Description
Creamy chai tea latte brings Indian spice magic straight to your mug with a perfect blend of aromatic black tea, warming spices, and steamed milk. Homemade comfort awaits you in this simple yet luxurious beverage that promises to elevate your morning ritual.
Ingredients
Scale
Chai Tea Concentrate Ingredients:
Tea Base:
- 6 teaspoons Darjeeling black tea or 6 Darjeeling black tea bags
Spices:
- 2–4 inches fresh ginger, sliced and crushed
- 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
- 4–6 whole cloves, crushed
- 6–7 cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 star anise (optional), crushed
- ¼–½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Liquid and Sweeteners:
- 6 cups filtered water, cold or room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼–⅓ cup honey or sweetener of choice
Chai Latte Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (177 milliliters) whole milk or milk alternative
- 6 ounces (177 milliliters) chai tea concentrate
Quick Chai Tea Latte Ingredients:
- 2 bags chai tea or 2 teaspoons loose leaf chai tea
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) boiled water
- 1–2 teaspoons honey or sweetener of choice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) milk (dairy or plant-based)
Super Fast Chai Tea Latte Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (177 milliliters) store-bought Chai Tea Concentrate (e.g., Tazo Chai Concentrate)
- 6 ounces (177 milliliters) milk (dairy or plant-based)
Instructions
- Carefully crush whole spices including cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, and ginger using a mortar and pestle to release their aromatic essential oils and enhance flavor complexity.
- Pour water into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat, allowing it to reach a gentle bubbling point before introducing the tea leaves and crushed spices.
- Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer, allowing the spices to infuse deeply into the liquid, releasing their rich, warm flavors for approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat source and incorporate honey, stirring until completely dissolved, then cover and allow the concentrate to steep and develop its complex flavor profile for 10-15 minutes.
- Position a fine mesh strainer over a clean container and carefully pour the infused liquid through, filtering out the solid spice remnants and creating a smooth, concentrated tea base.
- Refrigerate the prepared concentrate, which can be stored for several days, ensuring a quick chai latte preparation method.
- When ready to serve, combine equal parts chai concentrate and milk in a small saucepan, warming the mixture while gently stirring to prevent scorching.
- Use a milk frother or whisk to create a light, airy texture, elevating the drink’s overall sensory experience.
- For a quicker alternative, steep chai tea bags in hot water, then blend with milk and sweetener, using a frother to create a similar luxurious consistency.
- Alternatively, mix store-bought chai concentrate with milk for an ultra-rapid preparation method that still delivers rich, spiced flavor.
Notes
- Unleash the magic of homemade chai with this spice-packed concentrate that transforms ordinary tea into an extraordinary latte.
- Crushing whole spices releases intense flavors, creating a deeper, more complex taste profile that store-bought mixes can’t match.
- Preparing extra concentrate means instant chai comfort whenever cravings strike, stored conveniently in your refrigerator for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Drinks, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg