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Creamy Vanilla Chai Latte

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A cozy, creamy vanilla chai latte made with freshly simmered spices and frothy milk, perfect for a warm, comforting drink better than Starbucks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling recommended)
  • 1 ½ cups (360 ml) water
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk (or almond, oat, or coconut milk for dairy-free)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 whole cloves or a pinch ground cloves
  • 3 whole black peppercorns
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups water with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the two black tea bags and steep on low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and avoiding boiling.
  3. Remove tea bags and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container, pressing the tea bags lightly to extract flavor.
  4. Pour 1 cup of milk into the saucepan and warm gently over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling (about 150°F or 65°C).
  5. Combine the strained tea with the warm milk in the saucepan. Stir in vanilla extract and honey or maple syrup, adjusting sweetness to taste.
  6. Froth the mixture using a handheld frother or whisk until creamy and slightly foamy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  7. Pour into a mug and serve immediately. Optionally, sprinkle a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg on top.

Notes

Use fresh spices for best flavor. Avoid boiling milk to maintain smoothness. Adjust sweetness to taste. For dairy-free, use oat or coconut milk and maple syrup instead of honey. Store leftover chai base (before frothing) in the fridge up to 2 days and reheat gently before frothing again.

Nutrition

Keywords: vanilla chai latte, creamy chai latte, homemade chai, vanilla chai recipe, dairy-free chai, cozy drink, chai latte recipe

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