I don’t know about you but the first time I had a chai latte it tasted like Fall in a cup! It was so spicy, sweet, and creamy, the most unique drink I had tried up until that point. It’s been probably about twenty years since then but chai is still a go-to drink. Now, I make these easy chai lattes for my whole family!
What is Chai?
Chai is simply the Indian word for tea! Specifically, tea leaves steeped with spices.
In our American culture we think of ‘chai’ as one, specific drink that pretty much tastes the same across the board with little variation. You can purchase chai in tea bags, in powdered form, or in a liquid concentrate. It’s no secret that people love it!
While you can make your own chai concentrate (See the end of this post for an additional recipe!!!), we’re going for easy here, so we’ll just be using your favorite store bought tea bags or loose leaf.
What is a latte?
By definition, a latte (in coffee terms anyways) has a greater part steamed milk than espresso. In this chai latte it’s similar. We are trying to capture that thick creaminess of the milk, while also the spicy flavors and aromas steeped in the tea. So, we’ll use a smaller amount of water/ tea bag for a stronger flavor to carry through the steamed milk.
What will I need for my Chai Latte??
- 1 or 2 chai bags
- hot water
- heavy whipping cream
- whole milk
- maple syrup or honey
- (if you are dairy free oat milk also works great and tastes delicious!)
Steps:
First, boil your water.
Open one or two tea bags, depending on how strong you want your flavors, and add them to your mug.
Pour about 1/2 (4 oz.) cup of water over your bags in your mug and let steep for about 10 min.
In another microwave safe cup or in a pan on the stovetop, heat 1 or 2 Tbs. of cream and 3/4c milk- do NOT boil
When hot, use an electric milk frother or whisk to make the mixture foamy.
After the tea is done steeping take the bags out and discard. Add 2 tsp. of honey or maple syrup (some butter and collagen powder is really good too!) and mix with your frother or whisk.
Pour in hot cream and milk mixture and ENJOY!
The longest part of this easy chai latte is just waiting for the tea bags to steep!
How would I make a homemade concentrate for a chai latte?
If you were looking for a recipe that is a little more homemade instead of just using store tea try this:
steep 4 organic black tea bags in a pint of hot water with 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 Tbs. maple syrup, 2 anise stars, 1 tsp. whole cloves, 6 crushed cardamom pods, 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp. whole black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Steep for 1 hour-overnight for a jam packed-with-flavor chai concentrate! Mix it with the same proportions of cream and milk per above instructions or whatever your personal preference is.
If you’d like to try other hot, cozy drinks try these:
We love this in our family and it’s such a great drink to capture all the flavors and feelings that the Autumn season brings. I hope you enjoy your fabulous latte! Try it with a blanket and a book, in a to-go mug on a hike, or anytime!
~Emily
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