We have been on a health kick lately, mostly due to health issues that have popped up (directly related to all the processed, yummy crap we have been eating) but also due to supply shortages. It forced us to get creative (we make a lot of stuff from scratch now). My husband is also lactose intolerant, but couldn’t stand the taste of Almond Milk. He had cashew milk and loved it and then saw Oat Milk in the store and decided to try it. He loved it as well.
Our Favorite Store Brand
For reference this is the one that we get from the store:
Well, it turns out I really love it too and I HATE the taste of Oats! The real test was Clayton aka Bubbanator (as many of you know him). He is a gallon-a-day dairy milk drinker (no, I am not kidding). He is also very particular and picky, but, he liked it too!
Great! But, at almost $4 for less than 1/2 a gallon, it’s expensive (especially when you have a young adult who drinks an entire gallon by himself every day).
So, I decided to try and make my own and replicate (as best as I could) our favorite brand.
It took five tries, but we got it as close as we possibly can without adding sunflower oil (which we were trying to keep out). The purpose was two-fold, eliminate the additives and save money.
So, here is my version of Extra Creamy Oat Milk.
Extra Creamy Oat Milk Recipe
Huge shoutout to Clayton for making it for me, following my recipe, so I could take pictures of the process to include in this post!
Supplies
Before you get started, make sure you have the following on hand in addition to the ingredients listed below. Those that have links are links to the products I use.
Glass Milk/Juice Jug
Nut Milk Bag
High Powered Blender (a food processor will not work, you need a blender)
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Large Measuring Cup/Pitcher
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup of Rolled Oats (I buy mine in bulk here, use code NuttyHiker for 10% off your order)
3 cups of VERY cold water
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
1. Add water, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender.
2. Add oats to other ingredients in the blender, top with lid, and blend for 40 seconds (I use the food puree button on my Nutri Ninja). Do not over blend as it will end up slimy. We like exactly 40 seconds, but the average with most recipes is 30-45 seconds. You just want to blend it all together, not make a puree.
3. Pour the mixture over a large mixing bowl or measuring pitcher through a nut milk bag and strain by lightly squeezing the pulp.
4. Transfer to a sealed glass milk/juice jug and refrigerate. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to shake well before pouring as it is natural for it to separate.
Notes
Water – I like to put the water that I plan on using in the fridge overnight to make sure it is super cold. Warm or room temp water can cause the mixture to become slimy. I also like to use filtered water instead of tap for a consistent taste. I definitely noticed a difference between using tap and filtered water.
Heating – Do not heat the oat milk. It will cause it to become thick and gelatinous.
I typically double this batch as we drink A LOT of oat milk!
Sodium – If you are watching your sodium levels, try lowering or omitting the salt. For one test, I did 1/8 tsp of salt, I personally did not notice a difference between the 1/8 and the 1/4, but my son swears he notices, so I make it with 1/4 tsp. I will probably slowly lower this….shhhhhh don’t tell him!
Nutrition as Made
The following is only an estimate.
Total Servings: 3 | Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 88 | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Protein: 1.6 g | Fat: 0.8 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.32 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 192 mg | Potassium: 40 mg | Fiber: 1.2 g | Sugar: 0.8 g | Vitamin A: 0 IU | Vitamin C: 0 mg | Calcium: 8 mg | Iron: 0.56 mg
Nutrition Made With Only Oats & Water
If you are not using maple syrup or salt, the plain version of Oat Milk has the following nutritional value (again this is only an estimate):
Total Servings: 3 | Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 25 | Carbohydrates: 4.5 g | Protein: 1.6 g | Fat: 0.8 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.32 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 6.6 mg | Potassium: 17.3 mg | Fiber: 1.2 g | Sugar: 0.06 g | Vitamin A: 0 IU | Vitamin C: 0 mg | Calcium: 3.52 mg | Iron: 0.56 mg
Printable Oat Milk Recipe
Feel free to download the PDF and print it out!
Oat Milk FAQs
What is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is the process of blending rolled oats with water and removing the liquid from the pulp. The leftover liquid is the “milk”.
My Oat Milk Separated. Is it still ok to drink?
Absolutely! It is normal for it (as well as other dairy-free milk) to separate. Shake well each time before pouring.
How long will it stay good?
It will stay good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a closed container. You will know when it goes bad as the smell will be “off”.
Can I use a food processor instead of a blender?
It’s not recommended as the ingredients will not thoroughly mix in a food processor. You will definitely want to use a high-speed blender for this.
Have you tried making your own oat milk? What did you think?
