Can You Freeze Oat Milk?

Do you have leftovers in your carton and wondering can you freeze oat milk? Well the good news is that it is indeed possible to freeze oat milk. In this guide we will tell you exactly how to freeze oat milk for the best results, how to defrost oat milk and finally how to use frozen oat milk in things such as smoothies and more.

Why Freeze Oat Milk?

But before we get into the how’s of freezing oat milk, let us look at why should you freeze it?

Well there are a lot of really great reasons to freeze oat milk:

• Firstly it reduces waste.
• Secondly, it extends the shelf life of oat milk which has been opened. Store bought oat milk actually has a long shelf life by comparison to dairy milk, however it must be consumed quickly once opened so freezing can preserve the milk for longer.
• Lastly it can be used in cooking as a milk substitute.

So now you know why you should consider freezing your leftover Oat milk, how do you go about it?

Can you freeze oat milk?

As we mentioned above, oat milk can be frozen. However having said that you may find that some people advise against freezing oat milk.

The reason for this is because although oat milk freezes easily, defrosting and using frozen oat milk is a bit tricker.

This is because that once oat milk is defrosted is that the texture and consistency of the milk changes.

Therefore, it is important to know not only the best freezing methods for oat milk but also what you can do with oat milk once thawed so you don’t waste any once defrosted.

How long can you freeze Oat milk for?

Oat milk once frozen can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. After that any frozen oat milk should be thrown away and not used.

How to Freeze Oat Milk

So now you know that you can freeze oat milk, what is the best method for freezing?

The answer to this will depend on how much milk you have to freeze and what you intend to use the defrosted milk for.

If you only have a small amount of oat milk leftover to freeze then the best way of freezing is in ice cube trays.

However, if you have a full carton of oat milk or a large volume of oat milk to freeze and plan on using the milk in large quantities i.e. in sauces for instance you should use a larger volume container.

We will look at each of these methods and give you step by step freezing instructions..

How to Freeze oat Milk in Ice Cube Trays

Ice cube trays are perfect for freezing liquids. They don’t take up too much room in your freezer and allow you to take out small proportions of the frozen food as needed which helps to reduce waste.

So how do you freeze Oat milk in Ice cube trays?

All you need to do to freeze oat milk in an ice cube tray is pour your oat milk in equal measures into your silicon ice cube tray. If your ice cube tray has a lid we recommend using it to prevent spillage and containmination.

We also recommend using trays with a silicon bottom or that are entirely made of silicon as these are easier to remove the ice cubes from.

Then simply pop your ice cube tray in the top of your freezer and leave for between 3 – 12 hours to ensure full freezing.

Note: don’t be alarms if the color of your oat milk changes color slightly once frozen.

Once the oat milk cubes have completely frozen, place them into a Ziploc freezer bag. And remember to label the bag with the date of freezing and the contents of the bag.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Always label your frozen food bags with the date of freezing and never use expired frozen food no matter the food stuff.

Can you freeze Oat milk for smoothies

Oat milk makes absolutely delicious smoothies. And actually smoothies are a great way to use up your frozen oat milk.

When oat milk is thawed the texture and consistency changes which makes it unpleasant to use on cereal or tea or coffee. However the fact that you blend a smoothie disguises the oat milk textural changes and is a delicious way to use up your leftovers.

We recommend defrosting the Oat milk and straining through a cheesecloth before using in your smoothie however if you don’t have time, you could add the frozen Oat milk cubes into the blender with your fruit and ice cubes and blend together.

How to freeze Oat milk in larger quantities

While we love freezing oat milk in ice cube trays this probably isn’t the best method it you have lots of oat milk to freeze.

When you have a larger volume of Oat milk to freeze or plan on using it in something other than smoothies we recommend using a larger freezer safe container. 

Note: only use an air tight container.

Freezing Oat milk in a larger container is super easy, just select a container that has enough room for your milk but also enough space in the container between the lid and milk to allow for the milk to expand during the freezing process. We usually leave around an inch between the lid and the liquid.

Of course, freezing oat milk in a larger volume means that it will take longer to freeze fully and we therefore recommend leaving oat milk to freeze overnight.

Once frozen you could transfer the frozen liquid in a ziplock freezer bag to save on space.

Just remember to put your frozen oat milk and container in a bowl to thaw to prevent leakage in the thawing process.

Note: As always remember to date your container and never use expired oat milk.

Can you freeze Oat milk in the carton?

We never recommend freezing oat milk in the carton.

The reason for this is because cartons from the store are not freezer friendly. Also, oat milk expands during the freezing process so you may find there are leaks if you try to freeze the milk in the carton.

Does Oat milk freeze easily?

Oat milk freezes easily in terms of the process, however due to the consistency changes I would say it doesn’t freeze and defrost well.

The oat milk foes through texture changes when it thaws and this means you need to strain the oat milk before use.

How to defrost Oat milk?

When you are ready to use your oat milk you can:

• Defrost it in the fridge overnight
• You can use it frozen.

However no matter the method of thawing you use you will find that your oat milk has changed texture and becomes grainy in the process.

To try and counteract the changes we recommend putting the oat milk through a cheese cloth once it has thawed.

And once it has thawed it needs to be used quickly to prevent spoilage.

How to use Frozen Oat milk

Frozen Oat milk does not necessarily have to be defrosted to use. However depending on what you are using it in will depend on whether it is necessary.

For instance, I would personally be happy to use frozen Oat milk cubes in my smoothies as it will be blended in the course of making a smoothie.

However I would personally always defrost Oat milk before cooking with it or using in sauces as straining it through a cheesecloth before incorporating will greatly improve the texture and consistency.

FAQs About Frozen Oat Milk

Can you drink defrosted Oat milk?

Although there is nothing stopping you from drinking defrosted Oat milk it is not something that I personally recommend.

This is because it’s texture has changed and even after straining these effects will still be noticeable.

So, what can you use your frozen Oat milk in?

The best ways of using frozen Oat milk are:

• In a smoothie
• In sauces such as becemals for pasta
• In cooked dishes that require milk substitute i.e. Oat milk pancakes
• In desserts tha require a milk substitute i.e. Oat milk custard.

Can you Freeze Smoothies Made with Oat milk

You absolutely freeze smoothies made with Oat milk, providing you haven’t added anything that can’t be frozen or you have previously frozen the oat milk. The more you freeze oat milk the worse the textural effects will become.

Does frozen Oat milk taste good?

You may be wondering whether frozen Oat milk tastes good and the truth is Oat milk never tastes quite as good once frozen and defrosted.

However it is ok to  freeze once and use in smoothies and cooking where you can disguise the texture.

Can You Freeze Oat Milk To Make Ice Cream?

Oat Milk ice cream is a vegan dessert staple and the clue is in the title that oat milk can be frozen for ice cream.

To make Oat milk ice cream you will either need a high speed blender or ice cream maker. You can get our favorite Oat milk ice cream recipes here.

Can You Freeze Oat Milk Yogurt?

Yes you can freeze Oat milk yogurt however as with Oat milk it separates on thawing and its consistency changes. Therefore we do not recommend eating Oat milk yogurt after freezing but use it in something after straining.

Why do manufacturers advise against freezing Oat milk?

You may notice that manufacturers of Oat milk advise against freezing it. This isn’t because it goes off during freezing but because the consistency and texture is changed by the freezing process.

Therefore it is part of quality control by the manufacturers as to why they don’t recommend freezing.

Can you refreeze Oat milk?

I would not recommend refreezing oat milk after it has already been frozen and thawed. The changes to consistency will become more extreme on refreezing.

It is also not good practice to keep defrosting and freezing food.

Can You Freeze Oatly?

You can freeze Oatly however the manufacturers did warn about the texture changes.

Can you freeze Alpro oat milk?

 Yes you can Alpro Oat Milk, again though the texture changes will still be present.

How to Freeze Oat Milk Instructions

Interested in learning about if you can freeze other plant based milks then check out our related guides:

• Can you freeze Coconut Milk
• Can you freeze Almond Milk
• Can you freeze Soy Milk

Do you have any other questions about freezing Oat milk – drop us any questions you have in the comments below and we will answer as soon as we can.