Chai Latte Spiced Tea (Print version)
Aromatic chai latte blended with spices and creamy milk for comforting, warming moments.
# Ingredient List:
→ Spices
01 - 2 whole cloves
02 - 2 green cardamom pods, crushed
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 4 black peppercorns
05 - 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
→ Tea
06 - 2 cups water
07 - 2 black tea bags (e.g., Assam or Darjeeling)
→ Dairy
08 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or oat/almond milk for dairy-free)
→ Sweetener
09 - 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey/maple syrup, to taste)
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine water, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes to extract flavors.
02 - Add tea bags to the spiced water and continue simmering for 2 minutes.
03 - Pour in milk and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Heat gently until just simmering, taking care not to boil.
04 - Remove from heat and strain the chai through a fine mesh sieve into serving mugs.
05 - Serve hot, optionally dusted with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's ready in 15 minutes but tastes like you've been tending it all morning.
- The spices are forgiving—you can't really mess this up, which means you'll make it again and again.
- One batch fills your whole kitchen with a smell so good your housemates will ask what's happening.
02 -
- If you boil the milk hard, it breaks and separates—keep it gentle and your chai will be silky instead of grainy.
- Crushing the cardamom pods matters more than you think; it transforms the whole flavor from muted to alive.
03 -
- For stronger chai, don't just add more tea—steep the spices longer instead, which deepens flavor without bitterness.
- If you make a pot for later, strain it completely and keep it in the fridge; reheat gently and it still tastes nearly as good as fresh.