How to Make Moon Milk

Making Basic Moon Milk

Heat 1 cup (240 mL) of milk to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pour 1 cup (240 mL) of milk into a saucepan, then heat it slowly on medium-low. Continue warming the milk until it begins to simmer, or when small bubbles slowly begin breaking the surface of the milk. It's best to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to avoid scorching the milk. However, since you're warming the milk at a low heat, you can use a lightweight saucepan if that's all you have on hand. You can also use an unsweetened milk substitute, such as coconut, soy, almond, or cashew milk, if you prefer.

Whisk in the cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, and ashwagandha. Once the milk is simmering, add 1/2 tsp (1.3 g) of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) of ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp (0.6 g) of ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp (0.75 g) of ground ashwagandha. Then, whisk the mixture thoroughly to ensure all the spices are blended evenly. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which are herbs that are believed to help your body process and relieve stress. You can purchase the powdered root at health food shops, online, and even some well-stocked big box stores.

Add 1 tsp (4.5 g) of coconut oil and stir until it's dissolved. Scoop out a small amount of coconut oil and drop it in the saucepan. Then, continue stirring the mixture until the oil melts in the warm milk. You can substitute ghee for the coconut oil, if you prefer.

Cook the milk over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Turn down the heat on your stovetop to low. Then, allow the milk to keep simmering for about 5-10 minutes. The longer you simmer the milk, the stronger the flavors will be, but you don't want to simmer the milk for too long or it could scorch. This will allow the flavors from the spices to steep throughout the milk, giving your moon milk a more robust flavor. In a Hurry? Mix the milk and spices in a microwave-safe container, then heat on medium-high in 15-second intervals, stirring the milk each time you heat it. When the milk starts to steam, it's ready.

Let the milk cool for 2 minutes, then add the honey. Once your moon milk has had a chance to simmer, take the saucepan off the eye of the stove and let the milk cool for about 2 minutes. Then, stir in 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of honey to sweeten the moon milk. To get the most health benefits from honey, it's best not to heat it, since heat may destroy honey's natural antibacterial properties.

Whisk the mixture vigorously if you want frothy moon milk. Moon milk is often served frothy, although you can skip this step if you like. After you add the honey, stir the milk rapidly with a whisk for about 1 minute. This will help give the milk a light, frothy quality, similar to a latte. If you have a handheld milk frother, you can use that, instead. Keep in mind that some milk substitutes will not froth well.

Serve the moon milk warm immediately. Pour your moon milk into a large mug while it's still warm. Then, sip it slowly as you relax before bed. A single cup could have you feeling relaxed enough to head to bed in no time! The benefits of moon milk come from the combination of the soothing spices, calming ashwagandha, and the natural sleep-inducers L-tryptophan and melatonin, which are both found in milk. Moon milk is always served warm—it's thought that this contributes to the relaxing effect. It's best to drink it right away so the milk doesn't spoil.

Adding Variety

Experiment with your favorite spices and flavors. One of the best things about moon milk is that it's endlessly customizable. In fact, warm milk is really the only ingredient you have to have, so feel free to try out different spices and other ingredients, including chamomile, ginger, rosewater, or even black pepper for spice.

Add colorful ingredients for a pretty touch. If you've ever seen pictures of moon milk on social media or blogs, you may have been struck by the variety of different colors. To make your own Insta-worthy creation, try adding ingredients that will impart a pastel hue to your own moon milk, such as: Beetroot extract to make pink moon milk. Lavender extract for purple milk. (Try adding vanilla to this mixture to complement the floral flavor.) Matcha powder to make green moon milk. Butterfly pea flower powder for a pretty pastel blue shade. Tart cherry juice to make pink moon milk—but only if you're using a non-dairy milk. The acid in tart cherry juice will curdle cow's milk.

Replace the honey with your favorite sweetener. If you don't have honey on hand, or if there's another sweetener you just prefer, try using that instead! For instance, you might include maple syrup, date syrup, brown or white sugar, or agave nectar. Tip: If you use granulated sugar or brown sugar, add it to the milk along with the rest of the spices to ensure it dissolves fully.

Substitute ashwagandha for another adaptogen. Ashwagandha is the adaptogen most commonly used in moon milk, but there are other plants that may have a similar relaxing effect. Try including rhodiola, chaga, or even reishi mushrooms in place of the ashwagandha to reduce your stress and help you drift off to sleep peacefully. You could even combine adaptogens to increase the effect, if you'd like! However, many of these ingredients have a strong, bitter flavor, so don't add more than 1/4 tsp (0.75 g) of the adaptogens in total.

Try a premixed version for an even easier approach. Although making your own moon milk from scratch is super easy, if you want a more convenient option, try purchasing a premade moon milk powder in a flavor that appeals to you. Then, just pour the powder into a saucepan along with your milk and heat it gently! If you're not sure where to buy moon milk mix, try checking your local health food store, or search online!