As a home barista, I always struggle working with plant-based milks. I love how they taste but not how they look in coffee. Texturizing them is such a pain! That’s until I found oat milk. Can you froth oat milk?
Let’s find out together!
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Topics Explored
- What is oat milk made of?
- What does oat milk taste and look like?
- Can you froth oat milk?
- How to froth oat milk
- Why oat milk is better for coffee
- Benefits of oat milk
- FAQs
What is oat milk made of?
Oat milk is made using 2 simple ingredients; water and whole, unprocessed oats. Soak oats in water, blend, and then strain them and you’ll have your finished product.
One 8 oz serving of oat milk contains 16 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat(1).
Believe it or not, oat milk has been on the market for over 20 years but only gained massive popularity 5 years ago!
The main reason is the rise in veganism. Switching to oat milk is frequently the first step towards this lifestyle change and making more eco-conscious choices.
What does oat milk taste and look like?
It’s easy to distinguish oat milk from dairy milk because of its thicker and more tan appearance. Thanks to its high carbohydrate content, oat milk has a slightly sweet and creamy taste.
Even though it’s unconventional, oat milk is worshiped by dairy milk lovers too!
1. Appearance
Commercial, plain oat milk can range from grey to tan, depending on the processing.
If you’ve ever tried to make it at home, you’ll notice a layer of sediment at the bottom – a smooth residue from the oat grains. Straining the milk through a cheesecloth remove most of the sediment.
2. Texture
Oat milk has a thicker texture compared to other plant-based milk. hen you first take a sip, you will notice its creamy mouthfeel that resembles dairy milk.
Some brands have thinner oat milk, so texture can vary depending on the formulation.
If you make it at home, you can change its consistency by adjusting the water to oats ratio.
3. Taste
When you first taste oat milk, you’ll notice a familiar flavor. It comes close to cow’s milk but has an oaty aftertaste that gives it away.
Oat milk is naturally sweeter than dairy milk but not sugary. It’s light and works excellent with sweet and savory combinations.
RELATED: Lowest Calorie Milk At Starbucks (Ranked)
Can you froth oat milk?
All these features sound perfect, but can you froth oat milk for lattes?
Surprisingly yes, oat milk froths well, but it requires a longer frothing time.
It’s not as difficult as almond milk due to the higher fat and protein content. You can even use oat milk for latte art, but baristas claim that they have to pour it harder because of the thicker texture.
How to froth oat milk
We mentioned you could froth oat milk, but the process is a bit different. If you’ve ever frothed dairy milk, it’s easy to learn how to froth oat milk. All you’ll need is a little more patience.
How to Froth Oat Milk
In a few simple steps, you can learn how to froth oat milk just like professional baristas!
Ingredients
- Oat Milk
- Water: enough for your espresso machine's steamer
Instructions
- Before starting the process, grab your frothing pitcher. Fill ⅓ of the pitcher with cold oat milk. Like dairy milk, oat milk almost triples in size when frothed.
- Make sure that the steaming wand is clean. Open up the steam valve and purge it to let any residual water or milk out before dipping it in the milk.
- Next, submerge the tip of the wand and turn on the steam valve. Keep the wand closer to the surface of the milk as we want to incorporate more air in the beginning. Then you can submerge it deeper.
- As the milk rises in volume, keep moving the pitcher upwards, but make sure it's dipped enough to create circulation. Use a thermometer, and don't let the oat milk's temperature exceed 140 ℉.
- Once the oat milk reaches 140 ℉ submerge the wand to stop the frothing and turn off the steam valve. The milk continues to heat up even after you remove the wand.
- You have to pour the frothed oat milk over your coffee right away as foam quickly settles at the top of the pitcher, and the milk falls at the bottom. If you let it sit, you'll only be pouring milk and no foam.
Steaming Oat Milk: Items You’ll Need
Why oat milk is better for coffee
In the universe of alt milk, oat milk is the closest you will get to dairy milk. It interacts with coffee almost identically. It has a good balance of fats and proteins, and its sweetness perfectly balances out the astringency of the coffee.
Texture-wise it’s similar to dairy milk, so it’s easy to froth and use for more complicated drinks. Overall, it tastes pretty neutral, meaning it’s easy to pair with most coffee-based drinks.
RELATED: How To Froth Almond Milk (This Is The Secret)
Benefits Of Oat Milk
Familiar with the nutritional benefits of oatmeal? Well, many of them can be found in oat milk too!
But don’t think of switching to oat milk just for the health benefits. It’s a way to make more sustainable, eco-friendly choices.
1. Health benefits
Oats are rich in fiber, protein, vitamin B, iron, calcium, and magnesium. One of the most important components is beta-glucan, a fiber responsible for lowering bad cholesterol, promoting cardiovascular health, boosting immunity and gut health(2).
Store-bought oat milk is often fortified with even more vitamins and minerals.
2. Environmental benefits
The production process of oat milk is sustainable and has a lower environmental impact, unlike dairy milk. For example, a 7 oz glass of oat milk requires a gallon of water and emits 0.3 kilograms of CO2(3).
Dairy milk has a much larger environmental impact compared to plant-based milk alternatives. It produces three times higher CO2 emissions and requires more land and water in the production process.
Summary
The nutrient-rich oat milk acts as the ideal substitute for dairy milk in all coffee-based drinks. It tastes mostly neutral with a slightly sweet flavor and has a thick and creamy texture. Best of all oats are plentiful and sustainable.
But can you froth oat milk? Yes, the same way you’d froth dairy milk. The high content of protein and fats makes the perfect frothy top for your latte.
FAQs
What is oat milk?
Oat milk is a drink made from whole oats and water. The oats are milled and combined with warm water, creating a slurry.
Some manufacturers add enzymes to separate the slurry from the liquid and some more vitamins and minerals. If you’re making it at home, you’d simply strain it through a cheesecloth. It’s dairy, nut, and (mostly) gluten-free.
Is oat milk good for allergies?
Oat milk is a good choice for people suffering from allergies as it’s free from almost every allergen that can be found in other dairy and plant-based kinds of milk.
It’s free from soy, nut, lactose, and even gluten when made from certified gluten-free oats.
Is oat milk or almond milk better in coffee?
Oat milk takes the win in this battle. The taste is easier to combine with all coffee-based drinks as it’s sweet, neutral, and creamy.
Almond milk is nutty and more watery. Oat milk also froths perfectly, which means easier to use with lattes and cappuccinos. Almond milk can be frothed, but the result can be underwhelming.
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