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Easy Homemade Chai Latte

Lattes garnished with star anise and cinnamon, with extra spice and honey in the background.
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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Curl up with a blanket and this easy-to-make chai tea latte - it's just the thing to warm you up on brisk fall mornings and chilly winter evenings. This drink is sweet, creamy, and full of cozy spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. For an extra boost of caffeine, just add coffee to make it a dirty chai! 

  • Author: alexandra
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Steep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hr 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 lattes 1x
  • Category: beverages
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Scale

Chai "Concentrate":

(yields 14-16 ounces)

  • 2 cups (16 ounces) water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 star anise, chopped
  • 8-10 cardamom pods, split
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1/2" slice ginger root
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorn

Latte:

  • 14-16 ounces chai concentrate (from above)
  • 4 good-quality black tea bags
  • 1 cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 2-3 tablespoons honey or sweetener of choice, to taste

Instructions

Chai Concentrate:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the chai concentrate. Bring to a boil on the stove and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Strain the spices out of the water before using. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate if not using immediately. 

To make Chai Lattes:

  1. Transfer the strained chai concentrate back into a medium saucepan. Bring to a near-boil on the stove (205°F-210°F on an instant-read thermometer). Meanwhile, prep two mugs with two bags of black tea each.
  2. Pour the hot concentrate over the tea bags in each mug, dividing evenly between each. Let steep for 5-6 minutes. Press excess water out of tea bags before removing. 
  3. While tea is steeping, combine milk and honey and froth using a milk frother or other method of choice (see post above for more info.). Divide frothed milk evenly between the two mugs of tea and serve immediately. 

Notes

Ingredient notes:

  • Use decaffeinated black tea for decaf chai lattes. 
  • To use loose leaf tea instead of tea bags, try starting with 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per latte, and adjust to taste. 
  • Unsweetened dairy-free or vegan milk can be used if desired. I'd recommend oat milk. 
  • Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar can be used to sweeten this chai latte. Use one of the latter two options for a vegan latte.
  • Optionally, add a scoop of collagen peptides to each latte for added protein.

Storing chai concentrate:

  • Concentrate can be stored in a lidded mason jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. It should last for at least a couple of weeks.

Other recipe notes:

  • After the concentrate has boiled it will have decreased in volume slightly. Use the full amount for 2 lattes, or 7-8 ounces per latte. 
  • To "froth" milk without a milk frother, pour the milk into a large jar, shake it vigorously, and then microwave for 30-60 seconds.

 

Keywords: chai latte, dirty chai latte, black tea beverages, homemade chai latte, winter beverages, chai tea latte

Find it online: https://www.brighteyedbaker.com/chai-latte/