Savor the rich and creamy taste of a homemade vanilla chai latte. This delightful beverage is easy to make and can be customized to your liking.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe
This homemade vanilla chai latte recipe is made of milky steeped black tea with warming spices, a hint of maple syrup, and a creamy foam topping. This cozy and comforting drink can be made any time of the year but is often enjoyed during the cooler months along with my vanilla matcha latte and Ayurvedic golden milk. Here are more reasons why you will love this delicious vanilla chai tea latte:
- A homemade version that is customizable to your liking. This favorite drink is easy to customize. The chai spices, milk, and sweeteners can be adjusted to your preference.
- This easy recipe is made with healthier ingredients. This homemade chai latte tastes like a fancy tea latte you'd get from a local coffee shop but is made with a handful of accessible, healthier ingredients. The signature Starbucks chai tea lattes have over 42 grams of cane sugar but our recipe has only 7 grams of non-refined sugar, per serving.
- The perfect drink for a cold day! You can enjoy chai any time of the year, but the autumnal flavors make this a delightful beverage for the fall and winter.
Vanilla Chai Latte Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing creamy vanilla chai tea latte:
Ingredient Notes
- Milk: You can use any milk of your choice (dairy milk or dairy-free milk). For the creamiest options, I recommend whole milk or unsweetened soy milk (which is my preference). Lighter kinds of milk such as almond milk, will yield more of a spice-forward flavor.
- Black Tea: Any brand of black tea bags will work. I prefer a strong-tasting tea, such as Twinings English Breakfast Tea, found at most grocery stores.
- Ground Spices: A blend of ground cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and a little bit of black pepper is the perfect combination for spiced chai flavor.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness. Honey would also be a great option.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract enhances the other flavors in this recipe, and is healthier than sugary vanilla syrup. A high-quality pure vanilla extract is recommended or you could use a vanilla bean.
Find the printable recipe card with full instructions and measurements below.
How To Make A Vanilla Chai Latte
- Step 1: Heat the milk. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Once the milk reaches 150°F (checking with a thermometer), turn the burner to low and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Step 2: Steep the tea. Let the tea steep in the hot milk for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags with a slotted spoon, and carefully squeeze any excess tea from the bags and into the milk.
- Step 3: Add the spices and sweetener. Return the saucepan to the burner. On low heat, whisk in the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and maple syrup. Whisk continuously for 5 minutes allowing the spices to infuse into the milk. Once the temperature reaches 155°F-160°F, turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the burner and whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Step 4: Strain and serve. Strain the chai through a fine mesh strainer into two separate mugs. (If you do not mind the spices settling at the bottom of your mug, you can skip this step). Use an electric milk frother or espresso machine to whip up some foam if you desire a foamy topping. Serve with a dash of warm nutmeg, cinnamon powder, cinnamon sticks, or star anise.
Substitutions & Variations
- Dirty chai latte - If you are a coffee lover you will love making a dirty chai tea latte. After the chai is divided into mugs, add one shot of espresso to each mug and stir.
- Decaf chai latte - Chai tea can be served any time of the day, but often is served as an after-dinner drink. Its spices can aid in digestion and help with sleep. If you are sensitive to caffeine, decaf black tea is recommended.
- Dairy-Free/Vegan - Unsweetened soy milk gives this chai a thick and creamy consistency with a neutral flavor. You can also use full-fat coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, or any other plant-based milk.
- Iced vanilla chai latte- This hot drink can be made as a vanilla iced chai latte. Fill your favorite cup halfway with ice cubes, pour the cooled milky tea over the top, and enjoy.
- Sweeter chai latte - If you'd like your chai latte a bit sweeter, and an additional tablespoon of maple syrup of honey.
- Less spicy chai latte - For a less spicy chai, omit the black pepper and cut the listed amount of ginger in half.
Tips For Success
- Use a food thermometer - I find using a food thermometer helpful, to know when the milk is at temperature for steeping and serving. If you do not have a food thermometer, look for small bubbles starting in the milk forming on the outside of the saucepan, with a visible light steam coming through the middle.
- Use fresh ground spices - Over time ground spices can lose their flavor. For best results, check your spice labels' expiration dates.
- Sediment - Because this recipe uses ground spices, you’ll get more sediment in the bottom of your mug. You can reduce this by straining the chai latte through a fine mesh sieve as you’re pouring it into a mug.
Serving Suggestions
Chai can be served on its own or with food that will help enhance its chai spice flavors. Here are some recipes that you can pair with the vanilla chai latte:
- Chocolate French Truffles
- Gluten-Free Walnut Date Loaf
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Flaxseed Granola
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Store any leftover vanilla chai (without foam) in a glass airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm. If making an iced latte, pour the cold mixture over a glass filled with ice.
FAQ
This vanilla chai latte is a milky black tea mixture with warm crushed spices, sweeter, and vanilla extract.
This delicious drink is traditionally simmered with loose leaf tea and whole spices such as cardamom pods, black peppercorns, and fresh ginger. But to keep this recipe simple, we use ground spices for those who don’t have direct access to whole spices.
Chai lattes generally have less caffeine than a cup of coffee but more than most herbal teas. If you are sensitive to caffeine you can make this recipe with decaf black tea.
Masala chai is a sweet, spiced tea that originated in India. The name comes from the Hindi words masala (spice blend) and chai (tea). Masala chai uses whole spices, not chai concentrate, similar in flavor to this vanilla chai latte recipe.
Yes, the chai latte can easily be made into a single serving. Divide the recipe in half, and switch out your medium-sized saucepan for a small saucepan.
Yes, this chai latte is naturally gluten-free with a vegan option.
Recipes To Pair With Vanilla Chai Latte
I hope you love this vanilla chai latte recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Recipe
Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups milk, (dairy or dairy-free), We love using unsweetened soy milk
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
Instructions
- Heat the milk. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Once the milk reaches 150°F (checking with a thermometer), turn the burner to low and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Steep the tea. Let the tea steep in the hot milk for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags with a slotted spoon, and carefully squeeze any excess tea from the bags and into the milk.
- Add the spices and sweetener. Return the saucepan to the burner. On low heat, whisk in the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and maple syrup. Whisk continuously for 5 minutes allowing the spices to infuse into the milk. Once the temperature reaches 155°F-160°F, turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the burner and whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Serve. Strain the chai through a fine mesh strainer into two separate mugs. (If you do not mind the spices settling at the bottom of your mug, you can skip this step). Use an electric milk frother or espresso machine to whip up some foam if you desire a foamy topping. Serve with a dash of warm nutmeg or cinnamon.
Notes
- Use a food thermometer - I find using a food thermometer helpful, to know when the milk is at temperature for steeping and serving. If you do not have a food thermometer, look for small bubbles starting in the milk forming on the outside of the saucepan, with a visible light steam coming through the middle.
- Use fresh ground spices - Over time ground spices can lose their flavor. For best results, check your spice labels' expiration dates.
- Sediment - Because this recipe uses ground spices, you’ll get more sediment in the bottom of your mug. You can reduce this by straining the chai latte through a fine mesh sieve as you’re pouring it into a mug.
Comments
No Comments