Oat Milk Ice Cream Recipe: 4 Tips for Making Oat Milk Ice Cream

Oat milk ice cream is a dairy-free frozen dessert consisting of oat milk, sugar, and a form of fat, like coconut oil. Most oat milk ice cream recipes are nut-free, unlike other plant-based ice creams, like almond or cashew milk ice cream. (Depending on the brand of oat milk, it may also be gluten-free.)

Oat milk ice cream can feature just as many variations as regular ice cream. Call on flavors like chocolate, fruit, and warm spices, and add as many mix-ins as you’d like. Here are a few ideas:

1. 1. Make oat milk chocolate ice cream. Add a tablespoon or two of good quality Dutch-process cocoa powder to infuse your homemade oat milk ice cream with deep chocolate flavor.
2. 2. Add mix-ins. It’s easier than ever to find quality mix-ins for homemade ice cream, like cookie dough that’s labeled safe to consume raw. After churning, mix in anything from chocolate chips, marshmallows, fresh macerated fruit, brownie bites, or dulce de leche sauce and transfer to the freezer to set.
3. 3. Add a scoop of nut butter. For a protein-filled sweet treat, stir in a few spoonfuls of peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter after the initial churn. Top the creamy oat milk ice cream with sliced almonds or walnuts to double down on the nutty flavor.
4. 4. Use extracts to flavor the ice cream base. If you’re in the mood for mint chocolate chip, add a teaspoon of quality peppermint extract (and food coloring, if you’d like) to your oat milk ice cream base. Use caution when trying out more floral flavors like lavender and rose—too much extract and the ice cream will veer into hand soap territory.

There are a few different techniques to consider when making homemade ice cream, especially without traditional dairy. Here are some tips to consider:

1. 1. Use an ice cream maker. Any kind of frozen treat is easy to whip up at home with an ice cream machine—simply add the base liquids and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. 2. Try the no-churn method. You don’t need special equipment to make your own creamy oat milk ice cream at home: For a no-churn oat milk ice cream, use equal parts unsweetened oat milk, a nut butter of your choice, and a pectin-rich fruit like dates or frozen banana (the secret to that one-ingredient banana ice cream). Blend the ingredients with any additional flavorings in a food processor or high-speed blender until thick and creamy, then transfer to a loaf pan to freeze.
3. 3. Make it vegan. Instead of whole milk and heavy cream, some oat milk ice creams rely on egg yolks for their rich, creamy texture. To make vegan ice cream, try coconut milk, coconut cream, or refined coconut oil, which adds creaminess with no overpowering coconut flavor.
4. 4. Choose your sweeteners. Different sugars and sweeteners will affect the final flavor and texture, so experiment to see which you prefer. Try liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, agave nectar, date syrup, or granulated options like white sugar, coconut sugar, or any number of sugar substitutes, like erythritol.