How to make Oat Milk (that’s NOT slimy! Finally!)

How to make oat milk in under 3 minutes for a creamy and smooth dairy free milk! This oat milk is NOT slimy and is a perfect dairy free nut free milk option!

I won’t lie. I absolutely love buying oat milk. It’s my absolute favorite dairy free milk on the market, and word on the street is that it’s actually one of the most sustainable options for dairy free creamer options.

But sometimes, I’m in the middle of a recipe, and I run out, or I just don’t feel like spending the money.

What’s more, many non-organic oat milks can be filled with glyphosate (which is why using your own favorite glyphosate free oats ensures that your oat milk isn’t filled with this!).  

Enter in the best method for how to make oat milk.

Seriously, I have some secret tips for how to make non-slimy oat milk. Because if you’ve ever tried to make this before, you’ve probably ended up like me and made some odd and bizarre gooey form that I imagine feels like eating that green slime on Nickelodeon.

So first, let’s go over what you’re doing that’s creating the slimy oat milk recipe, then I’ll walk you through how to make it non-slimy.

Oat milk is fabulous in smoothies, drinking as is, as a coffee “creamer,” and even wonderful in baking vegan cakes. 

Is it cheaper to make or buy oat milk?

I’ve done the math for you: purchasing oat milk can range from $3 to even $7 per gallon. Making your own oat milk can cost as little as $0.70 for the same amount.

Of course, this is dependent upon which oats you’re using, and which brands you’d typically buy. But it can be much cheaper to make your own oat milk, if you’re interested in saving some money!

Why is my oat milk slimy?

So if you’re like me and have tried to make oat milk before to no avail, you’ve probably encountered: the slimy oat milk.

Ick.

This happens for a few reasons that I’ve noticed others don’t really mention.

First off, many say to soak your oats. Do not do this. This activates the enzyme in oats that usually makes them bind together (like in overnight oats).

If you’re concerned about this enzyme (a few people are because it can sometimes irritate people’s digestive tracks), you can always purchase sprouted oats, like I do!

The second reason why your oats turn out slimy is because the water you’re using is not ice cold. Think about it. You cook your oats in warm water, right? If you’re using anything but cold water, you’ll start to activate the oats to form that slimy texture we all know as oatmeal!

And the third reason why your oat milk recipe is coming out slimy is that you’re squeezing the oat milk out of the nut bag. But I’ll go into how to actually strain the oat milk from the pulp in the next section!

Oat milk ingredients:

Making oat milk is truly my favorite of all dairy free milks to make because it literally takes all of 3 minutes, and doesn’t require any prep beforehand (who remembers to soak the nuts before you actually make the nut milk?! Not me ha!).

And what I love about this specific recipe is that it only uses mainly 2 ingredients, with 2 optional ingredients (though I highly recommend!):

• Rolled oats: You can actually even use sprouted rolled oats, such as One Degree Organics (what I used here). If you’re gluten-free, please ensure that you’re using gluten-free oats that are certified gluten-free. 
• Water
• Optional: dates, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, (or even maple syrup!)

How cool is that? Each of the optional add-ins add their own flavors to the oat milk. I do recommend adding in the date and the vanilla extract just for a touch of sweetness. Then it’s perfect in sweet baking recipes, or in coffee or smoothies. One single date does the trick, and just a teaspoon of vanilla. However, if you’ll be using this non slimy dairy free milk for savory recipes, then omit the date and vanilla and use the sea salt.🙂

How to make oat milk (that’s actually creamy, not slimy)

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

And that’s it! Simply pour your double strained oat milk into a clean glass bottle or container and store in the fridge! Seriously this process takes all of 3 minutes and is great for when you’re in a pinch for something creamy to put in your coffee or a sweet recipe 😉

Tips for getting the perfect oat milk every time

I just want to make sure that when learning how to make oat milk, you get all of the best tips so that we can avoid any oobleck messes, like I created while figuring out the best methods for making oat milk!

• Make sure your water is ice cold. Again, we’re making oat milk, not oatmeal haha!
• Do NOT squeeze the oat milk through the cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Oats are not like nuts! They act a bit different, so when you’re squeezing the oat milk, you’re also squeezing through the phytic acid that creates the gooey slimytexture.
• Do NOT soak your oats. Again, this will yield in a slimy oat milk, which is not what we want!
• Double strain the oat milk to yield the creamiest and smoothest texture. Just a bit of extra work, but the whole process start to finish really does only take 3 minutes!
• Do NOT over blend!! Only blend for maximum 40 seconds, less is even better! Aim for 30-40 seconds, as any more will yield a slimytexture.
• Make sure to store your oat milk in a sealed container: I recommend a Weck or Mason jar that seals airtight. This will help keep your oat milk very fresh!
• If after a day, you notice some oat sediment on the bottom of your glass, don’t worry: This is natural, since we don’t have any gums or thickeners in this non-dairy milk. Simply shake the glass a few times to get your oat milk creamy again.

What can I use oat milk for?

So many things! Really, anything that you would use regular dairy milk or another dairy free milk for. Smoothies, creamy soups, vegan custards, coffee.. the list goes on! I love using oat milk in herbal coffee because I find it creamier without the coconut milk taste.

It’s also wonderful in baked goods, like this vegan vanilla cake, or raw desserts, like this easy chocolate cheesecake.

You can even just drink this oat milk straight up! It’s that good, especially if you’re adding in the date and vanilla.

How do I know when my oat milk is bad?

Usually, homemade oat milk lasts for about 5 days in the fridge. However, you’ll notice that it starts to smell a little funky when it goes bad if it’s left there too long. 

Yes, this is shorter than store bought dairy-free milks, such as almond milk, but it’s also not filled with preservatives that make their shelf life last longer. And, if you’re like me, you go through oat milk pretty fast so no need to worry about your homemade oat milk going bad!

Can I make oat milk without a blender?

Yes, you definitely can still make homemade oat milk without a blender! If you have access to a food processor, then that’s all you need.

How do I make chocolate oat milk?

If you’d like to transform this classic oat milk into a chocolate oat milk, simply add in 2 tablespoons of melted vegan chocolate into the blender after you’ve blended and strained your oat milk. Pour your oat milk back into the blender and blend again until smooth!

You’re just going to love making your own oat milk as much as I do! If you give this recipe a go, let me know down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating for those who haven’t tried it out yet!

As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

Happy oat-milking!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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