Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte)

Golden milk served in two ribbed glass cups with gold rims on a wooden stand, with turmeric powder in a bowl nearby.

Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte)

Golden milk (haldi doodh) is a warm, caffeine-free turmeric latte made with turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, finished with black pepper and saffron. Make it with regular or dairy-free milk in about 10 minutes.

Course beverage, Drinks

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings people

Calories 92.68kcal

Author Priya Lakshminarayan

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups almond milk
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon powder
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
½ teaspoon saffron

Instructions

Add the milk to a pot. Priya's tip: ensure the milk is at room temperature.
Add the sugar, turmeric powder, ginger powder, ground cloves, cardamom powder, ground nutmeg, and cinnamon powder. Priya's tip: stick to the turmeric amount in the recipe card. Too much turmeric can make your turmeric latte taste bitter.
Whisk until the spices blend completely into the milk with no lumps. Heat over medium heat, stirring often so the milk doesn't scorch. With regular milk, bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. With dairy-free milk, turn off the heat just before it comes to a boil, since it can curdle. Priya's tip: this takes about 5-6 minutes. Bringing regular milk to a boil is traditional for haldi doodh and is believed to make it easier to digest. Strain through a fine strainer or cheesecloth if you don't want a grainy texture.
Stir in the vanilla extract, then top with freshly crushed black pepper and saffron strands. Priya's tip: add a teaspoon of vegan ghee, ghee, or coconut oil, since curcumin absorbs better with fat. Pour the golden milk into serving glasses. Stir the turmeric latte before sipping, since turmeric doesn't dissolve fully and settles at the bottom of the cup.

Notes

Sweeten to taste. Use sugar, vegan honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup, add a spoonful of coconut cream if you're using coconut milk, or skip the sweetener entirely. If you're using honey, stir it in once the milk has cooled to warm, not into piping-hot milk.
Make it creamier. A splash of vegan or regular creamer, or a small amount of dairy-free ghee, coconut oil, or vegan butter gives the latte a creamy texture.
Customize the spices. Thandai Masala or Chai Masala gives a more complex flavor. Allspice, star anise pods, or cayenne pepper also work. You can keep it plain with just turmeric powder, sweetener, and milk, and skip the black pepper if you don't like the flavor.
Mind the stains. Turmeric is a strong natural dye. It can tint mugs, spoons, countertops, and clothing, and it can temporarily tint teeth. Wipe spills right away and rinse your mouth with water after drinking.

Nutrition