Move over, almond milk – there’s a new dairy-free milk alternative on the block. Oat milk’s popularity has skyrocketed and has quickly overtaken other non-dairy options at grocery stores and coffee shops. Oat milk is sweet, tasty and versatile. If you haven’t tried it yet, there are many ways to use it in recipes and you can even make it yourself.
Why Is Oat Milk Popular?
Global oat milk sales reached $360 million in 2019. By 2026–27, forecasters predict the oat milk market may reach anywhere from $995 million to $2.2 billion. That’s a lot of oats!
Oat milk is in demand for a number of reasons.
It Has a Neutral Flavour
Oat milk has a sweet, slightly nutty flavour that melds well in recipes, especially for coffee and elixirs. It definitely tastes like oats, which many find comforting and familiar.
It Has a ‘Frothable’ Texture
Its starchy, sturdy texture makes oat milk easier to whip up and froth for foam or latte art (again, it’s very much associated with coffee lovers).
Oat milk is free of many common allergens: it’s soy-free, nut-free, seed-free and dairy-free, making it a good school-safe option or work-friendly choice.
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Homemade Oat Milk Recipe
We have an entire post dedicated to making nut/seed milk, so why create a new post with an oat milk recipe? Here’s the reason: the process for making milk with oats is a little different than traditional nut and seed milks. Homemade oat milk can turn sticky, gloopy and slimy, but we have a few key tips and tricks to prevent that from happening.
Don’t Soak Your Oats in Advance
With almost all other dairy-free milks (nuts, seeds, coconut, or rice), we recommend soaking the ingredients in water first. This helps soften them up for blending, especially with larger and hardier nuts. Do not soak your oats first.
If you’ve ever cooked a pot of oatmeal, you know how thick and sticky it can get (again, this is due to the beta-glucan content). Warm or hot water will make your oat milk gluey.
Don’t Overblend Your Oat Milk
When making homemade oat milk, you want to use just enough power to break them down (especially if you’re using a high-speed blender). We blitz ours for about 30 seconds using a high-speed blender. Excessive blending will create heat, which in turn activates that soluble fibre component and you’ll end up with slimy oat milk.
When straining your milk, let gravity do the work. Pressing your blended oats through a strainer, or wringing it out with a nut milk bag, will force more of that gooey soluble fibre into the final product. We like to use a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, and let the milk separate naturally from the solids (we will often leave the bowl for 10–15 minutes while it strains). If needed, you can gently press the pulp with a back of a spoon – but don’t overdo it.
Best Types of Oats to Use
We like to use gluten-free rolled oats for oat milk. Opt for oat with a thinner texture: rolled/old fashioned oats or quick oats. Beefier oat types, like steel-cut oats or whole oat groats, don’t break down easily when dry and that can mean longer blending times (and slimier oat milk).
Blend for about 30 seconds, until the oats are broken down. Don’t overblend.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the milk through the strainer. Wait 10 minutes for the liquid to strain through. The leftover pulp will be very sticky.
Add in a pinch of salt.
Seal in a container in the fridge and use within 3-4 days. Shake before using, as the milk will separate.
Oat milk is an all-purpose dairy-free alternative you can incorporate into multiple recipes, and it can be swapped in 1:1 for other nut or seed milks. You are also welcome to try mixing and matching with half oat milk and half of another milk alternative.
Smoothies
Toss your milk into your blender to use as the base liquid in your favourite smoothie recipe (or use it in a smoothie bowl).
Pour your milk into ice cube trays, then pop them into a large bag, jar or container. Use the cubes for smoothies, or defrost a few when you’re making an elixir or a recipe that calls for only a small amount.
Milk for Cereal and Granola
You won’t regret pouring oat milk over your bowl.
Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce
Oat milk offers a thick, creamy texture to dairy-free, cheese sauces. Hello, vegan mac and cheese!
Here's some inspiration! Use in Overnight Oats: Ditch the dairy and use it as a base for overnight oats or chia pudding. Enjoy as a Creamer: Add to savory soups or curries. Use in Your Healthy Baked Goods: Swap oat milk as a 1:1 replacement for dairy in any baked goods recipe.
Well sealed in the refrigerator, oat milk should last about 5 days. You'll know it's gone bad when it smells funny. Why did my oat milk separate? Separation is totally normal with oat milk and many other dairy-free milks.
To summarise, if you're consuming a large quantity of oat milk without any fibre, fat or protein to combat it, then it will likely raise blood sugar. “People are too obsessed with spiking blood sugar levels,” says Shah. “Food is meant to spike blood sugar levels,” she continues.
Oat milk can be heated. But if you're heating oat milk, you have to be careful not to heat it too quickly or it can become too thick. Microwaving is okay, but it's not ideal. Heating oat milk slowly on low heat will help you control the results.
Oat milk is a popular nondairy beverage you can use for smoothies, baking or simply drinking as is. Whether you buy refrigerated or shelf-stable oat milk, you'll want to store it properly to ensure it stays fresh.
Most oat milks have a lot less protein — 2 to 3 grams per serving — than regular milk, registered dietitian nutritionist Sharon Palmer warned. “If you use plant milks as a regular part of your diet, like in cereal and smoothies, make sure it's nutrient-rich,” she advised.
Oat milk contains a good quantity of fatty acids, protein, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and a variety of micronutrients and provides several health benefits, as it reduces blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and prevents cancer (Jeske et al., 2018). Therefore, oats are a promising alternative to traditional milk.
Is oat milk good for your stomach? If you're lactose intolerant, drinking oat milk as a plant-based alternative to cow's milk can definitely help reduce your symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, constipation and anything/everything therein.
However, this fan-favorite dairy alternative has steadily gained a controversial rap due to the ingredients and higher levels of sugar and fat that some brands may contain — despite appearing on the surface as a healthier, more Earth-conscious milk choice.
Do not blend any longer than 45 seconds or you run the risk of warming the oat milk which will make it slimy. If you are gluten-free make sure to use certified gluten-free oats. Line a large bowl with a nut milk bag and strain the milk through the bag.
Another human study showed that constituents like beta-glucans, dietary fibres, and avenanthramides might regulate blood pressure. Therefore, oat milk may reduce the risk of hypertension and might improve heart health.
One of the reasons that oat milk can be good for weight loss is due to the low number of calories that it contains. For every one cup of oat milk, you are going to be looking at around 130 calories. It is also low in sugar and fat, while being high in protein and fiber, two of the most important parts of your diet.
However, like any food or beverage, consuming oat milk in excess can lead to weight gain. It's important to consider your overall calorie intake and balance it with your energy needs. If you consume more calories than your body requires, regardless of the source, you may experience weight gain over time.
Used in smoothies or splashed on cereal, oat milk is a favourite dairy-free drink to add to coffee or tea as well, because it doesn't curdle like most other nut milks. Some oat milk fans say it's even nice (albeit a little thick) consumed straight.
It can be used to make yoghurts, cream and cheese. These gluten-free oat pancakes are perfect sweet or savoury. Here, I've made a honey and raspberry syrup. The mixture of the soft, oaty pancakes, the honey and the raspberries has a decidedly Scottish flavour.
Oat milk contains a good quantity of fatty acids, protein, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and a variety of micronutrients and provides several health benefits, as it reduces blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and prevents cancer (Jeske et al., 2018). Therefore, oats are a promising alternative to traditional milk.
Compared to other nondairy options like almond and rice milk, oat milk has more fiber (about 2 grams per cup) and protein (3 grams).But it's also higher in calories (120 per cup) and carbs (16 grams). If you prefer a lower-carb milk alternative, almond milk may be a better choice.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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