Homemade Chai Tea Latte Recipe
This aromatic Homemade Chai Tea Latte combines freshly toasted spices with black tea, perfectly sweetened and finished with creamy frothed milk for a comforting, authentic beverage that outshines any café version.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 inches fresh ginger sliced
- 6 whole cardamom pods lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise pod optional but adds wonderful depth
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons loose black tea or 4 black tea bags
- 2-3 tablespoons honey or sugar adjust to taste
- 2 cups milk dairy or plant-based
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Toast the spices in a dry saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. This crucial step awakens the essential oils in the spices.
- Add water to the saucepan with the toasted spices and bring to a boil. The water should bubble vigorously to properly extract flavor from the spices.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the spices to infuse the water completely.
- Add the black tea and turn off the heat. Let steep for 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you like your tea. Avoid steeping longer as it can make the tea bitter.
- Strain the tea mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another container, pressing on the solids to extract all the flavor.
- Stir in your sweetener while the tea is still hot, ensuring it dissolves completely. Adjust to taste.
- Heat the milk in a separate saucepan until steaming but not boiling, or microwave for about 90 seconds.
- Froth the milk using a milk frother, whisk, or blender until foamy. For extra-rich foam, blend the hot milk for 30 seconds.
- Pour the tea concentrate into mugs, filling them halfway.
- Top with the frothed milk, spooning any extra foam on top. Finish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon.
Notes
- The chai concentrate (without milk) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week in an airtight container.
- For an iced version, cool the tea concentrate completely and pour over ice before adding cold milk.
- The intensity of spices increases the longer they simmer, so adjust cooking time to your preference.
- Try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup instead of sugar for a different flavor profile.
- For an extra-indulgent version, replace half the milk with half-and-half or coconut cream.