How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up

Learn how to make this spicey drink and find out more about Chaï latte and the recipe variations.
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Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
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Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
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Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 22, 2023
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Chai tea is a delicious drink with a good taste of spices and is very sweet. Away from the traditional style, Chaï latte is becoming one of the favorite drinks of the West, especially in the cold winter. It’s sweet, hot, and full of spices.

Unluckily, many often find the ones served in bars and other “fast food” places too sweet. They’re devoid of the taste of the spices many folks love so much. For this reason, some choose to make this drink’s homemade version. Hence, we’ll show you how to make Chaï latte tea step by step.

It’s easy and quick to make once the equipment and ingredients are ready. There’s nothing like making too much of it. The drink can stay for a long time in the fridge and allows you to have your lattes very quickly.

What Is Chai Tea Latte?

How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up

Chai latte tea is a hot, milky, fragrant, slightly spicy, and popular drink. It originated  in India Trusted Source What is Chai Tea? Chai is steeped in a rich history. The name “chai” is actually the Hindi word for “tea”, which was derived from “cha”, the Chinese word for “tea”. In this case, the Hindi term chai means a mix of spices steeped into a tea-like beverage. Recipes for chai vary across continents, cultures, towns and families. But the traditional ingredients of a spiced tea blend usually include black tea mixed with strong spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns. www.teatulia.com  and was baptized Masala Chai.

Chai came to be the national drink (due to its popularity among its inhabitants) with different flavors, such as Chai Latte, usually accompanied by milk. The average consumption of four cups of chai daily is estimated to  improve the heart Trusted Source How Chai Tea Can Improve Your Health Chai tea, also known as masala chai, is made with spices and ingredients that may offer important health benefits. Here's how chai may benefit your health. www.healthline.com .

What Type of Tea to Use?

Black tea is used for making chai tea. This is the main ingredient responsible for its peculiar taste. In addition, it comes with different spices and plants such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla, and anise.

What Type of Milk to Use?

You can use a wide range of milk for Chai latte tea. Classic chai is prepared with milk that contains  a high percentage of fat Trusted Source How to Choose the Right Milk for Chai Latte | Camellia Sinensis Though not new to the world of tea, Chai, the traditional Indian beverage, has become increasingly popular in North America. We’ve noticed a growing demand for various plant milk alternatives to traditional cow’s milk. camellia-sinensis.com , sometimes even condensed milk or butter. On the other hand, cow’s milk gives a smooth, rich result and a classic taste.

Is There Caffeine in It?

Since black tea, a caffeinated type of tea, is the main ingredient in Chai tea, it’s logical to say Chai tea is caffeinated. In every cup of Chai tea made from the powdered form, you’ll have 25 to 55 mg of caffeine Trusted Source Does Chai Have Caffeine? | Prana Chai Ever wondered how much of a caffeine hit you’ll get from chai lattes? Find out how much caffeine there is in a chai and tea & the benefits for you. pranachai.com .

What You Will Need

How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up

Each ingredient used in Chai Tea has unique and peculiar properties, making Chai Tea Latte a fantastic option to get through winter. Some of the things you’ll need include:

  1. Cinnamon: This spice is perfect for restoring energy and vitality. It improves blood circulation as well as digestion and relieves menstrual cramps.
  2. Cardamom: Very popular in Indian and Chinese cuisine, cardamom is a spice that benefits the kidneys, lungs, and heart. It also helps with digestion.
  3. Clove: A traditional spice used in Chinese medicine, cloves are a powerful antiseptic and analgesic. It’s perfect for preventing winter infections. It also fights digestive problems and bloating.
  4. Ginger: With use that dates back over 5,000 years, ginger is very popular in foods and drinks worldwide. In addition to its reputation as an aphrodisiac, it strengthens the immune and circulatory systems.
  5. Nutmeg: Nutmeg is known for its digestive action on heavy foods. It can also treat rheumatism and chest congestion.
  6. Black pepper: Black pepper is used to flavor Chai tea. It is also an excellent antibacterial and antioxidant. Furthermore, it functions as a natural antidepressant, as piperine stimulates the production of endorphins in the brain.
  7. Fennel: Some Chaï recipes include fennel, which has medicinal properties. It fights digestive and respiratory diseases and is used for anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial action.
  8. Black tea: Black tea is the basis of the traditional Indian recipe for Chaï Tea. It is rich in antioxidants. According to Asian medicine, it reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. On the other hand, be careful because black tea is rich in caffeine, even more than green tea.

Tips:

    • Instead of sourcing all the ingredients listed above, you can get an all-in-one tea product containing all these ingredients. The best of its kind is the FGO Organic Chai Tea Bags. Each tea bag contains organic black tea combined with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and black pepper.
    • Then there are the TAZO Tea Bags which contain the classic black Chai tea, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper.
    1. The milk: Chai almost always includes milk, which should preferably be whole, as it is the best way to bring out the richness of all the spices. Indians use buffalo milk while making chai tea. The western version is produced with cow’s milk or dairy alternatives, such as soy, almond, rice, and coconut milk.
    2. The sweetener: Chai generally involves a bit more sugar than you might be used to but with the mission of getting the most flavor out of the spices. The most typical sweeteners in chai are regular white sugar, muscovado and honey. Jaggery is unrefined cane sugar popularly used in many parts of India. However, it is a bit difficult to find in other countries.
    3. Pot and frother: You’ll need a pot to infuse tea ingredients. Then for the milk, you’ll need a whisk or a frother. The latter is more recommended. Here, you can pick one of the best handheld milk frothers or one of the best milk frothing pitchers for more convenience.
    How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up 3

    Chai Tea Latte Recipe

    In this section, you'll find instructions on the ingredients and equipment you need to make Chaï tea. The recipe that we will detail below would be the most classic, that is, with hot milk. Take note!
    Prep Time 3 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 13 minutes
    Course Drinks
    Servings 4 units
    Calories 127 kcal

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Frotheror whisk
    • Strainer

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tbsp black pepper
    • 10 cloves
    • 5 open cardamom pods
    • 2 anise stars
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 6 tbsp black tea Earl Gray or English Breakfast
    • 30 grams fresh ginger
    • 1 liter water
    • Whole milk

    Instructions
     

    • Heat all the spices over medium heat in a saucepan to enhance their aroma and flavor.
    • Peel and chop fresh ginger
      How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up 5
    • Add the water and ginger to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
    • The water should never come to a complete boil, so take it off the heat a moment beforeit does. This should be at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
    • Cover the saucepan and let it rest for 3-4 minutes.
    • Next, strain and discard the spices.
      How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up 7
    • Distribute the tea in the cups filling ¾ parts of its capacity
    • Complete the preparation with hot milk. Foam milk with a whisk or a frother. If youdon't have one, you will find several models for making lattes in this reviewof the best milk frothers. After frothing the milk, pour it over the Chaïconcentrate.
      How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up 9
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Video

    Tip

    You can keep chaï tea for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Remember to shake the jar before use; the spices tend to settle at the bottom.

    Nutritional Values per Serving

    • Calories: 127kcal
    • Carbohydrates: 12g
    • Protein: 6 g
    • Saturated fat: 4 g
    • Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g
    • Monounsaturated fat: 2 g
    • Cholesterol: 18mg
    • Sodium: 80mg
    • Potassium: 282mg
    • Fiber: 1g
    • Sugar: 10g
    • Vitamin A: 290 IU
    • Vitamin C: 1mg
    • Calcium: 225mg

    Chai Tea Recipe Variations

    How to Make Chaï Tea Latte: Tasty Drink with Spices to Warm You Up

    Doodh Patti Chai tea, native to northern India and Pakistan, is a variation of Chai tea. It means tea with milk; the recipe usually requires cardamom and sugar.

    Kashmiri Chai is also another variation. This tea comes from the part of Kashmir in India and is based on green tea, baking soda, cardamom salt, milk, and, lately, sugar. This tea is lovely as it changes its hue. It goes from being green to brown and finally pink.

    Final Thoughts

    The traditional Indian beverage, chai, is nothing new to the tea world. But, with the growing demand for plant-based milk, it’s indeed something worth trying.

    It is prepared and served during the cold winters and comes with a whole lot of health benefits.

    Now that we’ve shown you how to make Chaï latte tea, we hope you can now give it a try. Remember, it can be stored for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator (without the milk).

    References

    1.
    What is Chai Tea?
    Chai is steeped in a rich history. The name “chai” is actually the Hindi word for “tea”, which was derived from “cha”, the Chinese word for “tea”. In this case, the Hindi term chai means a mix of spices steeped into a tea-like beverage. Recipes for chai vary across continents, cultures, towns and families. But the traditional ingredients of a spiced tea blend usually include black tea mixed with strong spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns.
    2.
    How Chai Tea Can Improve Your Health
    Chai tea, also known as masala chai, is made with spices and ingredients that may offer important health benefits. Here's how chai may benefit your health.
    3.
    How to Choose the Right Milk for Chai Latte | Camellia Sinensis
    Though not new to the world of tea, Chai, the traditional Indian beverage, has become increasingly popular in North America. We’ve noticed a growing demand for various plant milk alternatives to traditional cow’s milk.
    4.
    Does Chai Have Caffeine? | Prana Chai
    Ever wondered how much of a caffeine hit you’ll get from chai lattes? Find out how much caffeine there is in a chai and tea & the benefits for you.
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