This post was updated on 12/29/23.
Homemade chai tea, in addition to being AMAZINGLY delicious, has opened my eyes to the fact that my tea knowledge was lacking. Like, seriously lacking. I was so uninformed that I thought chai was a type of tea leaf! Like green, black, and oolong! Boy, was I wonderfully, spectacularly wrong 😛
Once I clued myself in to the spices that typically make up a chai, I was absolutely hooked.
What exactly is chai tea?
Directly translated, saying chai tea is like saying ‘tea tea,’ since chai means ‘tea’ in Hindi. Chai is a daily staple in India, and consists of tea brewed with milk, sugar, and spices. It is served everywhere – in homes, in restaurants, on trains, and by street vendors.
The spice blend used to make this popular tea is often referred to as masala. There are many versions of masala, but standard ingredients usually include cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and clove. Other spices you may encounter include allspice, lemongrass, fennel, or black pepper.
In America, although it is redundant, we do call it ‘chai tea’ – probably to distinguish it from other ways of serving tea (eg., iced or hot or sweet). You can find chai type drinks, mostly tea and lattes, in coffee shops from the East to the West Coast. But, why buy it when you can make it exactly how you want it right at home?
OK, I’m ready to make it – how do I do it?
While the chai spice variations are endless, the making of this chai tea is truly simple. In about 15 minutes you’ll be holding a steaming, aromatic mug of delicious creaminess.
It really takes just 3 steps:
- Boil milk, sugar, and spices
- Add tea bags and steep
- Remove tea bags and strain
While the black tea is steeped in the milk mixture, it is infused with the heavenly combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger. It’s easy enough to measure each of those spices out, but you can do yourself a favor by making my DIY Chai Spice mix ahead of time. Then just use that (about 3 1/2 teaspoons) instead!
Why we love it
There are a host of reasons to love chai tea. From a practical standpoint, you’ll save money and time by making it at home, and you can adapt it to your needs and preferences:
- Caffeine sensitive? Make it with decaffeinated tea. Nobody will notice, I pinky-swear promise.
- Dairy allergy? Make a dairy free chai by using soy or oat milk, which are great alternatives to cow’s milk because they’re creamy and rich-tasting.
- Watching carbs? Cut the brown sugar in half, or cut it out altogether and stir in your preferred alternate sweetener after it’s done steeping.
- Prefer your drinks iced? Even in the dead of winter, my fellow New Enganders love a delicious iced drink – call us crazy 🙂 Just let your brew cool to room temperature and pour it over all the ice. You do you, peep.
Also, it’s a hit with the young’uns, not just adults! I think I called this ‘warm cinnamon milk’ the first time I made it for my kids. They loved, loved, loved it with a passion typically reserved for rare Pokemon. I am pretty sure they broke out into the chai chai chai dance with me.
So, give it a try! Maybe you’ll be dancing, too 
Cheers to wonderful you 🙂
Homemade Chai Tea
Treat yourself to this easy to make creamy chai tea. Regular black tea gets a glow-up with warming spices like cinnamon and ginger and a touch of brown sugar. Perfect hot or iced!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 cups low fat milk or alternative milk of choice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 individual individual tea bags (black tea) regular or decaf
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan, bring the water, milk, sugar, and spices to a gentle boil.
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Stir occasionally to be sure the sugar dissolves, and does not stick to the pan.
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Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and cover the pan. Let steep for 5 minutes.
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Remove the tea bags and let the excess milk mixture from them drain back into the pan. This is easily done by placing a bag between to spoons and squeezing gently.
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Pour the tea through a mesh strainer to remove the spice solids. Serve hot or cold. Tea can stay fresh in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
**You can make a batch of my DIY Chai Spice ahead of time and you’ll be able to make this tea more quickly and with less fuss. Just replace the 5 spices in this recipes with 3 1/2 teaspoons of the DIY Chai Spice mix.
**This recipe can be made dairy free and vegan if you swap the cow’s milk for an alternative milk, such as soy or almond.
Calories, protein, and carbs using lowfat milk:
Per serving (4 servings per recipe):
120 calories
6 grams protein
21 grams carbohydrate
Hello Julia I am wondering since this is a refrigerator concentrate, couldn’t you just steep the tea & discard the bags at the beginning when making this chai drink concentrate. Instead of having to steep the tea every time you want a cup of tea. That way everything is made & ready to drink? Just have to warm back up (carefully) if desired…
Thank you for a great recipe 😌, Kelly
Sure, yes, I think that would work well too. Less work for you, if you don’t drink up the entire batch at once!
In the recipe it calls for 8 “tea bags.” What kind of tea?? Chai??
Just black tea, decaf or regular. American brands include Tetley or Salada. The ‘chai’ part of the recipe comes from the variety of spices you’ll add.
Hi there – or perhaps I should say Chai there!
I love your Homemade Chai Spice Mix & plan to share it with friends & family this Christmas. I want to include your tea recipe but I am jot certain about the instructions. How much of the spice mix recipe should be added to make the tea?
Thank you!
Hi Audrey – I am sorry I totally missed the boat on replying on time 🙂 I hope you had a wonderful holiday. I’d use the chai tea recipe and just make it with 3 teaspoons of the DIY Chai Spice mix in place of the spices listed there. Maybe it’s time I updated the chai tea recipe with that info. xxJulia
I am also one of many, I like anything “chai.”
I also got your recipe for the, Chai Spice Mix. I can’t wait to try that in my oatmeal,etc.
I can not wait for your, Chai Snickerdoodles
recipe. We chai lovers thank you !
Hi Jan – let’s do the ‘chai-chai’ haha! Thanks so much for your comment – it got buried somehow so I’m just seeing it but it is much appreciated. Those Chai Snickerdoodles are still on that long list in my head of must-make treats!
Bob thanks you for supporting Lipton (22 years schlepping tea for the Big Blue U (Unilever)!) You should send this recipe in to http://www.lipton.com, or “to learn more about tea’s role in healthylifestyle call 1-888-LIPTONT.” Who knows where this could go…maybe JWJ will be a featured recipe suggestion on boxes of the flavonoid wonder!!!
Ooh great idea! Thank you! Tell Bob it is my pleasure to support his lifetime of schlepping tea 🙂
Can I pay you to make me a batch!!! Ill pay in
Bacon???
LOL Maryann! I am sure we can work something out. But seriously this is so easy, I know you can do it!