Description
Homemade chai latte blends warm spices, creamy milk, and black tea into a cozy, customizable drink. It’s healthier, more flavorful, and more affordable than store-bought versions. Enjoy it hot or iced as a comforting treat any time of day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 slice fresh ginger
- 1 star anise
- 2 black tea bags or 1 tbsp loose-leaf black tea
- 1 cup whole milk (or almond, oat, coconut milk)
- 1–2 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or sugar (to taste)
Optional Add-ins:
- Dash of vanilla extract
- Sprinkle of nutmeg
- Few crushed peppercorns
Instructions
- Lightly crush the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and cloves to release their oils.
- In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a simmer. Add crushed spices, ginger, and star anise. Simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Add tea bags or loose-leaf tea and steep for 3–5 minutes. Avoid over-steeping.
- Stir in 1 cup of milk and your preferred sweetener. Heat until warm (do not boil).
- Strain the mixture into mugs using a fine mesh sieve.
- For a frothy finish, froth milk separately before adding to the tea.
- Garnish with cinnamon powder or a cinnamon stick. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use plant-based milk and sweeteners for a vegan version.
- For caffeine-free, substitute black tea with rooibos or herbal tea.
- Adjust sweetness and spice levels to taste.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3–4 days; reheat gently without boiling.
- Prepare a chai concentrate in advance by simmering tea and spices, storing the base separately from milk.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: ~12g
- Sodium: ~50mg
- Fat: ~4g
- Saturated Fat: ~2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: ~18g
- Fiber: ~0.5g
- Protein: ~3g
- Cholesterol: ~10mg