How to Make Oat Flour with 10 Recipes to Use It
There is no need to spend a lot of money on oat flour when you likely already have everything needed in your pantry to make it in less than 2-minutes. Making homemade oat flour really is so simple and useful, so I’ve included some of my favorite recipes to use it in!
One great thing about making your own oat flour is that you can prepare as much or as little as needed without having to store extra bags of specialty flour that get used infrequently. Making this gluten-free flour is super simple and inexpensive and great to have on hand for making recipes like banana oat pancakes. You can even use it to make a gluten-free vegan pie crust.
Reasons you will love oat flour
- Gluten-Free Goodness: Oat flour is naturally gluten-free (when certified) and perfect for creating delicious baked goods for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Nutrient-Packed: Rich in fiber, protein, and essential nutrients like magnesium and iron, oat flour adds a healthy boost to your recipes.
- Versatile and Easy to Use: From pancakes to muffins, oat flour works beautifully in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.
- Affordable and Homemade-Friendly: Oat flour is budget-friendly and can be easily made at home by blending rolled oats in a food processor.
What is oat flour?
Oat flour is a whole grain gluten-free flour that is made from oats. It can be made using old-fashioned oats, quick-cooking oats, and even steel-cut oats though they take just a little longer to blend since they are a thicker cut.
Making your own oat flour is a very cost-effective option compared to other specialty flours such as almond, coconut, and quinoa flours. In addition to being naturally gluten-free, oat flour is loaded with plenty of fiber and protein.
Substituting flour options
I often am asked by followers how to substitute other flours with oatmeal flour when baking and cooking. Most of the time, people are asking because they are avoiding gluten and want to replace wheat flour or traditional white flour with a gluten-free option.
The good news is that oat flour is very user-friendly and can usually be substituted for white and wheat flour at the same ratio by weight. By volume, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of oat flour, you will need 1.25 cups of oat flour.
Cooking with oatmeal flour
Not that many years ago, the only flours that were used regularly in recipes were the standard all-purpose white flour and whole wheat. Things have really changed since then, and people are incorporating a wide range of other flours like spelt, rice, almond, oat, and many more in their favorite recipes.
Some people are in search of gluten-free flour, and others are just interested in trying something new and different. The problem is that most of these bags of specialty flours can be quite pricey, especially if they are only going to be used for one or two recipes.
Luckily, with oat flour, I’m betting you already have everything needed in your cupboard to make the exact amount for that recipe without wasting a penny!
Is oatmeal flour really gluten-free?
Oats are naturally gluten-free, however, they can be cross-contaminated during processing if the facility also processes other grains. If you are gluten-intolerant, be sure any oats bought say “certified gluten-free.” It is so easy to make gluten-free oat flour at a fraction of the cost of those name brands.
How to make oat flour
STEP #1: Add old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats to your blender, food processor, or even coffee grinder.
STEP #2: Next, blend or pulse oats until they are ground into powdery flour, approximately 1 minute or less. Time will depend on the power of your appliance. If needed, stop and stir oats then pulse again to make sure they are completely blended.
One cup of oats makes just under 1 cup of flour. There is about a tablespoon difference, with the finished flour product being the lesser measurement.
Though you do not need a high-powered blender to make oat flour, this is the one that I personally use and highly recommend. Of all the appliances in my kitchen, my Vitamix 5200 Series is the one I could not do without. I’ve never met a recipe or kitchen task it can’t handle.
Use immediately in your favorite recipe or store in an airtight container. I vote for using it in a delicious treat like these delicious vegan homemade tootsie rolls or my banana oat vegan muffins.
Storage and freezing
If you want to make a large batch of oatmeal flour to keep on hand for recipes, simply store it in an airtight container at room temperature like you would other flour varieties. It should stay fresh for at least 6 months or longer.
It can also be stored in your refrigerator or freezer if it won’t be used for long periods.
Gluten-free flour options
For those interested in learning more about the different types of gluten-free flour options and how to use them, along with substitutions, check out this article about how to bake gluten-free.
Ways to use oatmeal flour
There is a reason that oat flour has become popular with cooks around the world. It’s inexpensive, easy to make, gluten-free, and delicious! It’s a healthy substitute when making vegan pancakes, waffles, dairy-free muffins, cakes, and lots of other baking recipes.
10 Oat flour recipes
So many recipes are made with oat flour nowadays. Plenty of health food bloggers are including it in their baking, so I’ve listed 11 great recipes from lots of different chefs and websites to help get you started. Here we go!
- Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies / Rip Esselstyn
- Vegan Zucchini Fudgy Brownies / TheVegan8
- Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins / Forks Over Knives
- Quick & Healthy Vegan Oat Bar / Nutritiously
- Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes / EatPlant-Based
- Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins / Center for Nutrition Studies
- Oil-Free Zucchini Fritters / TheVegan8
- Gluten-Free Plant-Based Waffles / EatPlant-Based
- Heavenly Tootsie Rolls / EatPlant-Based
- Chocolate Vegan Pie Crust / EatPlant-Based
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
How to Make Oat Flour in Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashion oats
- blender or food processor
Instructions
- Measure out 1 cup of old fashion oats and place in blender
- Blend or pulse oats until they are ground into powdery flour, approximately 1-minute or less. Time will depend on the power of your appliance.
- If needed, stop and stir oats then pulse again to make sure they are completely blended.
- One cup of oats makes just under 1-cup of flour. Use immediately in your favorite recipe or store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies / Rip Esselstyn
- Vegan Zucchini Fudgy Brownies / TheVegan8
- Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins / Forks Over Knives
- Quick & Healthy Vegan Oat Bar / Nutritiously
- Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes / EatPlant-Based
- Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins / Center for Nutrition Studies
- Oil-Free Zucchini Fritters / TheVegan8
- Gluten-Free Plant-Based Waffles / EatPlant-Based
- Heavenly Tootsie Rolls / EatPlant-Based
- Chocolate Vegan Pie Crust / EatPlant-Based
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
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