The Easiest Homemade Oat Milk Recipe

Ingredients

• 80 g (3 cups)old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2.13 litres (9 cups; 4.5 pints)water

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the oats

   Put the oats in a bowl and pour over 2.13 litres (9 cups) of water, making sure the oats are covered. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Blend and strain

   Tip the oats and their soaking water into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve. Keep the pulp to make oatmeal.

3. 3

   Refrigerate the milk

   Refrigerate the oat milk and keep it for no more than 5 days.

What is oat milk?

Oat milk is a plant-based drink made by blending oats with water and straining out the solids. This American-style homemade version keeps the ingredient list short and uses a soak before blending.

The method is straightforward: soak the oats, blend them with the water and filter the mixture. Saving the leftover pulp gives you another use for the oats.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 132 calories, 5g protein, 24g carbs, 2g fat.

The oats provide most of the carbohydrates and some of the protein, while the water adds no macros. The recipe lists a small amount of fat per serving; enjoy a serving alongside fruit or another favourite breakfast food for a more rounded plate.

Why soak the oats?

Soaking time: the recipe calls for 30 minutes in water that covers the oats. This gives the oats time to soften before they go into the blender.

Blending and straining

Blending: process the soaked oats and water until smooth, as directed. The recipe does not specify a blending time, so use the smooth texture as your cue.

Filtering: strain through a nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve to separate the liquid from the oat pulp. Save the pulp for oatmeal rather than discarding it.

Choosing the oats

Rolled oats: use old-fashioned rolled oats, as specified. The recipe gives the quantity as 80 g (3 cups), so weigh the oats if you want to follow the stated metric amount.

Serving and using it

This recipe makes seven servings and can be poured into a glass or used wherever you would use oat milk. Give it a stir before serving if it has separated during storage.

Using the leftover pulp

Oat pulp: the method suggests saving it to make oatmeal. Keep the pulp separate from the strained milk and use it promptly.

Recipe notes & tips

• Make sure the water covers the oats during the 30-minute soak.
• Blend the oats and soaking water together, as the method specifies.
• Use a nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve to strain the blended mixture.
• Keep the oat pulp to make oatmeal.
• Refrigerate the finished oat milk and use it within 5 days.

Variations

• Keep it plain: follow the two-ingredient recipe as written.
• Use the pulp: save the strained oats to make oatmeal, as suggested in the method.
• Choose a sieve: strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you do not have a nut milk bag.
• Make a smaller batch: scale down both ingredients proportionally.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Short soak: leave the oats in the water for the full 30 minutes.
• Oats not covered: add the specified water so it covers the oats in the bowl.
• Skipping the straining: filter the blended mixture through a nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve.
• Discarding the pulp: save it for oatmeal, as the recipe recommends.
• Keeping it too long: refrigerate the milk and use it within 5 days.

How to store

Refrigerate the oat milk and keep it for no more than 5 days. The recipe does not specify a reheating method; stir before serving if it has separated.

Frequently asked questions