A frothy homemade vanilla milk with a hint of caramel.

Vanilla milk is THE beverage I want to sip on a cold rainy day. It’s the definition of liquid comfort. The warm frothy milk with notes of caramel and vanilla is such a treat, I could have it anytime of the day. This homemade winter beverage beats anything you could buy at Starbucks and comes together incredibly quick.

The first time I sipped on the vanilla milk the taste reminded me of warm liquid pudding. I don’t know about you, but the thought of liquid pudding sounds super delicious to me! (Is that weird?!) The taste always brings me back to my childhood, as pudding was a popular dessert in our household. It was my mother’s go to dessert when my brother and I begged her for dessert, which was rather often. We were always super impatient and started eating the pudding while it was still warm. We scratched on the edges of the bowl eating off the top layer which was barely set. It kept us busy for quite a while!

Caramel

To sweeten the vanilla milk we are making our own caramel. The extra step is definitely worth it as it gives the vanilla milk a wonderful flavor. For the caramel you’ll need exactly two ingredients, sugar and water. Do not be intimidated if you’ve never made your own caramel before. While making caramel can be a finicky process, we are using a simplified method that doesn’t even require a candy thermometer.

To make the caramel, all you have to do is bring sugar and water to a boil and let it cook for a few minutes. There is no need to stir the pot, simply wait until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns a lovely golden brown. The longer you let it cook the darker your caramel will get. A darker caramel will have a more intense flavor but it will also be more bitter. The caramel turns dark very quickly so it is important to keep a close eye on it and pull it away from the heat as soon as it reaches a golden brown color.

When adding in the heavy cream, the caramel will clump together due to the change in temperature. However, as soon as you cook the heavy cream with the caramel for a few minutes, the caramel will liquify again and emulsify with the cream.

I typically enjoy the warm vanilla milk alongside my favorite cookies or meringue. It tastes very yummy by itself but you can also add a few toppings such as meringue kisses, marshmallows or whipped cream. Or you can use the vanilla milk to make homemade vanilla lattes which is also super tasty!

The vanilla milk can be made ahead a few days as it keeps well in the fridge. Once reheated, you may also want to blend it again to get that frothy texture.

Stay warm and cozy! ❄️

Warm Vanilla Milk

A frothy homemade vanilla milk with a hint of caramel.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4

Ingredients

50g white granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
200ml heavy cream (2/3 cups plus 3 tablespoons)
1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon maple syrup
750ml whole milk (3 cups)
meringue kisses for garnishing, optional
vanilla beans for garnishing, optional

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and 2 and 1/2 tablespoons water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer until the caramel has reached a golden brown color (do not stir). Once the caramel has reached a deep golden brown, immediately remove from the heat.
Carefully add in the heavy cream and stir to combine. (The mixture will clump, that’s okay.) Place back onto the stove and cook until the mixture is smooth and no clumps remain.
Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla bean and add the seeds, maple syrup and milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Using an immersion blender, blend until frothy. Garnish with meringue kisses and/or vanilla beans.