Homemade Turmeric Tea Concentrate

If you love cozy golden milk or turmeric tea but don’t always have time to slice roots and measure spices, this recipe is for you.

Homemade turmeric tea concentrate is a make-ahead base that keeps in the fridge, so you can enjoy golden lattes and turmeric teas anytime without the fuss.

Steeped with fresh turmeric and ginger root plus warm whole spices like cinnamon and cloves, it’s flavorful, budget-friendly, and ready when you are.

Instead of preparing a single cup of turmeric tea from scratch every day, you’ll have a batch of concentrate that lasts all week.

Just mix it with hot water for a soothing tea, pour it over ice for a refreshing iced version, or combine it with milk for a cozy turmeric latte (aka golden milk).

A Quick Health Note:
As always, check with your doctor before making turmeric a daily habit, especially if you take medication.

Why You’ll Love This Turmeric Concentrate

Made with real turmeric and ginger – no powdery residue

Major time-saver – prep once, enjoy turmeric drinks all week

Versatile – use it for hot or iced tea, golden milk, or lattes

Warm + cozy flavor – spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, with zingy ginger and turmeric

Budget-friendly – way cheaper than store-bought concentrates or coffeeshop lattes

Supports daily wellness goals – makes it easy to enjoy turmeric every day

Customizable – sweeten and spice to your liking

Also Try: Homemade Chai Concentrate
Love cozy, spiced drinks? My Homemade Chai Concentrate is another reader favorite! It’s a black tea–based concentrate simmered with lots of warm spices, just like this turmeric concentrate. Keep a batch in the fridge and make hot or iced chai lattes anytime.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Fresh turmeric root
• Fresh ginger root
• Cinnamon sticks
• Cardamom pods (optional)
• Whole cloves (optional)
• Black peppercorns
• Filtered water
• Sweetener of choice (optional; like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar)
• Healthy fat (optional; like coconut or avocado oil)

Ingredient Notes

Turmeric root – Earthy, vibrant, and the star of this recipe. No need to peel—just wash, then slice or grate.

Ginger root – Adds spiciness and brightness. Slice or grate before steeping.

Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves – Toasting these whole spices first gives a deep, cozy flavor. Adjust to your taste.

Black peppercorns – A must! They boost absorption of turmeric’s curcumin.

Sweetener – Optional. Add a little to the pot, or stir in later when making your drink.

Healthy fat – Necessary for curcumin absorption, but this concentrate doesn’t need fat directly. I often have it with nuts or avocado toast, or turn it into a latte with milk for natural fat.

Why Use Fresh Turmeric Instead of Powder

• More nutrients: Fresh turmeric fingers retain more natural compounds compared to processed powder.
• Pure and natural: Fresh turmeric has no added dyes or artificial ingredients.
• Better flavor: Fresh root gives a clean, vibrant taste.
• No grit: Unlike powder, fresh turmeric won’t leave residue sinking to the bottom of your cup.
• Organic option: You can easily find fresh organic turmeric root.
• Cost-effective: Buying fresh turmeric fingers is surprisingly inexpensive.

Sweetener Options for Turmeric Tea

Turmeric tea has a naturally earthy, slightly bitter flavor. Whether you sweeten it or not really comes down to personal taste.

If you’d like to add sweetness, you have two options: stir it into the full batch of concentrate or add it later when making individual drinks.

• Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup – dissolve best when stirred into the hot concentrate.
• Honey – wait until the tea has cooled below boiling before adding. This helps preserve its natural vitamins and enzymes.
• Liquid stevia or monk fruit – can be stirred into the entire batch after straining, or added to individual cups.

Do You Need to Add Fat to Turmeric Tea?

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is fat-soluble, which means your body absorbs it better when paired with a healthy fat.

There are a couple of easy ways to do this:

• Add directly to the concentrate: Stir in a little coconut oil, avocado oil or ghee while it simmers.
• Pair with food: Skip adding fat to the tea itself and enjoy it alongside a snack like a handful of nuts or avocado toast (my personal favorite).
• Make it a latte: Using milk with some fat content also helps with absorption.

It’s a simple step, but it really boosts the benefits of your daily turmeric tea or latte.

How to Make Turmeric Concentrate

1. Lightly crush and toast the spices (peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks) in a dry stainless steel saucepan for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. (Don’t walk away, they can burn quickly!)
2. Add turmeric, ginger, water, and sweetener (if using), then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes. (If choosing to add granulated, brown, or raw sugar, or maple syrup, add it now.)
3. Turn off heat and steep another 10–20 minutes for stronger flavor. (If adding honey as a sweetener, add it after the tea has cooled slightly.)
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar or bottle.
5. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 7–10 days.

Use a mortar and pestle (or rolling pin) to crush the whole spices, then toast them in a saucepan large enough to make the tea concentrate in.

Strain the solids from the tea into a glass container that holds at least 32 ounces.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Yield: About 4 cups concentrate, enough for 8–10 drinks (depending on how strong you like it).
• Staining warning: Turmeric leaves behind a strong yellow color. Use stainless steel pots and strainers, glass jars, and ceramic or glass mugs. Avoid plastic when possible. Wipe up any spills immediately.
• Flavor booster: Toasting spices before steeping makes a big difference in taste. I strongly recommend taking an extra minute to toast them.

How to Use Turmeric Concentrate

• Hot Turmeric Tea: Mix ½ cup concentrate with ½ cup hot water.
• Iced Turmeric Tea: Pour concentrate over ice and top with cold water.
• Turmeric Latte (Golden Milk): Combine 1 part concentrate with 1 part steamed milk (or cold milk + ice). Top with cinnamon if you like.

Try This Too: Fresh Turmeric Golden Milk
Craving just one cozy cup? My Turmeric Latte (Golden Milk) recipe is made with fresh turmeric and ginger root—no powder—so every sip is smooth and vibrant.

Cozy Spiced Drinks to Try Next

• Turmeric Latte (Golden Milk) – Fresh root recipe, no powder settling
• Homemade Chai Concentrate – Perfect for chai lattes, hot or iced
• Masala Chai from Scratch – Classic Indian stovetop chai with whole spices
• Ginger Milk Tea – A bold, spiced milk tea made with fresh ginger root for a cozy, caffeine-free drink.

Continue to Content

Homemade Turmeric Tea Concentrate

Yield: 8 servings (1/2 cup each)

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

This fresh turmeric tea concentrate recipe makes it easy to enjoy golden lattes or turmeric tea anytime. Made with fresh turmeric and ginger root plus warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, it’s flavorful and convenient. Just prepare a batch once, store it in the fridge, and mix into tea or lattes all week long.

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 8 inches turmeric root
• 4 inches ginger root
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns (about 30)
• 1 teaspoon cloves (about 15)
• 1/2 tablespoon cardamom pods (about 15)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/4 cup sugar (optional, or sweetener of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, avocado oil or ghee (optional: see note on fat below)

Instructions

1. Lightly crush and toast the spices (peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks) in a dry stainless steel saucepan for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. (Don't walk away, they can burn quickly!)
2. Add turmeric, ginger, water, and sweetener (if using), then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes. (If choosing to add granulated, brown, or raw sugar, or maple syrup, add it now.)
3. Turn off heat and steep another 10–20 minutes for stronger flavor. (If adding honey as a sweetener, add it after the tea has cooled slightly.)
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar or bottle.
5. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 7–10 days.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

• This recipe yields about 4 cups tea concentrate, enough for 8–10 drinks (depending on how strong you like it).
• Turmeric stains. Avoid plastic and wipe up any spills immediately.

Sweetener options and when to add them:

• Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup – dissolve best when stirred into the hot concentrate.
• Honey – wait until the tea has cooled below boiling before adding. This helps preserve its natural vitamins and enzymes.
• Liquid stevia or monk fruit – can be stirred into the entire batch after straining, or added to individual cups.

Ways to add healthy fat to turmeric tea for better curcumin absorption:

• Add directly to the concentrate: Stir in a little coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee while it simmers.
• Pair with food: Skip adding fat to the tea itself and enjoy it alongside a snack like a handful of nuts or avocado toast (my personal favorite).
• Make it a latte: Using milk with some fat content also helps with absorption.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gSugar: 0g

This nutrition information is based on the recipe being made with no sugar or other sweetener added.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest