The Oat Milk Tip To Follow When Making Vegan Baked Goods

We have a tip for you if you want to use oat milk to make vegan baked goods at home because the type of oat milk you use to bake matters. Choosing the wrong kind of oat milk can impact your baked goodie's quality, final look, texture, and mouthfeel. And here's our tip: Always choose plain-flavored and full-fat oat milk to bake and make desserts. Skip the low-fat kind. This is because full-fat oat milk mimics dairy milk better than low-fat milk. Full-fat oat milk is more viscous and thicker and has a fair amount of protein and starches; when using it to bake, you can even substitute it one-on-one for dairy milk. 

When choosing the proper full-fat oat milk to bake with, also look for ones that have no flavor or are plain in flavor. This way, the oat milk does not affect the flavor of your vegan baked goods. One exception to this rule is if you're baking a chocolate goodie. Then go ahead and use chocolate oat milk. Otherwise, always use plain oat milk, which is mild and neutral in taste but creamy in texture, making it a perfect substitute for cow's milk when baking. 

When making vegan baked goods and desserts, oat milk has more use and purpose than just substituting dairy milk to make the batter or dough as a plant-based alternative. Take this vegan cinnamon rolls recipe by Tasting Table recipe developer Molly Allen, for example. While Allen uses water to make the cinnamon roll dough, she uses oat milk and confectioners' sugar to make the delicious vegan glaze. The cinnamon buns are rich and decadent, making it difficult for tasters of Allen's recipe to tell they're eating a fully vegan dessert. 

Additionally, you can use oat milk as a vegan egg wash for pastries to add a bit of color and shine. Oat milk as a wash helps elevate your pastries' aesthetics, similar to traditional egg washes. (Note that you may want to mix the oat milk with sugar or maple or agave syrup first if you prefer more browning on your pastries). And of note, full-fat oat milk is an excellent liquid choice when making vegan cheesecakes. Combined with cashews, tofu, or vegan cream cheese, oat milk can help create a rich and creamy plant-based filling that mimics the texture and richness of cheesecakes made with dairy products.