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!
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? 😉
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.
How to make A Chai Latte
Step One: Lightly crush whole spices using a mortar and pestle.
Step 2: Simmer the crushed spices in 1 cup of water in a small pot or pan for 5-10 minutes.
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.
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.
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.
- Add fresh mint leaves.
- Add fennel seeds
- Add nutmeg
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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Masala Chai Recipe
- 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
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
- 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
- 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.
- Bring to a simmer, simmer gently for 5-10 minutes covered, and turn off the heat.
- 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.
- Add your choice of milk. Bring to a simmer once more, then turn off the heat.
- Strain into a chai glass or mug.
- Stir in your choice of sweetener, taste, and add more sweetener to taste. If it tastes bitter, you need more sweetener.
- 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
I’m confused- do you turn off the heat when you steep the tea and then turn the heat back on to simmer the milk? I tried making this twice with the most recent time steeping for 10 minutes with the heat off, and it was still weak. I’m now wondering should I have left the heat on while the tea is steeping?
Hi Melissa, bring the spice water to a boil, add the tea, off the burner, let sit 5 minutes. Boiling the tea can make it bitter- which some people like- up to you. If it still takes weak, use more tea!
I tried so many chai recipes online, but this was by far the best one. Easy to make with the perfect blend of spice – and it’s very flexible too! I definitely always add the peppercorns and star anise because they give an extra flavor punch. This is a repeat recipe for me!
Glad you are enjoying Lisette!
Can I substitute an herbal tea for the black tea…all black tea tastes like metal pipes to me . I love peppermint tea.
You could try Roobis tea instead -it is a really nice complement to the chai spices. Not sure about peppermint, it may over power it, but you could experiment!
Absolutely deeeelissshussss!!!
Yum yum yuuummmm.
Great to hear Muniza!
The recipe I’ve been looking for 🙂 Just delicious!
So happy you are enjoying Gabriela!
Same. Can’t get enough of it.
For a big batch – 8 people – do you increase the spices x8?
Yes, Jo, I would. 🙂
And do you refrigerate with the spices in the tea or strain it first?
Hi Jenn, you can go either way! For a stronger brew leave the spices in- I usually do this. For more subtle flavor, less bitter, strain.