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If you’re hoping for a chai latte that’s made without refined sugar or preservatives, this recipe is for you. I’ve been tweaking it over the years to make it as easy and foolproof as possible.
Once you try it, you’ll be sipping a drink that tastes as if it came from a coffee shop, without the hefty price tag. Try my protein latte recipe, pink drink, or pumpkin spice latte for even more coffee shop style drinks at home.
“This is the best Chai Latte I have ever had… fantastic!”
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Chai Latte Recipe
- No specialty ingredients. It’s made with ground spices, black tea bags, and your favorite milk.
- No refined sugar. Instead of white sugar, maple syrup serves as a natural sweetener. Unlike using a granulated sugar, you won’t have to wait for it to dissolve.
- You control the dairy. Whether you prefer cow’s milk, hemp milk, or almond milk, it’s easy to customize and make dairy-free, if needed.
- It’s affordable. The ground spices and maple syrup should last for months, so the only items you’ll need to restock regularly are tea and milk. It’s much cheaper than buying a chai latte at a coffee shop!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Black tea. You do not use chai tea bags to make chai lattes. Chai relies on regular black tea. Assam is the most common variety used, but any black tea will work, such as Darjeeling, English Breakfast, or Earl Grey.
- Milk. Any variety of milk will work in this recipe. I use almond milk to keep it dairy-free, but any milk you usually have on hand should work. (Except homemade oat milk, which doesn’t heat well.)
- Pantry Spices. I’m going to assume we don’t all keep whole cloves and cardamom pods in our pantries. (I know I don’t.) That’s why this recipe calls for ground spices. You can easily strain them out as you pour the mixture into your mug.
- Maple syrup. This natural sweetener pairs well with chai spices. If you’d rather use honey, I’d start with a little less, since it’s sweeter and can overpower the other spices.
How to Make a Chai Latte (Step by Step)
- Pour 1 cup of boiled water into a mug and add the two black tea bags. Let them steep for 3-5 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of milk to a small saucepan along with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon each of ground cloves and cardamom.
- Bring the milk to a boil over high heat. As soon as it begins to boil around the edges of the pan, whisk to combine the spices, then remove from the heat.
- Remove the tea bags from the boiled water and pour the brewed tea into the hot spiced milk.
- Sweeten the chai latte to taste with maple syrup. (I usually use 3 tablespoons per 2 servings.) Then pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove excess spices.
- The chai latte is ready to enjoy warm right away! Save the second serving for an iced chai latte the next day, if desired. (Or you can reheat it, too.)
Chai Latte Recipe FAQs
Chai has a sweet and spicy flavor that feels like a hug in a mug. It has a comforting taste, similar to the spices in apple cider, but without the fruity aspect.
Yes, chai made with black tea does contain caffeine. You can use decaf tea bags or omit them altogether for a caffeine-free version.
Because chai contains caffeine, it’s best to drink it at the same time as any other caffeinated beverage. (Not after 3 pm, in my case. Caffeine keeps me awake if I drink it too late!)
More Cozy Drinks
If you try this chai latte recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐ star rating below to let me know how you like it. Thanks for visiting!
Easy Chai Latte
Ingredients
- 2 black tea bags (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
Instructions
- Place the two tea bags in a heat-safe mug and pour 1 cup of boiled water over them. Let them steep for 3 to 5 minutes while you proceed with the next step.
- Pour the almond milk into a small saucepan and add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, whisking often. When the milk around the edges of the pan starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
- Remove the tea bags and pour the brewed tea into the saucepan with the milk and spices. Add the maple syrup and whisk until well combined. Carefully taste test the latte (it's hot!) and make any adjustments you see fit. You can add more maple syrup for a sweeter flavor or an extra pinch of cloves for more spice.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to catch any excess spices as you pour the chai latte into two mugs. Serve warm right away. I think this has the best flavor when it's not piping hot, so it's okay if it cools down slightly!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Easy and delicious! Thank you for creating a warm, tasty alternative to the concentrates I was often buying. Love this recipe!!
This is fantastic! Pretty sure this will be my afternoon treat all summer long! I recently discovered chai frappucinos at Starbucks and fell in love until I discovered the sugar content – no thank you! Megan’s version is just as delicious (if not more!) without destroying my health goals. Another Detoxinista recipe I’ll be making on repeat for sure!
Delicious!!!
And, please, please share your china pattern……thanks so much for the recipe and the info 😀
Glad you enjoyed the chai latte recipe, Cindy! The small plates are from Crate and Barrel but it looks like they are no longer available.
Super tasty and just the swap I was looking for. Is it possible to make the whole recipe for a total of seven servings and just keep in the fridge, eliminating the need to go through the process each day? I’m always crunched for time.
This is lovely, however, after following the recipe the first time I decided to go with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and just a pinch of cloves the next time and liked it better.