Ballı Tarçınlı Süt (Honey & Cinnamon Milk)
بالّی ترچنلی سوت (شہد اور دار چینی والا دودھ)
Every culture has its glass of warm milk before bed. In Pakistan it might be haldi doodh or badam doodh; in Turkey it's ballı tarçınlı süt, milk warmed with a cinnamon stick and sweetened with honey. It's the drink Turkish mothers give children on winter nights and the one adults make for themselves when they can't sleep. It takes five minutes and needs nothing special.
- ⏱ Total: 7 min
- Prep: 1 min
- Cook: 6 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Warm the milk and cinnamon stick in a over medium-low heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles appear at the edges, about 5 minutes. Don't let it boil.
Take off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the honey.
Pour into mugs, dust with ground cinnamon and serve warm.
Kitchen notes
Add honey after the milk is off the heat. Boiling honey changes its taste.
Don't give honey to babies under one year old.
For a richer drink, whisk in a spoon of cream or a few crushed walnuts.
The bedtime glass
Turkish families have plenty of hot drinks, but for children at night the answer is usually milk with honey and cinnamon. It’s soothing, slightly sweet and fragrant, and it carries the comfort of a grandmother’s kitchen in the same way that a glass of haldi doodh does for many Pakistanis.
Simple, but done properly
The only rules are to warm the milk gently, without boiling, and to add honey at the end. A cinnamon stick simmered in the milk gives a clean, sweet spice flavour without the grainy texture of ground cinnamon; a pinch on top adds aroma.
Variations
- With walnuts: a few crushed walnuts stirred in, a popular Anatolian addition.
- With cardamom: a crushed pod simmered with the cinnamon.
- With turmeric: halfway between Turkish and Pakistani traditions.
Serving
Serve warm in mugs before bed, or with a slice of cake or a few biscuits on a winter afternoon. For something thicker and more indulgent, try Turkish salep.
Questions people ask
Can I use ground cinnamon instead of a stick?
Yes. Whisk in a quarter teaspoon as the milk warms; it won't fully dissolve, so stir before drinking.
Can I make it with plant milk?
Yes. Almond or oat milk works well; warm it gently, as some plant milks split if boiled.
Can I add turmeric?
You can, and then it becomes very close to haldi doodh. Many families mix the two traditions.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 170
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
