This Chocolate Oat Milk is truly good for you. It's full of fiber, antioxidants, iron and contains no refined sugars so you can drink up!
The amount of chocolate milk I drank as a child is slightly alarming. I loved milk, but even more so I loved chocolate milk. Personally, I'm still obsessed with chocolate milk. I almost always have my Simply Chocolate Syrup on hand to make homemade chocolate milk or iced mochas. However, I now also love to make this healthy, homemade Chocolate Oat Milk! I can whip up this chocolate oat milk in 5 minutes AND I get the assurance of knowing it's good for me! Let me show you how to make it!
Ingredients
Making chocolate oat milk at home requires just a handful of ingredients, many of which I'm sure you already have on hand!
I'll list out everything you need below:
- Rolled oats
- Cacao powder or cocoa powder
- Medjool dates (or other sweetener, such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc.)
- Cold water
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: vanilla extract
See! I bet you could whip up a batch right now!
How to make chocolate oat milk
Oat milk is one of the easiest homemade, non-dairy milks to make.
You don't have to soak any nuts, so it can be ready to enjoy in around 5 minutes.
To make homemade oat milk, simply follow the step-by-step instructions listed below:
Step 1: Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Using a nut milk bag, or cheese cloth, strain the oat milk into a container or bowl. Squeeze out as much milk as possible through the nut milk bag.
Step 3: Let the milk chill in the fridge before drinking.
Step 4: Store the milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake well before enjoying!
Is chocolate milk healthy?
Traditional chocolate milk (whether store bought, or homemade with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup) contains a lot of unnecessary ingredients.
However, this homemade chocolate milk is sweetened with whole foods (dates) instead of refined sugars. This will keep you from getting that unwanted sugar spike then crash.
Plus, this chocolate oat milk has fiber thanks to the oats and minerals such as iron and magnesium from the cacao powder.
It's loaded with antioxidants too!
How long does homemade oat milk last?
Since this homemade chocolate oat milk doesn't contain any strange additives or preservatives, it will only last for about 3 days in the fridge.
Store the milk in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Shake it before drinking as the oats and water will separate over time!
Can you heat homemade oat milk?
While store-bought oat milk is my favorite milk to use in hot coffee and hot chocolate, I personally don't like heating up my easy homemade oat milk.
Even though you strain out most of the oat pulp when making homemade oat milk, quite a few oat particles remain in the milk.
When you try to heat up homemade oat milk, the oat particles in the milk thicken, just as if you were making oatmeal on the stove.
This results in a slimy, goopy mess that isn't something you want to drink.
With that said, feel free to experiment with it!
You may have better luck than I have had!
Ways to enjoy homemade chocolate milk
I love to enjoy this homemade chocolate oat milk in a number of different ways, other than just drinking it!
You could pour it over cereal.
You could use it in smoothies
Use it in baked goods for a chocolatey taste.
Pour it over espresso for an iced mocha!
Get creative and enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Oat Milk Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups filtered cold water
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 8 small dates or 4-5 pitted Medjool dates*
- 2 tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder
Optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain the milk through a nut milk bag, or cheese cloth, into a container or bowl. Squeeze out as much milk as possible through the nut milk bag.
- Let the milk chill in the fridge before drinking.
- Store the milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Maya Sun says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am so totally addicted to making my own oat milk now! Chocolate and regular (vanilla). It's so easy and saves a TON of money and saves mama earth from the packaging since I can buy all the ingredients in bulk.
The one thing I do feel a bit bad about is ditching the filtered out oatmeal. Has anyone put this to good use? Could it be used in baking somehow? Or maybe a home beauty aid? I'd love to hear some ideas!
Faith VanderMolen says
I'm so glad you're enjoying making your own homemade oat milk Maya! Thanks so much for sharing! And you can add it to smoothies or oatmeal. OR google oat pulp recipes as I know there are quite a few out there for cookies and other baked goods! Hope you find a good recipe to use!
Maya Sun says
Thank you so much Faith! I'll google come recipes per your suggestion!
Daminica McPhillips says
Hi Faith,
I am just starting to think of going vegan mostly for my 13 yo daughter who has Ulcerative Colitis. I want her off dairy and bought organic oat milk. Could I try 3 cups of that instead of water, oats, and straining it out....I’m not the most natural in the kitchen and try to simplify, for now:)
I’m excited to read your blog and other recipes
Thank you so much!!
Daminica
Faith VanderMolen says
Hi Daminica! First of all, I hope the diet changes help your daughter! And blending store-bought oat milk with dates or maple syrup and cocoa powder would be a great way to make chocolate milk! I hope you can find some more recipes that you enjoy as you peruse my blog!
Deborah says
Just made it for the first time for my adult daughter who is vegan - and we BOTH loved it! Going to be a keeper for sure. Can't believe how easy it was. Thank you Thank you!!
Faith VanderMolen says
Oh that's so great to hear Deborah! Thanks so much for sharing!
Anne says
Instead of dates could I use maple syrup? If so, how much?
Faith VanderMolen says
Yes definitely! The amount you use is really up to you. I'd start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste. Let us know how you like it!
Noreen says
Hmm. Thickens if heated...is chocolate pudding a possibility??
Faith says
That's a great idea Noreen! Let me know if you try it out and how it goes!
Vivia says
Awesome recipe!! This is so cool. Thank you for posting this!! 🙂
Faith says
Glad you like it Vivia!!
Tonnae says
I am loving my chocolate oat milk!! I made plain oat milk for the first time recently and was very pleased with how it tasted in my tea. I have a milk allergy and have tried all of the other alternative milks and just didn't like how they made my tea taste. I was excited to see your recipe for the chocolate version. Because I keep the oat pulp for oatmeal, I blended my oats with just water first, strained, and then blended with the cocoa etc., and then strained again. I couldn't wait for it to chill before trying so I had a taste and I absolutely love it!! Thanks!!
P.S. my daughter is vegan, I can't wait for her to try this!
P.S.S. I also soaked my steel cut oats overnight to aid with digestibility and then drained and rinsed to cut down on oat slime.. 🙂
Faith says
Hey Tonnae! That's great news! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. And I'm sure your daughter will love it. And thanks also for the steal cut oats tip:)
Stacy says
Do you think it would work to just make your regular oat milk recipe and add a scoop of cocoa powder to a glass of milk whenever you get a hankerin' for chocolate milk but don't want an entire batch?
Faith says
Hey Stacy! I think that could definitely work, but you'd want to sweeten it too or otherwise it would be bitter. It may be a little chalky too if you just stir it in so you'd want to shake it up really well maybe! And FYI, this oat milk can't be heated up or else it thickens so still to cold chocolate milk and not hot chocolate!! (Speaking from experience:)
Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says
Looks so good!! I used to make chocolate milk too.. once my mom caught me sitting on the counter (I was like 5) making a huge mess, lol! I love having chocolate milk around for after practices so I hope I can make this this weekend 🙂
Faith says
Haha! That's so cute. I bet she couldn't get mad a that:) So true, Chocolate milk would be a perfect after workout fuel! I hope you like it Leigha!
Yuliya says
I have never a recipe like this before! It looks delicious - pinning 🙂
Faith says
I hadn't either haha!! Until recently, that is. But we love it!
Jessie says
Anytime your s/o gives a recipe a win you just know it's good!
Faith says
I totally agree Jessie!!