Easy 5-Minute Golden Milk

5 from 21 votes
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How to make golden milk (turmeric milk), a comforting, nourishing, healing Ayurvedic drink – to reduce inflammation and increase sleep quality! Just 6 ingredients in 5 minutes, with dairy-free/vegan options!

A cup with freshly made golden milk

I am a fan of nutrient-dense healthy smoothies and health-boosting juice shots. So it’s no surprise that this sweet, soothing, healing golden milk (aka turmeric milk) is another favorite of mine. Whether you want an early morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or a soothing before-bed beverage, this turmeric tea has you covered. It’s creamy, sweet, flavorful, and packed to the brim with health benefits!

I love golden milk recipes so much that I’ve made the process of enjoying “golden” goodies even easier. So check my DIYs for golden spice mix and golden paste.

A pot with freshly made golden milk

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What Is golden milk?

While golden milk is the current “popular” name for this soothing beverage, it’s known under several names. This includes turmeric milk, turmeric latte, golden milk latte, golden latte, turmeric milk tea/turmeric tea, etc. However, traditionally it’s called Haldi Doodh. This is because it has roots in India and Ayurvedic practices (an alternative medicine system), dating back 3000 years.

Turmeric milk traditionally combines warm milk (originally cow’s milk) with turmeric and black pepper. However, more recently, additions/tweaks have been made to make a more palatable drink with more good-for-you ingredients. That includes using more warming spices like ginger & cinnamon (similar to masala chai), creamy coconut butter, flavorful dairy-free milks, sweeteners, etc.

The result is an incredibly warming, “winter spiced,” slightly pungent yet sweet beverage with a mustard-yellow color. In fact, because of all the touted turmeric and ginger benefits, this drink has essentially entered “superfood” status.

Two cups with golden milk

What is golden milk good for?

Ayurvedic medicine has been around for 3000 years, and the consumption of Haldi Doodh for almost as long. It is used to treat multiple ailments/conditions. This includes inflammation-based issues like joint pain and other aches and pains, digestive issues, fatigue, colds and coughs, depression, and more!

Having spoken to an Indian friend, I was told that turmeric milk was THE “cure-all” of their mother for practically everything. But why? This is primarily because turmeric contains a compound called curcumin and provides most of the golden milk benefits.

What is Turmeric and What are the Turmeric Benefits

Turmeric is a type of flowering plant that comes from the ginger family. It is natively found in India and Southeast Asia. It’s used for flavor and, as mentioned above, within Ayurvedic medicine and can be used either in fresh or powdered form. Some of the beneficial effects of turmeric (and thus benefits of golden milk) are:

  • Brilliant for increasing the body’s antioxidant capacity: Protecting your body from free radicals and possibly beneficial towards signs of aging.
  • Curcumin may aid the reversal of the heart disease process. It improves the function of the lining of blood vessels and improves “endothelial function,” which helps regulate blood pressure and clotting.
  • Minimize joint pain and reduce inflammation thanks to plentiful anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Curcumin could help prevent and/or treat Cancer: By affecting the development and growth of cancerous cells.
  • It has also been seen to reduce symptoms of depression!
Golden milk in a small cup

Turmeric can also boost the immune system and reduce blood sugar levels. It has been shown to positively impact brain function, and can even reduce the risk of heart disease.

On top of that, ginger provides a long list of health benefits, and cinnamon is beneficial in several ways, too. Thus, the golden milk benefits are plentiful.

Check out my full post on How to Use Turmeric, including the benefits, recipes, and FAQs for this ingredient.

Golden milk ingredients

You’ll likely already have everything you need for this goldenmilk recipe in your kitchen or spice cupboard. Gold milk relies on just 6 ingredients and two optional ones.

  • Milk: You can use dairy (i.e., skim, 2%, whole milk, etc.) or non-dairy milk (such as coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk).
  • Spices: Turmeric powder, ginger powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and (freshly cracked) black pepper.
  • Vanilla extract: (Optional) Add some natural vanilla extract to boost the flavor further.
  • Sweetener: (Optional), i.e., honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or even a sugar-free syrup/granulated option.
Ingredients for golden milk

For additional flavor in this turmeric milk recipe, you could also experiment with nutmeg or ground cloves.

Why Add Black Pepper To Turmeric?

To get the most benefits from consuming turmeric, pair it with black pepper. Our bodies cannot efficiently absorb curcumin when consumed alone. However, black pepper can increase absorption by up to 2000% and doesn’t affect the flavor.

Double up on curcumin absorption with the optional addition of a fat, which binds to the curcumin for absorption. This can be high-fat milk, coconut oil, coconut butter, ghee, etc. ½ a tablespoon per serving is more than enough.

How to make golden milk

You can enjoy the best golden milk in just minutes and with minimal effort.

Add all ingredients (minus the sweetener) to a small saucepan, whisk well, and warm it up over medium heat.

Steps for making golden milk

If you’re using raw milk, you could bring the mixture to a boil to pasteurize it first. And only then add the spices.

Once warm enough, remove the golden milk turmeric tea from the heat. Taste it, and adjust the sweetness to your preferred flavor. Enjoy!

For a lighter frothy golden milk latte, use a milk frother in the saucepan before serving it.

A pot with freshly made turmeric milk

FAQs

Does turmeric make you sleepy?

Turmeric milk can aid digestion and has calming properties to help you feel relaxed and improve your mood. While not making you sleepy, this can lead to sounder sleep without making you feel groggy.
However, ginger is an energizing ingredient. So you can reduce or omit it if you plan to consume turmeric tea before bed if preferred.

What is the best time to drink golden milk?

I recommend consuming turmeric golden milk either first thing in the morning or about an hour before bed. In the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast, on an empty stomach allows for optimal quick absorption. At night, it will help combat the inflammation and various bodily stresses and issues from the day.
I like having a glass before bed as I find it soothing. Also, it helps me to relax and “switch off” for the evening, making for a more restful night’s sleep. And, if you’re looking for more homemade drinks to help you sleep, I highly recommend Chamomile Tea.

Are there any side effects of consuming too much turmeric?

If you don’t usually consume turmeric, it can have adverse side effects when consumed in large quantities.
This includes stomach issues (including diarrhea), nausea, and dizziness. It’s also a natural anticoagulant and so may affect blood-thinning medication. Likewise, it can lower blood sugar and blood pressure, so it may interact with similar meds. If you have any special health condition, it’s best to seek medical advice before consuming a lot of turmeric.

Can I use fresh turmeric?

Yes, use 1 inch of fresh turmeric root, finely minced. You could also use fresh ginger root (about ½ inch) per serving of this golden milk.
Simply mince the ingredients and add them to the pan as normal. No need to strain the mixture before consuming it.

What does turmeric taste like?

Turmeric has a somewhat earthy, warm, slightly pungent flavor.

More warming drinks

If you try this easy golden milk recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!

Easy 5-Minute Golden Milk

5 from 21 votes
By: Samira
How to make golden milk (turmeric milk), a comforting, nourishing, healing Ayurvedic drink – to reduce inflammation and increase sleep quality! Just 6 ingredients in 5 minutes, with dairy-free/vegan options!
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients 
 

  • 3 cups milk of choice – dairy or dairy-free (coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, etc.)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric powder or 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric root
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder or 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon powder
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
  • 1 Tbsp honey optional; or another sweetener of choice (maple syrup, agave nectar, a sugar-free syrup), adjust to taste or omit

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients (minus the sweetener) to a small saucepan, whisk well, and warm it up over medium heat.
    If you’re using raw milk, you could bring the mixture to a boil to pasteurize it first, before adding the spices.
  • Once warm enough, remove the golden milk turmeric tea from the heat, taste it, and adjust the sweetness to your preferred flavor. Enjoy!
    For a lighter frothy golden milk latte, use a milk frother in the saucepan before serving it.

Storage and Serving Recommendations

  • If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool to room temperature and then store the milk in the refrigerator for a further 2-3 days. You can reheat it on the stove or in a microwave, stirring well.
    As well as drinking it alone, you could also use this tasty yellow milk to pour over your morning cereal/granola, use in oatmeal, add to smoothies, and more. You can also enjoy it warm or chilled.

Notes

  • Adjust the sweetness: Taste and adjust to your liking.
  • Wear gloves if using fresh turmeric: It stains. A LOT. So much so that I’ve made a whole post on how to remove turmeric stains (oops!).
  • Don’t skip the black pepper: This increases your body’s ability to absorb curcumin by up to 2000%, so it is a non-negotiable ingredient. Make sure to use FRESHLY cracked black pepper, too.
  • Don’t boil the turmeric: Otherwise, you’ll start to reduce some of the healthful curcumin compounds.
  • For additional flavor: You could also experiment with nutmeg or ground cloves in this recipe for golden milk.
Check the blog post for more information on golden milk, its health benefits, and answers to top FAQs!
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Shelf life: 2-3 Days

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 113mg, Potassium: 352mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 245IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 291mg, Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

5 from 21 votes (21 ratings without comment)

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12 Comments

  1. Gala says:

    This is delicious!!! I bought the ingredients from our local farmers market so I could try making this turmeric milk so I could improve my joint inflammation. The taste reminds me of my favorite chai tea. This is my new morning drink.

    1. Support @ Alphafoodie says:

      Glad you liked it, Gala!

  2. Todd C says:

    Could you please add how much of pre-used dairy free milk (that would replace the 3c water and the flesh from one coconut) to you would use in this recipe? I make my own oat and would like to use that but i can not find the specific amount i would use. Please help ?! 🙂

    1. Support @ Alphafoodie says:

      Hi Todd,
      You can use 3 cups of milk. The recipe is updated to reflect this as well as the specific amounts for the turmeric and other spices. I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂

  3. Caroline says:

    Hi Samira,
    For ready made coconut milk do you use the tinned milk used for cooking usually or the less thick drinking variety?

    Kind regards
    Caroline

    1. Samira @ Alphafoodie says:

      Hi Caroline, I would use the less thick drinking version. The tinned milk is normally much richer and is designed more for cooking. If that’s the only option you have, you can dilute it in water. Hope this helps!

  4. Mayra says:

    Hi! This looks amazing but I can’t do anything coconut how much Oat/almond/plant milk can I use instead of coconut?

    Thanks! Can’t wait to try it.

    1. AlphaFoodie says:

      Yes, you could definitely swap out the milk. I think oat milk would be a lovely, creamy option 🙂

  5. VANDA says:

    WHAT A GREAT RECIPE! CANOT WAIT TO TRY!
    WHAT TYPE OF STRAINING BAG YIU USE? LOOKS VERY STRONG

    1. Alpha Foodie says:

      Thanks 😀 I’ve attached the links to the products used in the post now at the bottom of the recipe 🙂

  6. Vanda says:

    Hi! What a great recipe!
    I love your nut milk bag, what brand do you use?
    Can you use turmeric powder instead? If so how much?

    1. Alpha Foodie says:

      Thanks 😀 I’ve attached the link to the nut milk bag I use at the bottom of the recipe now 🙂
      I’ve never tried it with powder before. But I think that for this recipe you could use around a tsp of dried turmeric powder. let me know how it goes 😀