CASHEW COCONUT OAT MILK (OUR OIL-FREE TAKE ON OATLY BARISTA MILK!)

Have you ever ordered an oat milk latte (or matcha) at a cafe, and wondered, “Why can’t I ever make it this good at home?”

Yes? Then this recipe is for you.

WHAT IS OAT MILK?

Oat milk is rolled oats and water blended together then strained to leave the pulp behind. The result is creamy oat milk perfect for adding to cereal, granola, baked goods, and more.

HOW IS THIS RECIPE DIFFERENT?

This recipe is specifically designed to mimic the texture of Oatly’s Barista milk, which froths and heats beautifully, whereas plain oat milk is less creamy, can often get slimy when heated, and tends not to froth well. Talk about a sad latte situation.

Blue and white tile with ingredients for making our homemade Cashew Oat Coconut Milk Creamer recipe

WHAT MAKES OATLY BARISTA MILK SO CREAMY?

This brings me to my next point. Oatly’s Barista blend is creamy and froths well largely because it contains a considerable amount of fat in the form of rapeseed oil.

We aren’t oil-free by any means, but would prefer not to drink oil, especially in such great quantities on a regular basis. (Anybody else have a daily matcha / latte habit?)

So, we went to the drawing board to come up with an oat milk that was creamy, rich, and — most importantly — heated and frothed beautifully. Sad lattes begone.

Spoiler alert: We cracked the code.

Blender filled with ingredients for making our Cashew Coconut Oat Milk Creamer

WHAT MAKES THIS OAT MILK CREAMY AND FROTHY?

The secret to this quick, 5-ingredient recipe is a blend of ingredients as opposed to pure oat milk. And what a delicious blend it is.

Cashews create a creamy, rich base, which complements the flavor of oats perfectly, while coconut flakes round out the creamy texture while also adding a bit of natural sweetness. This unique blend of oats, cashews, and coconut creates my ultimate, dreamy dairy-free milk!

The best part? It’s oil-free, easy to make, and heats and froths beautifully, making it the perfect latte companion. Whoop!

Pouring homemade creamy Cashew Coconut Oat Milk through a nut milk bag

Once blended, simply strain and watch the glorious stream of rich, dairy-free milk pour into your bowl. Swoon!

Using a nut milk bag to strain homemade Cashew Coconut Oat Milk into a large bowl

FLAVOR VARIATIONS

We opted to add a pinch of sea salt as well as a pitted date for a bit of natural sweetness.

If you’re looking to mix it up, you could also add:

A handful of fresh berries
A bit of our Golden Milk Mix
Cacao or cocoa powder

Simply add when blending to give this milk a flavor boost!

Glasses of homemade Cashew Oat Coconut Milk Creamer surrounded by ingredients use to make it

We hope you LOVE this recipe! It’s:

Creamy
Rich
Quick & easy to make
Customizable
& SO delicious

This dairy-free milk is perfect for heating / frothing and adding to things like our Best Matcha Latte, 5-Minute Golden Milk, Feel Good Hot Chocolate, or Perfect Cup of Coffee! It’s delicious with iced drinks as well. Our favorite way to enjoy this milk has been in our Breville Milk Cafe (not sponsored, we just love this thing) mixed with a bit of matcha powder and stevia!

Into dairy-free milk? Be sure to check out our Guide to Making Dairy-Free Milk!

If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram, and don’t forget to leave a rating! It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Cheers!

Pouring Cashew Oat Coconut Creamer into a glass

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

3/4 cup raw cashews (raw is best)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (we like the large flakes, but small is okay, too)
1/4 cup rolled oats (not steel cut, gluten-free certified as needed)
1 medjool date, pitted (or sub maple syrup or stevia to taste)
1 pinch sea salt
3 cups filtered water (or highest quality water possible)

Instructions

Soak cashews (uncovered) in very hot water for 30 minutes, or in cool water for 6 hours or overnight (be sure not to soak longer than 8 hours or the cashews can get too soft).
Drain and rinse cashews, then add to a high-speed blender with coconut flakes, rolled oats, date, salt, and filtered water. For this recipe (as written) we recommend starting with 3 cups (720 ml) water for a richer, creamier milk. If you prefer slightly thinner milk, add up to 4 cups (960 ml) total.
Top blender with lid, cover with a towel to ensure it doesn’t spill over, and blend on high for 60 seconds.
Place a nut milk bag (or thin, clean dish towel or t-shirt) over a large mixing bowl and pour the milk over it. Then strain, squeezing really well until mostly pulp is left — this may take a few minutes.
At this point the milk is ready to enjoy as is, or it can be refrigerated up to 4-5 days (sometimes — you’ll know if it’s still fresh by the smell).
This blend is perfect for frothing / heating, or used cold as a thick milk or “creamer” for hot or iced coffee or matcha! We haven’t tested freezing it, but suspect it would work, though it’s always best when fresh.

Notes

*Recipe as written makes ~3 ½ cups milk/creamer.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with full amount of ingredients included. Actual nutrition per serving will have slightly fewer calories, fat, carbohydrates, etc. due to straining through nut milk bag.