How To Make Oat Flour
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Oat flour is a pantry staple I use in countless recipes, and it takes just a minute to make at home. All you need is a blender and a bag of rolled oats, quick oats, or even steel-cut oats.
As a culinary school grad and recipe developer, I’ve learned over the years that the type of flour you use makes a huge difference in what you are cooking. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as swapping out one flour for another without affecting texture, flavor, or even nutritional value.
Oat flour has a slightly nutty flavor that balances its light and fluffy texture. The key to making homemade oat flour depends on the blender or food processor you use. You need to be able to grind your oats down to a fine, almost powder-like flour, which is why making homemade oat flour is quite an art. I’ve tested nearly every blender on the market, and my results showed that any blender over 1000 watts produced the best results.
Because I often get asked “Can I use oat flour?” for many of my recipes that call for all-purpose or wheat flour, I’m sharing with you how I make it and also my tried and true tips for substituting oat flour in mainstream baking. Say goodbye to expensive store-bought oat flour and say hello to this simple homemade version.
How to make oat flour
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Add the oats to a high-speed blender or food processor.
Step 2- Blend for 15 seconds until the oats are coarsely chopped. Blend once more until a fine, flour-like texture appears.
Swapping Oat Flour for All-Purpose Flour
I’ve done extensive testing replacing alternative flours (like almond flour and coconut flour) with oat flour, and the results are very inconsistent! So, I’ll just be sharing my experience and tips on substituting AP flour with oat flour.
- Ensure there is a binder. Because oat flour has minimal/no gluten, it will need some binding agent (eggs, baking powder/baking soda, plus vinegar) to help create a light and fluffy texture. If you are a little unsure, I’m sharing a bunch of my tried and true recipes specifically using oat flour.
- Replace by weight, not volume. Oat flour is lighter than all-purpose flour, so use a kitchen scale to measure accurately. Please do not swap cup-for-cup!
Is oat flour gluten-free?
No, not all oats and oat flour are gluten-free or suitable for celiacs. Oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat during farming or processing. The exception is certified gluten-free oats, which are grown and processed in dedicated facilities and tested to ensure they are safe for people with celiac disease.
My preferred brands are Bob’s Red Mill and Nature’s Path organic. If you are making gluten-free oat flour at home, always check the packaging for a certified gluten-free label.
Frequently asked questions
One cup of rolled or quick oats will yield about one cup of oat flour. Steel-cut oats will yield closer to two cups, because they’re denser.
Store oat flour in an airtight container in a dry, cool place for up to two months. You can also keep it in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months.
As mentioned earlier, I tested making oat flour in a variety of blenders and found that any blender with a minimum of 1000 watts works best. I have a Ninja blender and a Vitamix blender, which are both 1200 watts, and they blend oats down to a fine powder.
Oat Flour Recipes
If you tried this Oat Flour recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Homemade Oat Flour
Video
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Oats old fashioned, quick oats, or steel-cut oats. Gluten free, if needed
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the rolled oats.
- Blend for 15 seconds until oats are coarsely chopped. Blend once more until a fine, flour-like texture appears.
- Transfer to a jar or sealable container.
Can you use sprouted oats for this?
I don’t see why not!
Can I use buckwheat flour and what is the measurement??
Not sure- haven’t tried!
Very tasty & I use it with Spelt & Artisan Bread flour, sifted together for my Sour dough & Biscoti/Cookies recipes.
Delicious & satisfying!
I haven’t tried this but I am going to as I really need a low-carb flour and as you say everyone has this in their cupboard. thanks from England, UK
Can I use Steele cut oats to make oat flour?
It won’t break down sorry!
Can I add 1/4 cup of oat fiber to reduce pure oatsand to add more fiber to lower carb count and get the same result?
I haven’t tried.
Hi Arman,
Can steel cut oats be used instead of rolled oats? That’s just what I happen to have on hand in my pantry.
No that will break your blender 🙂
So Can I use oat flour to make self rising gluten free flour then? Just add the baking powder and baking soda after I make my homemade oat flour ?