This authentic Masala Chai recipe features fragrant Indian spices, black tea, and your choice of milk (plant-based or dairy). A cozy, comforting mug of goodness. Serve this with Spicy Chai Molasses Cookies!

Authentic Indian masala chai tea in a much wtih a cinnamon stick.

Many thoughts appear in the mind, but it is the heart that holds one and not another. ~Dorothy Hunt

Call me a late bloomer, but it wasn’t until I went to India and experienced Chai firsthand that I fell in love with it. Now, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t either make myself a cup or pine for it.

Yes, I’ve had it numerous times here in the States, but somehow, either it was overly sweetened, too bland, or perhaps I had just never truly “connected” with it. It was almost like I met Chai for the first time at age 50 when I went to India. Masala Chai filled a void I never knew I had until those very first sips. ☕️ Here is a video of my favorite Chai Wallah at work- in a small village in Rajasthan, India. (Shot on my iPhone)

Authentic Masala Chai in India | 30-sec video

What is Masala Chai?

In India, masala means spice, and chai means tea. Spiced Tea. And that is exactly what Masala Chai is -black tea infused with fragrant spices, typically served with hot milk.

Here in the states, we often call this “chai tea”, or a chai tea latte. But in India,  saying “chai tea”, is like saying “tea tea”. So that’s why in India, one says Masala Chai – or spiced tea. Good to know, right? 😉

Masala Chai served in glasses, in India.

What makes Masala Chai authentic is the use of spices. One thing is for sure: every single person in India probably has their own unique combination of spices they prefer in their masala chai, and there is no one “right” way. It is very subjective.

Chai Latte Ingredients

Chai Wallahs- the street vendors who make masala chai, all have their own unique blend of chai spices as well- and as you can probably guess, I was obsessed with watching them make their creations. I especially love the green cardamom pods I picked up in India. Here is a starting point for you, but feel free to improvise and fine-tune it to your own taste. 

  • Spices– Fresh ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and star anise. You can sub ground spices for whole spices in a pinch!
  • Black Tea– Most strong, rich, black teas will work well in Masala Chai- something robust enough to hold up to all the flavorful spices- use loose tea or tea bags.
  • Milk – whole milk or plant-based – almond milk, oat milk soy milk, coconut milk.
  • Sweetener– honey, maple syrup, or sugar

Best Tea for Masala ChAi

  • I prefer to use a high-quality organic, loose black tea that I get in the bulk section of my grocery store.  I use 1-2 tablespoons per serving.) Assam, Darjeeling or Ceylon.
  •  You can also use black tea bags. Typical brands used are Lipton Yellow Label, and Taj Mahal, and PG Tips.  Some households will custom-blend their own teas to create their own signature flavor. This can be a very personal thing.
  • Feel free to use decaf black tea.
whole spices in masala chai

How to make A Chai Latte

Step One: Lightly crush whole spices using a mortar and pestle. 

crush the whole spices

Step 2: Simmer the crushed spices in 1 cup of water in a small pot or pan for 5-10 minutes.

steep the tea

Step three. Add the black tea. Then turn off the heat and let it steep for 10-15 minutes. Boiling the tea will make it bitter, so bring it to a boil, then turn the heat off.

Masala Chai with Whole Spices and oat milk with maple syrup

Step four:  Add milk of choice.  If you prefer a “richer” masala chai- you can use all milk and skip the water, simmering the spices and tea, right in the milk. Or if you like a lighter masala chai, cut the milk with water. Up to you- a personal preference. I like half and half.

Step five. Heat and sweeten the chai. Bring the milk and tea just to a boil again, then add the sweetener.

Step 6. Strain and serve. Dust with a little cinnamon for fresh nutmeg.

Masala Chai in a mug with a cinnamon stick

And there you have it, Masala Chai as they make it in India. A delicious morning beverage or afternoon pick-me-up. I also love this in the evenings with decaf black tea.

Can Masala Chai be made ahead?

Feel free to brew a big batch of chai ahead, (leaving out the milk) and store it in the fridge. Then simply pull it out from the fridge and heat it up with the milk.

Masala Chai Tea Variations

During my second visit to India, when we primarily stayed in the North, it was very common to see chai brewed the same way, with the addition of fresh mint leaves. It was heavenly. 

How to serve Masala Chai

Yes, it is very typical to serve chai in a glass (vs. a mug) in India, leaving some room at the top to hold the glass. But a cozy mug is perfect too.

Happy New Year, friends! May this cozy authentic Masala Chai bring comfort and warmth to help get us all through these cold months. You’ll also love our Mexican Hot Chocolate!

More Cozy Drinks

For another cozy, Indian recipe, check out our Indian Vegetable Curry or this Chai-Spiced Pecan Cake. You might also like our 15 Cozy Butternut Squash Recipes! And for something else cozy and sweet, try our Apple Pie!

Love and cheers, Sylvia

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How to make authentic Masala Chai, like they do in India, using using whole spices. Vegan and Sugar Free adaptable. #chai #chaitea #masalachai #howtomakechai #masala

Masala Chai Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 147 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1-2 1x
  • Category: drinks, tea, hot beverage, Indian recipes, vegan, winter drinks, fall drinks
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This authentic Masala Chai recipe is cozy and warm! Learn to make it like they do in India, using fragrant whole spices, black tea, and your choice of milk. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup water
  • 4–5 slices fresh ginger (or sub 1/2–1 teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks (or sub 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
  • 5 cardamom pods, crushed (or sub 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom)
  • 2 whole cloves (or sub a pinch of ground cloves)
  • 2 star anise pods (optional, but delicious)
  • 5 peppercorns (optional)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons loose-leaf black tea (or sub 2 black tea bags, or sub-decaf black tea)
  • 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
  • 2–3 teaspoons maple syrup, honey, sugar, or alternative. (Sugar is traditional, but I prefer maple. )

Instructions

  1. Lightly crush cardamom pods, whole cloves, star anise and peppercorns, and place in a small pot with 1 cup of water. Add ginger and cinnamon sticks.  Muddle the ginger a bit right in the pot.
  2. Bring to a simmer, simmer gently for 5-10 minutes covered, and turn off the heat.
  3. Add the tea (bring to a boil, then turn off the heat- don’t boil the tea, it can get bitter) and let it steep for at least 5 minutes.
  4. Add your choice of milk. Bring to a simmer once more, then turn off the heat.
  5. Strain into a chai glass or mug.
  6. Stir in your choice of sweetener, taste, and add more sweetener to taste. If it tastes bitter, you need more sweetener.  
  7. Feel the love. xoxo

Notes

TEA: Any dark, rich, robust black tea will work best here. Assam, Darjeeling, etc.  You can also make the tea part as strong as you like. Start with one heaping tablespoon of loose-leaf tea and add more according to your taste. Use loose-leaf or tea bags.

Milk: use milk of your choice- organic whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, hemp milk (I like unsweetened, vanilla-flavored almond or oat milk). See notes for “ratio”.

SPICES: Whole spices are preferred here but in a pinch feel free to add or sub ground spices to taste. You can add the ground spices at the end if you like.

MILK RATIO: you can use ALL milk if you prefer.  I typically use a ratio of  ½ water and ½ milk. Many prefer the richness of all milk, so feel free to adjust to your taste.

BATCH MAKING: You can make a big batch of the masala chai (without the milk) and refrigerate for up to 4 days, and heat up with the milk and sweetener when ready to serve.

You can add more whole spices and more black tea for an even stronger, more concentrated version.

UPDATE: While in Northern India this past month, I had this Chai with the addition of a big handful of fresh mint leaves (simmering in the chai). ABSOLUTELY Delicious! Give it a try!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 16 ounces – using almond milk and 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Calories: 51
  • Sugar: 6.1 g
  • Sodium: 100.5 mg
  • Fat: 1.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8.9 g
  • Fiber: 0.6 g
  • Protein: 0.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. If your tea tastes bitter, add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp baking soda per cup. That will completely get rid of the bitterness. I’ve had to do that quite a few times while making chocolate chai if I add too much oolong tea or if the temperature was too hot. Saves the day every time!

    Reply

  2. What a wonderful story around my new favourite drink after having it enjoyed in Kerala for 4 weeks and now – home again – desperately looking for the same feeling. 🙏 Namaste

    Reply

  3. I too am obsessed with this chai recipe!! I had a neighbor a few years back who made the fresh spiced chai on the stove with milk and I was BLOWN AWAY! This recipe is as close to her authentic recipe as I have seen! They went back to India taking the secret with them! Most definitely this can be your daily morning drink as it stands up to its breakfast beverage “cousin” Coffee for caffeine!! The AROMA is divine!! The whole house knows when the spiced chai is on the stove! It changes the atmosphere! Thanks for this recipe!.the proportions are perfect!!

    Reply

  4. I’ve been on the hunt to find a good spicy chai that isn’t watered down or overly sweetened that I can make at home. This is THE BEST I’ve tried. I’m done searching! Thank you!

    Reply

  5. Perfect taste, great aroma, an extraordinary drink to make you feel warm! You can try to change milk by a teaspoon of Greek thyme honey, for sweet taste and even great aroma!

    Reply

  6. Thank you for this recipe. I have been making it for several years and it’s a special drink that I share with my daughters, who love it too! I first searched for a recipe like this after being served “coffee” by a lovely woman I knew who was from Nepal. It was not the “coffee” I expected, but something similar to this. More than just being a delicious recipe, it makes me think of her. So thank you again!

    Reply

    1. Really beautiful Jessica! I love the connections made through food- soul nourishing. And you just never know how much those acts of kindness will ripple out! Thanks for sharing and leaving a rating.💛

      Reply

  7. Thank you for sharing your excellent recipe. I am enjoying experimenting with different ideas whilst trying to figure out the perfect ratio for my perfect brew (not sure my guineapig of a taste tester husband feels the same – but good for me to get a second opinion with balancing spices). I first tasted masala chai in India in the early 1990s and loved it. But was never able to purchase anything remotely similar in England or Australia thereafter. About five years ago, I discovered an excellent Australian blend from a company called T-Totaler, which is the closet match I have ever found to the Indian version, and it contains: Cardamon, Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger, Coconut Sugar, Black Pepper and Black Tea. Then over the past year I have become (almost obsessed) keenly experimenting with different combos and quantities to perfect my own blend. I grind the spices every morning and having that first sip is one of the highlights of my day. It is mainly thanks to blogs like these, that I have collected some brilliant tips along the way (i.e.) taking off the boil to macerate or how to mix so the almond milk doesn’t split or adding vanilla bean to the milk takes the flavour up a notch or adding maple syrup to taper down any bitterness or adding a small amount of coconut oil or ghee to assist with nutrient uptake (particularly relevant if you also add turmeric)….I can 1000% relate to your comment “Now, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t either make myself a cup, or pine for it”.

    Reply

  8. Best chai recipe along with the Masala Chai that we regularly have from Ahista Tea. A household favourite!

    Reply

  9. I am so excited to try this! If I wanted to add vanilla – would you recommend scraping some seeds from inside a vanilla pod to add?

    Reply

  15. I’m a little confused. To get one 8 ounce serving, am I to use 8 ounces of water and then another 8 ounces of milk/ milk and water mixture?

    Reply

    1. Sorry about that, the total ounces was off. This makes 16 ounces, 2 cups.

      Reply

    1. This one shown is a vintage sauce pan, but any small sauce pan with a pour spout works great.

      Reply

  18. Thank you
    You are my favourite read
    All your recipes are good and balanced and perFect
    You are a blessing in this world
    Thank you goodness 🙏🥰❤️

    Reply

  20. Thank you so much for this recipe!! I thought I had to give up Chai when I was diagnosed with diabetes. This version is so much better than any thing I’ve tried before and doesn’t spike my blood sugar. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’m

    Reply

  21. I think I’m going to have to try this. I was just looking at masala spice mix today. This tea however as you described has me interested. 😇 Never would of thought masala was used in tea.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dove! Masala means spice- it is a blend of spices, so it’s not just one type. Just a heads up, Garam Masala would not work well here.

      Reply

  23. Make this all the time. After a trip to India I wanted a recipe for Masala Chai tea. This is delicious. My husband loves it. If you make the spiced tea for later on should you strain or leave the spices in when refrigerating?

    Reply

    1. Awesome Jane! I leave the spices in so it gets really strong- up to you, if you like it milder, strain. 🙂

      Reply

  24. The tea leaves and spices are boiled together for 6 to 8 minutes before adding the cup of milk. Otherwise the I find the flavor weak.

    Reply

    1. Hi Amy, feel free to boil longer. I find it just makes the tea bitter, and then I need to add more sweetener…but, of course, do as you please!

      Reply

    2. Thank you Amy!!! The Chai in Varanasi, India was ultra Delicious, I noticed they boiled their tea.

      Reply

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