Turmeric Latte is a jazzed up version of traditional Indian Golden Milk that is warming, nourishing, delicious, and easy to make. So much cheaper than coffee shops too and perfect for any time of day!
The recipe has been extensively tested: I've tried it with fresh turmeric vs turmeric powder, with and without vanilla, as well as with cow's milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and macademia milk. Scroll down to see which milks work and which don't!
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🥘 Ingredients
You will need a few simple ingredients for this nourishing turmeric milk drink:
- 1 Cup of milk: you can use regular milk, or non-dairy milk such as almond milk, or macademia milk. However, I do not recommend using 100% coconut milk because the turmeric drink then tastes like a sweet curry sauce! (I tried.) Instead, add 1 Tablespoon of coconut milk to your milk of choice- it will give the drink a creamier texture and better flavor. (I have not tested with coconut oil.) Note that if you're using fresh ginger (as per this recipe, although you can substitute with ginger powder), heating the ginger in cow's milk may cause it to split, so you'll be better off using almond milk or macademia milk. If you want me to test with oat milk and soya milk too, let me know in the comments!
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric powder: Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits thanks to its curcumin and has been used in ayurvedic medicine for ages. I usually like to work with fresh turmeric but you will need to pound it up if you want to get a nice golden colored drink- simply slicing and simmering doesn't work so well. (See "Expert Tips" below.) Hence, I'm using turmeirc powder instead. You can also use it in these turmeric recipes, such as turmeric cinnamon tea, turmeric chicken, turmeric rice, and turmeric potatoes. Since this is the key ingredient, don't replace with turmeric substitutes, such as saffron. Turmeric has been known to be contaminated with lead, so make sure you get yours from a reputable supplier!
- 1 cinnamon stick: make sure you use Ceylon cinnamon, not Cassia cinnamon. You can replace with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 5-9 slices fresh ginger: alternatively, use ½ Tablespoon of ginger powder but it doesn't taste as good. If using regular cow's milk, ginger powder would work better, as fresh ginger may curdle the milk. Ginger is a warming spice, so the more you use, the more "spicy" your drink will be.
- ground black pepper: a pinch of black pepper/ to taste- I usually turn the pepper mill 5 times.
- ½ Tablespoon of vanilla syrup: I've tried the drink with and without the vanilla. Adding vanilla adds a warm flavor that complements the turmeric AND makes the drink sweeter, so you can reduce the amount of sweetener. (i.e. I recommend adding vanilla!)
- 1.5 Tablespoon of sweetener: Similar to my ginger turmeric tea recipe, I usually use honey to sweeten but white sugar and maple syrup work too. If using raw honey, let the drink cool before adding, as heat destroys the nutrients in raw honey.
📖 Variations & Substitutes
- If you don't like creamy drinks, try this turmeric tea with honey ginger lemon and cinnamon instead.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
1a. Slice the ginger then add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and milk to the small pot or small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat.
1b. Once simmering- do not let it reach a rolling boil- turn off the fire. Stir in the vanilla flavoring.
2a. Remove the cinnamon stick (if using), then whisk the warm milk till it is nice and frothy, as shown above. (You can also sieve out the solid ingredients first if you like but remember that milk froths up better when warm.)
Alternatively, sieve out the ingredients, then use a milk frother to create the latte foam. This will be much quicker and only take you a few seconds.
2b. Sweeten to taste with honey, maple syrup, or sugar.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Tip #1: Whilst it's always nice to use fresh produce, using powdered turmeric is much more practical in this turmeric latte recipe as fresh turmeric is not easy to find outside of Asian markets. In addition, as shown above, you can't just slice it and add it to the milk- it doesn't add that much flavor and color to the drink that way. You would need to grate it, which would take more time, and add bits to your drink (which you would then need to sieve out if you want a smooth latte.) So, to save time and hassle, don't feel bad about using turmeric powder!
Tip #2: Use fresh spices and not ones that have been sitting at the back of the cupboard for ages!
Tip #3: If you want to drink turmeric latte regularly, you can make a spice blend by combining turmeric powder, ginger powder, cinnamon powder and black pepper (ground.) Simply add to your regular or plant-based milk for an easy golden milk recipe. (You can even turn it into a turmeric latte mix by adding milk powder- add hot water to the mix when you want a delicious drink!)
🥗 Other Turmeric Recipes
Enjoyed this easy Indian Golden Milk Latte Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below! If you REALLY liked this nourishing drink and it gave your immune system a boost, please consider supporting it by buying me a bottle of turmeric powder! 🙂 (No obligation though!) Thank you and have a great day!
Turmeric Latte (Tested Extensively)
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- Heat proof whisk Substitute: Milk frother
Ingredients
- 1 Cup almond milk You can use regular milk or almond milk too.
- 1 Tablespoon coconut milk I do not recommend using 100% coconut milk because the turmeric drink then tastes like a sweet curry sauce! (I tried.) Instead, adding 1 Tablespoon of coconut milk gives the drink a creamier texture and better flavor.
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder : if you have fresh turmeric, you can use it. You will need to pound it up if you want to get a nice golden colored drink- simply slicing and simmering doesn't work so well so it's more cumbersome.
- 1 cinnamon stick make sure you use Ceylon cinnamon, not Cassia cinnamon. You can replace with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 5-9 slices fresh ginger alternatively, use ½ Tablespoon of ginger powder but it doesn't taste as good. If using regular cow's milk, ginger powder would work better, as fresh ginger may curdle the milk. (If you don't have enough fresh ginger, grate instead of slicing to get a stronger flavor- I slice because grated ginger is more difficult to get out of the drink- you need to sieve it, instead of just picking up the pieces.)
- ground black pepper to taste, but I usually turn the pepper mill 5 times.
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla syrup vanilla adds a warm flavor that complements the turmeric AND makes the drink sweeter, so you can reduce the amount of sweetener.
- 1½ Tablespoon honey or to taste. Maple syrup and sugar work too.
Instructions
- Slice the ginger then add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and milk to the pot. Heat over medium-high heat.
- Once simmering- do not let it reach a rolling boil- turn off the fire. Stir the vanilla flavoring into the golden milk latte.
Notes
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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H says
This is such a mood booster on the gloomy winter days! Love it
Zen says
Thanks H! Hope you're enjoying cozy winter days!