Star Anise Golden Milk with Turmeric and Honey
Milk gently warmed with star anise, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper, then sweetened with honey and dusted with cinnamon: sweet, spiced, and caffeine-free, for a slow evening cup.
Star anise's sweet, warm licorice notes make it a natural addition to golden milk, softening turmeric's earthy bite while adding a comforting spiced depth. The cup is fully caffeine-free, level 0 in our catalog, which is why it belongs to the evening rather than to breakfast.
Simmering the star anise pods directly in the milk, rather than just steeping in water, pulls out more of their aromatic oils and gives the drink a rounder, more rounded sweetness without needing much added sugar.
Black pepper is a small but telling addition — its gentle heat sharpens the turmeric and plays nicely against the star anise's licorice sweetness, the same trio that anchors most golden-milk recipes.
Drink it in the last hour of the day, slowly, with the mug in both hands. The warmth, the gentle spice and the habit of a hot drink at the same hour each night are what make it an evening cup; there is nothing in it that works on you, and no caffeine in it at all.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of choice (dairy, oat, or almond)
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 small slice fresh ginger
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- Pinch of ground cinnamon, for garnish
How to make it
- 1Combine milk, star anise pods, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper in a small saucepan.
- 2Warm over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until steaming but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
- 3Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 3 minutes for the flavors to deepen.
- 4Strain into a mug, stir in honey, and dust with a pinch of cinnamon before serving.
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