In short: For a chai latte, simmer 1 teaspoon of chai spice – ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper – in 150 ml water for 5 minutes, add 150 ml milk, heat briefly and strain. Without black tea the chai is caffeine-free. Sweeten with a little honey or maple syrup if you like; you don't need a ready-made chai syrup.
What is a chai latte?
“Chai” simply means tea in Hindi. In India, masala chai is a spiced black tea boiled with milk and sugar. In cafés here, chai lattes are usually made from syrup or sweetened powder and served with milk foam.
When you make it yourself, you decide how sweet and how strong it is. And you can leave out the black tea: the typical flavour comes from the spices, not the tea. Our Chai Masala is exactly that kind of blend, without black tea.
Basic recipe: chai latte for 2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Chai Masala – or a pinch each of cinnamon, cardamom, clove and pepper plus 3 slices of fresh ginger
- 300 ml water
- 300 ml milk or oat drink
- 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup, to taste
How to
- Bring the water to the boil with the Chai Masala and simmer gently, covered, for 5–8 minutes. The longer, the stronger.
- Pour in the milk and heat until just below boiling.
- Strain through a fine sieve into cups and sweeten to taste.
- For the latte effect, froth some of the milk separately, spoon it on top and dust with a pinch of cinnamon.
Variation 1: iced chai latte
Make the chai as above, but with water only and twice as strong (2 tsp per 150 ml). Let it cool, strain and pour into a glass of ice cubes. Top up with cold milk or oat drink. The concentrate keeps for three days in the fridge.
Variation 2: chai porridge
Simmer 1 tsp Chai Masala in 200 ml water for 5 minutes, strain, bring to the boil with 100 ml milk and 40 g oats and let it swell for 5 minutes. Serve with pear, nuts and a pinch of Madhura.
Variation 3: dirty chai
If you want caffeine, pour an espresso into the finished chai latte. Even simpler: add a pinch of Tola to your ground coffee – the coffee already tastes of chai. More in How to spice coffee.
Chai with or without black tea?
Classic masala chai contains black tea and therefore caffeine. Without black tea, chai tastes a little softer and spicier because nothing bitter covers the spices. It then also suits the afternoon and evening. If you like the tea flavour, add a bag of Assam for the last two minutes – our Chai Masala works both ways.
Frequently asked questions
Is chai latte caffeine-free?
Only if it's made without black tea. With a pure spice blend like Chai Masala it contains no caffeine.
Which milk goes with chai?
Whole milk makes it creamiest. Oat drink works very well and froths nicely, almond and soy drinks are fine too. Don't boil plant drinks for long, just heat them.
How long should chai steep?
Simmer for at least 5 minutes, 8 to 10 minutes for a strong chai. Just pouring hot water over the spices isn't enough – they need heat and time.
Can I prepare chai latte in advance?
Yes. Make a concentrate of water and spices, strain it and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Mix with hot milk to serve.
Want more tea? Find all our blends in Ayurvedic teas.
