Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe

By Melissa

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on Apr 24, 2025

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Fragrant, cozy, and full of warm spice, this homemade Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe is simple to make and tastes better than anything from a store. Just steep black tea with whole spices, sweeten with honey, and mix with your favorite milk for the perfect chai latte—hot or iced!



 

  ☕️ Your homemade concentrate serves as a perfect base for both hot and iced chai lattes, can be mixed with various milk alternatives, or even incorporated into baked goods, smoothies, and desserts for a chai-infused twist.

Table of Contents

My 2 Best Tips For How To Make This Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe

  1. Best Flavors: I lightly crust all of the spices with a mortar and pestle to make the flavors even stronger. This makes it taste even more like an authentic, high-quality chai tea!
  2. Flexible Strength: This recipe makes a concentrate that gives me 4 lattes with a mixing ration of 1 part concentrate to 1 part milk. If this tastes a bit strong for you, you can alter the ration with more milk to less concentrate and adjust the recipe to fit your taste buds next time!
Melissa in her kitchen smiling in front of the starting ingredients for the chicken the quinoa salad and skillet chicken on the wood block in front of her

🩷 Melissa

I seriously am hooked on chai tea and wanted a homemade concentrate that I could tweak to the exact level of flavors I wanted.

Unlike store-bought options, this homemade chai concentrate lets you tailor the spice level precisely to your taste. Add more cardamom, less pepper, or extra cinnamon—totally up to you!

It’s also nice that the homemade version is SO MUCH cheaper than store-bought! Plus I can make a large batch that will keep me in lattes all week long.

But this concentrate isn’t just for traditional chai lattes. Use it in baking, blend into smoothies, or drizzle it over ice cream for an unexpected twist.

It also make a lovely homemade gift for tea lovers, hostesses, or holiday exchanges. Bottle some in a decorative glass container with a handwritten label and pair it with a beautiful mug for a present that’s both personal and practical!

A white ceramic cup filled with frothy hot chocolate, topped with a light dusting of cocoa powder, sits on a white surface.
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Chai Tea Concentrate

By: Melissa Griffiths
Fragrant, cozy, and full of warm spice, this homemade Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe is simple to make and tastes better than anything from a store. Just steep black tea with whole spices, sweeten with honey, and mix with your favorite milk for the perfect chai latte—hot or iced!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients 

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons dried ginger pieces, or about a 1 inch knob fresh
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • ½ teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 1 tablespoon green cardamom pods, heaping tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoons for less of a spicy tea
  • 4 tablespoons loose black tea , or 5 black tea bags
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean
  • 4 tablespoons sweetener, honey, sugar, coconut sugar, etc.
  • milk of your choice, for serving (whole, oat, almond, soy, etc.)
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Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, combine the water and dried spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
    A silver pot on a stovetop contains water with cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, and whole cloves and star anise floating on the surface.
  • Remove the pot from the heat. Add the tea leaves or tea bags, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes. If you are using a vanilla bean pod, split it down the center length-wise and put it in the pot to steam too.
    A saucepan on a stovetop contains dark liquid with tea bags, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods steeping inside.
  • Remove the tea bags (if using) and strain out the spices using a fine mesh sieve. Stir in vanilla paste or extract, if using instead of the whole bean.
  • If you'd like to add 4-6 tablespoons of sweetener to your concentrate, you can stir it in at this time. Stir to dissolve. This is optional. See notes for more details.
  • Let the chai concentrate cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container or glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 8-10 days.
    A glass mason jar filled with dark brown liquid sits on a white countertop, with a bright, sunlit kitchen blurred in the background.

How to Serve

  • Mix 1 to 2 parts chai concentrate with 1 part milk of your choice.
    A white ceramic cup filled with frothy hot chocolate, topped with a light dusting of cocoa powder, sits on a white surface.

Notes

Servings: Makes about 4 cups of concentrate, 8 servings of ½ cup each. If you are drinking a lot of tea you can double this recipe.
Ideas For Making Lattes: You have a LOT of options on how to use this. And the ratio on how you make it into a latte is going to be up to your preferences.
Here’s how I make a hot chia tea latte: I’ll put ½ cup of the chai tea concentrate in a small saucepan along with ½ cup whole milk and a splash of maple syrup (if I didn’t already add sweetener). I’ll heat it over medium-low heat until the top of the liquid just starts to steam. Serve right away. The trick with this is not letting your milk heat too much or too fast because it can curdle.
To make an iced chai tea latte: I’ll simple add ½ cup concentrate to a cup of ice and stir in 1/2 cup of milk and a splash of maple syrup. Stir with your straw and enjoy.
If you don’t like as much tea/spice to your latte, just add more milk up to 1 cup.
Sweetener Options: If you add the sweetener and how much is totally up to you. Sometimes I’ll stir in 4-6 tablespoons of honey so that it melts in and sometimes I don’t do anything and just add a little maple syrup when I’m making my latte. It’s really a personal preference.
Yummy Topping: Both the hot and cold lattes are delightful with some ground cinnamon sprinkles on the top. 
Spice Tips:
  • You can buy small quantities of all of these spices at most bulk food or health food stores with bulk spice bins. It’s a great way to try the recipe before committing to a large quantity of the spices. You’ll love it though if you like chai tea.
  • You can lightly crush all of the spices with a mortar and pestle to make the flavors even stronger if you have one. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 11kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.03g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 32mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 13IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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Recipe FAQs

Can I adjust the spice levels in this recipe?

Yep! This recipe serves as a wonderful foundation, but feel free to adjust according to your preferences. For a milder version, reduce the peppercorns and ginger. For a more robust flavor, add an extra cinnamon stick or more cardamom pods. Experiment until you find your perfect blend.

How long will homemade chai concentrate last?

When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your homemade chai concentrate will stay fresh for 8-10 days. You’ll know it’s time to make a new batch when the flavors begin to dull or if you notice any changes in smell or appearance.

Can I make this recipe without caffeine?

Simply substitute the black tea with decaffeinated black tea or rooibos tea for a completely caffeine-free alternative. The spice blend will still give you that authentic chai flavor without the stimulating effects of caffeine.

Other Yummy Drinks You Should Try

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