Ultimate Homemade Chai Tea Latte Recipe (Step-By-Step) (2024)

What Makes This Recipe So Good?

I created this recipe in 2014. I had a costly obsession with a Starbucks chai latte. In an effort to lower expenses, I decided to experiment with making a chai latte at home.

I found a few home chai lattes online, all of which suggested using a pre-made chai tea mix. I tried this option, but they all lacked the coffee shop flavor.

I decided to make my own chai spice blend, using ingredients from my pantry, and pairing this blend with black tea. After researching the spices used to make traditional chai, and seeing what was stocked in my pantry, I decided to go with the following spices…

• Cinnamon: Also used to make banana bread, pumpkin spice latte, and homemade granola.
• Ginger: Used in stir-fry sauce, homemade granola, and delicious in smoothies.
• Cardamom: Delicious in homemade granola, muffins (like zucchini chai muffins), and quick breads. Fun fact: also commonly used as a supplement due to its health benefits: anti-inflammatory.
• Nutmeg: Used to make banana bread, pumpkin spice latte, and many other baked goods.
• Whole Cloves: Something I don’t use very often. In the fall, add to boiling water to make your house smell amazing. If you don’t have whole cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves will also work.
• Allspice: Has the flavor of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg all combined into one; great for baking.

What Readers Say:

“Best Chai Tea I have ever had! And it is very easy as well – very little active time”

KAITILYN

I infused the spices in boiling water to release their flavor and added black tea bags. Black tea is on the stronger side, so it balances perfectly with the warm flavor of the spices.

The end result was a DELICIOUS homemade chai tea concentrate that I could store in the fridge and reheat with milk to make a homemade latte. No coffee shop needed!

And the best part? It’s inexpensive to make considering that most of the spices are common pantry items that may also be used in other ways.

Chai Latte Recipe Video Tutorial

Step 1: Make the Chai Concentrate

Heat 2 cups of water and the spices in a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove top. Let the ingredients simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add 2 tea bags and maple syrup (or honey).

After another 5 minutes, pour the concentrate (hot water, spices, sweetener and tea bags) through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl.

Reserve 1/2 cup of this chai tea concentrate to immediately make a latte. And store the remaining concentrate in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

3 Variations: Iced, Dirty, Pumpkin Spice

Variation 1: Iced Chai Latte

Chill the homemade chai concentrate in the refrigerator. Add 1/2 cup of the cold concentrate to a glass filled with ice cubes, then pour your favorite milk over the top. Follow this iced chai latte recipe.

During the summer, I keep a jar of the concentrate in my fridge. An iced latte is the perfect way to beat the summer heat (along with homemade popsicles)!

I recommend doubling the chai concentrate recipe if you plan to make an iced latte frequently. The concentrate will stay fresh in the fridge for up 2 weeks. Just shake before use.

What kind of tea is best to use?

Make the chai concentrate with black tea bags (like English Breakfast) or black tea leaves (loose). Black tea is strong enough to hold up to the warm, flavorful spices. It also provides a good amount of caffeine, which is nice for a morning pick-me-up.

Green tea and herbal teas aren’t strong enough to hold up to spices and are not recommended.

I think you’ll find the flavor and taste of this homemade drink is far superior to anything you’ll get at coffee houses (including Starbucks). Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Homemade Chai Concentrate:

• 2 cups water
• 2 black tea bags like English breakfast, OR 4 grams of loose-leaf tea leaves
• 2 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 TB pure maple syrup or honey

Chai Latte:

• 1/2 cup homemade chai tea concentrate from the recipe above
• 3/4 cup whole milk or dairy-free milk: coconut milk, cashew milk, almond milk, oat milk
• 1 TB pure maple syrup or honey
• pinch ground cinnamon

Homemade Chai Concentrate

• In a small saucepan, bring the water and spices to a boil. Whisk the spices in the water. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat and allow the spices to steep in the water for 5 minutes.

  

• After 5 minutes, turn the heat back on and add the black tea bags and maple syrup. Return to a slight boil (the goal is a hot liquid for steeping). Once boiling, turn off the heat. Steep the tea bags in the water and spices for 5 minutes.

  

• Remove the tea bags and strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer. Reserve 1/2 cup of chai concentrate to make a latte right now. Store the remaining chai concentrate in a jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

  

Make a Chai Latte:

• In a small saucepan, bring the milk, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon to a slight boil (the sides of the milk will begin to bubble), stirring often. Once the sides of the milk begin to bubble, remove the pan from heat.

  

• Using animmersion blender, blend the milk until it's frothy. Alternatively, use a fork to vigorously whisk and froth the milk.

  

• Pour 1/2 cup chai concentrate into a mug. Slowly pour in the frothed milk. Sprinkle the top with an extra pinch of cinnamon, if desired.

  

• Serve warm.

  

Double or Triple the Concentrate Recipe: If you plan to make this latte part of your daily routine, or want to make iced chai lattes (and use more of the concentrate per glass), double or triple the chai concentrate recipe. Store the concentrate for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Use the concentrate to make this hot drink or an iced chai latte.

How to Reheat the Chai Concentrate:Reheat the chai concentrate in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove-top. Then warm the milk and make a latte.

What to serve with this drink?

There’s nothing like enjoying a warm latte with a muffin, scone, or slice of bread. Here are a few of my favorite baked goods to serve with this latte, for the ultimate at-home coffee shop experience.

• Almond Flour Banana Bread
• Sourdough Banana Bread Muffins
• Maple-Sweetened Einkorn Banana Muffins
• Pumpkin Scones With Maple Glaze
• Naturally-Sweetened Blueberry Scones
• Einkorn Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread

Favorite Homemade Coffee Shop Drinks

• How to Make Chai Concentrate With Tea Bags
• Ultimate Homemade Chai Tea Latte Recipe
• Iced Chai Tea Latte (Homemade Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
• Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate (Dairy or Dairy Free)
• Homemade Mocha Peppermint Latte
• How to Make a Turmeric Latte (Golden Milk)
• How to Make Homemade Coffee Creamer
• Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte Two Ways

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