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If you enjoy an iced chai latte from Starbucks, here’s how to make a better version at home for a fraction of the price. It follows the same idea, adding some chai concentrate to a glass of milk and ice, but this recipe is naturally sweetened and incredibly easy to make at home.
I spent several weeks figuring out the easiest way to make this homemade chai concentrate, without sacrificing flavor. The method I landed on couldn’t be easier!
While you wait for the black tea to steep, you simply add some dried spices to a jar with maple syrup. When the tea is done brewing, you pour it into the jar and shake well. I have decided over the years that I like to strain out some of the spices (to reduce sediment in your glass), but even that step is optional. I can’t wait for you to try it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I almost never leave comments, but this iced chai latte deserves all 5 stars! Wow! I won’t need to go to Starbucks for the rest of the summer. Thank you for taking the time to make this so delicious.”
– Margot
Iced Chai Tea Latte Ingredients
- Black tea. You do not need chai-flavored tea bags to make a chai latte. Any simple black tea will do! Traditional recipes usually rely on Assam or Darjeeling (a breakfast tea). I used English Breakfast Tea when testing this recipe, and it’s perfect.
- Pantry Spices. We’re using ground spices for convenience. The combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom creates the classic chai flavor you love.
- Maple syrup. This natural sweetener pairs perfectly with these spices, and since it’s liquid, you won’t need to boil it on the stovetop like you would regular sugar. Honey could likely be swapped, but it might affect the taste, and it would need to be added to the hot tea to dissolve.
How to Make an Iced Chai Latte
Step 1:
Arrange 4 black tea bags in a large mug or measuring cup, and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
When you remove the tea, I like to squeeze the bags to maximize the black tea flavor. (Normally, you wouldn’t do this for a regular cup of tea, but since we’re making a concentrate, I like the tea to taste as strong as possible.)
Note: I used tea bags in these photos because they are readily available. If you prefer to brew loose leaf tea like I do, you can also use a stainless steel basket and 4 teaspoons of loose leaf tea for a similar result.
Step 2:
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In a 16-ounce mason jar with a lid, add 1/3 cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves and cardamom.
When the tea is done brewing, remove the tea bags and pour the strongly brewed tea into the mason jar with the syrup and spices.
Use a small whisk to mix everything together, or secure a lid on the jar and shake well. This is your chai tea concentrate! (I find shaking the jar can be slightly messy if your tea is still hot, so whisking is my favorite way to mix this.)
Step 3:
Let the jar of chai concentrate rest for at least 5 minutes, so the spices can infuse into the tea. Then, if you want to reduce sediment in your drink, pour the concentrate through a small mesh strainer. This will catch the majority of the dried spices. Return the strained concentrate to the mason jar, and it’s ready to use.
To make an iced chai latte, you can pick the ratio of concentrate to milk that you like best. You’ll get approximately 4 to 5 servings from this recipe, depending on how much concentrate you use per glass. (See the suggestions below.)
Iced Chai Latte Recipe (Easy Concentrate!)
Ingredients
Chai Tea Concentrate
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 cup boiled water
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
For Serving
- ¾ cup milk of choice (per serving)
- 1 ½ cups ice
Instructions
- Place the 4 tea bags in a large mug or measuring cup, then pour the boiled water over them. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags.
- While the tea is steeping, add the maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom to a 16-ounce mason jar with a lid. Add the tea, then use a small whisk to stir it all together. Let this mixture rest for at least 5 minutes, so the spices can infuse with the tea.
- When you're ready to make a serving, add ice and 3/4 cup of milk to a glass. Pour a 1/4 cup of the chai concentrate (shake well before measuring each time!) over the milk, then stir. You can add a little more concentrate for a sweeter and spicier flavor, or add more milk to dilute the flavor. The choice is up to you!
- Store the concentrate in the airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this iced chai latte recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
10/10!!! This is so much less intimidating (and cleaner with no processed sugar) to make than many other chai tea recipes. The ingredients are accessible and I had all of them in my pantry. It mixed up quickly and I’m so looking forward to having an easy concentrate ready to go in my fridge. I made the recipe using her 1/4 concentrate to 1/3 milk and found too strong for my liking so I diluted it quite a bit which is great because that means my mix will give me more servings than I anticipated. Thank you so much Megan!
So good! I like it a lot more than the ones I can buy at coffee shops!