Golden Milk (Paleo, Dairy Free)

If you’re sore, achy, or under the weather—or even if you’re feeling right as rain—treat yourself to a warm and delicious mug of Golden Milk!

An overhead shot of a mug of Golden Milk with ground cinnamon on top. There is a red banner that says it is paleo, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

When the weather gets chilly, I love making myself a mug of Golden Milk to relax and warm me up from the inside out. Many of you already have my favorite recipe for Golden Milk because it’s the one I share in our second cookbook, Ready of Not! In the spirit of the holidays, I’m gonna share the recipe here today. After all, I think we can all use a piping hot cup of deliciousness!

What is Golden Milk?

Golden Milk is a traditional hot Indian drink made with turmeric and milk. If you’re at a hipster coffee shop, it might be called turmeric latte or turmeric milk. Turmeric’s been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years to treat a wide range of conditions, and modern research suggests that it may help reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, and treat digestive problems. But to be better absorbed in our bodies, turmeric needs to be consumed with a bit of fat and piperine, which is why it’s often combined with coconut milk and black pepper.

What does it taste like?

Golden Milk tastes like mildly sweetened coconut milk infused with earthy, spicy, and slightly bitter flavors. I like making this hot beverage with fresh turmeric and ginger root when I can find them at the market, but ground turmeric (my favorite ground turmeric is from Diaspora Co.) and ground ginger also work. In fact, you may already have all the ingredients in your pantry right now to make this fabulous elixir!

How to save and reheat leftover Golden Milk?

This recipe makes 4 cups, so depending on your love of Golden Milk, that can mean 4 servings or 2 large ones. If you have leftover Golden Milk, you can keep it in the fridge in a sealed container for up to four days. Warm up the milk in a saucepan, stirring well, until simmering. Alternatively, you can nuke it in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until hot—make sure to use a milk frother or whisk to mix it well before serving.

Let’s Make Golden Milk!

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 (3-inch) dried cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 (1-inch) pieces fresh turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey, and more to taste (optional)
Ground cinnamon (for serving)

Method:

Toss the coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and honey into a small saucepan.

A hand adding turmeric slices, ginger slices, a cinnamon stick, and ground pepper to a saucepan filed with coconut milk to make golden milk.

Whisk in 2 cups of water.

Pouring water from a Pyrex measuring cup into a saucepan on the stovetop to make Golden Milk.

Bring the contents to a low boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. (If using ground spices, simply bring to a simmer and whisk well before serving.)

Someone is whisking a small stainless steel saucepan filled with golden milk.

Pour the milk through a strainer or cheesecloth to catch and discard the chunks.

Pouring the Golden Milk from a small saucepan through a fine mesh sieve into a 4-cup Pyrex liquid measuring cup.

Taste and add additional honey if desired. Pour the milk into mugs, and top with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Someone pouring the Golden Milk into four coffee mugs.

Got extra turmeric?

Here are some of my favorite recipes that use this versatile spice!

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!

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