I love a good hot chai, but my mom is the real chai queen of the family. Unfortunately, trying to recreate a cafe-style iced-soy-chai isn’t the easiest thing to do without using costly, pre-made concentrates from the store (many of which are not carried in our small rural towns.) Many recipes just call for steeping a bag of black chai tea and making a hot or cold latte out of it, which any chai tea aficionado knows is absolutely not comparable to the original.
So when I found the idea to create a homemade chai tea simple syrup online I was beside myself! We could have delicious, flavorful chai tea concentrate, made with our own ingredients, non-GMO sugars, and other fun flavors and sweeteners ready to go in the fridge anytime? Sign me up!
This concentrate can be combined with any kind of milk to make your favorite iteration of the famous chai tea latte, whether it be hot or cold, dairy or dairy-free, spicy or mild. The possibilities really are endless!
Using a good quality chai tea is key to fabulous flavor in this recipe. i would recommend a loose-leaf, high-quality black tea with whole herbs and spices; but you can absolutely try this with store-bought black chai tea bags. The first time I tried this concentrate I made it with Twinings, though Tazo was recommended, and it turned out great.
You can also use whatever type of sweetener you’d like to make this syrup, keeping in mind that the principles of any simple syrup will apply: granulated sugar will always be the most stable for storage, with other sweeteners coming in behind that. I used a combination of raw cane sugar and granulated cane sugar and got my desired result, which was a syrup that would store in the fridge for a week or so without crystallizing. You could also use maple syrup for a lovely cozy flavor, or honey for immunity support. Just remember that these may crystallize in the fridge which likely won’t affect the finished product, but might not mix up as well for cold drinks.
I would love to hear your take on this delicious homemade chai. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Recipe Card
Homemade Chai Concentrate
Description
This concentrate can be combined with any kind of milk to make your favorite iteration of the famous chai tea latte, whether it be hot or cold, dairy or dairy-free, spicy or mild. The possibilities really are endless!
Ingredients
Instructions
To Make The Concentrate
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in a large microwave-safe container, steep the tea bags in the boiling water. Leave for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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In a heavy-bottomed quart saucepan, add the sugar and cream of tartar and whisk together. Set aside.
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Squeeze the excess moisture from the tea bags and discard. Add the tea to the saucepan and heat on low-medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Remove the saucepan from the burner and whisk in additional spices and vanilla. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container for storage in the refrigerator.
To Make A 8oz Iced Chai Tea Latte
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In a large glass, combine 4 ounces of desired milk or substitute with four ounces of ice. Add 2-3 tablespoons of concentrate or until desired flavor is reached.
To Make A 8oz Hot Chai Tea Latte
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In a heat-safe container or mug, heat 4 ounces desired milk or substitute for 2 minutes in the microwave or stove, or steam with an espresso machine. Add 2 ounces of boiling water along with 2-3 tablespoons of concentrate or until desired flavor is reached.