This Golden Turmeric Milk latte recipe is a soothing, delicious beverage full of ingredients that will leave you feeling comforted and well.
Warm milk helps promote sleep, so this is also a great beverage right before bedtime, or any other time you need a relaxing, healthy drink.
Golden Turmeric Milk Recipe
Turmeric Benefits
Recent research shows that turmeric can help improve your mood and memory. That’s due to its impressive anti-inflammatory properties.
“Curcumin is a very powerful anti-inflammatory agent,” said Professor Manohar Garg, director of the nutraceuticals research program at the University of Newcastle.
Because inflammation is linked to a range of chronic conditions and diseases, among them arthritis, Alzheimer’s and heart disease, researchers argue curcumin could help reduce the risk of those diseases by limiting inflammation in the body.
Since I have arthritis in my hands, I began looking for ways to get more turmeric in my diet. (Try this Tabbouleh-Style Turmeric Cauliflower Salad Recipe.)
This is the BEST Turmeric Latte Recipe
When I first heard of turmeric lattes, I couldn’t imagine they would taste very good. Turmeric, after all, can be a bit overwhelming on its own.
I tried a number of recipes over several weeks, but so many of them didn’t taste good at all. I did notice, however, that I’d started experiencing less joint pain. That convinced me that I needed to experiment until I came up with a delicious one on my own.
This recipe is the result. The combination of turmeric’s properties and creamy, warm milk make it a fantastic pre-bedtime drink. Having added some other spices, plus honey and vanilla, it tastes almost like chai.
I enjoy it so much that I sometimes have two cups and tell myself that the extra calcium and Vitamin D in the milk justify the calories.
Golden Turmeric Milk Recipe Tips
This recipe makes enough spice mixture for around three servings. Store the mix in an airtight container to keep the spices fresh and add 1 teaspoon to an 8-oz cup of milk for each serving.
Please be careful while making it — turmeric is also traditionally used as a fabric dye, so you’ll want to keep it off of your counters and clothing.
Don’t omit the tiny amount of black pepper. You won’t taste it, but the piperine in black pepper helps increase turmeric’s bioavailability, so you’ll enjoy more of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits.
Golden Turmeric Milk Latte
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 8 ounces Milk cow's milk, nut milk, or hemp milk
- Honey to taste
- Vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Add spices to a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Heat 8 oz. milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture and continue heating, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
- Pour turmeric milk through a strainer into a cup or mug. (Optional, to remove any large specks of spice.)
- Stir in honey to taste, and vanilla extract if using.
- Store remaining spice mixture in an airtight container away from heat and light.
Marcie Fort says
WOW,Katie!!!!!!
Going to give this a shot.
I’m encouraged by your success with it. Hope I get good results too….
Katie Berry says
It’s really made a difference. Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste, too!
SP says
Hi, I cannot take the pepper because of my skin inflammations. Can I leave it out completely?
Katie Berry says
If you’re allergic to pepper then please leave it out. You might not get as much of the anti-inflammatory benefits, though, since one of the compounds in pepper helps to “unlock” the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric.
Cheryl says
Any dairy alternative that can be used??
Katie Berry says
I’ve made it with unflavored soy milk and it’s great!
Judy Benton says
So I can use this with Rice milk. (I do not do dairy) I need to try this. Thanks for the posting
I need to try it before I rate it but it sounds good.
Katie Berry says
I’ve never had rice milk before, but if it’s good warm then it should work beautifully in this recipe.
Jill Ann says
I just made this for the first time. It was delicious!! Thank you so much for posting a recipe that didn’t require a trip to another store! I don’t keep coconut oil around and every other recipe I found called for it. I have Lupus and really dislike having to take so many pain and anti inflammatory meds. Can I ask how long until you started to feel like it was helping? I just drank my cup and I do feel sleepy, but warm milk does that to me. 🙂 Thanks again!!
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jill! Turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory. As someone who has joint problems of my own, I use this tea at night and take a turmeric capsule in the morning. It took about a week before I really started noticing a difference. Although I’m still taking anti-inflammatory/pain relievers, I’m now able to take a much lower dose than before. I hope it brings you relief, too!
Kaushalya says
I am so glad you have come up with a pleasant tasting version of the milk and turmeric basic version used in India for ages as a basic tonic. For colds and cough, ginger and honey plus another spice called ajwain in India, is used. Your recipe might help me to convince my grandchildren to try it! Thank you!
Katie Berry says
It’s such a delicious, healing drink. No wonder it’s been a staple of Ayurvedic medicine for so long!
Gert Kruger says
Thanks for the post. I followed you recipe…Gosh it tastes vile but it works. Will do this for a few days and see
Katie Berry says
I bet you need a bit more honey in it, Gert. With enough, it’s a very soothing, yummy drink. Takes about a week to start noticing the benefits, though.
Tomas Bray-Fairburn says
I will be trying this
Tomas Bray-Fairburn says
Very good ?
Kat says
For a dairy free option, my household follows this technique; grate a thumb size price of fresh turmeric into a tea strainer (or small sieve) and pour boiling water over until just covering. Leave it for 2-3 mins and then discard the gratings and pour liquid into your favourite mug to enjoy (honey to taste if you need)
Katie Berry says
Sounds good, Kat, but don’t forget to add a little black pepper in there. Our bodies don’t process the compound in turmeric that makes it a great anti-inflammatory without a little help. Black pepper contains the substance that unlocks the benefit. 🙂
Barb says
Can you use tumeric from the spice section at grocery store.
Katie Berry says
Absolutely, Barb! That’s where I get mine.
Jaime says
How do u strain yours? I just tried a coffee filter over the cup, didn’t work very well. So then just used a regular strainer. Kinda spicy but I like it!
Katie Berry says
I have a strainer for tea which rests on top of the cup. This is the one I use — that’s an Amazon affiliate link in case you want to support this site through a small commission without the item’s price going up.
Jane says
I used whole leaf tea bags. I can make the bags up right after I mix all the ingredients using I teaspoon for each teabag. Much less sloppy when it comes to cleanup. Some supermarkets have them as well as specialty tea shops
Katie Berry says
That’s a fantastic suggestion, Jane! Thank you for sharing it.
Hug says
Thanks for the post. I use almond milk and it is very yummy. Can I use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper?
Katie Berry says
Cayenne pepper doesn’t contain piperine – the compound in black pepper that unlocks turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Ian says
I add about a teaspoon of Turmeric to my muesli with fresh fruit and low fat milk, I tried taking Turmeric Pills but had a terrible gut reaction. I do suffer with Arthritis
Katie Berry says
Many people have that gut reaction to turmeric pills. I did, too, and it took me a while to figure out what the cause was. I’ll have to give your muesli stir-in a try. Thanks!
Ron Keller says
I’ve just started adding Turmeric to my daily consumption.. I’ll start adding your Bedtime recipe tomorrow. Noticed your recipe does not add Coconut Oil. Why?
Katie Berry says
My recipe is fashioned after the original Ayurvedic recipe for Golden Milk (Haldi Ka Doodh), which does not use coconut oil. You can certainly add it, though. The traditional recipe would use ghee if additional oil was desired (say, for soothing a sore throat).
Laz says
Thank you for the recipe is delicious and good for me, will drink it every night even my finicky daughter liked it.
Katie Berry says
I’m very glad that both you and your daughter are enjoying it. 🙂
Fellie says
My best friend call me and told me to try this.
Katie Berry says
It’s quite good.
Mandy says
How often to you need to drink it ?☕
Katie Berry says
Well, as with any herbal supplement, if you want to see long-term results you need to drink it on a regular basis. I started experiencing relief after a week and the more consistent I was about drinking it the more relief I felt.
Pam says
After heating the milk and adding the spice mixture and then heating again. Can I then leave it too cool and drink it cold? Also could I do a small batch of the drink and store it in the fridge? Not a big fan of warm milk. Anxious to give this a try. Thanks for the post.
Maria E. says
I am currently sipping on my first cup of Turmeric Milk and I love it! I am currently dealing with Patella Tendinitis (due to running) and I am hoping this helps with the inflammation. I use Turmeric on avocados too.
Thank you for the recipe!
Katie Berry says
Turmeric on avocados sounds interesting!
Sophie says
I dont have allspice in my pantry right now, so will the taste be affected if I omit it in the recipe?
Katie Berry says
It will taste different but should still taste good.
veronica says
I have tried today without any milk and am.on my second cup. I have enjoyed and hoping my back stiffness will ease.
Katie Berry says
No milk?
Rebecca Enemark says
How much honey and Vanilla Extract are you adding? I’d prefer to skip the ick…and just get to yummy with your measurements. 🙂
Katie Berry says
I really don’t measure it but I’d guess around 1 tbsp. of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Laura says
Maybe you should switch the milk to coconut milk or maybe Almond or goat. Cow milk is extremely inflammatory and wreaks havoc on the gut lining.
Katie Berry says
Using an alternative milk is a great idea if you’d rather.
Stacie says
Why do you need to strain it? I didn’t have cloves so my spices were all ground & I don’t think a strainer would have done anything. Very yummy! Thanks!
Katie Berry says
Straining is optional but some people find the spices don’t completely dissolve. Personally, I usually skip straining, too.
Renee says
I had seen several recipes for Golden Milk and wasn’t happy with taste. This recipe sounds much more appetizing. The real plus is I can use a lactose-free alternative. Looking forward to trying this.
Katie Berry says
I hope you enjoyed it!
Holly says
This is my favourite turmeric latte recipe! I use coconut milk and add about 3/4 tsp of maple syrup to sweeten it. So delicious!
Katie Berry says
So glad you like it, Holly!
Jane says
I made this with coconut milk and didn’t need any extra sweetener at all! I was a bit leery of the addition of cloves but this flavor combo is just great. Thanks for a great recipe!
Katie Berry says
Enjoy!
Laurie says
I just tried this wonderful recipe! Delicious!! I used Silk unsweetened almond and coconut milk mixture and added everything else you suggested. Yum!! I have some mild arthritis in my wrist and neck so I’m excited to see how this will help over the next week. Thanks so much for sharing this delightful tea!
Katie Berry says
It may take a couple of weeks, but I hope it provides you with the same relief it’s given me.
Brenda says
This really yummy!
Katie Berry says
I’m glad you like it. It’s a favorite of mine, too, Brenda!
Angie says
I made a batch this morning using Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened Almond Milk and I love it. I did not have cloveAngis, but will buy some for the next batch. Nor did I add honey or vanilla – prefer my “teas” unsweetened. I am looking forward to trying this in the evening before bed. Great recipe – thank you!
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Angie!
Nancy Schnitger says
I tried doing T. tea!
Using a fresh Tumerick root, I only tried one large cup, with Lemon and honey(for taste) it was very tasty, however I noticed my urine being very yellow, almost golden color. I drink lots of water! I would really try like to try your recipeusing milk, but wonder if the root naturally makes urine yellow. I don’t think that would be a problem. Can’t ask Doctor as they do not believe in natural remedies, just lots of pills.
Katie Berry says
Turmeric doesn’t turn my urine yellow, but I use the dried stuff as called for in this recipe.
xavier says
I have been using Turmeric for over six months. Very helpful for nasal polyps
Katie Berry says
That’s great to know!
Stephanie Smiley says
Just made your recipe. Fabulous! I’ve heard of Golden Milk for a couple years now and just never took the time to look into it. I looked at MANY recipes before landing on yours and ended up choosing this recipe because the ingredient proportions looked the most sensible. Some recipes had equal parts allspice/cloves/ginger, etc… NOOOOO!!!! Do you want to be able to feel your taste buds!? Anyways, I found your recipe to be clear, smart, and delicious. Your work to find the best recipe has paid off 🙂 Thank you for your efforts!
Katie Berry says
I’m very glad you enjoyed it, Stephanie! It’s a delicious way to end the day. 🙂
Tony M Chapman says
Will this help with the recovery from surgery.I have had two back surgeries in two weeks.thanks in advance for your reply.TC.
Katie Berry says
I’m not a doctor, so I couldn’t accurately answer that question. I hope your surgeries go well!
Connie says
I found this recipe quite some time ago and made it for myself and my nieces when we were sick. We all found relief especially with sore throats! Unfortunately, I didn’t save the recipe and could not find it until now, yay! It tasted amazing! I take turmeric with bioperine on a daily basis and I do notice when I don’t take it. I used unsweetened cashew milk when I made this and loved it! Thank you for posting!!!
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Using cashew milk sounds delicious!
Teresa Lee says
Oh I just read that someone can’t use black pepper but can they use capsaicin? Red pepper?
Sonya says
No Teresa, there is something called peperine in black pepper that helps your body absorb the turmeric. Capsicum does not do the same thing. Sorry dear.
Please forgive me if I misspelled some of these words lol
God bless you!
Teresa Lee says
Also, I forgot to put in the pepper. I used moringa tea bag, almond milk, coconut oil, turmeric and couldn’t find the honey but used xylitol instead. It was delicious! But it did make my stomach do bubble, squirting sounds for about 10 minutes then it stopped! Lol!!
Katie Berry says
Yep, Xylitol does a number on my tummy, too. (Be sure to keep it away from pets if you have any.) Glad you liked the recipe, Teresa!
Hannah says
This milk definitely tastes…interesting. I think I might add more cinnamon and other spices o the mix to drown out the turmeric a little. It’s a bit overpowering.
Katie Berry says
Everyone has their own tastes, so feel free to adjust the recipe to suit yours.
Cathyg says
I just made this and I Ike it! I used almond coconut silk milk. My only question is; can I make a couple cups at a time and keep it in the fridge? Or do the spices loose their strength it it’s not consumed fresh?
Katie Berry says
I think if you finish it within a couple of days it should be fine, though the flavors may get much stronger the longer it sits.
Cathyg says
Great recipe, I added a sprinkle of cardonmon and it was delish!
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Your addition sounds yummy!
Laurie says
I just discovered this post tonight, and I went right out to my kitchen and made some. It’s delicious, much better than other golden milk recipes I’ve tried — thanks so much for posting!
Katie Berry says
Hi Laurie,
I’m glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorite bedtime beverages, too.
Carol Andrews says
I cannot wait to try this recipe. Can I drink it in the morning too?
I love something warm in the morning.
Katie Berry says
Hi Carol,
I love a warm beverage in the morning, too. Feel free to sip a cup of Golden Turmeric Milk any time you please! Just keep in mind that warm milk is known for making people sleepy. 🙂