Description

A rich, homemade spiced chai latte made with fresh ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and brown sugar syrup. This stovetop recipe offers coffee-shop quality flavor with customizable sweetness and soothing spices.

Ingredients

Scale

4 black tea bags (or 1 tablespoon loose leaf Assam or Ceylon tea)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced or crushed
4–5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3–4 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick (Ceylon preferred)
3–4 black peppercorns
1 star anise pod (optional)
1 cup water
¼ cup brown sugar (50g)
1.5 cups milk (whole dairy or oat milk recommended)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Ground cinnamon for garnish
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add water, crushed cardamom, sliced ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and star anise to a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes to infuse spices.
Turn off heat and add black tea bags or loose leaf tea. Steep for 2-3 minutes, then remove tea bags/infuser.
Stir in brown sugar over low heat until completely dissolved.
Pour in milk and heat gently over medium-low heat until hot (150-160°F/65-70°C) but not boiling.
Froth the milk using a handheld frother or by shaking in a jar and microwaving for 30 seconds.
Strain the chai mixture into a mug using a fine-mesh sieve.
Pour frothed milk over the chai, spoon foam on top, and garnish with ground cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Notes

Crush cardamom pods to release flavor. Do not boil the milk to prevent scalding. Use fresh ginger for best results. The spiced tea concentrate can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days without milk.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Beverage
Cuisine: Indian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 mug
Calories: 180
Sugar: 20
Sodium: 90
Fat: 6
Saturated Fat: 3.5
Carbohydrates: 22
Fiber: 1
Protein: 8

Keywords: chai latte, brown sugar chai, homemade chai, spiced tea, ginger tea, cardamom tea, stovetop chai, comfort drink