I Like You a Latte – The Best Chai Concentrate Recipe

Originating over 5000 years ago as a spiced drink created for the King of present-day India, chai has been around long enough to go through a few changes while still managing to retain its delightfully spicy core. In its first form as an Ayurveda healing draught, it was prepared simply with spices and water. In its second major form, it became tea with the addition of the newly discovered and cultivated Camellia sinensis assamica tea plant, and sugar. In its present-day latte form, it is now enjoyed by the masses with that familiar frothy milk topping.

Now let’s get down to business. You came here for a recipe and that’s exactly what you’re going to get – minus those annoying ads that everyone puts up on their site for revenue – ugh! This recipe is for those of you who like or at least tolerate the Starbucks Chai Tea Latte** but would love it more if it just embraced its roots already and was a bit more spicy and a bit less sweet.

PS “Chai” is the Hindi word for “tea” so the Starbucks’ Chai Tea Latte drink should actually just be called a “Chai Latte” 😉

Chai Concentrate Ingredients (8-10 cups)

• 7 tablespoons of Assam Black Tea (looseleaf)
• 8 Cinnamon Sticks
• 6 Star Anise
• 24 Whole Cloves
• 16 Green Cardamom Pods
• 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 2/3 cup chopped Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 7 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar (alternatively, add 3 additional tbsp of Brown Sugar)
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 10 cups of Water

Cooking Tools

• Saucepan or Stock Pot — Big enough for spices & 10 cups of liquid
• Fine Mesh Filter or Large Tea Bag
• Glass Pitcher or Glass Jar with Lid**
• Milk Frother (optional)

Directions

1. Coarsely grind up all of the spices with either a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle. This will help with flavor release.
2. Toast all the spices except nutmeg and ginger on low heat in a large saucepan or stockpot, for 2-3 minutes or until spices are fragrant.
3. Add 10 cups of Water, Ground Nutmeg, and chopped Ginger to the pan of toasted spices. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. After the simmering period, return the pot to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, the pot can be removed from the heat source, and loose-leaf tea can be stirred in.
5. Let the tea steep for 3-5 minutes.**
6. Pretreat a glass container by filling it with hot water, letting it sit for a few minutes, and then emptying it. This step may be skipped if you have a heat-safe container.
7. Immediately strain the tea concentrate through a fine mesh filter, and into the sealed glass container.
8. Stir in Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar, and Honey while the tea concentrate is still hot.
9. You’re done! Heat up some milk and add it to your steaming chai concentrate (PS 50/50 is my go-to milk/chai ratio). You deserve this treat!

** Tips **

I use this pitcher from Target

Don’t steep tea longer than 5 minutes unless you want to risk a stronger but possibly more bitter brew.

Add some frothed milk and cinnamon on top for a fancier drink. I went all in and bought a milk frother during last year’s Black Friday deals. It’s one of my favorite appliances!