Chai Tea Latte Recipe

Ingredients

For the chai spice blend:

• 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced thin
• 4 whole cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 star anise pod (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)

For the chai base:

• 2 cups water
• 3 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose black tea)
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the latte:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or your preferred milk)
• Additional sweetener to taste
• Ground cinnamon for dusting

Equipment Needed

• Medium saucepan
• Fine mesh strainer
• Small saucepan for milk (or milk frother)
• Whisk or milk frother
• Mortar and pestle (or back of a spoon)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Serving mugs

Preparing the Spice Blend

Start by lightly crushing the cardamom pods using the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle. You want to crack them open to release the aromatic seeds inside, but you don’t need to pulverize them completely.

Break the cinnamon stick into smaller pieces so it will release more flavor during simmering. If using star anise, break it into a few pieces as well. The goal is to increase the surface area of all your spices so they can infuse the liquid more effectively.

Slice your fresh ginger into thin rounds. Fresh ginger is crucial for authentic chai – it provides a warming heat that ground ginger simply can’t match.

Building the Chai Base

In your medium saucepan, combine the water with all the prepared spices: crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon pieces, sliced ginger, cloves, black peppercorns, and any optional spices you’re using.

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes. This slow simmering extracts maximum flavor from the spices and creates that deep, complex taste that makes homemade chai so special.

Adding the Tea

After the spices have simmered for 10 minutes, add the black tea bags or loose tea to the spiced water. The liquid should be fragrant and have taken on a light brown color from the spices.

Let the tea steep in the spiced water for 4-5 minutes. Black tea forms the backbone of chai, providing the necessary strength to balance all those bold spices while adding its own malty depth.

Sweetening and Flavoring

Remove the tea bags or strain out loose tea leaves, but leave the spices in the liquid for now. While the chai base is still hot, stir in the brown sugar or honey until completely dissolved.

Add the vanilla extract, which enhances the warming spices and adds a subtle richness that rounds out the flavor profile. Brown sugar works particularly well in chai because its molasses notes complement the spices beautifully.

Taste your chai base and adjust the sweetness if needed. Remember that you’ll be adding milk, which will dilute the sweetness slightly, so it should taste just a bit sweeter than your final desired result.

Straining the Chai

Pour the entire mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container, pressing the spices gently with the back of a spoon to extract every drop of flavor. The strained chai concentrate should be deep brown and incredibly aromatic.

You can make this concentrate ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, reheating individual portions as needed.

Preparing the Steamed Milk

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s steaming but not boiling. You’ll see small bubbles forming around the edges of the pan when it’s ready.

If you have a milk frother or espresso machine, use it to steam and froth the milk until it’s creamy and has a nice layer of foam on top. If you don’t have special equipment, you can create frothy milk by whisking vigorously while heating, or by using an immersion blender for a few seconds.

Assembling Your Chai Latte

Divide the hot chai concentrate between your serving mugs, filling each about 2/3 full. Pour the steamed milk into each mug, holding back the foam with a spoon at first, then spooning the foam on top for that authentic latte presentation.

The ratio should be roughly equal parts chai concentrate and steamed milk, but you can adjust this based on how strong you prefer your chai.

Final Touches and Serving

Dust the top of each latte with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon. This adds both visual appeal and an extra hit of warm spice aroma as you drink.

Serve immediately while hot, with small spoons for stirring and additional sweetener on the side if desired.

Tips for Perfect Chai

Don’t skip the simmering step for the spices – this is where the magic happens. Quick steeping won’t extract the deep, complex flavors that make homemade chai so special.

Fresh spices make a huge difference. If your spices have been sitting in your cabinet for years, consider buying fresh ones for the best flavor.

Whole milk creates the creamiest, richest latte, but you can substitute with any milk you prefer. Just keep in mind that lower-fat milks won’t froth as well.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

The chai concentrate can be made in larger batches and stored in the refrigerator. Simply reheat a portion and add steamed milk whenever you want a latte.

You can also freeze the concentrate in ice cube trays for single-serving portions that you can quickly thaw and heat.

Customization Ideas

Try different sweeteners like maple syrup or coconut sugar for unique flavor profiles. You can also adjust the spice blend to your preferences – more ginger for heat, extra cardamom for floral notes, or additional cinnamon for warmth.

For an iced version, let the chai concentrate cool completely, then serve over ice with cold milk and a drizzle of honey.

This homemade Chai Tea Latte proves that the best coffeehouse drinks can be recreated at home with even better results, giving you complete control over every spice and creating a truly personalized cup of comfort.