The Best Way to Make Chai at Home as the Weather Gets Cold

Chai tea
Photo by Maude Frédérique Lavoie on Unsplash

Masala chai, drunk daily in India, is one of the best drinks to make on cold days. It uses a similar spice profile to such fall favorites as pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice, with warm sweetness and even spicy if you’re feeling adventurous. Here’s how to make it easily at home, getting the most out of your spices.

Ingredients:

  • Black tea
  • Milk
  • Sweetener
  • Cinnamon
  • Cloves 
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Allspice
  • Cardamom
  • Black pepper, coriander, and anise (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Start by putting your milk in a saucepan over low heat with all your spices. If you have whole spices, it’s better to you use them here so you won’t have any grittiness, but ground works just fine too. Let your milk heat up slowly, giving it lots of time to soak up flavor from the spices.
  2. Be sure not to let it boil, as it may burn. Once it’s beginning to simmer, add your tea and let it steep for around five minutes. If you prefer a thinner, less rich tea add boiling water along with the tea.
  3. Once it’s steeped for long enough, add your sweetener to taste, strain out the spices and tea, and serve.