How to Make Chai Concentrate

Chai concentrate is hands down the easiest way to prepare a comforting and warm chai latte in just minutes. It’s also a great way to serve chai lattes to multiple tea drinkers at once. If you like to order chai lattes at coffee shops, you have most likely experienced a chai concentrate before. For instance, Starbucks Chai Tea Latte is made with Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate. However, store-bought chai concentrates can sometimes be lacking in flavour or too sweet. Luckily, it’s very easy to make your own so you can make it as spicy or sweet as you’d like. It’s time to dig through your spice cabinet! You can use this easy concentrate recipe as a guide and adjust to your taste preference.

What is Chai Concentrate?

chai concentrate

A chai concentrate is a very strong tea that is made with an Indian black tea and aromatic spices. Similar to making a stovetop chai, the spices are simmered then steeped with the tea and sweetened if desired.

It is meant to be diluted with water or milk before serving. You do not drink the concentrate on its own.

This is a convenient way to have a flavourful chai ready to go when you want to make a caffeinated tea latte.

How to Use Chai Concentrate

It’s very easy to use a chai concentrate. In fact, this concentrate is a time saver in the end.

Simply use a 1:1 ratio of concentrate with water or your choice of milk. However, you can adjust to taste.

To make an iced chai latte with concentrate, pour the concentrate directly over ice and then add milk, too.

To make a hot chai latte with concentrate, heat the concentrate first. Add to a mug, then top with frothed or steamed milk.

Ingredients

You can make concentrate with a chai blend, however the best way to do so it making the masala chai blend from scratch. This way you can control the balance of spices and overall flavour.

  • Black Tea: Traditional chai is made with black tea. It’s recommended to use Assam black tea in this chai concentrate recipe. I usually use loose leaf tea, but tea bags are an option, too. The type and quality of tea will make a difference, as you don’t want a bitter chai concentrate. 
  • Spices: For optimal flavour, whole spices are used, not powders. You don’t have to use every single spice in this recipe. If there is a spice on the list that you don’t like, feel free to omit it. For example, I’m not a big fan of fennel so I do not use it in my recipe.

I suggest playing around with the measurements, too. You can use less or more spice. This way you can make sure you get the spice flavour you like best.

spices

Popular Spices for Chai:

  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Cardamom (my favourite!)
  • Cloves
  • Star Anise
  • Peppercorns
  • Fennel
  • Nutmeg

Like the black tea, the quality of spices will make a difference as well.

  • Sugar: I prefer using white granulated sugar for the concentrate. However, brown sugar is an option as well. Additionally, you can omit the sugar if you want an unsweetened chai concentrate. You can always add sweetener to the chai afterwards when making an iced or hot latte.

Chai Ice Cubes

For a cool treat, you can pour the concentrate into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. Add the chai ice cubes to a glass and fill with milk.

This simple trick will keep your iced chai latte flavourful as there will not be any regular ice cubes melting to water down the drink. Instead, when the chai ice cubes melt it will just create a bold, spicy sip!

Easy Chai Concentrate Recipe

Get a printable recipe card at the end of this blog post!

homemade chai concentrate

Here is what you will need:

4 cups water
4 teaspoons black tea, loose leaf (or 4 tea bags)
1 inch knob ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
2 cinnamon sticks
8 cardamom pods
6 black peppercorns
6 cloves
1 whole star anise
4 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional – don’t use if you prefer to make an unsweetened chai concentrate)

Directions

In a mortar and pestle, add all of the spices (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, and star anise). Lightly crush them to release the flavourful oils.

If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can gently crush the spices on a cutting board with the back of a wooden spoon.  

chai concentrate spices

In a saucepan on medium-heat, add the crushed spices and toast them for 1 minute.

Add water to the saucepan with the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. The time depends on how spicy you want the concentrate to be.

Bring the water and spices back to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the black tea, loose leaf or tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes.

If you want to make a sweetened chai concentrate, then after steeping, stir sugar until dissolved.

simmering chai

Pour the concentrate into a glass bottle or jar through a strainer to remove the tea and spices. Let the concentrate cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To use the concentrate, mix equal parts with water or milk. Add more or less to adjust to taste. Pour it directly over ice for an iced chai latte, or heat it first for a hot chai latte.

easy chai concentrate recipe

Chai Concentrate

Simmer aromatic whole spices and strong Indian black tea together to create a chai concentrate that is very fragrant and flavourful. Just add milk to make a quick chai latte!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 4 teaspoons black tea loose leaf (or 4 tea bags)
  • 1 inch knob ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 cardamom pods
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar optional

Instructions
 

  • 1. In a mortar and pestle, add all of the spices (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, and star anise) and lightly crush them to release the flavourful oils. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can gently crush the spices on a cutting board with the pack of a wooden spoon.  
  • 2. In a saucepan on medium-heat, add the crushed spices and lightly toast them for 1 minute.
  • 3. Add water to the saucepan with the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • 4. Bring the water and spices back to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the black tea, loose leaf or tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes.
  • 5. Stir sugar (if using) until dissolved.
  • 6. Pour the chai concentrate into a glass bottle or jar through a strainer to remove the tea and spices. Let cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • 7. To use the chai concentrate, begin by mixing equal parts with milk. Add more chai concentrate if you would like it stronger. Pour it directly over iced for an iced chai latte, or heat it first for a hot chai latte.

Notes

Feel free to play around with the ingredients and measurements in this chai concentrate recipe. If there is a spice that you don't like, omit it. Add your favourite chai spices, too. It may take a few tries but it is important to adjust spices to taste!
Looking for a unique gift idea? Bottle up some of your homemade chai concentrate, label it with instructions and gift to a friend to spread the chai love!
Course Beverage
Cuisine Indian
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easy chai concentrate recipe

Do you enjoy the convenience of a tea concentrate? I’d love to know if you have a favourite tea concentrate brand! Let me know in the comments.

3 thoughts on “How to Make Chai Concentrate”

  1. Good idea, but this particular ratio for spices, tea, and water made for an extremely subtle flavor. I doubled up the spices & tea for the 2nd batch, including steep times, and it’s better. May tweak some of them still. Still not quite where I’d want the flavors to be.

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