- Store the oat milk in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days.
- Natural separation is normal. Shake well before each use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I hope you enjoy making your own oat milk — it’s so creamy, customizable, and perfect for everything from coffee to smoothies! If you try the recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you — please leave a review and let me know what you think! If you have any questions or need any tips along the way, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below. I’m here to help and excited to hear how your homemade oat milk turns out!