In recent years, the demand for non-dairy milk has been on a steady rise partly due to the rising lactose intolerance issues and the environmental concerns about dairy farming.
Oat milk was first made in 1994 by Oatly, a Swedish company. It was first sold in the United States around 2016 and 2017 and was an instant hit with coffee shops and individual customers.
In May 2019, Oatly set up its first processing plant in the USA in Millville, N.J to meet the growing demand. This was the first Oatly plant outside Europe.
By 2021, oat milk was the second most preferred plant-based milk in the United States, after almond milk. In the United Kingdom, the 2020 oat milk sales were higher than almond milk. [Source]
This article discusses everything about Starbucks’ oat milk and where you can buy it. We also give you a bonus list of amazing oat milk drinks from Starbucks.
Does Starbucks Have Oat Milk?
Yes, Starbucks offers Oatly Barista Edition oat milk which is currently the best oat milk for coffee. It is available in most Starbucks stores. In 2021, oat milk was added to Starbucks’ non-dairy milk choices such as almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk.
You can order any Starbucks drink with oat milk instead of the standard milk offering. Later in this post, we discuss the best Starbucks oat milk drinks that every Starbucks customer should try.
6 Reasons Why Starbucks Oat Milk is Better Than the Other Oat Milk Brands
- Starbucks oat milk foams perfectly as it has slightly more fat than regular oat milk
- It is specially formulated and does not separate in hot coffee unlike regular oat milk
- Starbucks oat milk has a delicious, nuttier flavor unlike regular oat milk which has an unpleasant oaty taste
- It has no added sugar apart from the natural sugar from oats
- It is fortified with 100% vegan-friendly vitamins A, D, B2 (riboflavin), and B12 and minerals such as calcium and potassium
- It is certified gluten-free
Is Starbucks Oat Milk Gluten Free?
Yes, Starbucks in the United States uses gluten-free certified Oatly Barista Edition oat milk. However, if you are sensitive to gluten, bear in mind that although Starbucks oat milk is gluten-free, there is a high risk of cross-contamination as the coffee chain uses other products that have gluten.
What are the Ingredients in Starbucks Oat Milk
Starbucks oat milk ingredients include oats, water, low erucic rapeseed oil, and two percent or below of [dipotassium phosphate, sea salt, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, vitamin A, vitamin D2, vitamin B12, and riboflavin].
The dicalcium phosphate in Starbucks oat milk is a plant-based acid regulator that prevents the milk from separating when you heat it or add it to hot coffee.
Starbucks Oat Milk Nutrition
An eight ounces cup of Oatly Barista Edition used by Starbucks has 120 calories, 7 grams of total sugar, and 2 grams of dietary fiber. It has 3 grams of protein, zero cholesterol, and zero trans fat.
For minerals, there are 350mg, 0.3mg, 370mg, and 270mg of calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus respectively. For vitamins, a cup of Starbucks oat milk has 3.6mcg of vitamin D, 160mcg of vitamin A, 0.6mg of riboflavin, and 1.2mcg of vitamin B12.
13 Best Starbucks Oat Milk Drinks to Try
Here are a few important things to know when ordering an oat milk drink at Starbucks
- oat milk pairs perfectly with both hot and cold drinks
- oat milk accentuates the flavor of nut syrups such as toffee nut, chestnut praline, hazelnut, and pistachio
- oat milk also pairs well with brown sugar
- if you love caramel-flavored drinks try them with oat milk instead of regular milk
Now that we have that out of the way, the best oat milk drinks at Starbucks are:
1. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
This is a new Starbucks drink that came with the introduction of oat milk in 2021. Iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso is a great choice if you love the strong taste of espresso as it gets more espresso than regular espresso drinks. The drink comes with a lot of ice and only a splash of oat milk at the top.
To make an iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso, the barista adds ice to a shaker and then adds brown sugar syrup, cinnamon powder, and blonde espresso shots over the ice. He gives the mixture a good shake to foam it before emptying it into a serving cup. Finally, the barista adds a touch of oat milk to the foamy drink.
It has a rich coffee flavor with a balanced sweetness and hints of cinnamon.
2. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Latte with Cinnamon Topping
If you prefer a mellow version of the iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso, consider ordering the iced oat milk latte with brown sugar and sprinkled with cinnamon.
It has a sweeter, creamier, and nuttier flavor than a shaken espresso as it has more oat milk and fewer shots of espresso.
You can order it with the blonde espresso or the regular Starbucks espresso.
3. Oat Milk Chai Tea Latte
Chai latte with oat milk is simply delightful and you can elevate it further by adding brown sugar syrup instead of vanilla.
If you like your chai latte iced, try the iced oat milk latte with brown sugar, and tell us what you think about its rich taste.
4. Chestnut Praline Oat Milk Latte
Chestnut Praline latte always tastes better with nut milk. Oat milk has a creamy edge over the other types of nut milk whether you want it in a hot chestnut praline oat milk latte or the iced version.
A Chestnut Praline latte with oat milk has a soothing taste of honey nut cheerios and is one of the holiday drinks to look out for.
5. Toffee Nut Oat Milk Latte
Oat milk elevates the mellow, nutty taste of toffee nut in this balanced espresso drink. If you love a nuttier flavor in your latte, a hot or iced toffee nut oat milk latte is a superb treat for your taste buds.
6. Brown Sugar Oat Milk Americano
This is the hot version of iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso. Brown sugar oat milk Americano is highly caffeinated and a great option when you want some serious pepping up or if you love strong coffee.
It is a strong Americano sweetened with brown sugar. A splash of oat milk is added and topped with a dash of cinnamon powder.
7. Pistachio Oat Milk Latte
Pistachio oat milk latte slaps differently, especially when you add half pumps of brown sugar to it. Whether you like it hot or cold, this winter treat will make you miss pistachio baklava.
8. Brown Sugar Oat Milk Latte
Brown sugar oat milk latte is a simple drink that is amazingly delicious and easy to order. Simply ask for a latte with oat milk and brown sugar.
9. Iced White Mocha with Oat Milk
The white mocha sauce is super sweet and is a great choice when you want extra shots of espresso for a bigger bite of caffeine in your iced drink.
Try the venti iced oat milk white mocha with four espresso shots and 2-3 pumps of white mocha. This drink has a sweet and bitter edge.
10. Iced Caramel Macchiato with Oat Milk
Iced caramel macchiato with oat milk tastes a bit like nut ice cream in a cup.
12. Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
It is similar to the iced shaken espresso with oat milk and brown sugar except that this drink uses caramelized vanilla syrup and does not have cinnamon.
My only gripe with this new drink is that the toasted vanilla gives it an unpleasant alcohol aftertaste. You can have better luck by substituting half of the toasted vanilla with brown sugar.
12. Strawberry Creme Frappuccino with Oat Milk
Strawberry creme frappuccino with oat milk has a fruity and nutty flavor and has no caffeine. If you want to add a chocolatey twist to it, add java chips and vanilla bean powder, and the drink tastes like strawberries coated with chocolate.
13. Espresso Frappuccino with Oat Milk and Brown Sugar
For coffee frappuccino lovers, try the espresso frappuccino with brown sugar and oat milk for a creamy, coffee flavor.
Why is Oat Milk So Popular?
As more and more people opt for vegan milk, oat milk is increasingly becoming their milk of choice because:
- Oat milk has a neutral flavor that does not overpower coffee or tea
- Oat milk has a thicker consistency than most other vegan milk options which makes it a great choice for iced drinks, hot drinks, and cereals.
- Oat milk has more fiber and carbs than the other plant-based milk choices. The extra fiber makes you fuller longer and lowers the level of cholesterol
- Oat milk appeals to environment-conscious customers as its production has one of the least environmental effects in terms of water requirements and total emissions. [Source]
Final Thoughts on Starbucks Oat Milk
Starbucks uses the best oat milk in the market. Although oat milk is a late entrant to the plant-based milk market, it has quickly become the second most preferred non-dairy milk after almond.
The oat milk brand that Starbucks uses is specially formulated to pair perfectly with cold and hot drinks. There are more than a dozen oat milk drinks at Starbucks that you should try.
