Golden Turmeric Milk Latte | The Picky Eater

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Golden milk, also known as turmeric milk, is a comforting, cozy drink – made with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric of course! Not only is it packed with health benefits, but it tastes amazing too. Make this easy golden turmeric milk latte in just 5 minutes, for the perfect pick-me-up to start your day!

There are so many reasons why I love drinking this golden milk turmeric latte. It’s creamy, soothing, and will help relax you after a long day. It’s also a great alternative to your regular coffee in the morning, since it’s caffeine free but still gives you a nice energy boost and is super satisfying!

My mom used to make this comforting drink for me when I was a kid, and she called it “haldi ka doodh” – which literally translates to turmeric milk (haldi = turmeric, doodh = milk).

Variations of this golden turmeric milk latte are now found in coffee shops all over the world, but this is actually an ancient Indian recipe, used in ayurvedic medicine (source), and has been been passed down in my family over generations. Not only is it so good for you, it tastes absolutely delicious and has a beautiful golden color. It kind of reminds me of a chai latte, with slightly earthier notes.

This simple recipe is made with cozy warming spices, your choice of milk, and can be served either hot or iced. It’s also an easy, at-home way to have a Starbucks turmeric latte experience! Feel free to customize this recipe in a variety of different ways if you’d like (see my suggestions in the variations section below!)

Enjoy a small cup of this golden latte with turmeric as an afternoon pick me up, to relax before bed, as part of your morning ritual, or even to replace your mid-day coffee. It’s super easy to make and is a one-pot recipe!

🙋🏻‍♀️ What Is Golden Milk?

Golden milk is a traditional Indian (South Asian) ayurvedic drink that has been around for centuries. As I mentioned above, it’s actually called “haldi doodh” which translates directly to “turmeric milk”. All you need is turmeric and milk, but our version adds a few additional spices for even more flavor. (See this article for more details on the history of this drink!)

This golden milk latte (or turmeric tea as it’s sometimes called) has been used for all kinds of ailments, including colds, coughs, the flu, fatigue, inflammation, aches/pains, mood, and stress (source). It was my mom’s go-to solution for everything, which is common in Indian culture!

👩🏻‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Turmeric Latte

• Ready In 5 Minutes: This warm beverage is so easy to make! You can literally just dump everything into a blender, and then warm it up on the stovetop or the microwave. You’ll have the perfect drink ready in just 5 minutes!
• Caffeine-Free: While there’s nothing wrong with coffee or tea in the morning, this recipe is a great way to switch things up when you want something warming and mood-boosting, but don’t want all the caffeine!
• Kid-Friendly: Thanks to the mild, sweet spices, and the creamy milk, most kids really love this turmeric drink!
• Anti-Inflammatory Benefits: This golden milk latte recipe has so many health benefits, and helps to reduce inflammation in the body (source). See below for the full list of golden milk benefits!

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✔️ Benefits Of Turmeric Milk

This golden turmeric milk latte is a nutritional powerhouse because of the turmeric! This gorgeous spice is packed with numerous health benefits including:

• Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Properties: One of the main reasons why golden milk has been used for so long and is so popular is because of its high levels of antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatory qualities (source). Studies have shown that curcumin (the active component in turmeric) helps reduce chronic inflammation in the body (source), has antibacterial/anti-viral properties and can help with overall immunity and autoimmune conditions (source).
• Reduce Stress, Improve Immunity: Turmeric part of a special type of family of herbs called adaptogenic herbs, which help your body adapt to stress (source 1, source 2). It’s great for your immune system, is a rich source of antioxidants, helps with joint pain, and promotes healthy skin.
• Mood Booster: There have been many studies that show that drinking golden milk can actually boost your mood. Forget coffee, this drink is so much better for you! (Source).
• May Improve Brain Health: Studies show that curcumin may increase levels of BDNF, which helps your brain form new connections (source 1, source 2)
• Lower Blood Sugar Levels: The ginger and cinnamon in this warm turmeric milk may help actually lower blood sugar levels! (Source). On top of that, our recipe is low calorie and low in added sugar – you can enjoy a warm cup of this golden latte and for only 112 calories per serving!

🥘 Ingredients

All you need is a handful of ingredients to make your own turmeric latte at home! Here’s what you need:

• Milk: The great thing about this recipe is that it’s super versatile. You any milk of your choice when making this golden turmeric milk. A traditional golden milk recipe is made with organic whole or lowfat cow’s milk. But you can use non-dairy milk too like coconut milk, cashew milk, soy milk, oat milk, hemp milk, or unsweetened almond milk – pretty much any milk will work!
• Ground Turmeric Powder: The key ingredient for a turmeric latte! I like using a ground, organic turmeric powder better than fresh turmeric root – it has a more potent flavor. A little goes a long way!
• Aromatic Spices: We used a delicious blend of spices – including ground cinnamon, ground black pepper, and ground ginger powder – but you can change up the spices however you like! You should always add a dash of black pepper though – it’s essential both for flavor and absorption of the turmeric (a little black pepper enhances turmeric absorption – source). If you want a spicier golden turmeric latte, try a pinch of cayenne pepper as well!
• Sweetener: Not necessary, but you can use a little honey, maple syrup or stevia to sweeten if needed. Just a little bit of a natural sweetener will remove the slight bitterness from the turmeric and other spices.

🔪 How To Make This Golden Turmeric Milk Latte

Blend: Combine turmeric and the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Choose your favorite milk to blend with the spices.

Pour the milk into a small saucepan on the stove top.

Heat for 3-5 minutes over medium heat to medium high heat until hot but not boiling. Alternatively you can heat it in the microwave too!

Pour into glasses, and serve this hot drink with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top! Enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips

• Adjust The Spices To Your Personal Preference: You can also add extra cinnamon, ginger, ground cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla extract, or anything other warm sweet spices that you love. If it’s your first time trying this ginger turmeric latte recipe, I’d recommend dialing down the spices slightly and then add more to taste as needed.
• Blend Well: Make sure to blend until your latte is completely smooth. You will have a few grains of the spices in the bottom of the cup, but the better you blend it, the less you will have. To get rid of any spice remnants, you can strain it before drinking. While you could use an immersion blender, I don’t recommend it as a high-speed stand blender will get the spices better incorporated into the milk.
• Use Any Milk You Like: But, keep in mind the type of milk you use will affect the texture and flavor. For example: if you choose whole milk, your latte will be thicker, slightly sweeter, and creamier. If you choose unsweetened almond milk, it will have a slightly nutty taste and coconut milk will add a slight coconut flavor. If you’re using a plant-based milk, I recommend an unsweetened, neutral flavored milk.
• Don’t Scald The Milk: When you’re heating the turmeric latte mixture on the stovetop, make sure not to bring it to a boil or you’ll scald the milk. Keep it on medium low heat until it’s warmed through.
• Make It Frothy: To take this golden latte recipe to the next level, try using a handheld milk frother after the milk has been warmed to get that delicious foam on top. It will make you feel like you’ve brought your favorite local cafe to your kitchen!

📖 Variations

• Vegan Golden Milk: To make this golden turmeric milk recipe vegan friendly, use a plant based milk and maple syrup or stevia instead of honey.
• Make It For Kids: Most kids will love this turmeric golden milk latte. It’s relaxing to sip on it when it’s warm, and with the spices, your kids will most likely enjoy every taste of it. It’s also very soothing for a sore throat! If you already eat food with turmeric in it, your kids are probably accustomed to the flavor, and you can make this drink as is. If this is their first time trying turmeric, cut all of the spices in the recipe in half, increase the sweetener slightly, and then each time you make it, increase the spices and reduce the sweetener. They’ll get used to it in no time at all!
• Turmeric Matcha Latte: Add up to 1 teaspoon of matcha powder into the blender along with the turmeric and other spices. Follow the rest of the recipe as instructed.
• Add Healthy Fats: Feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil when blending this recipe! The coconut oil will help the milk froth when it’s cooking, it’ll add a nice richness, help you absorb the healing compounds in this warm drink, and will keep you fuller longer too.
• Iced Turmeric Latte: Make this recipe as directed, but instead of heating it on the stove, pour it over ice once you’ve blended the turmeric, milk and spices! Feel free to add a shot of espresso if you’re a coffee drinker too!
• Turmeric Chai Latte: Make this hot beverage as directed, but once you’ve heated the turmeric and milk mixture on the stove, add 1 black tea bag to the pot and let it steep for 10 minutes. Then remove the tea bag and serve.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve this superfood latte! Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this recipe:

• Biscuits Or Muffins: While this ayurvedic golden milk recipe tastes great on its own, it’s also equally delicious paired with these lemon biscuits or these cinnamon streusel muffins!
• Oatmeal: Try this drink with your favorite bowl of oatmeal! I love it with Indian inspired oatmeal recipes like this spicy oatmeal or masala oats.
• Other Breakfast Foods: You can really enjoy this hot golden milk tea with just about any breakfast food – feel free to try it with any of these vegetarian breakfast ideas!

🫙 Storage Directions

• Refrigeration: This drink is best when served immediately. You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 1-2 days.
• Reheating: I recommend blending it again in a blender and reheating it on the stovetop or microwave until it’s warm!
• Make Ahead: While this prepared latte is best made to serve, you can absolutely make a batch of golden milk powder ahead of time, and then add the liquid ingredients when you want to make it! The turmeric latte mix will last for up to 1 year when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Mix together 6 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 8 pinches of black pepper, and 8 pinches of ginger powder. Stir completely, then store in a sealed container. This makes about 12 cups of turmeric milk. When ready to serve, take about 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of the mixture, blend it with 1 cup milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, and follow the rest of the instructions above.

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