Learn how to make this easy chai latte recipe from scratch and don't step foot in Starbucks ever again! Not only is it cheaper and highly customizable but it's also made with simple ingredients like black tea bags, cinnamon and milk. You'll fall in love with the warm, calming taste of this easy recipe!
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Every fall, I slowly transition from frozen homemade frappuccino to the coziness of a warm mug of French hot chocolate or the comfort of a chai latte (a.k.a. spiced milk tea).
This is actually the basic British recipe for milk tea which was perfected in India by adding several spices that complement the flavor of black tea and make it smoother and tastier (in India, the word "chai" means "tea" and Masala chai means spiced tea).
This Indian tea recipe became very popular when Starbucks put it on their menu, with the name chai tea latte. However, I dare to say that the homemade version of this spiced chai is so much better!
😍 Why this recipe works
This homemade masala chai latte from scratch checks all the boxes:
Easy: No need to make chai tea concentrate or any other concoction. Just warm the milk and steep the tea bags and the spices.
Smoother taste: Tasting the tiny grains of ground spices annoys me. When I use whole spices or spiced tea bags the taste is much smoother.
Customizable: Add or omit any spice according to your taste. Or just use your favorite flavored tea bag.
Vegan friendly: Using a dairy-free milk (such as almond milk) and maple syrup makes this chai vegan.
Calming: Few things are more calming than warm milk. Combine this with the L-theanine from black tea (an amino acid with calming properties) and you've got yourself the perfect drink.
Lower in caffeine: Containing about half the caffeine than coffee, it's a great alternative for people who want to cut down on caffeine.
📋 Ingredients
Note: you won't need any spices if you use chai spiced black tea bags. The spices are needed only if you use regular black tea bags.
Black tea bags: Use your favorite brand but try to find one with a strong flavor such as Assam tea, Ceylon, or English breakfast. If you prefer a milder taste, you can also use Darjeeling tea, though this variety is not commonly used on its own for this kind of latte.
Spices: For this Indian chai tea recipe I prefer using whole spices such as cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and a small star anise. Some nutmeg is also grated over the top.
Milk: Whole milk is most commonly used but any other non-dairy milk will do.
Sweetener: This is optional, but a bit of sweetness complements this drink. Feel free to use maple syrup, honey or another sweetener of choice and adjust the quantity according to your taste.
🥣 Substitutions / Variations
Flavored black tea bags: Instead of plain black tea bags and spices, you can just use flavored tea bugs such as Twinings chai spiced black tea bags or Stash chai spice black tea bags.
Loose-leaf tea: You can also use loose black tea leaves instead of tea bags, but you'll have to strain the tea before pouring it into your mug.
Use ground spices instead of whole: This method will make a bolder chai but it may get bitter at the end as you taste the spices at the bottom of your mug.
Tip: If the ground cinnamon forms lumps, break them up using a milk frother.
Golden chai tea: Just like this no-churn golden milk ice cream, this variation is inspired by the classic golden milk recipe. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric per serving to make a healthy turmeric tea latte (turmeric is believed to reduce inflammation).
Pumpkin spice chai latte: To make this easy variation, just use pumpkin spice chai tea bags.
Other flavors: Lavender, cardamom pods or fresh ginger will add a different character to your drink. Using earl grey tea instead of black tea is another interesting variation!
Vegan option: To make a vegan chai, use a dairy-free milk substitute such as almond milk, coconut milk or oat milk.
Iced chai latte: Chill your drink in the fridge and enjoy a cold drink at any time. Add a few ice cubes to make it more refreshing.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
Follow this easy step-by-step guide for the best homemade chai latte, better than a coffee shop:
Step 1: Transfer the milk and the spices to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring very often, until it starts to steam. Remove from the heat and let the spices steep for 5 minutes (skip this step if you're not using any spices).
Step 2: Heat the milk again over medium heat, and remove from the stovetop just before it starts to boil (don't let it unsupervised or it may boil over quickly). Add the tea bag(s), let them steep for 3-5 minutes and discard them.
Note: The milk is heated in two stages because the spices need more time to flavor the chai.
Step 3: Pour the chai into mugs (in most cases you won't need a strainer because the spices will remain at the bottom of the saucepan, but you can also remove them with a spoon) and add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey . Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Step 4 (optional): Froth some warm milk using a milk frother or a French press, and pour it over the chai latte. Grate some nutmeg over the surface and serve immediately.
This is a YouTube video for how to froth milk with a French press or a mason jar.
👨🍳 Expert Tips
- The key for a stronger flavor: Use 2 tea bags and steep them for less time rather than using 1 tea bag and let it get bitter from oversteeping.
- Break the cinnamon stick in smaller pieces to help it extract more flavor.
- Heat the milk over medium heat and don't let it boil, in order to prevent it from scorching (burned layer at the bottom of the saucepan).
- A drop of vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of salt (just 2-3 granules!) will accentuate the rest of the flavors!
- For a creamier drink, use 1 part evaporated milk and 1 part water instead of regular milk (I realise that this is like making regular milk, but it tastes thicker and more concentrated).
- For a less milky flavor, use 50% milk and 50% water.
- For the perfect frothy milk with thick foam, make sure to use whole milk (even better if it's UHT).
💭 FAQs
Chai latte is a hot drink made of black tea, spices, milk and a sweetener of choice.
Chai latte doesn't contain coffee, but it does have some caffeine because of the black tea. For a caffeine-free recipe make sure to use a type of tea without caffeine.
Sometimes water is used to make tea concentrate which is then added to milk. However, adding water will make your latte less thick and creamy.
Frothing warm milk in a sealed jar can be dangerous, because of the pressure that develops inside the jar. It's advisable to pour room temperature milk in the jarl and shake it vigorously until foamy and thick. Once done, remove the lid and warm the milk in a microwave oven for a few seconds.
🍳 Food Pairings
This cozy tea will pair exceptionally well with a slice of white chocolate bundt cake, or this moist lemon olive oil cake. Because of the spices and the milky notes you can also serve it with some of these best 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies (GF).
If you tried this easy easy chai latte recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Chai latte recipe with tea bag (better than Starbucks)
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) milk (or dairy-free milk of choice)
- 1 cinnamon stick about 2 inches long (broken into pieces)
- 5 whole cloves
- ½ star anise (optional)
- 1 black tea bag
- 2 teaspoons (14 g) maple syrup or honey (taste and add more if needed)
Optional for garnish
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ cups (60 g) whole milk (for frothing)
Instructions
- Steep the spices: Transfer the milk and the spices to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring very often. Remove from the heat just before it starts to boil and let the spices steep for 5 minutes (skip this step if you're not using any spices).
- Steep the tea: Heat the milk again over medium heat and remove from the stovetop just before it starts to boil (don't let it unsupervised or it may boil over quickly). Add the tea bag(s), let them steep for 3-5 minutes and discard them.
- Pour and sweeten: Pour the chai into mugs (in most cases you won't need a strainer because the spices will remain at the bottom of the saucepan, but you can also remove them with a spoon) and add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
- Garnish (optional): froth some warm milk using a milk frother or a French press, and pour it over the chai latte. Grate some nutmeg over the surface and serve immediately.
Notes
- For ground spices: use ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon cloves and ⅛ teaspoon star anise per serving.
- Instead of the spices and the black tea bag you can use one chai spiced black tea bag.
- For a stronger flavor: Use 2 tea bags and steep them for less time rather than using 1 tea bag and let it get bitter from over-steeping.
- Heat the milk over medium heat and don't let it boil, in order to prevent it from scorching (forming a burned layer at the bottom of the saucepan).
- Break the cinnamon stick in smaller pieces to help it extract more flavor.
- A drop of vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of salt (just 2-3 granules!) will accentuate the rest of the flavors!
- For the perfect frothy milk with thick foam, make sure to use whole milk (even better if it's UHT).
- Nutrition facts have been calculated with 2% milk for the latte and whole milk for the frothed milk.
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