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    Home » Recipes » Beverages

    Masala Chai Tea {Karak Chai Tea}

    Published: Jan 2, 2023 · Modified: Feb 9, 2023 by Abeer Rizvi · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments

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    Quick and easy masala chai tea recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. This Indian karak chai is full of black loose leaf and warm spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger).

    I used to think my Mom made the best chai latte. Sorry mom! You have been dethroned because hubby's homemade recipe is amazing! Yes, I have tried that copycat Starbucks recipe and hands down, this recipe is so much better. It's starting to get really chilly here but thankfully this easy, warm, and aromatic tea makes the cold bearable. You can serve it hot, which is the way it's traditionally served or cold with ice cubes and a topping of whipped cream which is really delicious and refreshing during Summer time. This Easy Spice Cake {Chai Tea Cake} has all the delicious flavors of this tea, but in cake form. Chai may be my favorite warm beverage but this Indian Mango Lassi {With Mango Pulp} and Turmeric Latte (Golden Milk Latte) are some of my favorite classic Indian drinks as well.

    Easy Masala Chai Tea in Brown Cup on Rustic Background

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    Table of contents

    • How to make easy homemade masala chai tea recipe from scratch? 
    • What's the difference between masala chai tea and chai tea latte?
    • What type of tea leaves are used to make chai? Can you use tea bags?
    • Variations for best karak chai tea
    • Tips and techniques for masala chia tea
    • Storage of homemade Indian tea
    • More warm beverages

    How to make easy homemade masala chai tea recipe from scratch? 

    1. Grind spices- Including cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. 
    2. Boil tea- Add milk, water, loose black tea, crushed spices, sugar and cook.  
    3. Simmer- At a lower heat.
    4. Bring to a boil- Then lower heat again and simmer.  
    5. Pour into cups- Through a fine sieve. Enjoy!

    What's the difference between masala chai tea and chai tea latte?

    There is very distinct difference. Masala chai tea is the recipe below. It is made by boiling the spices and tea leaves in milk but chai tea latte involves adding a concentrated spiced tea mixture to steamed milk creating 2 distinct layers. That's why chai tea latte has a lighter, foamy texture whereas masala chai tea is more smooth and creamy.

    What type of tea leaves are used to make chai? Can you use tea bags?

    I personally prefer loose black tea leaves but you can use the same quantity of tea bags too. The process is the same. Boil milk, spices and tea bags altogether for about 20 minutes. The, pour through a fine sieve and enjoy.

    Variations for best karak chai tea

    Chai latte- Simply pour a concentrated spiced tea mixture over steamed milk to create 2 distinct layers.

    Make chai tea concentrate- boil together water, sugar and many spices like cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns, vanilla bean, allspice, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and black tea leaves for about 15 minutes. Then, this mixture is poured through a fine mesh sieve and stored in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    Make a frappuchino- Blend the chai with ice to create a frozen version.

    Add vanilla- In the form of a coffee syrup or extract for additional flavor.

    Add a caramel drizzle- Such as this How To Make Homemade Caramel Sauce for added sweetness.

    Add other spices- Such as pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.

    Tips and techniques for masala chia tea

    Must boil the tea twice, and then let it simmer for a few minutes- Because this process helps in releasing a lot of flavor into the chai.

    How to really enhance the flavor of all the spices and allow maximum flavor to seep into the milk? Let everything cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, bringing everything to a boil at the very end before removing it from heat.

    Don't let the chai boil out of the saucepan- Because that would get rid of a lot of flavor and milk fat content.

    Use whole milk- Hubby swears by whole milk, not low fat milk or fat free milk! Good old whole milk! He says that's what gives chai the perfect consistency and flavor.

    Only use granulated sugar- Because he says that's the traditional and authentic way of sweetening chai. Do not use honey or molasses or brown sugar!

    Use a milk frother- Because this gives your chai latte a professional frothy appearance. However, this is not the way it's done back home. Instead, you pour the tea back and forth between 2 saucepans multiple times until the chai gets frothy.

    Adjust the amount of sugar and spices- According to your preference.

    Karak Chai in Brown Cup With Some Drips

    Storage of homemade Indian tea

    Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed mason jar for up to 3 days. Reheat in microwave or a small nonstick saucepan.

    Freeze- This is not recommended since milk can separate upon thawing.

    More warm beverages

    • Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate
    • Homemade Gingerbread Latte
    • Matcha Latte (Green Tea Latte)

    Recipe

    How To Make Chai Tea (Easy Indian Chai Tea Recipe)

    Masala Chai Tea (Karak Chai)

    Abeer Rizvi
    Quick and easy masala chai tea recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. This Indian karak chai is full of black loose leaf and warm spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger).
    4.75 from 4 ratings
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Beverages
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 2 Cups
    Calories 233 kcal

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    Ingredients
      

    • 3 Cloves Whole
    • 1 Cinnamon stick About a 2 inch piece
    • 3 Cardamom pods
    • ¼ teaspoon Ginger powder
    • 2 cups Milk Whole
    • 1 cup Water
    • 2 tablespoon Loose black tea
    • 3 tablespoon Sugar Granulated

    Instructions
     

    • Use a coffee grinder or a mortar to crush/grind together cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. 
    • In a large non-stick saucepan, add milk, water, loose black tea, crushed spices, sugar and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil.  
    • Then, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
    • Increase the heat again and let the tea cook until it comes to another boil. 
    • Lower the heat again and let it simmer for 2 minutes. 
    • Remove from heat and pour into cups through a fine sieve. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 112mgPotassium: 355mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 395IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 305mgIron: 0.6mg

    An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monika Celly

      October 29, 2015 at 3:02 pm

      Looks like an authentic chai. Im not a tea lover but I have been making chai since I was10 year old.

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        October 29, 2015 at 9:48 pm

        I used to be a coffee lover but now, I like both tea and coffee. Different days call for a different kind of beverage...hehe

        Reply
    2. Zan

      October 29, 2015 at 5:52 pm

      Yes, it's getting cold here in Chicago for real! Happy to meet another Chicago blogger. I love chai tea and this would make the perfect winter drink.

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        October 29, 2015 at 9:49 pm

        So nice to connect with another foodie and Windy City blogger. Will you be attending Blogher Food next week? If so, I would love to meet up and we can have chai tea latte for real...hehe.

        Reply
    3. DT

      October 30, 2015 at 12:35 am

      Chai is m favorite .. But I don't spend so much time or even use all those spices. But yours looks so good.. I HAVE TO try your way now!

      Reply
    4. Annie

      October 30, 2015 at 3:25 am

      This is beautiful! Love all the spices, imagine this tastes SO good! I've never had a homemade chai latte, but I do love chai, so I'll have to try this!

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        November 02, 2015 at 9:39 am

        Omg! You have to try making chai at home at least once... it tastes so much fresher than the ones we buy outside!

        Reply
    5. Jill

      January 19, 2016 at 4:28 am

      I would never use cow's milk but I will try this with soy or almond and let you know how it goes

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        January 19, 2016 at 10:27 pm

        I have made it with almond milk before but it just wasn't the same. But, let me know how it goes or if you try any changes...

        Reply
      • Jessica

        November 29, 2017 at 4:48 pm

        Soy would probably be good! I work at a coffee shop and noticed Soy froths way better than almond milk and I personally like the flavor of soy better! It has a more nutty flavor.

        Reply
        • Abeer Rizvi

          December 01, 2017 at 4:38 am

          Oh that's good to know. I need to try a soy froth next time!

          Reply
    6. Vanessa

      July 14, 2016 at 10:45 pm

      Your recipe sounds delightful! I was wondering if it was very spicy? I love my chai very spicy but can't seem to find a recipe spicy enough for me. How would I make it spicy?

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        July 15, 2016 at 12:59 am

        I think this chai perfectly spiced. Try it once and see if it's spicy enough for you and if not, add a little more of all the spices (about a 1/4 tsp of each spice) and let the chai cook again for a few minutes. Let me know how it goes

        Reply
    7. cathy

      January 04, 2017 at 12:30 am

      hi! i was wondering how many servings this makes?

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        March 24, 2017 at 9:48 pm

        Traditionally, small cups are used and I can easily get 3 servings but if you are using regular cups, you should get 2 servings.

        Reply
    8. Dawn

      September 24, 2017 at 6:13 am

      Looks delicious! What kind of frother do you use?

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        September 25, 2017 at 1:09 am

        I use the Ikea one. It's cheap and works great. I also have a Ninja coffee bar with a built-in frother and that works great too.

        Reply
    9. Nicky Ellis

      January 14, 2018 at 5:24 am

      I love this recipe! It doesn't seem hard to make, and chai tea is really comforting during cold season!5 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        January 15, 2018 at 2:31 pm

        I agree with you completely.

        Reply
    10. Kat

      February 01, 2018 at 2:49 am

      I love making this recipe because of how good my hands smell after grinding the spices :D. It got me wondering, would it be possible to use fresh ginger in something like this?5 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        February 05, 2018 at 4:27 pm

        hahaha! Yes, you can use fresh ginger but be careful because it can make the ginger flavor very strong and over-powering.

        Reply
    11. Colleen

      February 24, 2018 at 7:25 pm

      Made this tonight. It was amazing! So much flavour. It will be hard to go back to other chai teas or lattes now!5 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        March 06, 2018 at 12:11 am

        Yay! That's wonderful.

        Reply
    12. Sree

      April 11, 2018 at 5:06 pm

      Hey I'm writing this comment while sipping the chai filled with aromas... It lighted up my evening... Thanks for the idea of your husband to boil all the ingredients together... Infact all these days to make a masala chai we used to add ginger, cardamom, cinnamon but never added cloves... Loved the fusion... I can actually feel all the spices triggering... And yes! whole milk and sugar are the royal ingredients... Lol... Forget the fat contents for this cup of happiness... Once again Happy brewing this lovely chai... Namaste!4 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        April 12, 2018 at 12:31 am

        My husband would be so happy to hear that. So HAPPY to hear you liked this chai!

        Reply
    13. Vinis

      February 19, 2019 at 1:57 am

      Just loved this chai. Look so tempting. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    4.75 from 4 votes

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    Hello, I'm Abeer Rizvi, the author and founder of CakeWhiz.com—a cherished dessert blog dedicated to baking, cake decorating, doctored cake mix recipes, and all things sweet. As a skilled food writer, baker, recipe developer, and cake decorator, I take pride in wearing multiple hats.

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