What Does Oat Milk Taste Like? (& How To Use In Coffee)
Oat milk is the most famous and popular of all cow’s milk substitutes. Its popularity and trend have risen exponentially in recent years, and most cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores provide it to the public. If you still haven’t tasted oat milk, you’re probably wondering what it tastes like, and I’ll give the answer to you next.
Oat milk tastes like liquified oats with a sweet flavor and a creamy texture. The taste varies between brands, so others are creamier than others, yet the oat taste is found in all brands. Oat milk for coffee mixes well, unlike regular oat milk, creating a foam that tastes and feels delightful.
Another thing worth saying is that regular and coffee oat milk should always be shaken, unlike cow’s milk if it’s homogenized. Oat milk will become slightly precipitated if it hasn’t been touched for a while, and shaking will mix the solution’s layers.
If you value my opinion, oat milk is the best plant-based milk. I’ll explain more about the other options. For now, let’s learn more about the taste of oat milk.
Contents
What Does Oat Milk Taste Like?
In essence, three things contribute to the taste and pleasantness of oat milk: flavor, texture, and appearance. I’ll go into detail about each next.
1. Flavor
Oat milk is delicious because the taste is sweet, and you get that pleasant oat aroma, and it’s overall a good tasting drink.
In addition to regular oat drinks, you can get a creamier and tastier one for coffee that won’t curdle and mixes well. This is something oat milk has a great advantage over other options, as they outperform most, if not all.
You can also find flavored oat milk such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and you name it if that’s something you’re a fan of.
2. Texture
In addition to the great taste, oat milk has an amazing texture. The exact one varies between brands, where others have a little richer and others more watery, yet the thing in common is the creamy texture.
The best thing about oat milk, especially barista oat milk, is the foam you get from shaking it. When you pour some on your coffee, a thin layer of foam appears on top, and it’s just incredible! It’s always a good idea to shake oat milk before pouring it, as it will mix the components well.
3. Appearance
Oat milk’s appearance is somewhat similar to soy milk. The texture is creamy and rich, and the color is a very light beige, similar to oat flakes.
Although, if you were to drink chocolate oat drink, it would be rich in texture, brown, and look like chocolate. Similarly to other flavors.
What Does Oat Milk Taste Like In Coffee?
Oat milk and cow’s milk are different separately, yet the difference is as big when used in coffee. You probably know what milk tastes like in coffee as both of them are a couple of the most popular drinks globally, but what about oat milk?
Generally, oat milk tastes like full-fat dairy milk in coffee, except better. The taste is slightly sweeter, and it enhances the coffee’s aroma. In addition, oat milk meant for coffee adds foam and texture and makes it overall smooth.
When I talk about sweetness in oat milk, I’m referring to a slight hint of natural sweetness that is refreshing, not overly sugary sweetness that is too much. If you’re a fan of sugar in your coffee, that’s a good way to sweeten it too, but oat milk on its own tastes amazing as well.
Then, the foam comes from shaking the oat milk and pouring it into your coffee. When you take the first sip of your coffee, and the foam touches your lips, it’s super enjoyable and my favorite part of the entire beverage.
However, to achieve a good experience with oat milk in your coffee, you need one specifically meant for coffee instead of regular oat milk. Here are a few examples;
My favorite is the Oatly Barista, and I enjoy it every day!
Does Oat Milk Dissolve In Coffee?

Oatmilk and coffee separate opinions drastically, and I can understand from personal experience why, especially when someone has tried oat milk in their coffee for the first time. If you don’t know what you’re doing with oat milk and coffee, it won’t be good. That being said, does oat milk dissolve in coffee?
Oat milk meant for coffee won’t curdle in coffee, yet regular oat drinks will. Normally, the acidity and heat of coffee react with the cold oat milk, separating the fat from the liquid. However, oat milk meant for coffee is specifically formulated to mix with it, creating a creamy and foamy texture.
When shopping for oat milk for your coffee, you want to look at the box and find words like ”barista oat milk” or ”oat milk for coffee”. This ensures that the liquid will mix well with the coffee, without any curdle that can and usually happen with normal oat drinks.
An example of perfect oat milk for coffee is the Oatly Barista. It won’t only mix well with the coffee but also enhance its flavor and texture, creating an incredible drink.
Does Oat Milk Taste Better Than Almond Milk?
Oat milk certainly isn’t the only milk substitute in the space. There are various other ones, and one of the most popular ones is almond milk which is, as the name suggests, made from almonds instead of oats. How do oat and almond milk compare when it comes to taste?
Oat milk is better when compared to almond milk in flavor and texture. Oat milk has a richer, creamier composition with a sweeter, more pleasant taste. In contrast, almond milk has a watery texture with a nutty and less tasteful flavor.
Oat milk is better if you want to drink it from a glass and especially if you want some on your coffee, cereal, or baking.
If you want to use almond or oat milk for your coffee, you should know that both milks can curdle or mix well with the coffee. You need to get milk made for coffee, so it won’t curdle and will mix perfectly.
My favorite plant-based milk is oat milk, specifically the Oatly Barista, which creates an incredible texture and taste when mixed with coffee. When you shake the oat milk before adding it to your coffee, it creates a delightful foam and is superior to any dairy or dairy-free milk!
What Non-Dairy Milk Tastes Closest to Cow’s Milk?
Now that you have learned a ton from oat milk, you might want to know whether you should use it in milk’s place or whether other ones are better suited to substitute milk if you’re looking at it from the taste’s side. First, you need to know the most common non-dairy milks out there.
Here’s a list of non-dairy milks;
- Oat milk
- Almond milk
- I am milk
- Rice milk
- Coconut milk
- Cashew milk
- Hemp milk
That said, which of the non-dairy milk resembles real cow’s milk the most?
Out of all plant-based milks, almond milk tastes closest to cow’s milk as it is. However, some soy and oat milks come close too. Silk’s Nextmilk is milk made by mixing various plant-based milks to mimic real cow’s milk, and it’s the closest thing you can find resembling real milk.
If you are trying to cut dairy milk, are lactose intolerant, or are a vegan but still like the taste of real cow’s milk, I highly recommend trying Silk’s Nextmilk, which comes as a whole, reduced fat, and flavored options.
Is Oat Milk a Good Substitute for Cow’s Milk?
Oat milk is used similarly to regular cow’s milk and consumed in coffee, cereal, baking, tea, and you name it. However, this doesen’t necessarily mean that it’s a good substitute for cow’s milk.
Generally, oat milk isn’t a good substitute for cow’s milk as a beverage because its nutritional value doesen’t match too closely with it. As you can see from the table below, cow’s milk has less than twice the amount of protein, fewer calories, and less than twice the amount of fat as oat milk.
Nutrient | Oat Milk | Regular Milk |
---|---|---|
Calories | 50 | 42 |
Protein | 1,3g | 3,4g |
Carbohydrates | 6,6g | 5g |
Fat | 2,1g | 1g |
Cholesterol | 0mg | 5mg |
Sodium | 42mg | 44mg |
Potassium | 162mg | 150mg |
If you’re looking for the best plant-based milk in the place of cow’s milk, then soy milk is the option to go for. If you don’t know what soy milk tastes like, I encourage you to read my article all about it,
In conclusion, oat milk is a delicious substitute for regular milk, although it doesen’t match its nutritional value. However, you can get calcium and protein from elsewhere than milk, and if you do, oat milk can substitute cow’s milk like a dream. I have been doing it for years!
Here You’ll Find My Favorite Kitchen Equipment.
Thanks for reading this article! I hope that it brought you real value that you can benefit from in your personal life! Here is my top kitchen equipment that I seriously couldn’t live without, and I think they could ease your life as well as they do mine.
- Knife set: As a chef, I can’t stand dull, poor-quality knives without any design. My absolute favorite kitchen knife set is the Gangshan 3-Piece Knife Set. It comes with a handcrafted 8″ chef’s knife and a 3.5″ paring knife. What I love even more than these flawless knives is the walnut knife block which is incredible and unique.
- Skillet: In addition to knives and my unwillingness to bargain with its quality is the cookware. My favorite skillet is Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet. This particular skillet is 9″ in size, it is heavy, it gets very hot, which is what is required to get a good sear, and it is just beautiful, as are all Le Creuset products. Le Creuset doesn’t need an introduction as a brand, as it is one of the world’s rated brands.
- Food processor: I remember when I hadn’t a food processor at home. It wasn’t easy! But now, when I use my Ninja BN601 Food Processor, I can make anything super fast, which saves me many hours per week. This food processor has 1000 watts of power and four options, including chopping, slicing, dough, and purees. I also like the middle-sized 9cup (2.1l) bowl as it is big enough yet not too big to look unfitting in my kitchen.
- Tweezers: Dalstrong Professional Cooking Tweezers are like tongs but much more elegant, thin, and easy to use. They are great for virtually anything, but flipping, turning, and grabbing with them is easy and makes cooking much more fun! These Dalstrgon tongs are titanium coated and very durable. Also, I like the black color instead of the everyday steel.