Homemade Chai

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There is nothing – and I do mean nothing – that compares with steeping whole spices and tea leaves to make an authentic pot of fragrant, spicy, sweet homemade chai.

I’ve enjoyed plenty of powdered chai in coffee shops and I’ve brewed my own a few times with chai-flavored teabags and mixes. I’m warning you now, once you’ve made real chai you will never be as happy with the other versions.

chai in glasses on wooden table with floral napkin

Easy Chai

I heard about my brother-in-law’s homemade chai for a few years before it finally worked out for me to sample it at their house.

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If you recall, this is the same sister and her husband who introduced me to Spanish Cafe con Leche after they visited Spain almost 15 years ago. When they tell me that something is delicious, I tend to believe them.

Now that I’ve had a chance to make Jason’s recipe for myself, it most certainly does not disappoint. I’ve been making this easy chai in doubled and tripled batches for years now and I love having a jar or two stashed in the fridge.

Served with a plate of Almond Bars, a steaming cup of chai (or an iced chai latte) becomes an afternoon snack that no one turns down.

Chai Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

  • cardamom pods
  • whole cloves
  • cinnamon stick
  • fresh ginger
  • black peppercorns
  • bay leaf
  • loose black tea leaves
  • water
  • half and half
  • light brown sugar or honey
spices simmering in saucepan

Chai Recipe

Place the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, peppercorns, and a bay leaf in a medium size saucepan.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Allow this to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.

spices and black tea leaves steeping in pan

Add the tea leaves and return to a boil. (I like to use English Breakfast tea when making chai.) Reduce the heat and simmer on medium for 5 minutes.

Add the half and half and the sugar. Stir for about a minute, over low heat, until steaming.

half and half being added to steeped tea in saucepan

Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a teapot, mugs, or glasses. Chai can be served warm or cold. It’s a refreshing treat when served icy cold and poured over ice.

Pour any remaining chai mixture into small jars to store in the refrigerator. Reheat or enjoy cold, as desired.

chai mixture being poured through fine mesh sieve

The recipe doubles perfectly and is a terrific way to make and keep several days worth of morning chai ready to drink with just a few minutes of warming on the stove or in the microwave.

This will make a terrific dirty chai with a shot of espresso in the morning. If you prefer coffee, try adding a generous splash of the chai mixture to your next cup.

easy chai recipe poured into glasses next to floral napkin

Homemade Chai Latte

Wondering how to turn this chai recipe into a perfectly frothed warm or iced latte? It’s easy as pie. (Actually, it’s a whole lot easier than that, as there is no pie crust making involved here!)

Simply froth the milk or half and half before pouring it into the steeped chai concentrate. I have used this frother on a daily basis for almost ten years now when making my morning coffee and it works great for chai lattes too.

tea with milk in clear glasses on wooden table

For more homemade drinks that are better than the coffee shop, try the ever-popular London Fog or an Iced Brown Sugar Espresso.

Italian Cream Liqueur is a favorite around the holidays and I often make it and gift it to friends. Peppermint Hot Chocolate is a great match for a splash of that cream liqueur.

You can make Vanilla Coffee Syrup at home, using just a few common ingredients and no preservatives or artificial flavors. It takes less than 5 minutes to stir together the syrup and it tastes better than any store-bought options.

Can’t get enough chai? Fragrant cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are steeped with black tea leaves to infuse each scoop of this Chai Ice Cream with the classic flavor of chai tea.

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spices and black tea leaves steeping in pan

Homemade Chai

5 from 3 votes
There is nothing that compares with steeping whole spices and tea leaves to make your own authentic pot of fragrant, spicy, sweet chai.
Pin Print Review
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients 

  • 3 cardamom pods lightly cracked open with the back of a spoon
  • 6 whole cloves
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • ¼ ” slice of fresh ginger
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon loose black tea leaves
  • cups water
  • ½ cup half and half
  • 1-2 tablespoons light brown sugar or honey adjust according to taste

Instructions

  • Place the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, peppercorns and bay leaf in a medium size saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Allow this to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.
  • Add the tea leaves and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on medium for 5 minutes. Add the half and half and the sugar. Stir for about a minute, over low heat, until steaming. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a teapot or mugs.

Notes

The recipe doubles perfectly and is a terrific way to make and keep several days worth of morning chai ready to drink with just a few minutes of warming on the stove or in the microwave.
Pour any remaining chai mixture into small jars to store in the refrigerator. Reheat (or pour over ice) as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal · Carbohydrates: 6g · Protein: 2g · Fat: 7g · Saturated Fat: 4g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2g · Cholesterol: 21mg · Sodium: 60mg · Potassium: 131mg · Fiber: 2g · Sugar: 3g · Vitamin A: 222IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 103mg · Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 1/20/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/22/23}

chai spices steeping in saucepan

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. LanaJaie says

    Did you know that 'Chai' actually means 'Tea' in Arabic/Hindu/Bangladeshi/Urdu/Farsi etc etc 🙂 And it can be used for any type of tea, not just spicy Tea. The West has kind of given 'Chai' a new identity where it refers to only spicy tea but it can actually be any kind of Tea.
    Great recipe! Thanks 🙂

    • Anonymous says

      This is true. Even in parts of Europe, Chai, refers to tea. My daughter and son-in-law were in the Ukraine last summer and they say that the people in Ukraine call tea "Chai". I've meant to ask them what is actually in a Ukrainian "Chai" tea…if it is just a black tea with honey, or how it is made.

  2. Mukesh Popat @ Palanquin Tea says

    This is a cool, refreshing chai tea that is easy to make at home. It has a more delicate blend of flavour since you mixed various spices. There's a combination of black tea leaf, ginger, black peppercorn, and cardamom. This is surely flavourful! It's important to drink teas like this when you are stressed. It will make you feel calm and will improve your digestion too!

  3. Occupy Appalachia says

    Love Chai. I've had it just with milk and no tea and it was good too. However, this sounds so much better I can't wait to try it. Perhaps on Christmas morning with some muffins, matbe an egg or french toast casserole. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. Have a good holiday season.

  4. Lisa says

    I don’t find cardamom pods at my local stores. They did have cardamom seeds. Would those work or can you think of another substitute? Thanks Mary!

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Lisa! You can use cardamom seeds in the chai, too; you’ll just need to make sure that you can catch them with whatever strainer you’re using. Those will not taste very good in a drink. I hope you love the chai!

  5. Ade says

    At first sip, I did not like it very much! It was missing something. But then I got lower in the cup and realized my sugar didn’t get fully incorporated and was sitting at the bottom. Oops! Ha, Those last few sips were amazing!5 stars