Chai Latte Recipe: How to Make a Proper Spiced Tea at Home
A chai latte is one of those drinks that sounds complicated until you make one. At its simplest, it is strong spiced tea with warm milk. The coffee-shop version often comes from a syrup or powder, sweet enough to make your teeth ache. Make it yourself with loose-leaf tea and whole spices, and you get something far better: a warming, fragrant cup where you control the sweetness, the strength and the spice.
The tea in this guide: Vanilla Chai from £4.95 Shop it →
The good news is that the whole thing takes about fifteen minutes, and most of that is waiting for the tea to steep. Here is how to do it properly.
At a glance
- Brew a strong chai concentrate with black tea and spices
- Add warm milk at a 1:1 ratio for a classic latte
- Total time: 10 to 15 minutes
- Contains caffeine (black tea base)
- Sweeten after tasting, not before
- Keeps in the fridge for up to a week
What is a chai latte?
The word 'chai' simply means tea in Hindi, so 'chai tea latte' is technically 'tea tea latte'. Still, the name has stuck. A chai latte is black tea brewed with warming spices, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and served with steamed or frothed milk. It is the coffeehouse take on masala chai, the spiced milk tea that has been made in India for generations.
The difference between a chai latte and a regular cup of masala chai is largely the milk. Traditional masala chai simmers the tea and spices in a mix of water and milk. A chai latte usually starts with a stronger concentrate, then finishes with steamed milk and often a bit of froth on top.
Chai latte recipe
This method makes two generous mugs. You can double it to make a batch of concentrate for the week ahead.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons loose-leaf black tea (Assam or a chai blend like Vanilla Chai)
- 300ml water
- 3 to 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick or half a teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 to 4 whole cloves
- Half a teaspoon fresh ginger, grated, or quarter teaspoon ground ginger
- A pinch of black pepper (optional)
- Half a teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200ml milk (dairy, oat or soy)
- Honey, maple syrup or sugar to taste
Method
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the back of a spoon to split them open. If using a cinnamon stick, break it in half.
- Add the water, tea, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and pepper to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil hard or steep much longer, or the tea turns bitter.
- Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, cover and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the spice.
- Strain the concentrate through a fine sieve into two mugs, pressing gently on the spices.
- Warm the milk in a separate pan until steaming but not boiling. If you have a frother, use it now.
- Divide the milk between the mugs. Taste, then sweeten if you like.
- Dust with a little ground cinnamon and drink while it is hot.
Which tea works best?
You want a strong, malty black tea that can hold its own against the spices and milk. Assam is traditional, and its bold flavour is why it works so well. English Breakfast, Darjeeling and Ceylon are all good alternatives. Loose-leaf tea gives a fuller body than teabags, though teabags will do in a pinch.
If you already have a spiced chai blend like Vanilla Chai or Jasmine Masala Chai, you can skip the whole spices and just brew the tea a little stronger than usual. Two teaspoons per 150ml water, steeped for 4 to 5 minutes, then topped with warm milk.
| Tea | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Assam | Malty, robust | The traditional choice |
| English Breakfast | Balanced, brisk | Widely available |
| Darjeeling | Lighter, muscatel | Produces a more delicate latte |
| Vanilla Chai | Pre-spiced, warming | Skip adding extra spices |
Getting the milk right
Whole milk gives the creamiest result. Oat milk froths well and has a slight sweetness that suits the spices. Soy works too. Nut milks can be thinner, so you may want to use a bit more.
Heat the milk until it steams but do not let it boil. If you want café-style froth, pour the hot milk into a jar, seal it, and shake vigorously for 25 to 35 seconds. An electric frother is easier if you make lattes often.
For a richer cup, use a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to milk. If you prefer a lighter, more tea-forward drink, go with less milk, perhaps two-thirds concentrate to one-third milk.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Boiling the tea for too long
Simmering beyond 5 minutes, or keeping the pot at a rolling boil, draws out harsh tannins. The result is bitter and astringent. Keep it gentle.
Adding sweetener before tasting
The spices give the impression of sweetness even without sugar. Taste the finished latte first. You may need less than you think, or none at all.
Squeezing the teabag
If you are using teabags, squeezing them against the pot releases extra bitterness. Lift them out gently.
Using pre-sweetened milk alternatives
Vanilla oat milk or sweetened almond milk can make the whole thing cloying. Stick to unsweetened versions and add your own sweetener.
Vanilla chai latte
If you want the vanilla to come through more strongly, add an extra half teaspoon of vanilla extract to the concentrate, or use Vanilla Chai loose leaf as your base. The vanilla softens the sharper ginger and pepper notes and makes the latte taste a little more rounded. Some people add a scrape of vanilla bean, but extract works just as well.
Black Tea
Ginger-led chai spice meets jasmine, rose and lavender for a lighter floral finish.
Have a lookHow to make iced chai latte
Make the concentrate as above and let it cool completely. Pour it into a tall glass over plenty of ice, then add cold milk. Chill the concentrate in the fridge for at least 4 hours if you want it properly cold. You can froth cold milk by shaking it in a jar, or just pour it straight in.
Making a batch of concentrate
If you drink chai lattes often, make a bigger batch of concentrate at the weekend. Double or triple the recipe, simmer and steep as normal, then strain and refrigerate. It keeps for up to a week. When you want a latte, just warm half a mug of concentrate, add hot frothed milk, and you are done in two minutes.
What about a dirty chai?
A dirty chai is a chai latte with a shot of espresso. It is for those days when you want the spice and the caffeine boost. If you have an espresso machine or a stovetop moka pot, pour the shot into the mug first, then add the chai concentrate and milk. For our full guide, see Dirty Chai Latte.
Does chai latte contain caffeine?
Yes. The base is black tea, so a chai latte contains caffeine at roughly the same level as a cup of breakfast tea, somewhere in the region of 40 to 70mg depending on the tea and how long you steep it. That is less than a shot of espresso but enough to give you a lift. If you want a caffeine-free version, use Decaf Masala Chai or rooibos as your base. We have a separate rooibos latte recipe if you fancy that route.
What to try next
If you want to skip the spice-crushing step, Vanilla Chai is a loose-leaf blend with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla already in the mix. Brew it strong and add warm milk. For a lighter, more floral take on spiced tea, Jasmine Masala Chai brings jasmine and rose alongside the ginger and cinnamon. If you want the warming spice without caffeine, Decaf Masala Chai is decaffeinated black tea with the same spice profile.
Not sure which suits you? The Tea Finder asks a few quick questions and points you in the right direction.
We offer free UK delivery on orders over £35. If you are nearby, the kettle is always on at the shop in Byram Arcade, Huddersfield.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a chai latte at home?
Simmer loose-leaf black tea with crushed cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, add vanilla, steep for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Warm milk separately, froth if you like, and combine at a 1:1 ratio. Sweeten to taste.
What is in a Starbucks chai latte?
Coffee-shop chai lattes are usually made from a pre-made concentrate or syrup mixed with steamed milk. The concentrate contains black tea, spices and sugar. Making your own at home lets you control the sweetness and use real spices.
Can you make chai latte without a frother?
Yes. Heat the milk until steaming, pour it into a jar, seal tightly and shake for 25 to 35 seconds. The agitation creates foam. Alternatively, whisk vigorously in the pan. It will not be barista-perfect, but it does the job.
How long does chai concentrate keep?
Strained concentrate keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Once you add milk, drink it within a couple of hours. Do not freeze the concentrate, as it goes a bit flat.
Is chai latte good for you?
Tea is a drink, not a medicine. Chai latte contains caffeine and, depending on how you make it, varying amounts of sugar and milk. If you have questions about caffeine or any health concerns, speak to your GP or pharmacist.
Sources: Downshiftology · Indian Healthy Recipes · The Fresh Cooky · Evolving Table
