Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe

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.

Course Drinks

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 159kcal

Author Rebecca Taig

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.

Nutrition