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
Lindsay says
Do you think this would work using a nut butter rather than the raw cashews, for convenience?
Lori says
Hi Lindsay, absolutely. That's actually indicated in the recipe, next to the cashews in the ingredient list.
I hope you enjoy it!
Diane says
Just delicious. I made it without alcohol and I don’t have an ice cream maker. I stirred it every 45 minutes for about three hours and then put it in a covered container. It was ready for after dinner.
This is an easy and decadent recipe. Just takes a little planning
Thanks and happy holidays
Diane
Danni says
Hi There!
I unfortunately can’t have cashews as I have an intolerance to them. Could I sub for pecans or any other nut?
Thanks x
Lori says
Hi Danni,
Yes, definitely. Also, I have two other ice cream recipes you might like, chocolate chickpea (made with sunbutter) and pistachio. Neither one uses cashews.
I hope you enjoy!
Naomi says
Would it be ok to soak the cashews prior to blending?
Lori says
Hi Naomi,
Yes, soaking the cashews is fine.
alex says
Love this recipe. Has anybody tried using any kind of starch like tapioca or cornstarch to make it even more creamy?
Lori says
I haven’t tried that yet with this one, since the oats are adding a good amount of starch. I use corn starch in my chocolate chickpea ice cream, though, and it really does make it creamy! Let us know if you experiment! So happy you enjoy the recipe.
Faith says
Hi there! I made this recipe as you wrote it, and it was AMAZING!!!! (Even my father who is extremely picky loved it). Today, I was attempting to experiment with using "Swerve" (alternative sugar blend). I used 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup of granular Swerve. It turned out very grainy and didn't yield more than 2 cups. I can bet that I went a bit overboard with Swerve =) DO you have a tested recipe that uses alternative sugars? Thank you!!
Lori says
Hi Faith,
I'm glad you all loved it! I don't have a tested version that uses low-calorie, alternative sweeteners. Reducing sugars in ice cream can be tricky. You could try replacing less of the maple syrup and you might be able to find a sweet spot (ha, no pun intended) where a little bit of Swerve would work. Or you could try increasing the amount of fat in the ice cream to try to off-set the reduced sugar.
Happy experimenting!
Kaila says
I’ve been looking for an oat milk recipe for ice cream everywhere and really want to try yours my only issue is I can’t have cashews. I have gerd and cashews are a trigger. Is there a way to omit them or can i replace them with something else that isnt a nut, coconuts or bananas? I’m allergic to coconuts and bananas and nuts are a no go for gerd. So you can see why finding a recipe is challenging.
Lori says
Hi Kaila, that must be really challenging to deal with! The recipe needs some sort of fat. Are you able to have seeds or do they fall under the same umbrella as nuts for you? If you can have seeds I would try raw sunflower seeds. Otherwise you might need to experiment with adding oil.
Kaila says
Thank you! I will give the oil a try and see how it turns out.
Katie says
Hi Lori I live in Australia where we can’t get “gluten free” oats, unfortunately. I am gluten intolerant, so wondering if this amazing recipe would work with quinoa flakes in place of the oats. I do make a creamy porridge with quinoa flakes. Thanks for your help!
Lori says
Hi Katie,
I've never worked with quinoa flakes so I'm really not sure. Sorry I don't have a better answer for you! I'm of the mind though that it's just ice cream and definitely worth a try.
Katie says
Thanks Lori. OK I’ll give the quinoa flakes a go soon! If anyone else has made this substitution, I’d love to hear how it went - thanks!
Sue says
This tastes amazing!! I've made it 3 times in the last week!
Brooke says
My ice cream maker has been working overtime on my months-long quest to find the perfect vegan ice cream recipe that does NOT have coconut oil/cream/milk or any added oil for that matter-- no easy task! No exaggeration, though-- THIS RECIPE IS IT!! Incredibly creamy (thanks to the oats, I assume) and delicious. Oh my god.
Here are my alterations:
2 tablespoons vanilla extract instead of 1 (and no added vodka bc of the alcohol in the vanilla).
1/6 cup maple syrup and 1/6 cup + ⅓ cup erythritol/monk fruit blend sweetener. Perfectly sweet but with far less sugar. If using stevia or other non-sugar sweeteners, just play around with the ratios a bit.
Pro-tip: grab a couple Lara Bars and crumble them up to mix in. Lemon Pie, Key Lime Pie, Blueberry Muffin, Apple Pie Lara Bars would all be amazing (haven't tried this yet). Most Lara Bars have zero added sugar. (I did try crumbled ABC Bars from Trader Joe's and its amazing!)
Suzanne says
Absolutely Delicious. I was skeptical and am now a believer. This will be my go-to ice cream base for Taste! Creaminess! And Cost! I've noticed many coconut-milk based recipes ALSO include a good amount of cashews or cashew butter. Coconut milk is expensive, and as this recipe shows, completely unnecessary! All that *AND* it's way lower in saturated fat. It's a no-brainer. I can't wait to experiment with new flavors.
Suzanne says
I've made two different batches of mint chocolate chip using this base. I leave out the vanilla and swap for 1 tsp mint extract. One batch I colored with a small handful of spinach leaves and crumbled in some thin mint girl scout cookies. The other batch I just added crumbled dark chocolate. Both disappeared quickly.
Jannele says
Have you tried this with using a NutriBullet? I don’t have an ice cream maker and I’ve read that you can make ice cream in a NutriBullet blender. Will be trying tomorrow.
Lori says
Hi Jannele,
My guess is that you'll need to freeze the mixture first, then use the blender to process it into a creamy state again. I think the type of ice cream Nutribullet talks about is frozen banana ice cream where the bananas are frozen first, then blended until creamy.
I haven't tried freezing this mixture then blending it. If you give it a try let us know how it goes!
Jannele says
I placed the icecream in the Nutri Bullet (it was pretty icy so I added 1/3-1/2 cup of oat milk ). Once it blended it was even creamier. I froze it again but instead I placed parchment paper in the container covering the ice cream and then topped it. Doesn’t ice up and it’s super creamy! We loved it!
Tom says
I substituted a few ingredients and it still works. This is a great recipe.
1. the oat milk for pistachio milk (I ran out of oat milk)
2. The cashews for 44g of coconut butter (for its fat)
3. Maple syrup for honey (I don’t keep maple syrup)
4. I used Steel cut oats
It yielded me about 6 scoops of ice cream, which feels a little similar like sticky gelato. Maybe because I used steel cut oats, my effort looks a little more grainy as compared to the pictures above.
This is a fabulous recipes for vegans and I may switch out the honey to make it keto next time.
Great thanks to Lori for coming out with this recipe. I had ever made vegan ice cream using coconut milk but it’s too soft, like soft serve. Oats is a genius way to get the ice cream to stick together.
Mary says
So yummy. Texture is great. For my own tweak I toasted the oats in the pan for a few minutes and added brandy. No vanilla.
Marianne M. says
I have been looking for a coconut-free basic vegan ice cream recipe to adapt to various flavorings, and this one is amazing!
I used it to make mint-chip ice cream last night, using 2 cups of fresh mint to infuse the first 2 cups of milk, and then adding good quality chocolate "scribbles" at the half-frozen stage (rather than chips). The result is wonderful! My daughter can't have dairy or coconut, and her favorite ice cream flavor is mint-chip, so... she is so very very excited. Thank you!
Lori says
Marianne, I'm so glad the recipe helped! Love the idea of infusing fresh mint into the milk. Sounds fabulous! Thank you for sharing with us. 😀