Homemade Chai Tea Recipe

Homemade Chai Tea Recipe

Fall’s here!  I have a love-hate relationship with this time of year. I love the colors, the cooler weather, the slower pace… but, I won’t lie…

I’m not looking forward to what comes after.

There is just something about this time of year that calls for warm beverages and sitting by a fire with a good book…or a seed catalog or two..ahem.

I have been a chai lover for close to twenty years. The first time I had chai was in a little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Florida. It was so delicious.  Sadly, we didn’t have anything like that up here in New Hampshire.

I tried different chai tea mixes from the grocery store and while some of them came close, they weren’t as good as the little coffee shop.

Enter the internet.  While surfing around I started to see recipes for making your own chai tea mix.  Genius!   I played around with a few, made a few tweaks and came up with a great blend of sweet and spice.  It’s still not quite like what I had at that coffee shop, but it’s delicious.

I’m sharing my recipe with you.  Your tastes may be different than mine so tweak as you like. Want more clove?  Prefer more sweet?  More vanilla?  Find what makes you happy.

After all, happiness is what it’s all about.

 

Chai Tea Concentrate

  • 6 cups water
  • ¾ – 1 cup sugar or sweetener of your choice.
  • 1-2” fresh ginger, sliced thin
  • 5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 Tbs peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 3-4 star anise
  • 15 whole cloves
  • 5 allspice (Or teaspoon ground allspice)
  • 1Tbs cardamom seeds
  • 5-6 black tea bags  (I use Lipton, but any black tea will work.)
  • Milk

 

Instructions:

Bring water and sugar or other sweetener to a boil stirring often to dissolve the sugar.  Lower heat and add spices except for the vanilla.  Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. (This will make your kitchen smell wonderful!)

Turn off heat, add tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes.

Remove tea bags and pour liquid through several layers of of cheese cloth into a mason jar.  Let cool slightly before adding vanilla. Cover and give a little shake.

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. (Mine never lasts that long.)

To use, mix chai concentrate 1:1 (or more or less depending on your own preference) with milk of your choice. (I prefer raw goats milk.)  Warm milk mixture in a saucepan over low-medium heat.  Stir continuously.  You want your tea to steam, but not simmer.  Pour into mug.  I sometimes add a little honey to mine.

Enjoy your tea morning, noon or night.

 

Homemade Chai Tea Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Chai Tea Recipe
 
Make at home your own delicious Chai Tea
Ingredients
  • 6 cups water
  • ¾ – 1 cup sugar or sweetener of your choice.
  • 1-2” fresh ginger, sliced thin
  • 5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 Tbs peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 3-4 star anise
  • 15 whole cloves
  • 5 allspice (Or teaspoon ground allspice)
  • 1Tbs cardamom seeds
  • 5-6 black tea bags  (I use Lipton, but any black tea will work.)
  • Milk
Instructions
  1. Bring water and sugar or other sweetener to a boil stirring often to dissolve the sugar.  Lower heat and add spices except for the vanilla.  Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. (This will make your kitchen smell wonderful!)
  2. Turn off heat, add tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove tea bags and pour liquid through several layers of of cheese cloth into a mason jar.  Let cool slightly before adding vanilla. Cover and give a little shake.
  4. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. (Mine never lasts that long.)
  5. To use, mix chai concentrate 1:1 (or more or less depending on your own preference) with milk of your choice. (I prefer raw goats milk.)  Warm milk mixture in a saucepan over low-medium heat.  Stir continuously.  You want your tea to steam, but not simmer.  Pour into mug.  I sometimes add a little honey to mine.