Golden Milk & Honey Drink (Turmeric Latte)

Golden milk will accelerate your glow up with benefits ranging from better sleep to improved mood! Learn how to make it in under five minutes.

Turmeric tea, aka golden milk has been buzzed about quite a bit over the last year. The benefits of this easy drink are numerous--from better sleep to reduced inflammation. And the name, golden milk, just makes it seem like a glow up in a glass. Despite a recent uptick in interest, this Ayurvedic drink is not new. Golden milk or Haldi Doodh originates in India and has been enjoyed for centuries.

My method for golden milk in under five minutes is slightly Westernized but hits on the major health benefits of the original. And it's a good drink for PCOS. Let's get into the details!

If you're into medicinal drink recipes, you'll love my cayenne pepper tea and cozy warm zobo drink, too!

Jump to:

• When Should I Drink Warm Turmeric Milk?
• What You'll Need for this Recipe
• Health Benefits of Drinking Golden Milk
• Tips for this Recipe
• More Beverage Recipes with Benefits
• 📖 Recipe

When Should I Drink Warm Turmeric Milk?

For maximum benefits, drinking golden milk about one hour before going to bed is regarded as the best practice (same with my tart cherry juice mocktail!). I have never been a coffee-drinker but can't deny the comfort of having a warm mug or to-go cup in hand on cold mornings. So I started my days with different versions of golden milk for a while until I developed the version you see today.

But it truly shines as a quick bedtime drink since the ingredients can help stabilize your mood and improve digestion, which are important for a good night's sleep. I don't know about you but that's something I've been striving for lately. I rarely have trouble getting quality sleep but quantity is not always attainable as I try to check off all the things on my to-do list.

I use turmeric a lot in cooking, too, and my turmeric chicken soup is a family favorite that never misses!

What You'll Need for this Recipe

This non-alcoholic nightcap is very simple to make and calls for very few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. And, in case you don't, I have some substitution and addition ideas down below. Here are the key ingredients.

• Black Pepper
• Coconut Oil
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Turmeric
• Milk
• Raw Honey

This golden milk & honey starts out with a steaming mug of milk. I use coconut or almond for a dairy-free golden milk but cow milk also works and is what is traditionally used. If you don't have coconut oil, ghee works and is closer to the origin of golden milk. And if you have neither, opt for whole milk or full-fat coconut milk--for the fat content.

As far as tools, grab a frother to thoroughly and quickly mix everything up. I like to craft this concoction in a large glass measuring cup before transferring to my mug of choice.

Health Benefits of Drinking Golden Milk

So what does turmeric tea do? As if better sleep and morning comfort weren't good enough reasons to take a sip, there are even more benefits to it. Turmeric is a key ingredient in Ayurveda for its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

The spoonful of coconut oil is important because curcumin, the powerful active ingredient in turmeric is fat soluble. This means the fat in the coconut oil helps the body absorb it. But wait, sis, there's more!

A bit of raw unfiltered honey provides the touch of sweetness and helps you capture even more wellness benefits in this golden milk for sleep. Honey is no slouch. It has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties. But if you want to make this recipe vegan, swap out the honey for maple syrup. The cute recipe name won't technically apply but I won't tell anybody.

Next up is cinnamon, which complements the sweetness of the honey and provides an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assist to the turmeric. And finally, black pepper helps the body absorb the curcumin before it's metabolized.

Tips for this Recipe

• What else can I add to this recipe? There are a number of substitutions you can make to the recipe, including maple syrup or date paste in place of honey. You can also add ground cardamom, nutmeg, and/or ginger to the mix.
• Can I make a turmeric latte ahead of time? You can absolutely meal prep golden milk up to three days in advance. Mix everything up and refrigerate--preferably in a heat-safe container that you can seal and shake up.
• Is an iced turmeric latte still good for you? As long as you warm golden milk before pouring it over ice, you'll still get the same benefits. Warming up the turmeric helps activate the key ingredient: curcumin.

More Beverage Recipes with Benefits

Now that I've put you up on one of my favorite foods to help you sleep at night, I hope you'll enjoy it soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this homemade golden milk recipe and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

📖 Recipe