Healthy Moon Milk Recipe

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If you need a little something to wind down your day and calm your body and mind before bed, you need a warm mug of my healthy moon milk. I make it with creamy oat milk, calming ashwagandha, and a touch of maple syrup. This soothing drink is made with gentle spices, naturally vegan, and comes together in 10 minutes, which is perfect for those nights that sneak up on you. 

Moon milk is a warm milk-based drink inspired by Ayurvedic traditions, which is safe for my entire family. My kids have come to appreciate the warm, calming qualities of moon milk. The base is simple, nourishing, and flavored with spices and gentle sweeteners, similar to my vegan horchata, which I recommend making on warmer nights. 

Moon milk has become known as a healing beverage in our house, which even my husband and kids are quick to recommend. Last week, I was having a bad day and was visibly stressed. My husband recommended some lavender milk tea but my kids interrupted and told him that this was a case for moon milk. Ha! My job here is done. 

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🥘 Ingredients

I use simple ingredients that are almost always in my pantry, so that I can make this moon milk at the drop of a hat. The recipe card contains 3 more variations for lavender, chai, and golden turmeric moon milk. This is exactly what I use:

Oat milk: I use unsweetened oat milk for a creamy base, which works well in warm drinks.

Maple syrup: A small amount of maple syrup sweetens my drink lightly without relying on refined sugar. 

Herbs and spices: I use lavender buds, cinnamon, turmeric, ground ginger, cloves, anise, and cardamom. See variations for specific measurements and differing ingredients in the 4 different ways. 

Ashwagandha powder: I stir in organic ashwagandha powder, which is an adaptogenic herb, traditionally used to help the body manage stress.

Chamomile teabag: Sometimes, I steep my teabag in warm milk for a subtle herbal flavor.

Coconut oil: I use a small amount of coconut oil in the turmeric variation to help absorb the spices.

🔪 How To Make

I prepare the moon milk by gently warming the ingredients so the spices and herbs infuse into the milk. Here is my step-by-step process:

Combine ingredients: I add all of the ingredients, except for the teabag, to a small saucepan, and whisk to combine.

Simmer: Then I turn my stove onto a medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for 2-3 minutes. If making milk with golden ashwagandha, add coconut oil once the milk has come to a simmer and stir to melt. Next, I pour the moon latte through a fine mesh strainer.

Steep tea: I add the tea bag and allow it to steep for 4 minutes.

Adjust and serve: I remove the tea bag and taste the milk for sweetness, adjusting if necessary. Then I serve it immediately. 

📖 Variations

I enjoy experimenting with this drink, and have made it so often that I have come up with numerous variations. These are 4 of my favorites:

Blueberry Ashwagandha Milk: I add 1/2 cup of washed blueberries into the milk before simmering. This is great if you like a slightly tart finish.

Blue moon milk: I replace the chamomile tea bags with 4 tablespoons of dried butterfly pea flowers, steep for 5 minutes, strain, and serve. My kids love the bright blue hue of this one.

Pink Moon milk: For this one, I omit the spices and add 1 cup of tart cherry juice. My favorite part of this variation is that it is garnished with edible dried rose petals. 

Cinnamon ashwagandha: Traditional moon milk contains maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. For this one, I swap the syrup for a tablespoon of vegan honey and omit the rest of the spices.  

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My sister and I had a slumber party last year, for the first time in a long time. It was after a long, stressful period, and we decided to have a girls’ night pamper party. Most grown-ups would have wine, but we decided to ease our troubles with moon milk. If you are ever having a down day and just need to unwind, I recommend a mug of moon milk and a jar of my white chocolate hazelnut spread. Eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon or use my easy gluten-free snickerdoodles as a scoop. 

In our house 2 of the moon milk varieties dominate: The pink moon milk and the cinnamon ashwagandha milk. Since I serve these in the evening, I like drinking it with something light, sweet, and crumbly. The pink moon milk pairs well with my red velvet cake mix cookies, while the cinnamon ashwagandha milk tastes best with a handful of my homemade cinnamon toast crunch. Of course, we will explore all the other sweet treat options, but for now, these two reign supreme. 

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store any leftover moon milk in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Freezing: I prefer making this drink fresh, but it can be frozen and reheated. It is kept in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.

Reheating: To reheat, I do so gently over a medium-low heat on a stovetop, stirring continuously until warmed through.

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