This isn't just another oat milk ice cream. It's next-level creamy thanks to one important ingredient... real oats! The natural starches work their magic to create a lower-fat non-dairy ice cream that melts beautifully and tastes more indulgent than it actually is. No coconut, eggs, or oil needed!
This oat ice cream is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Basically, it's full-on dessert magic and a reader favorite!
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What Makes It Different
Oats, baby! Not just oat milk, but real, soft, creamy, cooked oats blended into the dairy-free base for next-level creaminess without coconut milk, oil, or loads of fat.
Shoutout to the legendary Miyoko Schinner for introducing us all to this clever trick in her book The Homemade Vegan Pantry. This method creates a dreamy, perfectly melty mouthfeel that feels and tastes so indulgent… yet it's made with ingredients healthy enough for breakfast!
Once you see how beautifully it melts, you'll get why I'm obsessed.
Recipe Review
"This recipe is incredible. I've probably made it 8 or 10 times since this summer. It's always a hit with my family." - Seth
Ingredients & Substitutions
Important Note:
Keep in mind that commercial oat milks are processed in a way that deactivates the starches and transforms them into sugars. This is why store-bought oat milk doesn't get slimy when blended or heated and tastes lightly sweet, without added sugar.
But the gooey oatmeal thing is actually beneficial here. This is why we can get away with NOT including oil or coconut cream in this ice cream. It also allows you to use a different type of non-dairy milk if you like, without sacrificing creaminess.
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk: Obviously oat milk is the top choice here, but others work, too. Soy, macadamia, and cashew milk are great options. If you don't mind added oil, choose a full-fat oat milk or barista blend.
- Rolled oats: any brand is fine. Avoid the extra thick-cut oats, if possible. If that's all you have, reduce the amount slightly and be sure to simmer them until fully soft. One reader even reported that cooked steel cut oats worked well.
- Raw cashews: Look for nuts labeled as "raw." Technically, they are treated with steam for food safety and aren't actually raw. If your grocery store has bulk bins, that's a good place to check. If needed, sub ½ cup cashew butter, almond butter, or sunbutter.
- Maple syrup: Adds amazing flavor and sweetness and pairs perfectly with the vanilla. If you don't have maple syrup, it's fine to substitute a different sugar.
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
Need a cashew-free option?
For the fat in this recipe, you can sub almond butter or sunbutter, as mentioned above. This does alter the flavor and color. Or...
This chocolate chickpea ice cream, another reader favorite, is nut-free. And my vegan protein ice cream and date-sweetened ice cream are easily made nut-free with a simple swap!
If you're a fan of coconut, get my tips for making the best coconut milk ice cream at home!
How to Make Oat Milk Ice Cream
Here's a quick look at the basic steps. Be sure to watch the video below, just before the recipe.
First, combine the oats and 1 cup of milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the oats are soft, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Next, blend the cashews with the remaining 2 cups milk until completely smooth. Add the oatmeal, sweetener, vanilla, and salt, and blend again.
Refrigerate the base mixture until cold-anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.
Churn the ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions for your machine (find no-churn instructions below). It will be the consistency of soft serve at this point.
Hint: After churning the ice cream it will have an almost stretchy consistency, but don't worry! That's just the oats working their magic.
For firmer, scoop-able ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours.
Once fully frozen, let it soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then scoop and enjoy!
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Even though making ice cream requires some planning, it's not a difficult process. It just requires a little patience, but once you taste this healthy ice cream you'll know it was all worth it!
Flavors, Mix-ins and Toppings
The neutral flavor of oat milk ice cream makes it a perfect base for your favorite ice cream mix-ins and flavors, like:
- extracts - coffee or peppermint extract are especially nice.
- chocolate shavings or a swirl
- chopped nuts - try plain and toasted pecans or slivered almonds. Or go with glazed wanluts, wet walnuts, or candied pecans!
- chocolate syrup - bonus, this vegan chocolate syrup is made with oat milk.
- crumbled cookies - sandwich cookies like Oreos and shortbread cookies are delish.
- fresh fruit puree or compote
If you plan to include hard mix-ins like nuts or chocolate, the best time to add those is immediately after churning. Fold them into the ice cream, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
No-Churn Instructions
No ice cream maker? No problem! You can still make oatmilk ice cream with one of these easy no-churn methods:
- Stir Method:
After blending, pour the mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe container. Freeze until the edges begin to harden (about 45 minutes), then stir vigorously. Repeat every 30 to 45 minutes until it reaches soft-serve consistency-typically 5 to 6 hours. - Ice Cube Method:
Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze completely. Then blend the frozen cubes in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
If you're into homemade frozen treats, don't sleep on this vegan milkshake recipe. It tastes exactly like the drive-through vanilla milkshakes you remember from childhood!
FAQs
You sure can! Over the years many readers have reported excellent results making this recipe in the Ninja Creami.
This recipe is vegan, though some call for eggs, which means they are not vegan-friendly. Several brands of commercial vegan oat milk ice creams are available, such as ones by Oatly, So Delicious, and Planet Oat.
Absolutely. From granulated sugar to agave nectar, this is a versatile vegan ice cream recipe that allows for plenty of experimentation. Keep in mind, though, sugar content is important to the overall consistency of ice cream. So I don't recommend reducing it by a significant amount .
Top Tips
- Once the ice cream has been in the freezer for 4+ hours it will be pretty solidly frozen. Just let it soften for about 10 minutes, and you're good to go.
- You may want to freeze it in individual servings. I use these Tovolo ice cream containers (they come in different sizes). Then you can just pull one or two from the freezer and not have to soften the whole batch!
I hope you enjoy this unique oat ice cream as much as we do. If so, be sure to comment below and rate the recipe.
If you're on instagram, tag me in a photo of your vegan ice cream with @myquietkitchen. I always love to see what you're making!
Recipe Video
Recipe
Vegan Oat Milk Ice Cream (No Coconut)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened oat milk - or soy, cashew, or almond milk
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup raw cashews - can sub ½ cup cashew butter; see Notes for options
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons alcohol such as vodka, gin, or bourbon, optional - See Notes
Instructions
- If you don't have an ice cream maker, find detailed no-churn instructions above. If your ice cream maker has a removable canister, be sure to place in the freezer at least 24 hours in advance.
- In a small sauce pan, combine the oats and 1 cup of the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until soft, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a blender combine the remaining 2 cups of milk and 1 cup cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides if needed, so there aren't any unblended bits. Next, add the cooked oats, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and alcohol, if using. Blend again until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.
- Churn the mixture according the instructions for your ice cream maker. At this point the ice cream will be similar to soft serve consistency. For a firmer, scoop-able texture, transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 3-4 hours.
- Around the 4 hour mark, and definitely once the ice cream has been in the freezer overnight, it will be too hard to scoop right away. It's important to let the oat ice cream soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Recommended Ice Cream Makers
For years I used this Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker. It's loud but dependable and gets the job done. However, over the years the price has skyrocketed, making it not the best option anymore, in my opinion.
I kept dreaming of investing in a compressor model for its ability to make back-to-back batches. So last year I upgraded to the Whynter upright 2.1 quart machine and have been very happy with it.
My take: If you're thinking of spending well over $100 for an ice cream machine and you make ice cream regularly, skip the canister type and go for a compressor model. I doubt you'll regret it!
It's convenient not having to worry about a freezable canister. I wrote a little bit about my experiences with both of those ice cream makers here, if you're interested: Eggnog ice cream
Geoff says
Has anyone tried Guar Gun in this recipe? It’s a natural additive and it’s worked for me with other ice cream recipes to keep a nice consistency.
Lori says
Hi Geoff, I haven't tried it myself, but it sounds like a good experiment! The oats add a surprising amount of creamy/stretchy (for lack of a better word) quality, so I don't think it would take much. Definitely let us know if you give it a try!
Haley says
Hi this recipe sounds delicious, but I was wondering what is the each serving size? Like 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup etc.
Lori says
Hi Haley, the recipe makes about 3.5 cups of ice cream, and the nutrition facts are for 1/2 cup. Hope you enjoy!
Sandra says
Hi there. I just made the base for the ice cream and can visibly see the softened oatmeal. Did I not blend it enough? Or is this normal? It’s in the fridge chilling and I will churn tomorrow. Maybe I should strain it before I churn?
Lori says
Hi Sandra,
Sounds like you just need to blend it a bit more. You want the oats completely broken down. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Sandra says
Thank you for replying. I’ll try blending it again before I churn.
Naomi says
Wow! Made it yesterday. It was delicious! Thank you for a great coconut-free/dairy-free recipe!!! I used a vanilla infused vodka.
Do you know how long it will keep in the freezer?
Carole says
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I looked everywhere online to find an oil free recipe for homemade vegan ice cream, especially no coconut oil or cacao oil, or white sugar and I just about gave up until I found this! I admit I was skeptical, but this turned out so fantastic!! I am in love with this ice cream - so creamy, and absolutely delicious, and so easy to make. I am making a blackberry crumble for visiting family next weekend and this will be going on top! Thank you so much!!
Lori says
This made my day, Carole. I'm so glad you love it! Hope your family enjoyed it, too!
Brooke says
We were in the exact same boat, Carole. Can't believe how delicious and creamy this ice cream is-- and without coconut or added oil of any kind. Took me month of searching to find it. Truly amazing.
Lillian says
This was SO. GOOD. I don’t have an ice cream maker and was looking for a vegan vanilla ice cream I could whip up with ingredients I have on hand. SO happy I stumbled upon your recipe, because this is for sure my new go-to ice cream! I made to go with an apple crisp - and wow... seriously the best combo with the oats/maple. And the no-churn method worked perfectly for me! I also added the ounce of vodka. So creamy and flavorful. Thank you for this!!
Lori says
Sooooo glad, Lillian! Thrilled you loved it so much and that you've found a new go-to ice cream recipe. Thank you for the feedback!
Susanna says
Hi! I made this ice cream base yesterday and added 3 soon to be bad ripe bananas in the oatmeal while cooking. The flavour was amazing! I totally recommend
Thanks for sharing the recipe, will be trying other oat ice creams as soon as the ice cream canister is frozen again!
Lori says
Susanna, the addition of sweet bananas sounds fantastic!! So glad you enjoyed it. 😀
Vicky says
Made this today and it's amazing! Much easier than I expected and the results are so good. Now I need to know how to make mint chocolate chip for my grandkids 🙂
Lori says
Oooh mint chip is a great idea! You could add pure mint extract to the blender, tasting as you so you don't add too much (or add fresh mint leaves). Then fold in mini chocolate chips before the final stage in the freezer. Hope the kids love it. 😀
Thank you for the feedback!
Thea Vieira says
I love the idea of coconut (and banana) free ice cream! I have tried other recipes and the flavour of coconut and banana overpower all the rest.
We had an enormous harvest of cherries this year and I would love to have a recipe for cherry ice cream that showcases the lovely fruit taste.
Is there a way to use this base with fruit? How would I go about it? I am not very experienced in vegan food, but with age I feel my belly increasingly hates dairy. I still eat eggs and honey, though.
I don’t own an ice cream machine (yet...).
RJ says
I made this in a PacoJet and it was amazing, thanks 👍
Pam says
Thank you so much for your comment. I was wondering if it would work in a Ninja Creami, which is about the same thing. Off to try it now!
Lori says
Lori,
Before changing to a plant based lifestyle, I made ice cream all the time. I tried early on to make vegan ice cream, but I was always disappointed and just bought Ben and Jerry’s. We planned to have apple turnovers for Easter and I forgot about vanilla ice cream. I saw your recipe and decided to try again - I still had my ice cream freezer. It was AMAZING! Now we are enjoying the ice cream in the evenings with fresh local strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Thanks for a great recipe that is now in my favorites!
Lori
Lori says
Wonderful, Lori! I’m so glad to hear it. And thank you for taking a moment to leave such a lovely comment. 🙂
Madeleine says
This looks good, and I just love oats. Can this ice cream be made without an ice cream maker? I don't have one anymore, and don't remember how to make ice cream without one, like I did many many years ago...!
Lori says
Hi Madeleine,
I haven't tried the no-churn method with this ice cream yet, but it's worth a shot. 😀 The standard no-churn method involves placing the ice cream mixture in a stainless steel bowl... freeze it for about 30 minutes, then remove it from the freezer and stir vigorously (or whip it with a handheld mixer). Then return the bowl to the freezer and repeat the process every 30 to 40 minutes until the ice cream is as frozen as you like.
Does that sound similar to the method you used to do? If you try it with this recipe I would love to hear how it goes!
Tonks says
AMAZING recipe. We just tried it out last night and were floored how good it was. It feels like cheating with how great the flavor/consistency is for how little work this recipe is than others we have tried. Will absolutely be trying the other suggestions down the line!
Lori says
Thanks for the feedback, Tonks! So glad you enjoyed it. 😀
Tonka says
Just a followup, we made this recipe and tweaked it in a couple ways! We ran out of syrup, so we subbed in honey instead. We also strained the mixture before putting it in the ice cream maker (we don't have THAT good of a strainer, so it didn't pull all the particles out), We also added 1 oz of rum. WOW was it good. My guess is the alcohol had the biggest impact on the creaminess, but we had both the original recipe and the tweaked recipe side by side for a couple days, and the one with alcohol was noticeably creamier, even right from the freezer. It was scoop-able the moment we took it out of the freezer and stayed the same consistency three days later. You could probably get by with less than 1 oz, but, for anyone ok with adding a little bit of alcohol, definitely give it a shot
Lori says
Oooh, yes! A small amount of alcohol works wonders in ice cream. Great idea especially with a lower fat one like this! I'll add a bit of rum to my next test batch (making a nut-free version). Thanks for sharing with us, Tonks.
Lori says
Tonks, just made a nut-free version with sunflower seeds and added a splash of rum (probably half an ounce). It's in the ice cream maker right now. Snuck a taste, and WOW is rum good with maple syrup! Thanks again.
Sadly I'm not sure how much will make it into the freezer for an extended test of the texture. 😀 I'll be making several more test batches for the new recipe anyway. Maybe it will be a Maple-Rum flavor.
Tonks says
That sounds delicious. I haven't used sunflower seeds in ice cream yet, but I'll need to try it soon. I just tweaked the recipe quite a bit to make coffee ice cream out of it!
3 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, such as soy or oat, divided
1/4 cup rolled oats
About 3/4 cup of Cacao butter. I estimated the amount by getting how many grams of fat are in a cup of cashews and substituted that amount of grams of Cacao butter
I actually am forgetting the sweetener I used xD it was some dark toasted coconut syrup or something. It had a nice flavor, and I did the same thing I did with the Cacao butter, substituted the same amount of grams of sugar with this other sweetener
A little less than 2 Tablespoons of freeze dried coffee
1oz rum
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
While cooking the oat meal, I put the freeze dried coffee and Cacao butter in with the oatmeal. Otherwise the steps were identical to the original recipe. I must say, it was pretty delicious!
Lori says
Wowsa, this sounds fantastic! I bet those flavors were great together. Thanks for sharing!
Denise says
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I had a quick question. Would the recipe still work if I decreased the amount of maple syrup? This is my first time making ice cream so any advice is greatly appreciated. Again, thank you so so much for this recipe.
Lori says
Hi Denise, you're very welcome! Decreasing the maple will make the ice cream freeze more solidly, but a slight decrease shouldn't be much of a problem. You may need to let it soften a bit more straight from the freezer, but it will still be tasty. I hope you enjoy it!
Trent says
Hey Lori, I just wanted to find out how you worked out the fat content? Is that fat per serving or for a full 7 servings? I ask because 9g of fat seems really low considering 1-cup of cashews.
I want to make the recipe without cashews and instead sub coconut-oil (to get the desired fat content), so I just wanted to double-check! Thanks in advance 🙂
Lori says
Hi Trent, the nutrition facts are per serving. Would love to know how your experiment turns out!
Judith says
How big is a serving? It's not on the "label." (haven't tried recipe yet, but am intrigued. Since I had to go lactose-free, I've really missed ice cream!).
Lori says
Hi Judith, the nutrition calculations are based on 7 servings per batch. So a serving size is approximately 1/2 cup. Hope you enjoy it! 😀
Donnie says
This was great. With coconut having more saturated fat than anything you can eat, I needed an ice cream recipe that was without coconut. I have stents in my heart and don't want to ever go to the hospital again for something that I can avoid by changing my lifestyle. This makes a great tasting ice cream that is very low in saturated fat.
Lori says
Donnie, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you taking a moment to leave this comment. Just made my day. All the best. 😀
Amisha says
This is my first recipe I tried with my new ice-cream maker. It came so nice and test like exactly store brought one. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.