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Have you ever picked back up with an old hobby, only to wonder what it was that prompted you to put it down in the first place? Oat Milk Ice Cream is my first reunion with a past passion: homemade ice cream.

oat milk ice cream in a bowl

In an end-of-days scenario in which I have to pick just one dessert to enjoy for the rest of my life, my answer is ice cream.

I could eat ice cream twice a day, every day…and when this oat milk ice cream was in my freezer, that’s exactly what I did!

Ben and I share a weakness for ice cream. We have an unspoken agreement that when one of us suggests a spontaneous trip to our favorite local ice cream joint, the other one must oblige.

^^Secret to a long-lasting marriage right there, folks!

Thus when we were first married, I developed a serious homemade ice cream-making habit.

I tried a new batch almost weekly, cooking my way through what I lovingly called the ice cream bible.

Then for whatever reason (we moved? I ran out of freezer space? my pants stopped fitting?), I just…stopped.

Then one late night on Amazon (dangerous!) this shiny new toy made it into my cart. Here we are with oat milk ice cream!

an ice cream scoop with oat milk ice cream

This oat milk ice cream is completely dairy free, but all anyone will taste is rich, creamy splendor.

It’s pepped up with a touch of cinnamon and heavy pour of pure vanilla extract.

This oat milk ice cream is rich, creamy, and nothing short of marvelous.

While some homemade ice cream does not taste good because it can be too icy, for this recipe, I took special care to ensure it tasted fantastic, both in flavor and in texture.

a bowl of healthy oatmilk ice cream with a spoon

Secrets to Creamy Oat Milk Ice Cream

This oat milk ice cream has two secrets to make it luxuriously creamy:

  • Almond Butter. Ice cream needs fat or else it will taste like ice. Almond butter adds richness and is a healthy source of protein and essential omega-3s.
  • Egg Yolks. Making the oat milk ice cream with eggs ensures it boasts the pleasurable, custard-like consistency of ice cream. The eggs also give it an authentic ice cream flavor.

A Healthier Ice Cream

While I would not describe oat milk ice cream as healthy per se (it still has a relatively high calorie count and sugar count), it is certainly a healthier option than standard ice creams.

  • Because this oat milk ice cream is made without heavy cream, it contains fewer calories.
  • The primary source of fat in this recipe is almond butter, a “good” fat. (Remember fat is what makes ice cream creamy. Without it, the ice cream will taste icy.)
  • This oat milk ice cream is sweetened primarily with pure maple syrup, a more natural option.
  • Those who are sensitive to dairy can enjoy this oat milk ice cream since it is dairy free.

The Best Ice Cream Makers

If you are on the fence about a homemade ice cream maker, first let me say it is one of my favorite investments I’ve ever made.

Homemade ice cream is easy, fun, and the results are FANTASTIC. You will wow yourself and anyone lucky enough to snag a scoop will gush!

I have three ice cream maker recommendations.

You also can make oat milk ice cream with no machine at all.

  • Making ice cream without an ice cream machine requires more active work (you need to remove it from the freezer and stir it at various intervals). When you use an ice cream machine, you simply pour in the custard and walk away.
  • The results without a machine are not *as* creamy, but the flavor is still very yummy.
  • See recipe notes for instructions.
a white bowl with oat milk ice cream

How to Make Oat Milk Ice Cream

Like classic ice cream, oat milk ice cream has a custard base, but instead of milk or heavy cream, it uses oat milk.

Tip!

  • Custard is a mixture of eggs and milk or cream. It’s thickened by gentle heat, allowing the eggs to cook and thicken the mixture.
  • Like dairy cream, oat milk is pleasantly flavored and creamy, making it a fantastic ingredient for custard.
  • Oat milk is made with just oats and water and is a popular option for those who need a plant-based milk alternative.

The trickiest part of homemade ice cream (and it’s not at all tricky I promise!) is tempering (a.k.a. slowly cooking) the egg yolks.

Don’t doubt yourself. I have plenty of details for you in the recipe at the bottom of the post.


The Ingredients

  • Oat Milk. If you’ve never tried oat milk, it’s creamy, slightly nutty, and delicious. I love it in lattes too.

Make Your Own Oat Milk

I made this oat milk ice cream with Oatly brand oat milk, which is widely available. If you’d like to use your own homemade oat milk, here’s how to make it:

  • Combine 1 part oats with 4 parts water and a touch of maple syrup in a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Strain the oat milk: place a nut milk bag or thin towel over a large mixing bowl or drink pitcher. Pour the milk through it. Strain once more if desired.
  • Almond Butter. Any ice cream, whether it is vegan, dairy free, or classic, needs fat to keep it from becoming icy. I used heart-healthy almond butter.

Substitution Tip!

  • The almond butter does give this oat milk ice cream a subtle almond flavor, which we loved. If you’d prefer a more true “vanilla” ice cream taste, use cashew butter instead.
  • This oat milk ice cream can also be made with peanut butter in lieu of almond butter—and is begging for chocolate chips.
  • Eggs. Making this oat milk ice cream with egg yolks is critical to achieving its velvety texture and a true “ice cream” taste. To keep the oat milk ice cream healthy, I used a lesser number of yolks than standard ice cream recipes, with fantastic results!=.

Dietary Note

Looking for a vegan frozen dessert? Check out my Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Pie (you can make it with your favorite vegan ice cream and vegan butter), Mint Smoothie (it tastes like a Shamrock Shake!), and Homemade Fudgsicles.

  • Maple Syrup + Granulated Sugar. These two make the ice cream just the right amount of sweet and the maple syrup has a cozy flavor that’s a dream alongside the oat milk.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract. Because homemade ice cream is so few ingredients, the quality of those ingredients is ultra important. Be sure to use real-deal vanilla extract here (none of the imitation stuff).
  • Cinnamon. While optional, a pinch here is soooo scrumptious. It makes this ice cream taste reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie (and now I’m craving a batch of Healthy Oatmeal Cookies to go along with it!).
  • Bourbon or Vodka (Optional). Because homemade ice cream doesn’t contain fillers or preservatives, it freezers harder than store bought ice creams. Since alcohol doesn’t freeze, adding a splash (or three) to your ice cream custard can help your ice cream stay creamier in the freezer. The alcohol won’t cook out, so if you prefer you can certainly omit it.

Ingredient Note

Adding alcohol to ice cream can help keep it softer, and it’s an opportunity to add flavor to the ice cream too!

  • Vodka works well anytime you don’t want to be able to taste the alcohol. It makes the ice cream creamier, without changing its flavor.
  • Bourbon is my favorite for anything with caramel. It’s also super yummy with cinnamon, making it my choice for this recipe.
  • Rum is a good alternative to bourbon in this recipe, if you prefer its flavor.
  • Mix-Ins! Chocolate chips or mini chips, sprinkles, chopped toasted nuts, sweet and spicy Honey Roasted Cashews: the possibilities are endless! You can add up to 1/2 cup, or enjoy this oat milk ice cream on its own.

TIP!

When making ice cream custard, the most important thing to remember is to take it slowly. You do not want the mixture to boil at any point, or your eggs will scramble.

The Directions

  1. Prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions (my model does not need to be pre-frozen but many do).
  2. Place half of the oat milk in a large bowl and set a strainer on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
oat milk ice cream custard
  1. Heat the remaining oat milk, almond butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan over medium low heat and whisk until smooth.
a bowl with oatly for making oat milk ice cream
  1. Slowly add the hot oat milk to the egg yolks, going a splash at a time and whisking as you go. Once it’s all been added, scrape it back into the saucepan.
oatmilk ice cream batter being strained
  1. Thicken the custard on the stove, then pour it through the mesh strainer.
mixing oat milk ice cream in a white bowl
  1. Add the bourbon and vanilla.
oat milk ice cream batter in a machine
  1. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Top it off as desired and ENJOY!
dairy free oat milk ice cream on cones

Dietary Note

If you’d like to make this oat milk ice cream gluten free, be sure your oat milk (or oats you are using to make it) are certified gluten free to avoid any cross contamination.

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Oat milk ice cream can be frozen for months before freezer burn hits, but you’ll crave it much sooner!
  • To Serve. Before scooping, let the ice cream stand at room temperature for several minutes to soften.

Storage Tip

Be sure that your container is air tight, otherwise your oat milk ice cream may develop freezer burn. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the ice cream’s surface to deter freezer burn.

a white bowl with oat milk ice cream with chocolate chips

Pair this with

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

This oat milk ice cream lasted all of 48 hours in our house—it might have made it a bit longer if I didn’t have two 11:15 p.m. “emergencies” in a row, but you know how that goes.

I hope this oat milk ice cream recipe inspires you to give homemade ice cream a try. It’s such a fun project, and the rewards couldn’t be sweeter!

Oat Milk Ice Cream

4.74 from 15 votes
This healthy oat milk ice cream recipe is so delicious, rich, and creamy! With eggs, cinnamon, nut butter, and maple syrup, it's a true treat.

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 8 (about 4 cups)

Ingredients
  


Instructions
 

  • Place 1 1/2 cups of the oat milk in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Set near the stove.
  • Warm the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the oat milk, almond butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using) in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the almond butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a slight simmer, bubbling around the edges of the pan. Do not let come to a full boil.
  • Slowly pour the warm oat milk mixture into the egg yolks, adding in a little at a time, whisking constantly (do not add it too quickly or the eggs will scramble). Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan.
  • Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens slightly and easily coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT let the mixture boil. This will take about 3 minutes.
  • Pour the thickened mixture through the strainer into the bowl with the oat milk. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla.
  • Let the mixture come to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions (to make this oat milk ice cream without an ice cream maker, see notes). During the last few minutes of churning, add any mix-ins of choice. Enjoy!

Notes

  • *For a more neutral, classic vanilla flavor, swap the almond butter for cashew butter.
  • Because alcohol doesn’t freeze, adding 1 tablespoon helps keep the oat milk ice cream softer, less icy, and more scoopable. For a completely neutral flavor, use vodka (you can’t taste it!). If you enjoy whiskey, bourbon is a delicious addition to this ice cream. You also can omit the alcohol and let your ice cream sit out a bit longer before scooping.
  • TO STORE. Freeze for 3 months or longer.
  • TO SERVE. Homemade ice cream freezes harder than many store-bought brands. For easy scooping, let the oat milk ice cream sit at room temperature for several minutes prior to serving.
  • TO FREEZE WITHOUT AN ICE CREAM MACHINE: Prepare and chill the custard as directed. Pour into a deep stainless steel baking pan and freeze for 45 minutes. Once it begins to freeze near the edges, remove the pan from the freezer and with a spatula, stir the mixture thoroughly with a spatula. Return to the freezer. Check and energetically stir the mixture every 30 minutes. (A hand held mixer or blender works even better). Repeat every 30 minutes for 2 to 3 hours, or until the ice cream is frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup (without mix-in’s)Calories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 282IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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18 Comments

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    1. Hi Nikki, unfortunately I haven’t tried this with other butters so it would be hard to say. If you decided to experiment, let me know how it goes! Also have you tried my Banana Ice Cream or Avocado Ice Cream! If you do, let me know!

    1. Hi! Unfortunately I haven’t tried this with other butters so it would be hard to say. If you decided to experiment, let me know how it goes!

  1. This recipe is super easy and the results were fantastic. I was hesitant about adding almond butter but I followed the recipe exactly except I threw it in the frig right away instead of leaving it out at room temp and then putting it in the frig. The eggs were cooked so it probably would have been fine sitting out an hour or so but I didn’t want to risk it.5 stars

  2. This sounds good, and I want to try it for my granddaughter who is allergic to cows milk. But does it really have 24 grams of sugar per half cup serving? That sounds like a lot considering the recipe calls for only 1/3 cup of added sugar plus the maple syrup.

    1. Hi Shari! I’m pretty sure the sugar count is coming from the oat milk. Most brands that I’ve seen have 4-9grams per cup. The good news is that you can calculate the calories for free at MyFitnessPal (there are other similar sites too). I hope that can be a helpful resource for you! When in doubt, you should definitely check them out yourself with the ingredients you use at home!

  3. I made this with peanut butter instead of almond and my children all say it tastes like a peanut butter cookie or the inside of a peanut butter cup, by far the best dairy free ice cream we have ever made at home. Thanks!5 stars

  4. Hi, I just made this but, as I have a walnut tree, I used walnut butter and a green walnut syrup instead of maple syrup. It’s an amazing walnut ice cream. I will now start trying adding other flavours.
    Thanks.5 stars

  5. Can I reduce sweeteners in this recipe. By how much? I am an insulin dependent diabetic and love ice cream as well as oat milk and nut butters. I love that this is low in sat fat.

    Thank you!!

    1. Hi Roberta! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so can’t say for sure how it would affect the ice cream if you reduce the sweeteners. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!