How to Make Oat Flour

Learn how to make oat flour and use it in your favorite recipes to increase the health benefits of baked goods!

This post was originally created May 9, 2015 and has since been updated. 

I’ve always loved baking. I love baking when I’m alone and I love baking with my kids.

That being said, I’m not a huge fan of packing my kids with tons of sugar and white flours because, well, they offer nothing to little bodies.

Adding Whole Grains with Homemade Oat Flour

When my oldest was just a baby I went on a mission to figure out ways to bake a little bit healthier.

One of the first solutions I found was adding more whole grains. Whole rolled oats are a great sub! But while it added to some recipes, it just wasn’t perfect in others.

Thankfully, I learned how to make oat flour. I quickly fell in love with the health benefits of oats, nutty flavor and chewy texture it brought recipe. It’s so easy and saves SO much money!

What is oat flour?

It’s made by grinding oats into a powdery, fine substance. By processing them finely, you are able to use as you would regular flour but with the health benefits of oats.

Is it good for you?

Oat flour offers many different health benefits that outweigh traditional options!. Oats are a whole grain that are packed with nutrition in the form of vitamins and minerals as well as slow digesting carbs, fiber, and protein.

The fiber in oats have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, blood sugar and insulin spikes, increase the presence of gut-friendly bacteria, and provide a feeling of fullness that lasts longer.

Why make your own?

At my local grocery store, a 22 ounce package of non-organic oat flour costs $4-5. Meanwhile, an 18 ounce canister of store-brand organic oats costs $1.49, while non-organic is usually $.99.

Not only is the price savings a great push to make your own, but you can also control the texture and freshness.

How much rolled oats do I need for oat flour?

For each cup needed, you will need one heaping cup of oats since the flour takes up less volume than the whole oats.

If you are making the flour for a specific recipe, I would suggest using at least one and a quarter cups of oats for one cup of oat flour, though one and and a half would be better. Just remeasure after blending.

Tips for making oat flour

• Use quality oats.
• Don’t overfill the food processor. It might seem counter intuitive, but if you half fill the container versus fill it totally, it will go faster. Work in batches!
• Use either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats.
• Take your time. If you think the flour is fine enough, go another 20 or so seconds to make sure you’ve got the best texture.
• Stop occasionally and stir it up manually to make sure nothing is getting stuck.
• Use a fine mesh sifter if you’re worried about any larger bits.
• You can sub in a high speed blender for a food processor!

How to Make Oat Flour in a Food Processor

1. Add your whole oats to the container. Do not fill more that ½ way.
2. Process for 20 seconds before opening up to stir.
3. Process again for 30-45 seconds before stirring.
4. Continue until you have the desired consistency – it usually takes me about 3.5 minutes for 2 cups in an old food processor.
5. Be sure to give your motor a break every once in a while to avoid overheating.

How to Make Oat Flour in a Blender

1. Add oats into a high speed blender. Fill only about ⅓ of the way up.
2. Process for 30 seconds on high (or dry if your blender has the option).
3. Stir to avoid clumping, before repeating the process in 30-45 second increments.
4. Continue until you have the desired consistency, taking breaks regularly to avoid burning out the motor.

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How to store leftovers:

Since it has fat, leftover flour can go rancid if left on your counter. Instead, put into an air tight container and pop in the fridge or freezer for up to 2-3 months. Just make sure to bring it to room temperature before using. 

Is oat flour gluten free?

It can be gluten free if you make sure you use gluten free oats to make it. Make sure the oats you use are labeled, “certified gluten free”.

How to substitute flours

If you’re looking to substitute oat flour for regular flour in a recipe, you definitely can.

When testing out replacing, start by replacing 25-30% of the regular flour in a well loved recipe.

Oat flour uses

Oat flour is super versatile – you can use it in most recipes that use flour. Some of my favorite oat flour uses are..

• Muffins
• Quick breads
• Cookies
• Snack balls
• thickening sauces
• Kneading bread

Oat flour recipes

• Healthy thumbprint cookies
• Healthy Banana cookies
• Baby pancakes
• Breakfast whoopie pies

Tips for Using

• Add in an oatmeal smoothie to ensure no large oats get stuck in the smoothie.
• In an oat cookie, muffin, or bread recipe, replace 1 ¼ cup of whole oats for 1 cup of oat flour for a smoother texture. This is a great way to get kids to eat more whole grains.
• Allow your batter to sit for a bit to allow the oat flour to absorb the liquid, allowing for a moister end product.
• It makes a great thickener. Use it to thicken gravies in place of cornstarch.
• In baking recipes that use flour and whole oats, swap 1/4 of the flour of oat flour for even more complimentary flavor.

Okay so tell me – have you ever made oat flour? What is your favorite way to use oat flour? Let me know in the comments!