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When I worked as a barista in college, chai lattes were one of the easiest drinks to make. All they require is steamed milk and a box of chai concentrate. But, if you’re hoping for a chai latte that’s made without refined sugar or preservatives, this recipe is for you.
I originally posted this chai latte recipe over 7 years ago, but I recently figured out an even better way to make it. (I used to steep the tea in milk, but using boiled water is easier and less messy!)
Once you try it, you’ll be sipping a drink that tastes as if it came from a coffee shop, without the refined sugar or hefty price tag.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“This is the best Chai Latte I have ever had… fantastic!” – Candace
Homemade Chai Latte Ingredients
- Black tea. You do not use chai tea bags to make chai lattes. Instead, 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.)
- Spices. While traditional recipes call for simmering whole 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 Tea Latte
Step 1:
Pour 1 cup of boiled water into a mug and add the two tea bags. Let them steep for 3-5 minutes.
While you wait, add the milk and spices to a small saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil over high heat. As soon as the milk begins to boil around the edges of the pan, whisk to combine the spices, then remove the milk from the heat.
Step 2:
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Remove the tea bags from the water and pour the brewed tea into the pan of hot milk. Add the maple syrup and stir until well combined.
Carefully taste the mixture and make any necessary adjustments. You can add a pinch of salt to boost the flavor, or a little more maple syrup for a sweeter taste.
Step 3:
Pour the chai latte through a fine-mesh strainer into mugs for serving. The strainer will catch excess spices, so there won’t be much sediment at the bottom of your mug.
(If you don’t have a strainer, that’s okay! The spices settle on the bottom of the mug, so you won’t notice them as you sip until the very end.)
Serving Tips
Enjoy your homemade chai latte right away for the best flavor. Since this recipe makes two servings, you can share it with someone or save the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
It can be enjoyed over ice the next day as a cold latte or reheated for a cozy drink again.
Iced Chai Latte Variation: If you prefer cold drinks, try my iced chai latte recipe, which creates a concentrate that you can pour over cold milk and ice. It’s an easy make-ahead option!
Easy Chai Latte (No Refined Sugar!)
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
More Drink Recipes to Try
- Pink Drink (Starbucks copycat)
- Healthy Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Cinnamon Tea
- Apple Cider
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you try this Chai tea latte recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
This is GREAT! I loved having it before bedtime, too! Perfectly warm and comforting!
Do you have a double mocha cappuccino recipe?
Before adding the milk, you can heat the spices up in the pan for minute or so, the spices will release their full aroma and it wil taste even better 😉
This looks so good! Love the ingredients and how easy it is to make. ❤️
So delicious! I used goat milk, and added a dash of cardamom.
Excellent! I made it with a splash of vanilla and a little bit of stevia 🙂
How is this a chai latte if there’s no chai tea?
It tastes like a chai latte, even without the tea. You’re welcome to add tea if you like, but it’s not necessary for the flavor. When I worked as a barista, we used a bottle of sugary concentrate to make chai lattes, and who knows if that had “real tea” in it or not!
What kind of tea?
I find this works best with a relatively “plain” flavored black tea. I like to use an English breakfast tea. If you use a chai-spiced black tea, then these additional flavors might be too spicy in the final latte.
Chai just means “tea” in Hindi. People often think chai is a type of tea, but it’s actually not. What people think of as chai tea in the west is actually masala chai (spiced tea) and it is authentically made with black tea.
I made mine with allspice instead of cloves (because we were out) and it turned out great!! Yummy recipe!
Delicious. Smothered mine in frothed milk and a heavy sprinkle of fresh grated nutmeg, and it was perfect. Thank you!
Love a good chai latte! Especially on a cold winter morning (:
Had for breakfast – so goodl! Used unsweetened coconut milk (not a fan of almond) and reduced the maple syrup to 2TB (next time will use my regular sugar replacement and see how that works). Aroma and flavor remind me of old fashioned soft molasses cookies. For me the best time to have this – and I will be having it often – is in the evening, when I’m tired of eating the right things all day and want to cheat, because it definately tastes like something you shouldn’t have.