Description
A rich, spicy, and aromatic homemade vanilla chai concentrate that costs pennies per cup compared to coffee shop prices. This simple syrup uses real black tea and whole spices to create a creamy latte base that is faster and healthier than store-bought options.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup loose-leaf black tea (Assam or Ceylon) or 8-10 tea bags
- 1 teaspoon cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (dark brown preferred)
- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan version)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Crush cardamom pods lightly with a knife or mortar to open shells. Slice fresh ginger into thin coins.
- Pour 2 cups of water into a small saucepan. Add cardamom, ginger, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to extract spice flavors.
- Add black tea (loose leaf or bags) to the spiced water. Turn off heat, cover, and steep for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or jar, discarding tea leaves and spices.
- Stir in brown sugar and honey until completely dissolved in the hot liquid.
- Stir in vanilla extract off the heat to preserve flavor.
- Let the concentrate cool to room temperature, then pour into an airtight glass jar and refrigerate.
Notes
Store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. The concentrate thickens when cold; let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if needed. For iced lattes, use 3 tablespoons of concentrate per glass with ice and cold milk. Do not add milk to the concentrate itself as it reduces shelf life.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons of con
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 10
- Carbohydrates: 11
Keywords: chai concentrate, vanilla chai syrup, homemade chai latte, chai recipe, coffee shop alternative, vegan chai, gluten-free drink