How To Make Homemade Chai Tea Concentrate
Making this homemade drink is simple, and in some ways, its even good for you. In order to drown out the bitter taste of many of those chai spices in the chai tea bags, youre going to have to prepare the perfect balance of a latte concentrate, which is far less intimidating than it sounds and requires minimal tools.
Storing the homemade chai tea concentrate can be safely done in any containers that can have an air-tight seal, and the concentrate will keep for one week in the refrigerator. You will need one cup of water, 2 chai tea bags, and 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Tip: If youre looking for more of a vanilla chai tea latte flavor, you can also add one or two teaspoons of vanilla extract. It is possible to add a shot of espresso too for a dirty chai latte featuring an extra boost of caffeine.
Cold Brew Iced Coffee
Starbucks Cold Brew coffee is brewed for 20 hours, whereas regular iced coffee is brewed in just minutes and chilled. Brewing coffee cold for 20 hours dramatically changes the flavor profile of the espresso beans.
Cold brew is generally stronger and richer in flavor than iced coffee, and it also lacks some of the bitterness that iced coffee has. Another great spin on the classic cold brew is the Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew.
The recipe is essentially the same except nitrogen gas is added to give the coffee a creamy texture. This beverage is served with light ice and completely changes the experience of drinking cold brew iced coffee.
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Is A Chai Latte Healthy
There are health benefits associated with the spices used in a chai latte recipe, as well as the black tea.
However, pre-packaged chai concentrates, used in coffee houses and sold in stores, usually have a lot of sugar added.
Controlling the sugar content is one reason I like to make my own homemade chai concentrate.
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Instructions For Making Chai Tea Lattes
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add in the tea bag and steep for 7 – 10 minutes.
Next, Remove Teabags and add in the milk and honey, reducing the heat to medium and warming the milk for another 2-3 minutes
Using a frother or immersion blender, blend until frothy .
Transfer to cups filled with ice and serve topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg on top. Optional.
How Is Starbucks Chai Latte Made
A chai tea latte from Starbucks is produced by combining chai tea concentrate with steamed milk in the appropriate proportions. The chai tea concentrate that is used in all Starbucks Chai beverages is an infusion of black tea and numerous other components, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. This concentrate is the key ingredient in all Starbucks Chai beverages.
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What Chai Teas Does Starbucks Offer
There are a couple of chai tea options to choose from when visiting Starbucks. Which one is your favorite?
- Grande Chai Tea has 40 mg of caffeine
- Grande Chai Tea Latte has 95 mg of caffeine
- Grande Iced Chai Tea Latte has 95 mg of caffeine
These teas are known to have higher levels of caffeine, but its also according to the size you order. If you have a caffeine sensitivity or have symptoms of a caffeine overdose, you need to stop consuming any caffeine and make an appointment with your doctor if your symptoms dont go away.
Is Chai Latte Coffee Or Tea
Chai is tea. In fact the word chai literally means tea in many parts of the world. In China, where tea originated, the word for tea is pronounced like cha.
So when you order a chai tea latte, you are in fact saying tea tea latte. And that doesnât make much sense.
The real name of this drink, with its roots in India, is actually masala chai, which means mixed spiced tea. However, most menus in American coffee shops call it chai latte.
Be sure and take a look at my homemade masala chai recipe if you want to make this authentic hot chai latte at home.
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The Five Spices Used In Chai Tea Latte
Youll use a black tea concentrate in this recipe, but just in case you want to make it from scratch, here are the five spices that make-up chai.
1. Green Cardamom. This floral-scented spice gives a smoky and earthy flavor to the tea. Green cardamom is a must-have for making chai. Do not skip this one out! Get whole pods instead of seeds for better flavor. Crack them before steeping the tea.
2. Cloves. Unlike green cardamom, this one is optional. Its highly recommended, though! Its flavor blends really well with sweet cinnamon and spicy black pepper. Its also super fragrant.
3. Cinnamon Stick. This ones another non-negotiable. Its sweetness counteracts the earthiness of the cardamom and the spiciness of the pepper.
4. Fresh Ginger. Its mild spice is responsible for that soothing sensation you feel on the back of your throat as you drink the tea.
5. Black Peppercorns. It may sound strange adding this to a drink, but its another must-have! It gives the drink that subtle kick of spice that makes it cozy and warm.
Iced French Vanilla Chai Tea Latte
This chai latte takes on the subtle flavor of french vanilla with the addition of hazelnut syrup whipped into the vanilla sweet cream.
And when its available, salted brown sugar topping is the finishing touch. Caramel drizzle is another option.
How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Syrup + Hazelnut Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Salted Brown Sugar Topping
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Selecting Spices For Chai Latte
Spices are what make masala chai the drink we love. When it comes to which spices are essential, very few can agree and Id argue that that is a very good thing indeed. The spices you choose will make a chai perfectly suited to your tastes.
Sheela spent New Years Eve in India, drinking masala chai, and reported In India, masala chai is definitely not as heavily spiced as it is here. Id get one almost every day from the inns we were staying in or little cafes, and theyd often be spiced with just cardamom, just ginger, or maybe a little bit of both. It completely changed my opinion of masala chai for the better because I just loved that you could really taste the tea and the spice rather than all the dozens of spices thrown in overpowering everything.
These are the five spices that are essential to making a warming chai latte.
The bulk bin is your best friend for making chai lattes regularly at home, as you can easily find whole spices that are fresher and less expensive than those sitting on the shelf.
More of chai spices: The 5 Spices You Need for Homemade Chai
Sweetening Chai Lattes
I have a terrible sweet tooth, but find that a too-sweet chai latte masks the spices. You can use granulated sugar for sweetening, but I recommend brown sugar or even maple syrup, as their caramel notes accentuate chais spices rather than hide them. Add your sweetener to the warm tea base after steeping but before straining.
How To Store Starbucks Chai Tea Latte
This homemade Starbucks chai latte will make two cups. So, it’s perfect to have something to sip on all morning or to split with a friend!
With that said, if you don’t finish all of the chai tea, you can store it in a sealed glass jar – or airtight container – in the fridge for about 2-5 days. Honestly, I like to make a double – or triple – batch of this recipe when I make it, that way I have it in my fridge and ready to go when I want it all week long.
How to Reheat Starbucks Chai Tea Latte
Now, I’m not going to lie, I like to make iced chai tea lattes with my leftovers.
But, if you want, you can warm it back up. To do this, either heat it in a pot over low heat until warm or heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds – or until it’s warm.
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What Is A Starbucks Chai Tea Latte
A Starbucks chai tea latte is made from a mixture of chai tea concentrate and steamed milk.
Chai tea concentrate is the primary ingredient in all Starbucks Chai drinks and is an infusion of black tea and several components, including cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. We all know that a latte is a drink made of espresso and steamed milk.
Well, the chai tea concentrate replaces the espresso in a chai tea latte. We will look at the main ingredients of the chai tea latte in a bit. First, lets see if the Starbucks chai tee latte contains syrup or caffeine.
The Matter Of Chai Concentrate With Starbucks Copycat Chai Tea Latte
One of the biggest barriers to recreating a near-perfect Starbucks chai tea latte is the chai concentrate. This is the base of the drink, containing both black tea and spices. In most cases, it is found in liquid form.
Now, store bought chai concentrate is readily available. There are also a lot of different brands to choose from, the most common one being Tazo chai concentrate. The problem, though, is that these chai concentrates – Tazo chai concentrate included – are quite diluted.
The Starbucks chai concentrate is very strong and you are unlikely to find anything quite like it in the store. As a result, the Starbucks chai tea latte has a more powerful flavor that is noticeable even with the addition of milk. This is true even when ice is added with the Starbucks iced chai latte,
With regular store bought concentrate, much of the flavor is lost when you add milk or any other ingredients to the drink. Fortunately, there are a few options for overcoming this problem:
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Iced Chai With Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam & Spiced Apple Drizzle
Looking for a new fall-flavored chai tea latte?
It didnt take long for Starbucks chai tea drinkers to discover the new spiced apple drizzle topping. And its a winner.
This apple pie-flavored drizzle perfectly complements all the warm spiciness of chai along with sweet vanilla cream.
How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Spiced Apple Drizzle Topping
Does The Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Contain Syrup
Regular chai tea latte does not contain syrup. It is usually chai tea concentrate and milk.
The syrup is an additive such as vanilla syrup in vanilla chai tea latte, or you can have a classic syrup added to your drink. I would, however, say that the chai concentrate is usually presweetened with cane sugar or honey.
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Iced Matcha Latte With Chai And Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
Heres another way to enjoy a creamy sip of vanilla, chai and matcha.
For this drink modification, I suggest ordering an iced chai tea latte and adding matcha to it .
This is because chai tea lattes are shaken by the barista. This helps combine and dissolve the matcha. Typically, matcha lattes arent shaken.
This drink is finished with a topping of vanilla sweet cream cold foam.
How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Matcha Powder + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
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What Is In A Starbucks Chai Tea Latte
A Starbucks chai latte is made from milk, water, and a pre-sweetened chai tea concentrate. Thats right, they actually water down the chai concentrate when they make the drink! I asked a Starbucks employee how they make their chai latte, and he confirmed that they add water to the chai.
Heres the full ingredient list for the Starbucks version:
Milk, Water, Chai Tea Concentrate
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Best Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Modifications: Iced & Hot
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
One of the most popular Starbucks chai tea latte modifications is to top an iced chai with a fluffy layer of vanilla sweet cream foam. Flavoring a chai latte with vanilla or pumpkin spice syrup also tops the list of customer favorites.
In fact, the number of ways to customize a chai tea latte at Starbucks is practically limitless.
This is because all the flavors in Starbucks chai black tea concentrate are easily complemented by many other Starbucks ingredients.
Now, the Starbucks menu only list two chai latte optionsâhot or iced. Plus, theres also a chai tea bag for making a tasty cup of Starbucks hot brewed tea.
But customizing your drink is the name of the game at Starbucks. So heres a look at some of the best ways to modify Starbucks hot and iced chai tea lattes.
Just keep in mind, not all modifications can be ordered via the Starbucks app, so you may need to place your order at the drive-thru or in-person.
Additionally, make note, most modifications will add to the overall price of the drink.
Tips For The Best Latte
- If you want to stick to the Starbucks recipe, use 2% cows milk. But if having a slightly different flavor is fine, you can use whatever type of milk you want!
- If you have a milk frother, use that to make your milk nice and foamy. Without one, you can always rely on the immersion blender. The handy-dandy whisk works just fine, too.
- You can sweeten chai tea latte to your liking by adding honey or maple syrup.
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Use Teavana Chai Concentrate
Starbucks claims that this is the chai concentrate that they use. Due to this, if you are looking to recreate the same flavors that are in your Starbucks chai latte, then this is a good place to start.
You should know that the concentrate is still not as strong as what is used in the store. As such, you will need to double up on how much you use with this concentrate as well.
Whats In The Starbucks Chai Tea Latte:
Curious whats in the chai tea latte base? Starbucks chai tea latte uses a chai tea concentrate that has the traditional chai spices:
These, combined with strong black team, create the orchestra of flavors known as chai. But, know that chai is easily customizable, so each coffeehouse has their own take on the chai with Peets being on the spicier side and Starbucks having a more cinnamony and less kicky chai.
The flavor is sort of like pumpkin pie without the pumpkin its warm and comforting and tasty.
For the chai tea latte, this concentrate is mixed with your choice of milk and then ice is added and voila! Deliciousness is served.
Sometimes, they shake it in the shaker and thats when its the best ever because it gives it some froth. Yall know we are all about the froth here at WTF.
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Starbucks Dirty Chai Latte
Morning Joe and afternoon pick-ups are essential to our busy culture. Thanks to Starbucks for shouldering the responsibility to bestow tempting and rejuvenating beverages.
Starbucks Dirty chai latte is one such refreshing and toothsome drink that captivates chai lovers. Chai lattes are very famous these days, and it is possible that an admirer of Starbucks would have tried it at least once. While it is a delicacy to enjoy with the beautiful ambiance of Starbucks coffeehouse, it is also an effortless drink that can be prepared at home with an array of flavours.
If you adore the spicy goodness of tea, you will probably love a dirty chai latte too. Where the flavours of Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves in the black tea offer warmth, the espresso compliments the drink with some intense taste. Nevertheless, the mixture amalgamates different savours making it unique and flavourful. Does it feel mouth-wateringyet? Read the article for more facts about the Dirty tea latte, beneficial information for placing an order for it to your doorstep, or preparing the recipe right in your kitchen.
While placing an order-
Regardless of the season and time, a dirty tea latte can be enjoyed, and both are served with frothy steamed Milk or over-iced. In terms of sizes, a Starbucks hot dirty tea latte is available in short, tall, grande, and Venti. At the same time, the iced dirty tea latte is available in tall, grande, and Venti.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Chai Concentrate: If you are using a store bought concentrate other than the Tazo brand or the ones mentioned above, be sure to check the concentrate to milk ratio. Some do not call for a 1:1 ratio. Follow the ratio on the packaging.
- Milk: Any unsweetened milk or non-dairy milk, like almond, coconut, or oat milk, will work.
- Honey: The Starbucks chai concentrate contains honey. So to make this a true copycat Starbucks chai tea latte, I like to sweeten my unsweetened concentrate with honey. If you are using a sweetened concentrate, you will probably not need any more sweetener.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
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