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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.
Perfect recipe! Better than Starbucks and so much better for you. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
OH MY WORD ….THIS IS CRAZY GOOD !!! I will not have to buy my usual Iced Chai ……think of the money I will save and this is WAY HEALTHIER TOO !!!! I’ve been following you for years and bought all your cook books, will get better about leaving review too !!!! I really appreciate all that you do Megan !!!!
I used 1 tablespoon honey per serving and have instead used 4 teaspoons loose leaf black tea and 2 tablespoons loose chai seasonings. It turned out really good and not too sweet. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Simple, easy prep, and oh so delicious. I like it as an iced chai latte, but it’s really good with just plain old hot water.
SUPER excited to have found this recipe!! Cannot wait to try it! My only question is, why does the concentrate have to be refrigerated? Maple syrup doesn’t need to be so I’m wondering if I could leave it put but sealed? Thank you! 🙂
It’s because of the tea added to the concentrate. I’ve seen a brewed cup of tea start to mold in just 24 hours, so I wouldn’t leave it out for too long. But I hope you enjoy the flavor! You can also just make a batch of chai latte by the cup using this recipe: https://detoxinista.com/chai-latte/
I love Chai tea!! This recipe is so simple, uses ingredients that most will have already, and yields a delicious and refreshing drink. I recommend making the recipe as written then tinkering with it to your taste. I like a spicy Chai, so I will try Megan’s recommendation to add other spices to change up the taste and use a little less maple syrup in my next batch. Thank you for an easy and inexpensive way to answer our cravings!!
I love this recipe but would like to ask if there was something i could add to it that would give it more bite (meaning is there a way to make it more like the Tazo concentrate liquid). Can i add something to it to make it spicer?
Ginger and cloves tend to add a spicy flavor, so you can increase those in this recipe for more spice.
I really enjoyed the tea. My only negative was that my cinnamon seemed to remain grainy. Any suggestions?
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.
I’ve been buying the Tazo chai tea concentrate for a while but I was out. I don’t drink coffee so chai is my part of my daily routine. I was super skeptical, but figured I’d give it a try. I also didn’t have powdered ginger, so I subbed for fresh pinched ginger. THIS RECIPE IS FREAKING AMAZING! The last time I had chai tea this hood was at an Indian restaurant where they made it themselves. THANK YOU for sharing this recipe, I’m hooked!
Love it! I didn’t have black tea so substituted an Adirondack tea that I got in New York. I have yet to find any of your recipes that I don’t like. My last two months of dinners have all come from No Excuses Detox ❤️