This vegan oat milk ice cream is impossibly delicious and creamy thanks to oats and cashews and contains NO coconut, gluten, refined sugar, or oil. It's truly one of our all-time favorite vegan ice creams, homemade or not. Be sure to check out the reviews!
Why You'll Love Oat Milk Ice Cream
Following my exciting realization that you can use oats to bring creaminess to vegan ice cream without the need for coconut milk, oil, or loads of fat, I couldn't WAIT to make more flavors.
For the backstory see this post: Vegan Pumpkin Oat Ice Cream
If you're a fan of vanilla and also enjoy maple syrup, you are going to LOVE this oat milk ice cream recipe! The vanilla-maple flavor is so pure and delicious. I can honestly say it's one of my favorite vegan ice creams I've ever tasted.
The fact that this vegan ice cream is made with ingredients that are considered healthy enough for breakfast is just a bonus!
But don't take my word for it. Check out the comments section below to see what other readers had to say.
Jump to:
More oat milk ice cream recipes:
Need a nut-free option?
This chocolate chickpea ice cream is also a reader favorite. And my new vegan protein ice cream and date-sweetened ice cream recipes are easily made nut-free with a simple swap!
And if you're a fan of coconut, check out my tips for making the best coconut milk ice cream at home!
Ingredients
Compared to the base of the vegan pumpkin ice cream recipe, I changed a few things for this vanilla version.
Since we're losing the density and volume of the pumpkin puree, I increased the amount of cashews.
I also decided to sweeten this one with maple syrup instead of coconut sugar for a totally irresistible vanilla-maple flavor. No kidding, the maple takes this vegan ice cream over the top!
- unsweetened non-dairy milk - obviously oat milk is the top choice here! If you don't mind added oil, choose a full-fat oat milk or barista blend. You can also use homemade oat milk.
Soy, macadamia, and cashew milk also work well in this recipe. - raw cashews - look for nuts labeled "raw" (technically, they have been treated with steam for food safety reasons and aren't actually raw)
- old fashioned rolled oats - any brand of regular oats is fine
- pure maple syrup
- vanilla extract
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
Let's give another shout out to Miyoko Schinner, our vegan non-dairy queen, for inspiring this recipe, too. As I explained in the Pumpkin Ice Cream post, her low-fat gelato recipe in The Homemade Vegan Pantry was the inspiration.
As someone who loves frozen treats, but also appreciates healthier versions of recipes, tricks like using oatmeal and oat milk in ice cream are SO exciting to me.
Once you try it for yourself and see how beautifully it melts, I think you'll completely understand my enthusiasm.
There is some planning involved when making any ice cream recipe. So let's do a quick review to make sure things go smoothly for you.
How to Make Oat Milk Ice Cream
If you're a visual learner, be sure to watch the 1-minute recipe video below.
- If using an ice cream machine with a removable canister, make sure the canister has been in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
- Cook the oatmeal in a small sauce pan, then transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Blend the milk and cashews. Add in the remaining ingredients, including the oatmeal, and blend until completely smooth.
- Refrigerate the mixture until cold (anywhere from 2 hours to overnight).
- Churn the ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions for your machine. It will be the consistency of soft serve at this point.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours.
- Allow the ice cream soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then scoop and enjoy!
So even though ice cream requires some planning, it's not like it's a difficult process. It just requires a little patience, but once you taste this creamy and healthy ice cream you'll know it was all worth it.
After churning the ice cream it will have an almost stretchy consistency, but don’t worry! That’s just the oats working their magic.
Tips for Serving
Once the ice cream has been in the freezer for 4+ hours it will be very firm. So don't just try to dig in with a spoon, and then declare me a liar about its creaminess!
Let it hang out on the countertop for about 10 minutes, and then scoop up that beautiful, sweet vegan ice cream.
Watch it melt in your bowl, and feel it melt in your mouth, and then thank the oats for their magical contribution.
Mix-ins and Flavorings
The neutral flavor of this oat milk ice cream means that it's pretty much the best vegan vanilla ice cream out there! It's a perfect base for your favorite ice cream mix-ins and flavors like:
- extracts - coffee or peppermint extract are especially nice!
- chocolate chips
- chopped nuts - plain, glazed wanuts, wet nuts, or candied pecans!
- chocolate syrup - 👈 this is made with oat milk!
- crumbled cookies
- and fresh fruit purees and syrups
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.
RELATED: If you're into homemade vegan ice cream, don't miss this milkshake recipe!
No-Churn Instructions
If you don't own an ice cream maker you can still whip up a batch of this vanilla oat ice cream. There are two ways to do it, depending on the equipment you have. For the standard no-churn method:
- After blending the ice cream mixture, pour it into a shallow, freezer-safe container.
- Place in the freezer until the ice cream mixture begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes. Give it a vigorous stir, then place back in freezer.
- Repeat this process every 30 to 45 minutes until the ice cream is the desired consistency. It will take about 5 to 6 hours to reach soft-serve state.
Another option is to pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Then pop the cubes into a food processor and blend until creamy.
I will say, there's something so enjoyable about watching an ice cream machine transform this healthy blended oat mixture into thick, creamy ice cream within a matter of minutes. And sneaking a taste straight from the machine is pure joy.
So I'll keep using our inexpensive ice cream maker until it quits on me! Then I plan to upgrade to a machine with a compressor because I love the idea of making back-to-back batches and not having to wait 24 hours for a canister to freeze.
If you're in the market for a dependable, reasonably priced ice cream machine, I've been using this Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker for probably close to 14 years.
UPDATE: I recently purchased the Whynter upright 2.1 quart machine and am loving it! If you're interested, you can read a little more about my experience with it and the Cuisinart machine in this new eggnog ice cream post.
FAQs
Yes, oat milk is a great choice for homemade non-dairy ice cream because it has a neutral flavor and creamy consistency. This oat milk ice cream recipe is even creamier because it also incorporates cooked oats. This allows you to take full advantage of the naturally creamy starch in oats while using any type of non-dairy milk you have on hand.
This recipe is vegan, but some recipes call for eggs, which means they are not vegan-friendly. Several brands of vegan oat milk ice cream are available in stores, such as 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 can't recommend significantly reducing the amount of sugar.
I hope you enjoy this Vegan Oat Milk Ice Cream as much as we do. Be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below if you give it a try.
If you’re on instagram, tag 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 Recipe (No Coconut)
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, such as oat, cashew, or soy, divided
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup raw cashews - If you don't have a high speed blender, sub ½ cup raw cashew butter
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons vodka, gin, or bourbon - optional - See Notes
Instructions
Prep/Planning:
- For no-churn instructions, refer to the Equipment section above. If using an ice cream maker with a removable canister, be sure to freeze the canister at least one day before you plan to make ice cream. Also note that the ice cream mixture needs time to chill before churning (at least 1 hour), and the churned ice cream needs about 3 to 4 hours in the freezer to reach a firmer, scoop-able consistency.
Make the ice cream:
- In a small sauce pan, simmer the oats in 1 cup of the milk until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a blender combine the remaining 2 cups of milk and the cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add the cooled oatmeal, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and vodka, if using, and blend again. Refrigerate until cold.
- Churn the mixture according the instructions for your ice cream maker. At this point the ice cream will be softer than a typical soft serve consistency. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for about 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 10 to 15 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.
Lindsay
Do you think this would work using a nut butter rather than the raw cashews, for convenience?
Lori
Hi Lindsay, absolutely. That's actually indicated in the recipe, next to the cashews in the ingredient list.
I hope you enjoy it!
Diane
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
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
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
Would it be ok to soak the cashews prior to blending?
Lori
Hi Naomi,
Yes, soaking the cashews is fine.
alex
Love this recipe. Has anybody tried using any kind of starch like tapioca or cornstarch to make it even more creamy?
Lori
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
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
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
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
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
Thank you! I will give the oil a try and see how it turns out.
Katie
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
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
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
This tastes amazing!! I've made it 3 times in the last week!
Brooke
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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. 😀