I’m a routine gal, through and through. I wake up at the same time, eat breakfast at the same time, and have lunch at the same time. And throughout that routine, I LOVE sprinkling in little perks to look forward to.
One of those treats used to be a delicious, deep green matcha every morning. I’m not the biggest fan of coffee, but I still wanted that warm, comforting drink to have when I got to work.
Now, if you’re a matcha drinker, you’ll know this stuff ain’t cheap. On average, you’re looking at $60-$70 for a tin, which might last some people a couple of months. Me? Not so much. I like my matcha STRONG.
Matcha is an expensive habit, and with the cost of living right now, I had to face a heartbreaking truth: I couldn’t afford it anymore.
Now, with a gaping hole in my morning routine where my lovely little warm drink used to be… I knew I needed something to fill it.
So here I am, sitting at my desk, sipping on my new lovely little warm drink: a turmeric latte.
I think I first had one a few years ago in Taupō. I spotted the ‘turmeric latte’ in the hot drinks section of a menu, and being the kind of person who always orders something new when I go out, as well as a fan of turmeric, I thought, 'why the heck not?'
My first sip of this golden-looking milk? I wasn’t mad at it. A not-too-overpowering turmeric flavour with a hint of cinnamon, delish.
To be honest, I didn’t go on to order turmeric lattes everywhere. They’re not available at every café, and I usually defaulted back to my precious matcha. But every now and then, I’d indulge and remember this golden drink actually exists.
So when I started searching for a new hot drink, I found a recipe, crunched some numbers, and realised it would be exponentially cheaper than matcha.
I went bulk - bought big bags of spices to make it as affordable as possible long-term, and committed to the cause. I spent $63.55 total and got:
1kg of Turmeric
500g of Cinnamon
500g of Ginger
100g of Cardamon
100g black pepper
Now I haven’t done the exact maths, but trying to get through a kilo of turmeric by the teaspoon? Let’s just say it’s going to last me A LOT longer than a 50g tin of matcha.
Ballpark estimate: at least 12 months.
Update: I just asked ChatGPT how long it would take to get through a kilo of turmeric by using 5 teaspoons a week… 90. 90 weeks it’s gonna take me to get through my turmeric latte mix. THAT’S WELL OVER A YEAR, PEOPLE!
I can see the savings right in front of my eyes.
Turmeric lattes trace their roots back to India, where they’re traditionally known as haldi doodh, a centuries-old home remedy used to boost immunity and support healing. So not only does it taste good, it has actual health benefits too, like reduced inflammation.
I’m so obsessed with this stuff that I had to get a few of my co-workers to experience the goodness of golden milk for themselves.
“It felt like a warm hug!" Mon said. "Instant comfort in a cup. As a daily coffee drinker, I could easily see how I could trick my brain into enjoying a turmeric latte instead of that second coffee when I need something toasty and invigorating at the 10:30 am mark.”
“Also…it made me feel kinda healthy?” she added.
Spot on, Mon.
Ricky was also a huge fan, pointing out the similarity to a chai latte.
“Matcha has met its match (lol)," he said. "The latte tasted just like a chai latte and could definitely replace a morning coffee, especially in winter.”
Another hit with Issy, who said it's “literally sooo yummy.“
"I'd say it's quite similar vibes to a chai latte in terms of taste and smell, but this is more earthy." She added.
"If you quite like cinnamon then I feel like this is the drink for you. Very 'fall'/cozy vibes and doesn't have a big sugar rush which is great when you feel like something more mellow - kind of along the lines of a matcha? And soy milk was a BIG plus because its super friendly on the tummy."
If you're keen to give it a go, here’s the recipe I found on TikTok. I use the powdered form of all these spices, but I’ve seen versions using fresh ginger and sometimes nutmeg, which I reckon would go hard. I also skip the sweetener, but hey, you do you.
Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte) Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/8 tsp of cardamom
1 tsp of grated ginger (1/4 tsp of ginger powder)
A pinch of black pepper (activates the turmeric)
1 tsp of raw honey
1 tbsp of hot water
1 cup of milk or milk alternative
Method
Make a turmeric paste by adding all the spices into a mug.
Add a splash of hot water and your sweetener, then whisk into a paste.
Heat your milk (either on a stove, in a frother, or in the microwave).
Pour the hot milk over your turmeric paste.
Sprinkle with extra cinnamon or cardamom if you’re feeling fancy.
It’s as simple as that!
Life hack: I prep 5 servings in a jar, mix with water, and take it to work, so I’ve got a week’s worth ready to go for my 9:30 am hit.
If you haven’t tried it before and you’re not keen to commit to a whole kilo of turmeric, you can try it in a cafe first. Or grab those small supermarket spice packets and make a mini batch to test the waters.
Enjoy, and let’s hope I’m not back in a year writing an article about how turmeric stained all my teeth yellow.
