The Best Oat Milk – A Complete Guide


best oat milk

Oat milk is all the rage right now. You may be wondering if it’s worth trying or if it’s just another trendy food item. Here’s what you need to know about oat milk and the best one to choose based on what you will be using it for! If you’re looking for a nutritious, dairy-free beverage option, oat milk is worth adding to your diet!

Finding the best oat milk will depend on what you are looking for. Does an organic and simple ingredient list matter to you? (Try Willa’s Unsweetened Organic Oat Milk). Or are you more concerned with getting the best foam in your cappuccino possible? (Oatly Barista Edition).

Skim the list below to find the best oat milk for any scenario! 

Best Organic Oat Milk

Willa's Organic Original Oat Milk

Willa’s Unsweetened Organic Oat Milk

“We use a milling process that is unique to us,” Willa’s co-founder Christina Dorr Drake said. “It allows us to use the entire oat, so you’re getting all of the protein and fiber and no waste.”

Because of this process, Willa’s Oat Milk has more fiber, protein, and less sugar per serving than the average oat milk. Not only is the whole grain oat used, but the super clean ingredient list excludes the additives commonly found in oat milks, like rapeseed/canola oil, glyphosate, and carrageenan. 

This organic oat milk is made from just 4 ingredients: filtered water, organic whole-grain oats, real organic vanilla, and salt. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Willa’s Unsweetened Original Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 80 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 14 grams 
  • Fiber: 2 grams 
  • Total Fat: 1.5 grams
  • Protein: 4 grams 
  • Sugar: 2 grams 

This oat milk doesn’t have added sugars, gums, or emulsifiers, and it’s gluten-free, non-GMO, and USDA Organic.

Buy Willa’s Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk In Drinks

Best Oat Milk For Coffee

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

If you are looking for the best oat milk that will froth and add a creamy texture to hot coffee, the most popular is Oatly Barista Edition oat milk. It has been specially formulated with slightly different ingredients, like more vegetable oil than regular oat milk. The additional fat helps the oat milk foam and froth more like dairy milk, which is why it is a favorite of professional and home baristas. Read more about oat milk in coffee here

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 7 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Matcha Latte

Choose sweetened and flavored oat milk (like vanilla) for a perfect matcha latte. Unflavored oat milk will be a little less sweet than other milk options like almond or dairy but still adds a rich and creamy texture. 

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

For a hot and frothy beverage, we recommend a barista oat milk like the one from Oatly, Califia Farms, or Elmhurst. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 7 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Iced Coffee & Matcha

Oatly Original Oat Milk

Oatly Oat Milk (Original)

This oat milk has fewer calories than the barista version but is still rich and creamy. It has a subtle flavor and pairs well with cold coffee and matcha drinks!

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Original Oat Milk contains

  • Calories: 120 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 5 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Original Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Hot Chocolate

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Barista oat milk is made with specific ingredients to make the oat milk creamy and rich when heated. Often regular oat milk will separate when heated, which many people find unappealing. The Oatly brand has an excellent barista oat milk that tastes and froths impeccably well when heated.

Tip: add maple syrup to your oat milk hot chocolate for a little something extra! 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 7 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Barista Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Chai Tea Latte

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk

Like our oat milk recommendation for hot chocolate or hot coffee, Oatly Barista Edition oat milk also wins for hot chai drinks. Oat milk is the creamiest and frothiest of the plant-based milks, and the barista editions are even more so. It is the ideal dairy replacement for hot drinks! 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 7 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Barista Oat Milk Here

Best Eggnog Oat Milk

Elmhurst Oat Nog

Elmhurst Oat Nog

This tasty oat milk egg nog has a surprisingly short ingredient list which is always a positive in our book! It includes; filtered water, whole grain oats, cashews, cane sugar, natural flavors, and salt. The Elmhurst oat nog is known for its great taste. You can expect oat milk egg nog to be a little thinner than dairy egg nog but still highly satisfying. 

Note: This oat milk contains cashews.

One serving (8 fl oz) of Elmhurst Oat Nog contains: 

  • Calories: 100 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 18 grams 
  • Fiber: 1 gram 
  • Total Fat: 2 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams 
  • Sugar: 9 grams 

Buy Elmhurst Oat Nog Here

Best Tasting Oat Milk

Oatly Original Oat Milk

Oatly Original Oat Milk

Believe it or not, Oatly has been making oat milk since 1994, but it wasn’t until 2017 that demand in America picked up enough for stores to start keeping it on their shelves. The decades of practice making oat milk really show, as Oatly is our top pick for the best-tasting oat milk. 

The original is thick and creamy without being too sweet. It is versatile, and the barista edition pairs exceptionally well with coffee and other hot drinks. Which is why Starbucks has been using it since 2021. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Oatly Original Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 120 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 16 grams 
  • Fiber: 2 grams 
  • Total Fat: 5 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Oatly Original Here

Trader Joe's Oat Beverage

Trader Joe’s Oat Beverage

While the Oatly oat milk is fantastic, it has been engineered by food scientists to achieve a specific taste, consistency, and mouth feel. If you are looking for something that still tastes great but with a shorter ingredient list, our top pick is the Oat Beverage from Trader Joe’s.

Similar to 1% cow’s milk, the refrigerated oat milk from Trader Joe’s takes the cake. This oat milk goes great in coffee or as a stand-alone beverage! It tastes naturally sweet, is creamy, and is considerably less expensive than many oat milks on the market. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Trader Joe’s Non-Dairy Oat Beverage contains: 

  • Calories: 90 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 9 grams 
  • Fiber: >1 gram 
  • Total Fat: 5 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams 
  • Sugar: 9 grams 

Buy Trader Joe’s Non-Dairy Oat Beverage Here

Best Flavored Oat Milk

The overall best-flavored oat milk is vanilla! Primarily because it is incredibly versatile. Try vanilla oat milk in your coffee, smoothie, cereal, baking, or drink it on its own! Most major brands have vanilla-flavored oat milk. You can purchase any of these online and have them shipped directly to you:

One of the most popular flavored oat milks you may have yet to hear of is the Maple Oat Beverage from Trader Joe’s! It is only available during the colder months, so grab it when you can!

Best Oat Milk For Cooking

Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats

Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats

This clean and simple oat milk is excellent for cooking because it has a mild oat taste and is low in sugar. 

Contains: filtered water, whole grain oats, salt

One serving (8 fl oz) of Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats contains: 

  • Calories: 100 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 17 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 2 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 1 gram 

Buy Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats Here

Best Oat Milk For Baking

Chobani Plain Extra Creamy Oat Milk

Chobani Plain Extra Creamy Oat Milk

This oat milk has a thick and creamy texture, much like whole milk, which makes it great for baking. It has a slightly sweet taste that adds rich flavor to any baked good. This oat milk has additives but uses organic oats and does not contain artificial preservatives. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Chobani Plain Extra Creamy Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 13 grams 
  • Fiber: <1 gram 
  • Total Fat: 8 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams 
  • Sugar: 7 grams 

Buy Chobani Plain Extra Creamy Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Cereal 

Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats

While many oat milks will taste great in cereal, we selected Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats as our top pick. It has a simple ingredient list, is minimally processed, and has a great natural flavor. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats contains: 

  • Calories: 100 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 17 grams 
  • Fiber: 3 grams 
  • Total Fat: 2 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams 
  • Sugar: 1 gram

Buy Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats Here

Best Oat Milk For Overnight Oats

We recommend using organic oat milk for a clean and healthy breakfast to get the purest and best nutritional value possible. 

Willa's Organic Original Oat Milk

Willa’s Unsweetened Organic Oat Milk

This organic oat milk is made from just 4 ingredients: filtered water, organic whole-grain oats, and organic, real vanilla, and salt. It doesn’t have added sugars, gums, or emulsifiers, and it’s gluten-free, non-GMO, and USDA Organic.

One serving (8 fl oz) of Willa’s Unsweetened Original Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 80 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 14 grams 
  • Fiber: 2 grams 
  • Total Fat: 1.5 grams
  • Protein: 4 grams 
  • Sugar: 2 grams 

Buy Willa’s Unsweetened Original oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Oatmeal 

Planet Oat Vanilla Oat Milk

Adding oat milk to your oatmeal will give it some extra oaty flavor and more fiber and vitamins than water. It is also lower in calories than whole milk.

Most oat milks will taste great in your oatmeal, but for an added treat, try the Planet Oat Vanilla Oat Milk! 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Planet Oat Vanilla Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 90 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 19 grams 
  • Fiber: 2 grams 
  • Total Fat: 1.5 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams 
  • Sugar: 4 grams 

Buy Planet Oat Vanilla Oat Milk Here

Best Oat Milk For Specific Diets

Best Oat Milk For BodyBuilding

Oat milk fits into the bodybuilding diet best during the cutting phase because it is lower in calories (about 13% lower) than whole milk and contains a lot of fiber. Oat milk is also ideal for bodybuilders with milk allergies. Additional protein sources will be necessary to compensate for the lower amount of protein in oat milk than in whole milk. Lastly, oat milk is often fortified with calcium which is essential for bone formation. 

Califia Farms Original Protein Oat Milk

Califia Farms Original Protein Oat Milk

Califia Farms has a special protein oat milk that contains about 3 times as much protein per serving as the average oat milk. Additionally, this oat milk is also advertised as gluten-free. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Califia Farms Original Protein Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 140 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 10 grams 
  • Fiber: 1 gram 
  • Total Fat: 7 grams
  • Protein: 8 grams 
  • Sugar: 3 grams 

Buy Califia Farms Original Protein Oat Milk Here

Best Gluten-Free Oat Milk 

Oats are naturally gluten-free; however, they’re often grown near wheat and processed in facilities that also process wheat products, so they can be contaminated with gluten. If you can’t consume gluten, make sure to only purchase oat milk that is certified gluten-free. 

Califia Farms Extra Creamy Oat Milk

Califia Farms Extra Creamy Oat Milk

Our top pick for gluten-free oat milk is the Califia Farms brand. Reviewers love it for its rich and creamy taste that is similar to whole milk, plus it works well as a stand-alone drink or as an ingredient in other beverages or baking. The flavor is comparable to the leftover milk at the bottom of a cereal bowl. 

One serving (8 fl oz) of Califia Farms Extra Creamy Oat Milk contains: 

  • Calories: 110 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 12 grams 
  • Fiber: >1 gram 
  • Total Fat: 6 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams 
  • Sugar: 4 grams 

Buy Califia Farms Extra Creamy Oat Milk Here

If you have a favorite oat milk that we did not cover, let us know! Contact us here.

Anne K.

Anne is a passionate health and wellness writer who is dedicated to helping others achieve their best selves through a healthy lifestyle. She believes that small changes can lead to big improvements in overall health and works to provide practical tips and advice that readers can easily incorporate into their daily lives. Through her writing, Anne hopes to inspire and empower readers to take control of their health and live their best lives.

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