Chai Latte Recipe

Before you start

A café chai latte is assembled rather than brewed. A strong, sweetened, spiced tea concentrate is mixed with steamed milk and finished with foam, which makes it fast to serve and easy to repeat. It is related to stovetop masala chai but usually sweeter, milder and creamier.

The ratio decides everything: equal parts concentrate and milk is the usual starting point. A concentrate that is too weak gives a pale, milky drink, so build or buy one that tastes almost too strong on its own. You can make the concentrate at home using the chai concentrate recipe on this site, or use a good boxed one.

Ingredients

• 150 ml (5 oz) chai concentrate — homemade or store-bought
• 150 ml (5 oz) whole milk or oat milk
• pinch ground cinnamon — for dusting
• 5 to 10 ml (1 to 2 tsp) honey or brown sugar syrup — optional, if your concentrate is unsweetened
• 1 cup ice cubes — for the iced version

Method

1. Warm the chai concentrate in a small saucepan or the microwave until steaming, about 70°C (160°F). Pour it into the mug and stir in any extra sweetener.
2. Heat and froth the milk to about 60 to 65°C (140 to 150°F). It should feel hot on the outside of the jug but not too hot to hold, with a layer of glossy microfoam.
3. Tap the jug on the counter and swirl it to break large bubbles and combine the foam with the milk.
4. Pour the milk into the concentrate in a steady stream, holding back the foam with a spoon at first, then let the foam slide on top.
5. Dust lightly with cinnamon and serve.
6. For an iced chai latte, fill a glass with ice, add the cold concentrate and pour cold milk over it. Stir well.

Tips for success

• Taste the concentrate first. Brands range from mild and sweet to strongly peppery; adjust the ratio to 2:1 concentrate to milk if yours is weak.
• Keep milk below about 70°C (160°F). Overheated milk tastes cooked and loses the sweetness that softens the spices.
• A cold foam made by frothing cold milk is a good topping for iced chai and stays on top longer than hot foam.

Substitutions

Chai concentrate

Steep 2 chai tea bags in 150 ml boiling water for 5 minutes and sweeten to taste. It is lighter than a real concentrate, so add less milk.

Whole milk

Oat and soy milks foam well and suit spice. Coconut milk beverage gives a tropical twist but thin foam.

Cinnamon dusting

Freshly grated nutmeg or a little ground cardamom is more aromatic and less expected.

Variations

Vanilla chai latte

Add 10 ml vanilla syrup to the concentrate before the milk.

Chai latte with cold foam

Build the iced version, then top with milk frothed cold with a little maple syrup.

Troubleshooting

The latte tastes like warm milk

The concentrate is too weak or too little was used. Raise the concentrate share or simmer your homemade concentrate a few minutes longer.

It is too sweet

Many boxed concentrates are heavily sweetened. Cut them with a little brewed black tea, which adds tea flavor without sugar.

There is no foam

Milk froths best when it starts very cold. Use fresh, cold milk and stop heating before it gets too hot.

Storage

Make each latte to order. Homemade chai concentrate keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for about 1 week; boxed concentrate should be refrigerated after opening and used within the time on the carton. Do not leave milky drinks out for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Chai is made with black tea and contains caffeine; the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults. Contains dairy unless you use a plant milk.