Description
A cozy, homemade chai latte made with whole spices, black tea, and milk. This easy recipe takes about 10 minutes and offers a customizable, comforting alternative to coffee shop drinks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 black tea bags (Assam or Ceylon)
- 2 cups whole milk (or oat/almond/coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1 cup water
- 1 large cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground)
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 4–5 cardamom pods, crushed
- 4–5 whole black peppercorns
- 1 whole star anise (optional)
- 2–3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Slice the ginger thinly and crush the cardamom pods with the back of a knife to release the seeds.
- Add water, cinnamon stick, ginger, cardamom, peppercorns, and star anise to a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the water is amber-colored.
- Add the black tea bags and milk to the pot. Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil over. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in honey or maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Let the tea bags steep for 1-2 minutes, then remove them.
- Strain the chai into pre-warmed mugs to catch the spices.
- Whisk or froth if desired, garnish with cinnamon, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not boil the milk as it can scald and separate. Crush cardamom pods to release flavor. Use fresh ginger for best results. Pre-warm mugs to keep the drink hot longer. Can be made dairy-free using oat, almond, or coconut milk.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mug
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: chai latte, back to school, morning ritual, homemade chai, cozy drink, spice tea, autumn recipes