The Easiest Way To Infuse Lavender Into Your Next Cup Of Coffee

Coffee may be the rocket fuel that gets us going every morning, but let's face it — downing the same old drink day after day can get a little boring. Sprucing up your morning cup of joe doesn't have to involve an expensive espresso machine or a creamer packed full of sugar. If you want a subtle, yet enticing, ingredient to infuse a little flavor (and color) into your coffee, try making lavender-laced milk.

Steeping lavender into your milk is much simpler than trying to mix it into your coffee grounds or your Keurig, and it means you'll get a smooth beverage without any floral chunks. What you will end up with, though, are the earthy, woody flavor notes of the flowers, along with a divinely sweet, relaxing aroma. In fact, lavender is beloved for its calming ability, which can be helpful for balancing out the jolt of energy coffee is known to give us. When you make the milk yourself at home, you can incorporate as much or as little of the flower essence as you want, depending on how potent you want the taste to be.

If whipping up lavender milk on a weekday morning sounds like too much effort, make a big batch on Sunday and store it to use throughout the week. Here's what to do: Buy a bag of culinary lavender, which you can get at major grocery stores like Whole Foods. Unlike the sprigs you may pick from a lavender field, the culinary version typically contains less oil, leading to an overall sweeter taste. And if you really want to get into the weeds here, take note of which variety of flowers you're buying. The cultivars Lavandula angustifolia "Miss Katherine" and "Croxton's Wild" may pair best with coffee based on their sweet and earthy flavors.

To make the liquid, all you'll need to do is bring your favorite milk and lavender to a simmer over the stove. If you'd like, you can add in extra ingredients like a dash of vanilla extract, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a squeeze of honey. After about five minutes (or longer for a more potent flavor), strain out the flowers. Then either set the infused milk in the fridge to chill or use it hot in a latte right away. Feel free to pour it in your cup as-is. You could also froth a little chilled milk in a separate jar to create a delicious lavender cold foam.