If you usually buy plant-based milk, making oat milk at home is surprisingly simple and budget friendly. You only need a blender, a fine-mesh strainer, and a few flavoring choices to create a smooth, creamy milk alternative.
Commercial flavored milks can be high in fat and sugar. This lighter oat milk uses rolled oats as the base and is sweetened to taste. Natural sweeteners like date paste or soaked dates add a rich, caramel-like sweetness; maple syrup or date syrup also work well.
Oats are a nutritious pantry staple, and turning them into milk is as easy as blending and straining. Like almond, rice, or soy milk, oat milk is refreshing and versatile: drink it plain, use it in coffee, or pour it over cereal.
Straining is key for silky, non-grainy oat milk. After blending soaked or rinsed rolled oats with water, pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove sediment. A bowl with a spout makes transferring and re-straining easier; many home cooks strain twice for an extra-smooth texture.
From here you can stop for a plain oat milk, or gently fold in vanilla and your chosen sweetener. To make strawberry oat milk, blend fresh chopped strawberries with the water before adding oats. Be aware that strawberries introduce seeds and additional sediment, so you’ll need to strain again. Rinse the strainer and blender between passes to achieve the creamiest result.
Sweetened strawberry oat milk tastes bright and nostalgic, but with a fresher, creamier profile thanks to the oats. If you want a chocolate twist, add cocoa powder while blending to create a chocolate-covered strawberry flavor—no extra straining required. Seasonal fruit variations are easy to experiment with: peaches, raspberries, or berries all make flavorful alternatives.
For more ideas using oats, check out cookbooks and resources focused on oatmeal and oat-based recipes.
Easy DIY Strawberry Oat Milk with Flavor Variations
Kathy Hester
15 mins
milk, staple
American
5 cups
75 kcal
Equipment
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1 Blender
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Fine-mesh strainer
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Bowl or pitcher with spout
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 6 pitted dates, or sweetener of choice to taste
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder optional
Instructions
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Add the water and chopped strawberries to the blender and blend until smooth.
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Add crushed ice and oats and pulse the blender. Keep the blender from overheating; a few small oat pieces are fine.
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Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or pitcher with a spout.
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If the strainer clogs, use a spoon to scrape and press the mixture through.
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Discard the sediment, rinse the blender, then pour the strained liquid back into the blender for a second quick blend and strain if desired for extra smoothness. The remaining sediment will be mostly seeds and oat particles.
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If you want a chocolate variation, add cocoa powder and blend until combined—no extra straining required.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 1g
Sugar: 8g
Fiber: 3g
oat milk, strawberry oat milk
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