Enjoy a quick Chai Latte using homemade Chai Concentrate. The black tea is brewed in small batches and infused with fragrant chai spices. This DIY chai concentrate is a game-changer, allowing you to customize your chai experience effortlessly. Enjoy hot or cold, latte or iced - the possibilities are endless!
For some people, making masala chai on a daily basis is calming and familiar. There's a lot of comfort in the process, and the rush of adrenaline as the chai almost boils over the pot.
But for some, it's a mundane, time consuming process which requires too many dishes. And that's understandable! It's super convenient to have a tasty chai ready in a snap instead of standing over a pot. That's where a great chai concentrate comes in!
No trips to Starbucks necessary to get a Chai Tea Latte with how easy it is to make a weeks worth of Chai Concentrate at home. During the fall season, you can top it with the fan favorite Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam if not the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam. Add a shot of espresso to make a Dirty Chai Latte.
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Why this Recipe Works
The problem I've had with a lot of concentrates is that some of them have so much cinnamon that it drowns out the other spices or it's overly sweet. It's never quite right for me. Masala chai is very personal to each person that makes it!
A lot of recipes out there use readymade chai tea bags. These tea bags already have spices, which is fine! But you're here because you're looking for the best chai concentrate and a blend that you can customize. Not just any generic store bought "chai tea".
This recipe is all about personal preferences with which spices to use, how strong the black tea is, the amount of sugar, the milkiness. That's why I've grown to love having homemade chai concentrate on hand for chai lattes!
Making your own spiced chai concentrate means that you get to control the spices and the sweetness. Not to mention, you have a hot or iced cup of chai ready within minutes and it'll last you the week. It's an inexpensive option to have it homemade!
What is Chai Concentrate?
Chai concentrate is black tea brewed in small batches with spices. You can use loose leaf black tea or tea bags. It's a quick way to make an inexpensive chai latte without leaving your home. Just add your choice of milk!
It's not quite the same as an authentic masala chai in terms of texture and balance. But the flavors are certainly there.
Concentrate is not commonly found in the Indian subcontinent, but became popularized in the U.S. in the recent years to make chai lattes. It can be found at most grocery stores near the bottled coffees and in the form of syrups to add to drinks.
Pre-Bottled Chai Concentrates
Not only are most pre-bottled chai concentrates severely overpriced, you also have no control over the flavor, sugar, and not to mention the preservatives. Half of the labels are unclear with their ingredients, too.
A lot of chai concentrates put you at around $2 a cup, whereas mine is less than a $1 per cup. Once you have all the spices, you can make dozens of batches and even prepare your own blend.
Starbucks uses a Chai Tea Concentrate for their famous Chai Tea Latte, which I find to be unpalatable due to the heavy cinnamon. The ingredients their website lists are water, black tea, cardamom, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, natural flavors, and star anise for the base. They also add sugar, honey, ginger juice, more natural flavors (what is that???), vanilla, and citric acid (a preservative).
Two concentrates that I do enjoy are South Asian-owned companies, the Chai Box and One Stripe Chai Co.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
The ingredients for chai concentrate is very similar to a cup of masala chai, there's just no milk since that's added separately.
- Black tea - Assam tea work best for masala chai, and English breakfast is a good runner up. My favorite loose leaf black tea is Danedar and my favorite tea bags are Tetley British Blend. I do not recommend earl grey. You can use high quality green tea but it will be a much different flavor profile and adds earthiness. If you're looking for a no-caffeine option, rooibos is a great option.
- Sweetener - Granulated sugar is the most typical sweetener, but brown sugar, stevia, honey, and even maple syrup will work. You can also omit the sweetener and add it in later when using the concentrate or use vanilla syrup. Readers have also reported that they used medjool dates to naturally sweeten their concentrate.
- Spices - My chai concentrate spice blend includes cloves, black peppercorns, nutmeg (freshly grated), star anise, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, dried rose buds, and ginger. Spices can be added - like fennel and tulsi - or omitted based off of personal preference. Use whole spices for the best, robust flavor. You can also use a homemade Chai Spice.
You do not need to use all the spices I did! The main spices to use would be:
- black pepper - spice and warmth
- cardamom - fragrance and sweetness
- cinnamon - spice and sweetness
- cloves - warming and bitter flavor to counteract sweetness
Honestly, you could get away with not using cloves as well but I think a small amount elevates chai.
How to make Spicy Chai Concentrate
Making chai concentrate is incredibly similar to making a cup of masala chai. However, there are a few extra steps that ensure that there is plenty of flavor from the spices and the tea is strong but not over steeped until bitter.
- Crush the spices. Use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the spices to release their oils. Use the flat edge of a knife to smash them instead of a mortar and pestle.
- Dry roast the spices and extract flavor. To really bloom the spices, add them to the pot on low to medium heat and dry roast them for about a minute until they're fragrant. Continuously mix them around so they don't burn. Then, add the water and bring it a rolling boil to allow the spices to infuse with the water.
- Steep the tea. This recipe makes chai concentrate from loose leaf, but you can use tea bags as well. Add the tea into the spice-infused water and boil it for about 5 minutes, giving it a stir every once in a while. Then, remove the pot from heat and let the tea and spices steep for a minimum of 15 minutes. Add the sugar and stir until it's dissolved.
- Bottle the concentrate. Sanitize the bottle and its lid in boiling water before use. Once the chai concentrate has cooled, use a fine mesh sieve to transfer it to the bottle. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
I made Chai Concentrate labels for you for easy labeling!! Download them and print them on Avery Round Labels (22856).
If cinnamon is your most prominent flavor, reduce that amount of cinnamon the next time you make it or add more cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. They should be your three most prominent spices.
If the concentrate is too bitter, the black tea has been steeped for too long or your tea leaves aren't a good match for this recipe. Add more sweetener to offset the bitterness.
How to use Tea Concentrate
Give the bottle a good shake before use. To use the concentrate, use a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to the milk of your choice. If the tea steeps for too long and is really strong, dilute it with a tablespoon of water at a time if you're making hot tea. Ice cubes will dilute strong concentrate as the ice melts.
The concentrate can be heated, steamed, or poured over ice with milk to make hot or an iced chai latte.
If you're looking to make a Dirty Chai Latte, you may want to use something more like a Chai Syrup for a concentrated, sweet flavor.
Tips and Tricks
- Mortar and Pestle - If you don't have a mortar and pestle, chop the ginger into slices and lightly smash the spices under the flat edge of a knife.
- Large Batches - To scale the recipe, use the recipe card to increase the amount of servings. Follow the instructions on your tea, i.e. 1 tea bag is usually equivalent to 1 serving of tea, and 1 teaspoon of loose leaf is equivalent to 1 serving of tea for most brands. You'll add 1 cup of water per tea bag and adjust the spices to preference.
- Sweetener - Reduce the amount of sugar to taste! Many readers reported preferring 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of sugar. Start low and add sugar as needed. Make unsweetened chai concentrate by omitting the sweetener and adding it later or using a syrup. Readers have also reported successfully using blended Medjool dates to naturally sweeten their chai concentrate!
- Milk Options - Use your favorite milk or plant-based milk. Oat milk is the best vegan option for a chai latte. Sweetened condensed milk is also a great option for unsweetened chai concentrate.
- Decaf Options - You can use decaf assam tea or use rooibos which is naturally caffeine-free.
Storage Instructions
Store the chai concentrate in a pitcher with an airtight lid in the refrigerator for up to five days. To extend its shelf life, use 1 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of water.
It can can also be frozen for up to three months. To do this, pour the concentrate into ice cube molds and freeze for 5 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, you can melt the cubes in a microwave and add hot milk for a hot chai, or pour hot milk over the ice cubes for an iced chai.
Why is the Chai Concentrate Cloudy?
The tea may become cloudy after refrigeration. This is due to the caffeine and tannins that are released from the tea leaves at temperatures over 100°F. They eventually bond with each other when chilled. Water boils at 212°F, so this is pretty much unavoidable.
Not only that, but black tea has the highest amount of tannins. Historically, masala chai is made with low quality tea leaves (read more), which have high levels of tannin. The longer the tea is steeped, the higher the concentration of tannins which results in bitter, unpalatable tea.
The cloudy tea is completely fine to consume. But if you have time on your hands or like to prep things overnight, you can also steep 10 black tea bags in 5 cups of room temperature water for up to 8 hours. Simply infuse the water with spices beforehand, strain out the spices, and let the water cool. Then add the tea bags to steep.
You can also keep it in the sun for a partial day to have especially strong tea. This will result in clear black tea that is ready to be refrigerated or served over ice.
More Chai Recipes to try
Recipe
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Homemade Chai Concentrate
Ingredients
- 1-inch knob ginger, peeled
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 4 dried edible roses, (optional, but delicious)
- 7 green cardamom pods
- 10 black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 5 cups water
- 5 teaspoon black tea leaves*, see notes
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, or to preference
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the knob of ginger into chunks to release the juices and expose more surface area. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, roses, cardamom pods, and black peppercorns into the mortar and use the pestle to lightly crush them so they release their oils. Lastly, use a microplane to grate a bit of nutmeg.
- Transfer all of the spices from the mortar to a medium sized pot. On medium heat, dry roast the spices for a minute, or until they're fragrant. Use a wooden spoon to stir them around every 10 seconds so they don't burn.
- Pour the water in with the spices and bring it to a light rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.
- At this point, add in the black tea leaves and mix really well. Simmer the spices with the black tea for 5 minutes. Be careful not to boil it for too long, otherwise it will be very bitter.
- Remove the pot from heat and pour in the sugar. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Allow the spices and tea to steep in the hot water for at least 15 minutes. Then, strain the chai concentrate into a sanitized pitcher with a lid. Store in the fridge for up to five days.
- Use a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to milk. The concentrate can be served steamed, heated, or chilled.
Notes
- Substitute honey or brown sugar as a sweetener
- *Use 1 tea bag per teaspoon of tea leaves.
- The amount of spices for cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, and nutmeg are based on high quality single-origin spices. They are especially potent and flavorful. Adjust the amount based on the quality of spices and personal preference.
- Substitute black tea with rooibos for a decaffeinated option.
Luke says
Loved the recipe! Strange question, but what can I do with the leftover spices/tea leaves aside from composting? Can they be reused for anything else? Thank you!
Shweta Garg says
Hi Luke, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes, it’s unlikely it’ll pull enough flavor for another batch so I would recommend composting the tea leaves. - Shweta
Ellis says
Steeping tea in the sun is cute but can cause bacterial growth and make you sick! If you want stronger slow-brewed tea just brew it for longer and brew it in the fridge to be safe.
This recipe looks amazing, can't wait to try!
Brit says
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it 3 times this month! I would like it to be a tad stronger with the spices. Would you recommend steeping it longer (after taking the tea bags out), add less water, add more spices? Would love any suggestions. Thank you!
Shweta Garg says
Hi Brit! I'm so glad you're loving it! You can definitely boil it longer with more spices before adding tea bags for a stronger flavor. I also recommend using the freshest spices you can find (Diaspora Co is very good for this) so that you have the best flavor. - Shweta
Misty says
Brit, what worked for us to make this excellent recipe with a more concentrated flavor was to reduce the concentrate on the stove. It takes about 45 minutes and it needs to reduce by half. The flavors are more potent. Some of us in our house like the ratio of almost 2/3 concentrate to 1/3 milk. We have been making this steady for the last 2 weeks.
Mike says
As an unreformed masala chailcoholic, this is much appreciated recipe. I love the taste.
Shweta Garg says
Love to hear it, Mike! I love it through the hot summers vs masala chai these days. -Shweta
Karen K says
Super good!!
Mike says
Can you substitute milk instead of water to make it more authentic chai?
Shweta Garg says
You can check out this recipe for Masala Chai for an authentic chai.
Amanda says
How long should I steep it for if I want it rather strong?
Thanks!
Shweta Garg says
Up to half an hour or you can leave the tea bags in and they'll continue to steep while in the refrigerator.