Chai Tea
Directions
- 1Place cloves and peppercorns in a large bowl; with the end of a wooden spoon handle, crush the spices until their aromas are released.
- 2Add the tea bags, sugar, ginger, cinnamon stick and boiling water. Cover; steep for 6 minutes.
- 3Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the milk.
- 4Strain tea, discarding spices and tea bags.
- 5Stir in hot milk.
- 6Pour into mugs
Ingredients
- 4 whole
- 2 whole
- 4 tea bags black tea
- 4 teaspoons granulated
- 0.25 teaspoon ground
- 1 3 inches
- 2.5 cups boiling
- 2 cups 2%
Equipment
large bowlmortar and pestlesmall saucepan
Tips
- Swap out the spices: Change up the flavor by subbing cardamom, star anise or nutmeg.
- Skip the black tea: If you want to use a different base, sub a rooibos tea in place of the black tea.
- Can I make chai tea without caffeine? Yes. While black tea is traditionally caffeinated, there are plenty of decaf black teas out there to choose from.
- Can I make chai tea vegan? Yes. Turning this chai tea recipe into a vegan one is quite simple. All the ingredients called for are naturally vegan except for the milk, so swapping that out is an easy change. For the best flavor, we recommend almond or coconut milk as nondairy options. As these are thinner, if you’d like a creamier, thicker chai tea that’s still vegan, try using full-fat coconut milk (the kind found in a can, not a box). The heavy dose of creamy coconut fat will add a thick, ultra-rich consistency that’s irresistible with the chai seasonings.
- How can I make this as an iced chai tea? Just adding ice will make this an iced tea, but as the ice melts, it will water down the tea considerably. We recommend making the above recipe, but adding double the spice that’s called for. Fully chill the tea before adding ice, and then add your milk last, pouring it over the ice. Stir before serving.
- How do you serve chai tea? Once you’ve made your chai tea latte recipe, try serving a cup of chai alongside an Indian treat, like one of these Diwali foods. (Psst: Did you know that “chai” means “tea”? Learn more about chai here.) For more ideas, here’s a roundup of our favorite chai tea recipes.
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