Cozy chai lattes are easy to make at home with chai concentrate steeped with black tea bags, cardamom, peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and star anise. These whole spices along with fresh ginger and a little vanilla extract create a fragrant & flavorful drink mix in just 30 minutes on the stovetop.
I Batch-Prep this Chai Concentrate Every Month!
My husband makes the best Iraqi Karak chai, with saffron and brown sugar mixed in. A hot mug is so comforting and relaxing either first thing in the morning with breakfast, or in the evening after dinner. So I created this simple chai concentrate recipe to be able to batch-prep all those aromatic flavors! I personally love adding a heavy splash of milk, but my husband prefers it with just hot water to dilute it a bit. And of course, you can go wrong with dumping a bit into a blender with vanilla ice cream for an epic chai milkshake! It certainly beats the powdered blends or sugary syrups at many coffee shops.
As I was making chai concentrate, I thought, hold up. Am I just making really strong black tea with some extra aromatic spices? How is this different from just making a mug of tea? I was expecting a thick syrup at the end, but this concentrate is the same consistency as black tea. Well, it's all about the ratio of tea and spices to water.
Normally, you'd steep one tea bag and a pinch or two of spices in a full 8 ounces of water, then add a small splash of milk. But by adding a larger quantity of spices and steeping the tea mixture longer, you are able to use equal parts of the chai concentrate to milk when making a traditional chai.
So for an 8 ounce mug, you only add 4 ounces of chai concentrate along 4 ounces of hot milk. It may not seem like a big difference, but these spices can get pricey!
What is Chai?
Confession: I used to be so confused by chai. Is it a plain black tea? Is it a sugary syrup mixed with hot milk, like at coffee shops? Or is homemade chai concentrate something else entirely?
In India, there are different types of chai, depending on the spice additions. For example, if you add fennel seeds, the tea boiled with milk and sugar is called Saunf wali chai. But if you add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then it's known as masala chai.
Chai is traditionally made from an array of strong spices and loose leaf black tea. However, I like making it from bagged black tea, as a really easy way to get a similar flavor.
Tips from My Kitchen
- Bulk Spices: Since you need relatively small amounts of each spice, I recommend looking for grocery stores that have bulk sections. Then you only have to pay for the quantity you need.
- International Stores: I found some of these spices for much cheaper at my local Indian market and my local halal market.
- Stronger Flavor: If you want even stronger chai flavor, steep the mixture for longer after you remove it from the heat.
Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags
developed & tested by:
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 10 whole green cardamom pods
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole allspice
- 2 whole star anise
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 bags black tea (or substitute 4 tablespoons of loose black tea such as English breakfast, Assam or Ceylon)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the water, all the spices, peeled ginger, and vanilla extract. (Leave out the tea for now.) Simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the black tea bags to the saucepan and continue to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow everything to steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain the chai through a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth.
- Add straightaway to a hot drink, or let the chai concentrate cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- For a hot chai latte, add equal parts of chai concentrate and hot milk, then sweeten with sugar or honey to your liking. For an iced chai latte, add equal parts chai concentrate and cold milk in a glass with ice cubes. Sweeten with sugar or syrup to your liking.
Notes
- Whole Spices: I recommend using whole spices so you can fully strain them out. Otherwise your chai concentrate could be cloudy or grainy if you use ground spices.
- Storing: Allow your homemade chai concentrate to cool completely. Then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store in an airtight container or divide in an ice cube tray and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Shake Before Use: Before using your chai concentrate, give it a good shake or stir to mix any settled spices.
Azilde Elizabeth says
I don't drink coffee but I like coffee flavored candy and baked goodies lol. Thanks for the explanation. I thought chai was tea and coffee together 🤣 this recipe looks delicious!
strawberryandcream says
Haha isn't it so confusing?! You might like chai, since it doesn't taste like coffee at all. It does have some caffeine from the black tea though. I'm not a big coffee drinker either, but chai hits the spot. 🫖
DC/Seasons of Parenting says
Thank you -- answers, inspiration, and beautiful photos as always! 🙂
strawberryandcream says
Aww, thank you! That means a lot!! 💙