This Warm Vanilla Milk Bedtime Drink – my version of moon milk – is perfect when you want something comforting and relaxing before you turn in for the night. Sweet dreams!
Has all the crazy news and life, in general, had you a bit tense and you’re having trouble sleeping? Me too. Well, grandma was on to something when she said to drink some warm milk!
Add some vanilla, honey, and a pinch of nutmeg for a delicious, soothing drink to sip on before bed. It has helped me relax and sleep on many a night!
Disclaimer: I am not saying that this drink is going to make you fall asleep. I’m just saying that it often helps me relax and fall asleep.
If you can’t sleep and want to try something natural, it’s worth a try. If it doesn’t help, no harm done. You still had a yummy cozy drink!
I go for weeks at a time sleeping like a log…and then I go for weeks at a time where I’m up half the night. In the past, I tried some over-the-counter sleep aids, and they either didn’t work or I had some really weird experiences with them.
Nope, not for me.
Then I tried this warm vanilla milk drink, and it was amazing to me how much it actually helped me fall asleep. It’s now my go-to for those nights when sleep eludes me.
It’s also just a delicious, calming drink any time!
The key, in my opinion, is to make this drink about 30 minutes before you go to bed and sip on it throughout that time while doing something that you find relaxing, like listening to music or reading a book (or nothing at all)…maybe even right after a nice warm shower or bath.
WHY MIGHT WARM MILK HELP YOU SLEEP?
Now, I’m not a nutritionist, but I did some research and found out that, surprisingly, it’s probably not the tryptophan that’s in milk (an amino acid that helps your body produce serotinin, which helps create melatonin, which is ultimately responsible for your sleep cycles).
Tryptophan is that ingredient that we all blame at Thanksgiving for making us fall asleep on the couch after a big turkey dinner.
As it turns out, you’d have eat waaay more turkey than that for it to put you to sleep. Same with milk; it has tryptophan but not enough in a glass to put you to sleep.
So what is it then?
Apparently, the potential sleep-inducing effects of warm milk are actually more likely psychological. For instance, your mom always gave you a glass of warm milk before bed, so your brain associates it with sleep.
Plus, taking the time to relax with a warm drink at the end of the day may just simply help your brain relax too.
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Whole milk
- Honey or maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Nutmeg
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE WARM VANILLA MILK BEDTIME DRINK:
TIPS & TIDBITS:
- You could use low fat or skim milk if you prefer, or if you’d rather a dairy-free option, you can use almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc., but I will say that this drink has the best creamy flavor when made with whole milk.
- If you’re lactose intolerant, you can use a lactose-free milk.
- I always heat my milk on the stove top, but you could also heat it in a mug in the microwave if you prefer.
- You just want to heat the milk until it is hot or very warm. Don’t bring it to a simmer or boil, as it can develop a skin on top.
- I like my drink sweet, so I use a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup. Feel free to use less or more depending on your own tastes.
- Not into nutmeg? Try cinnamon instead!
- Add a small dollop of whipped cream on top for an extra-special treat!
I hope you try this Warm Vanilla Milk Bedtime Drink and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Warm Vanilla Milk Bedtime Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, add more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat just until hot (don't bring it to a simmer or boil).
- Turn off the heat and add the honey or maple syrup and vanilla; whisk until combined.
- Pour into a mug and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
- Sip on the drink for 30 minutes right before bedtime while doing something relaxing.
Notes
- You could use low fat or skim milk instead of whole milk or, if you’d rather a dairy-free option, you can use almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc., but I find that this drink has the best creamy flavor when made with whole milk.
- If you’re lactose intolerant, you can use a lactose-free milk.
- You could heat the milk in a mug in the microwave if you prefer.
- If you’re not into nutmeg, try cinnamon instead.
- Add a small dollop of whipped cream on top for an extra special treat! (Estimated calories don’t include whipped cream.)
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Carrie
This is delicious. Thank you! My son and I wanted to drink warm milk the other night (never had before) and we made this recipe. I’m currently making the same, but putting espresso in it 🤭
Michelle
Hey, Carrie! I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed the warm vanilla milk! Adding espresso actually sounds really yummy. I think I might try that…but in the morning! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Tara
I am sitting here right now in my living room and something just came over me about warm milk and the old days. I made your recipe to the T and it’s absolutely delicious! This is going to be something I do a lot more before bed just to get some extra calcium and let’s be honest the honey is good for me too. Thank you for the recipe! Love it
Michelle
Hey, Tara! Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it!
JustDoItDeb
Not rating this, because I haven’t tried it yet, but I believe you have some info backwards. From my own research into insomnia, etc, it’s the melatonin that helps your body make serotonin, which your body needs to sleep, not the other way around. If I’m wrong, you can delete this comment, but at least doublecheck this fact.
Michelle
I double-checked this fact with several online resources, all of which state that serotonin is a precursor to melatonin, which you need to sleep (serotonin is synthesized by the pineal gland to make melatonin). Once again, I’m not a nutritionist, but if you do an online search for “does serotonin make melatonin,” you will find this information quite easily.
Tara
Forgot to Rate 5 star
Michelle
Thank you!!
Kay
I made this with almond milk and a touch of cinnamon. It was delicious.
Michelle | Now Cook This!
Thank you, Kay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Tehia
Thank you so much! We are trying to cut our daughter off of sugar after 3 pm. I can’t find a good hot drink recipe without sugar and she loved it!!!! Thank you!
Michelle
You are very welcome, Tehia! I’m so happy that your daughter enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Vivianne
This was a great recipe! I made this because I was craving a warm creamy beverage. I found this on Google and it is really good!!! I added a little bit more honey and I put it in the milk frother attached to out coffee machine. Thanks for this recipe! 😛
Michelle
Hi, Vivianne! I’m so happy you like it! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Megan
I’m going to try this tonight, my daughter has testing all week and I feel like this would help her drift off to a peaceful sleep. Just curious as to how much honey and vanilla you use?
Michelle
Hi, Megan! I stick to the recipe and use 1 tablespoon of honey and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. Hope your daughter enjoys it!
Debbie
Delicious! I used more vanilla — I like it — and cinnamon.
Michelle
Hey, Debbie! So happy you enjoyed it…and you can never go wrong with more vanilla (or a some cinnamon)! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Rowan
Loved it! It tastes amazing. I used maple syrup and nutmeg.
Rowan
Sadly I was out of vanilla.
Michelle
Thank you, Rowan! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Linda Piazza
I made this with soy milk, a little less maple sugar than the recipe called for since you’d noted that you liked yours sweet and I thought I might not like it quite so sweet, and the vanilla and nutmeg. I put the milk in a milk frother to heat and then added the maple syrup and vanilla at the end of the cycle, the nutmeg after I poured it. The frother made it feel like something luxurious and comforting at the same time.
Michelle
So glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Using a frother for the milk is a great idea (I’ll have to try that someday if I ever have one!). Thank you for your rating and comment!
Bree
Tastes delicious
Michelle
Thank you, Bree!
Siara
I made this before bed and I love it, It taste good and it helped me relax, I’ll be making this more thank You!
Michelle
Thank you, Siara! So glad you enjoyed it!