Chai season is here!
As we transition into fall, the pumpkin and apple lovers come out - but let's not forget the chai lovers! The warm spices of chai make a perfect pairing for cooler autumn days. While chai can certainly be enjoyed on its own, traditionally it's brewed with milk which helps balance all the spices in the tea. When it comes to fall, or really any time of the year, it's simply hard to beat the experience of a frothy and slightly spicy chai latte. Thankfully, it takes less than 5 minutes to make your own cafe style chai latte at home - no special equipment required.
Masala Chai
Masala Chai, which quite literally translates to “Spiced Tea", includes a variety of spices. The first chai was made thousands of years ago in India with spicy herbs such as ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Based on the healing tradition of Ayurvedic medicine, the blend was formulated to energize and rejuvenate. Later, adding black tea became the trend and the world has been obsessed with chai ever since. Our Masala Chai has all the classic bold flavors you crave and tastes best with frothed milk. You can even brew the tea directly in warm milk for a decadent treat.
Other chai alternatives
With 7 different chai blends to choose from, you can get as creative as you want with your chai latte. Our chai blends represent a variety of different approaches to Chai - the main difference is the combination of spices used.
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Switch up your next chai latte by trying delicious twists like Vanilla Chai or Chocolate Chai. If you're in the mood for a seasonal twist - we combined two of our favorite things, pumpkin and chai, to create a fall favorite: Pumpkin Chai!
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In addition - chai is usually made with a black tea base. But we've experimented and found that bases like Green Tea Chai and Rooibos Chai make great alternatives while still giving a warm chai experience.
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Looking for something caffeine-free/decaf? Choose Decaf Chai or Rooibos Chai!
Making your own chai latte at home
Making your own chai latte at home can sound intimidating - but we promise it's way easier than you might think! It only takes 5 easy steps: steep your tea, add your sweetener, heat your milk, froth the milk, and pour it into your tea. The best part is you don't need any special equipment for any of those steps. Steeping your tea and sweetening it to your liking is easy enough - then you can simply heat your milk on the stovetop or even a microwave. To froth, you can use an electric milk frother or even put your milk into a mason jar and shake it for 45 seconds or until it foams to your liking. If you use a mason jar, be sure to only fill it halfway to leave room for the foam - and shake in the mason jar BEFORE heating the milk. Then pour into your tea and enjoy! Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to make your own hot or iced chai latte at home.
How to Make a Hot Chai Latte
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- Servings:Â 1
- Yield:Â 1 8oz serving
What You Need
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- 2 tsp Chai loose-leaf tea
- 6oz filtered boiling (212 F) water
- 2oz hot milk (or dairy alternative of choice)
- 1-2tbsp sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- Electric milk frother or mason jar
- Infuser basket or loose-leaf paper tea bag
STEP 1
Add 2 tsp of loose-leaf chai tea to your infuser basket or tea bag and place into an 8oz glass.
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STEP 2
Pour boiling water (212 F) over your infuser or tea bag until your glass is 3/4 filled.
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STEP 3
Let your tea steep for 5 minutes.
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STEP 4
Remove infuser/tea bag and stir in 1-2 tbsp of sugar or sweetener (optional) until dissolved.
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STEP 5
In a separate cup, heat up ¼ cup of milk or dairy alternative until steaming (do not boil). NOTE: If you're using a mason jar to froth your milk, shake the milk vigorously for 20-30 seconds before heating the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
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STEP 6
Froth milk using your electric milk frother until it reaches your desired foaminess.
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STEP 7
Pour frothed milk into the chai, scooping any leftover foam onto the top of your latte. Enjoy!
Making an iced chai latte
Making a chai latte iced isn't much different than making it hot, however there are some changes that need to be made in order to get the full chai flavor.
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The main difference when making a chai latte iced is that when you're steeping your tea, you'll want to make a tea concentrate to make sure the end result isn't watered down. A concentrate basically means doubling the amount of tea you use - so for example if you normally add 1 tsp of tea per 8oz of water, to make a concentrate you'll use 2 tsp per 8oz of water.
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The easiest way to do this is to use a Conflicted Iced Tea Brewer - you can make your concentrate in bulk, and it'll stay good for up to a week. Then, you'll have your chai base ready for lattes all week long.
How to Make an Iced Chai Latte
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- Servings: 1
- Yield:Â 1 16oz serving
What You Need
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- The Conflicted Iced Tea Brewer or large 32oz wide mouth mason jar with paper tea bags
- 4 tbsp Chai loose-leaf tea
- 24 oz boiling (212 F)
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
- 4oz cold milk (or dairy alternative of choice)
- 4-5tbsp sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- Electric milk frother or mason jar
STEP 1
Add 4 tbsp chai tea into your infuser basket or tea bag and place into your brewer/large drink container.
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STEP 2
Fill halfway with boiling water (212 F).
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STEP 3
Let your tea steep for 5 minutes.
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STEP 4
Remove infuser/tea bag and stir in 4-5 tbsp of sugar or sweetener (optional) until dissolved.
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STEP 5
Let your concentrate cool down to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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STEP 6
Fill your cup with ice, then add your chai concentrate until ¾ the way full.
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STEP 7
Add your milk or dairy alternative into a cup and froth with your electric milk frother until it reaches your desired foaminess. If frothing with a mason jar, shake milk for 30-45 seconds.
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STEP 8
Pour frothed milk into the chai, scooping any leftover foam onto the top of your latte. Enjoy!