We Tried Nearly Every Oat Milk Out There; Here’s How We Ranked Them
Ever since oat milk arrived on the scene, brands have hurriedly released their take on the sweet, mellow, and nut-free alternative to dairy milk. Choices are nice, but they also make picking the right one a difficult decision. We sampled almost all of the oat milks on the market (don’t worry — we’ll update as we try more) and reviewed them based on taste, texture, and froth-ability. That way, you know which ones to buy for the foamiest of homemade cappuccinos.
We also considered each brand’s ingredients and nutrition facts. Most oat milks start with oats, water, some type of oil for a milk-like mouthfeel, and added vitamins/minerals (an FDA requirement for non-dairy milks). Some brands stop there, but most add gums and stabilizers for texture and shelf life. Founder and CEO of Califia Farms Greg Steltenpohl tells us there’s no evidence that gums and stabilizers have negative effects on the body, but if you’re wary, pick an oat milk without them. You’ll also notice that even “no-sugar-added” brands vary in sugar content; that’s because different processes of turning oats into liquid yield different amounts of sugar and carbs.
Keep scrolling to find out how each of the oat milks performed among our taste testers, ranked from least favorite to favorite.
10. Califia farms unsweetened oatmilk
We had high hopes for Califia Farms’ Unsweetened Oatmilk ($5) since we love the brand’s dairy-free PSL Cold Brew Coffee, Holiday Nog, and other products. Sadly, the sample we received (which granted, was an early-release) had a bitter finish that made it undesirable for sipping or stirring into other drinks.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (water, oats), sunflower oil, minerals (dipotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt)
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 100 / Total Fat: 7 grams / Saturated Fat: 1 grams / Carbohydrates: 9 grams / Dietary Fiber: 1 grams / Sugar: 2 grams / Protein: 2 grams
9. planet oat extra creamy OATMILK
Though we love Original Planet Oat, the brand’s Extra Creamy Oatmilk ($4) is best in small doses. It gets beautifully voluminous when frothed into hot drinks, but the thick, syrupy coating it leaves on your tongue isn’t quite worth drinking solo or used in cereal.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (filtered water, oats), sunflower oil, calcium carbonate, dipotassium phosphate (stabilizer), guar gum, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, gellan gum, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 120 / Total Fat: 3.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams / Carbohydrates: 22 grams / Dietary Fiber: 3 grams / Sugar: 5 grams / Protein: 2 grams
8. elmhurst unsweetened milked oats
If you’re concerned about oils, gums, and stabilizers being added to your oat milk, Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats ($6) is a more natural choice. It contains just water, oats, and salt, which makes for a watery, slightly gritty texture and a flavor similar to almond milk. It’s not creamy enough for coffee, but we would happily use it in smoothies.
Ingredients: Filtered water, whole grain oats, salt
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 80 / Total Fat: 1.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0 grams / Carbohydrates: 14 grams / Dietary Fiber: 2 grams / Sugar: 1 gram / Protein: 4 grams
7. Silk Oat Yeah Oatmilk
We recommend the moderately sweet Oat Yeah ($5) for sipping only. Though pleasant and oaty when cold, the milk falls flat and takes on a semi-rancid/burned taste when heated or foamed.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (filtered water, oat extract), 2 percent or less of: sunflower oil, vitamin and mineral blend (calcium carbonate, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin (B2), vitamin B12), malt extract, dipotassium phosphate, gellan gum, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, locust bean gum, ascorbic acid (to protect freshness)
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 90 / Total Fat: 3.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0 grams / Carbohydrates: 14 grams / Dietary Fiber: 1 gram / Sugar: 4 grams / Protein: 2 grams
6. quaker original oat beverage
Sip Quaker Original Oat Beverage ($4) for a dependable, easy-to-find, and more fiber-rich (twice the fiber of most oat milks, to be exact) component to your morning coffee. We prefer the brown-sugar sweetened Original over Original Unsweetened; the extra dose of sugar mellows out the nuttiness of the oats, and each serving still has just 5 grams of sugar.
Ingredients: Water, oat bran, chicory root extract, sunflower oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, calcium carbonate, gum arabic, natural flavor, salt, gellan gum, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 50 / Total Fat: 2.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0 grams / Carbohydrates: 10 grams / Dietary Fiber: 4 grams / Sugar: 5 grams / Protein: <1 gram
5. happy planet original oatmilk
Happy Planet’s versatile Original Oatmilk ($6) has a mildly oaty taste and creamy, dairy-free mouthfeel, so it lingers a bit on your tongue without feeling sticky. It also makes coffee drinks impressively silky, non-bitter, and a true treat, so definitely foam it up for a cappuccino or two.
Ingredients: Oat base (filtered water, gluten free oats), tricalcium phosphate, gellan gum, sea salt, natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin, vitamin B12, zinc gluconate
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 90 / Total Fat: 1.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0 grams / Carbohydrates: 17 grams / Dietary Fiber: 2 grams / Sugar: 5 grams / Protein: 3 grams
4. planet oat original oatmilk
Despite the fact that Planet Oat’s Original Oatmilk ($4) contains no oil (which is why it’s so low in fat), it’s the smoothest oat milk we’ve tried. It also tastes the sweetest even though it has no added sugar, which makes it excellent with cereal. One warning: Its yellow hue is a little off-putting, but it gets much whiter when frothed up for coffee drinks.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (filtered water, oats), calcium carbonate, dipotassium phosphate (stabilizer), sea salt, gellan gum, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 90 / Total Fat: 1.5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0 grams / Carbohydrates: 19 grams / Dietary Fiber: 2 grams / Sugar: 4 grams / Protein: 2 grams
3. califia farms oat barista blend
We’re pleased to find that Califia’s Oat Barista Blend ($4) is smooth and sweet (despite its relatively low sugar content), and it really puts the spotlight on the oat flavor. Many of us at Brit + Co think it tastes like the milk after eating a bowl of Cheerios. The milk also froths and bubbles exceptionally well — so well, even the ex-baristas in our office say it’s the most similar to whole milk they’ve tried. As we mention up top, gums and stabilizers haven’t been proven to harm the body. Nevertheless, we like that Califia keeps its ingredients list simple and gum-free.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (water, oats), sunflower oil, minerals (dipotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate), sea salt
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 130 / Total Fat: 7 grams / Saturated Fat: 1 gram / Carbohydrates: 14 grams / Dietary Fiber: 0 grams / Sugar: 3 grams / Protein: 1 gram
2. oatly barista edition oatmilk
Oatly Barista Edition ($25/6) is by far our favorite oat milk to mix into coffee. It foams just like whole milk, which we suspect is due to its unique use of rapeseed oil, an oil similar to canola that does well in high heat. The product also tastes remarkably similar to whole milk too, down to its subtle sweetness and hint of sourness. You can’t always buy Barista Blend in grocery stores or online since it’s reserved for foodservice accounts, but you can find a list of cafes that carry Oatly online, some of which will sell you it individually or by the case.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (water, oats), rapeseed oil. Contains 2 percent or less of: dipotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin B12, riboflavin (B2), vitamin D2, vitamin A
Nutrition Facts Per Cup: Calories: 140 / Total Fat: 7 grams / Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams / Carbohydrates: 16 grams / Dietary Fiber: 2 grams / Sugar: 7 grams / Protein: 3 grams
1. OATLY oatmilk chilled
Though we’d rather have a latte with Oatly Barista Edition, the brand’s original Oatmilk Chilled ($5) gets our number-one spot for its drinkability and likeness to 2-percent milk. Unlike other brands, this one has a milky white hue and neutral, not-too-sweet flavor. You can use it like you’d use dairy milk: by itself in a glass, in coffee, and in baked goods, and hot dishes.
Ingredients: Oatmilk (water, oats). Contains 2 percent or less of: rapeseed oil, dipotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, dicalcium phosphate, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin D2, vitamin B12
Nutrition Facts Per 1 Cup: Calories: 120 / Total Fat: 5 grams / Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams / Carbohydrates: 16 grams / Dietary Fiber: 2 grams / Sugar: 7 grams / Protein: 3 grams
RELATED: Finally, Starbucks Is Getting Oat Milk at Select Locations
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