How to Make Oat Flour

Once you learn how to make oat flour at home, you'll never buy it again! I love to blend up a big batch to have on hand for cookies, muffins, and more.

Oat flour

Oat flour is an indispensable ingredient in my kitchen. It’s the first thing I reach for if I’m making a gluten-free recipe, and I also like to add it to regular baked goods to give them an extra-soft, delicate texture. No matter how I plan to use it, it’s the one pantry staple that I always, always make at home. Blending my own takes less than a minute, and it’s so much cheaper than buying it at the store. If I run out, I can blend up more in no time.

Read on to find my foolproof method for how to make oat flour, as well as my favorite recipes that use it!

Whole rolled oats

How to Make Oat Flour

Making homemade oat flour couldn’t be easier! All you need is whole rolled oats (not steel-cut or quick oats) and a food processor or high-speed blender.

Place the oats in the blender or food processor and blend until they form a fine flour, stopping to stir occasionally.

That’s it! Use it in any recipe that calls for oat flour. Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

Oats in a food processor

Oat Flour FAQ

  • Can I substitute it for all-purpose flour? No! A 1:1 substitution of oat flour for all-purpose flour will not work. Instead, look for baking recipes that specifically call for it. Find some of my favorites below!
  • Is it gluten-free? Yes, IF you make it with certified gluten-free oats. Oats are a naturally gluten-free food, but many are processed in facilities that also handle wheat products. If you’re gluten-free, be sure to seek out certified gluten-free oats, which are processed in wheat-free facilities and tested to make sure that they don’t contain gluten. I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats.
  • How much flour will my oats yield? 1 cup whole rolled oats yields about 3/4 cup flour.

How to make oat flour

Oat Flour Recipes

Once you have oat flour on hand, you’ll find so many ways to use it! Toss it with nuts, brown sugar, and old-fashioned oats to make a gluten-free topping for an apple crumble or any fruit crisp, or roll it into energy balls like the PB&J or Cookie Dough Date Balls on page 260 of Love and Lemons Every Day. Alternatively, use it on its own or in combination with other gluten-free flours, like almond flour, to make gluten-free cookies, muffins, or scones. I use it in these gluten-free recipes:

I also like to combine it with regular all-purpose or whole wheat flour to give pancakes, cookies, and other baked goods a really delicate, soft texture. Find it in these recipes:

Oat flour in a food processor

More Favorite Oat Recipes

Leftover oats? Use them in one of these recipes:

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Oat Flour

rate this recipe:
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Serves 4
Learn how to make oat flour at home! Then, use it in muffins, cookies, scones, crumbles, and more.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the oats in a food processor. Blend until the oats become a fine flour, stopping to stir occasionally.
  • Use in any recipe that calls for oat flour. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Notes

*For gluten-free oat flour, be sure to use Certified Gluten Free oats. I like Bob's Red Mill's.
2 cups of oats will yield approximately 1 1/2 cups oat flour.
Note: you cannot use  oat flour as a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
 

7 comments

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  1. Erin
    02.10.2022

    Hi.

    What would be the substitute ratio of oat flour to all purpose flour ?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.11.2022

      Hi Erin, it’s usually not a 1:1 sub, it can really affect the rise of baked goods. In the post text, we’ve listed lots of recipes that have been well tested to incorporate oat flour so I’d maybe start with those.

  2. Hilary
    06.15.2021

    Would this work with steel cut oatmeal?
    Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.15.2021

      Hi Hilary, I haven’t tried it but I’m not sure if it would get fine enough in a regular food processor. If you have a vitamix with a dry container, I think that might work.

  3. Gram Tam
    01.01.2021

    Why regular oats and not quick oats?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.01.2021

      Quick or instant oats are sometimes pre-cooked. Their flour might act differently when baking.

  4. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    02.05.2020

    another great :”fundamental:” recipe, I really appreciate being able to make oat flour from scratch, thank you

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.