Last Updated on November 24, 2024 by Michelle
I got hooked on coffee shops before I even liked coffee. When I walked into a cute coffee shop in the town I was living in at the time, I texted my coffee shop-obsessed friend (we all have one, right?) begging her for suggestions of what to order since I hated coffee. She told me to try a chai latte. I did, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Little did I know that what started out as a coffee shop order would turn into somewhat of an obsession, and, eventually, into this epic homemade masala chai tea blend.
That coffee shop chai latte, come to find out, was hardly even real chai at all, and, shockingly, contained more sugar in one cup that is advisable to consume in a whole day. Sigh.
But it’s okay, because that cup of chai lead me down a rabbit trail that now, years later, is being shared with you.
I hate to tell you this, but once you mix up your own masala chai tea blend, make a homemade latte with it, and sweeten it just how you like it, there’s no going back.
What is Masala Chai?
Masala literally translates to “spices,” and chai literally translates to “tea.” So Masala Chai is, quite literally, spice tea. At its most basic form, masala chai is made with black tea, spices, milk, and sweetener. Masala chai can be made without milk as more of a spiced black tea, but I personally enjoy the flavor of the spices much more when they’re mixed with milk, and adding milk is more traditional from what I can tell.
Masala Chai vs regular chai
Masala chai and “regular” chai are similar, but masala chai usually has more flavor thanks to the additional spices. Technically, “chai” literally just means “tea,” but lots of coffee shops call their chai lattes simply “chai” to limit confusion, even if the flavor is similar to masala chai.
The “classic” chai flavor we’re used to here in America is almost always masala chai, even if we don’t always realize it because coffee shops simply call it “chai.”
How to make Masala Chai tea
Although masala chai can simply be prepared as a normal black tea (steeped in hot water), it’s usually prepared as more of a latte, with milk and sweetener added. My personal favorite way to make masala chai tea is by making a concentrate by simmering my tea blend in water, straining it, and storing it in the fridge for future use. (I then add 1-1 ratio of my concentrate and milk, and heat it when I want a cup of masala chai.) But there are a few different ways you can make masala chai tea;
- Prepared like a simple “spiced tea” by steeping your masala chai tea blend in hot water for about 3 minutes
- Made into a masala chai concentrate to store in the fridge and make into lattes whenever the mood strikes
- Brewed similarly to the concentrate, but in one-cup-worth increments (so you don’t have to store extras in the fridge). I like to use 4.5 cups of water with 4 tablespoons tea blend, simmer in a saucepan for about 20 minutes, cool, strain, and store in a glass quart jar in the fridge. Use in a 1-1 ratio with milk.
- Steeped as a simple black tea, but with milk and sweetener added after the tea is done steeping (I call this my “lazy girl chai latte” and I do this when I’m short on time and don’t want to wait for my concentrate to brew)
However you choose to make your masala chai, it’s hard to go wrong.
Is masala chai healthier than coffee?
Drinking a cup of masala chai has much less caffeine than a typical cup of coffee, which can be a benefit. The spices also offer some level of health benefits, like the ginger. Less caffeine will prevent a crash or burnout, and the naturally-sweeter flavor of masala chai (compared to the bitterness of coffee) may allow you to add less sugar to your cup of chai than you would add to your daily cup of coffee.
What spices are in Masala chai?
Masala chai often includes many flavorful spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, and others. Some recipes add star anise to their blend, but I prefer mine without since I’m not a fan of the licorice flavor it adds. Some versions of masala chai also include fennel seeds, but I don’t find them necessary. The most common spices used in masala chai (and the ones I include in my blend) are;
- Black pepper (for that classic “spice”)
- Cardamom (for that warm, sweet, slightly spicy, citrus-y flavor classic masala chai needs)
- Cinnamon (what’s masala chai without lots of cinnamon flavor?)
- Ginger (adds a little kick & classic flavor + added health benefits!)
- Cloves (for that little extra somethin’)
What kind of tea is in masala chai?
Masala chai is made with a base of black tea + spices. Traditionally masala chai is made from Assam black tea. Others can be used, but I tend to like the classic, smooth flavor of the assam. Since I also like the fruity and floral flavor of Nilgiri black tea, I actually use my Lipton copycat black tea blend in my masala chai tea (which is simply a 3-1 blend of Assam and Nilgiri). You can always just us Assam in your blend if that’s easier for you. Another great option for the base of you masala chai tea blend is Dajeerling, but I don’t find the flavor of that as strong or smooth as my black tea blend.
How much does it cost to make Masala Chai tea at home?
At the time of writing this, I’ve run the math and each bath of this recipe costs me $1.85. Considering that this recipe should make 5-6 (large) cups of chai, I’d say you’re well on your way to saving lots of money while enjoying incredible, full-flavored chai. That’s, quite literally, 30 cents per cup of chai you make at home. What a steal!
Masala Chai Tea Blend
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup black tea blend*
- 1/8 cup cinnamon chunks
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, slightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger root
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom pods, crushed slightly
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a jar, and shake to combine.
- Use as desired to make masala chai tea lattes. For a flavorful cup of tea, I use 1 tablespoon of this blend per cup.
Notes
Looking for good sources for ingredients to make masala chai tea blend?
I source my Assam and Nilgiri black teas from Positively Tea Company. They’re always organic, responsibly sourced, and crazy affordable too! Plus my code “SOULYRESTED” will save you even more, it even works on BULK sizes!
I order my bulk dried ginger root from the same place. Best price I can find anywhere, and it’s organic. (code “soulyrested” works on this too.)
Most of the other spices I usually add to my Azure order, as they’re all great prices and most have bulk options for even more savings. Find cardamom pods, whole black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon chunks there.
