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This Homemade Chai Tea Latte is made with a homemade chai spice blend (from scratch), can be made dairy-free and is lightly sweetened with maple syrup. It’s not only healthier than a store-bought chai latte but way tastier!
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With the colder weather here, there’s nothing I love more than enjoying a warm drink in the afternoon. Sometimes it’s a Golden Milk Latte Recipe, a Matcha Green Tea Latte recipe, but lately this Chai Tea Latte has been my go-to!
If you love cozy cafe drinks like Starbuck’s Chai Latte, this Homemade Chai Tea Latte will be your new favourite. It’s rich and creamy while still being light and comes together in less than 10 minutes.
As someone who has made countless chai recipes over the years, from Chai Latte Chia Pudding to Chai Overnight Oats, I’ve found that the key to the perfect latte is balancing the spices so the flavour is bold but not overpowering. This version uses simple pantry spices and oat milk (which can substituted for any milk) for a creamy, dairy-free latte that feels indulgent yet wholesome.
Recipe Highlights
- Easy to Make: Skip the coffee shop and whip up this chai tea latte in under 10 minutes at home. If you Starbucks-inspired drinks also try this Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- Healthier than Store-Bought: This recipe uses natural sweeteners and no artificial syrups or additives.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness, milk type, or spice intensity to your taste.
- Cost-Effective: Save money by making your favorite drink at home.
- Perfect for All Seasons: Enjoy it hot in winter or iced in summer for year-round enjoyment.
Key Ingredients
*This is a recipe overview. Find the full recipe and measurements below in the recipe card.
- Tea: you can use any type of black tea you like such as English breakfast or earl grey, or you can use oolong tea which has a smooth and creamy taste.
- Oat milk: I like oat milk because it has a creamy texture for a dairy-free option. Use any type of milk you like.
- Spices: the blend of spices used for the chai latte are cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg.
How To Make A Homemade Chai Tea Latte
Step 1: Heat the oat milk in a small pot on medium heat until it begins to bubble slightly.
Step 2: Add the spices and vanilla extract and gently whisk together to combine. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then remove it from the heat.
Step 3: Add the tea bags to the pot and let them steep for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Pour the chai lattes into mugs and top with some cinnamon. I also topped these ones with some dried rose petals.
How To Store and Serve
Store any leftover chai latte in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Jess’s Tips
- Steep the tea correctly: Use a strong tea like oolong, Darjeeling, or Assam and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. This gives a rich flavour without turning bitter.
- Choose creamy milk: Oat milk, coconut milk, or whole milk make the latte extra smooth and velvety. Avoid thin milks like skim milk, which can taste watery. Use leftover oat milk to make a batch of Snickers Overnight Oats.
- Sweeten to taste: Maple syrup or honey pair beautifully with the spices. Start with a small amount and adjust as needed.
- Simmer gently: Heat the milk and spices slowly to let the flavours develop. Avoid boiling, which can scorch the milk.
- Froth before serving: Use a frother or whisk to create that café-style foam on top. It makes the latte feel extra cozy and special.
- Make it iced: For a chilled version, let the tea cool completely, then pour it over ice and top with cold milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store-bought chai lattes tend to be loaded with sugar, but this homemade chai latte is healthy and refined sugar-free.
No, coffee is generally stronger than a chai latte. The average cup of coffee has about 100mg of caffeine, while the average cup of chai latte has about 50mg of caffeine.
Chai lattes are traditionally made with black tea like Assam or Darjeeling, which have a rich, bold flavour. I love using oolong tea in this recipe for its smooth, creamy taste that pairs beautifully with the warm spices.
Try These Chai Recipes Next!
If you tried this Homemade Chai Tea Latte or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
Homemade Chai Tea Latte
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Drink
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Homemade Chai Tea Latte is easy to make, cheaper than Starbucks and tastes way better!
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat milk
- 2 black tea bags (I use oolong tea)
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8th tsp ground allspice
- 1/8th tsp clove
- 1/8th tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- maple syrup to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oat milk on medium heat in a small pot, then add the spices and vanilla and mix together, bringing it to a slight boil.
- Remove from heat and add the teabags, letting steep for 2-3 minutes.
- Add maple syrup if you like for sweetness.
- Pour the chai latte into 2 cups and top with more cinnamon.
Notes
- Steep the tae for 3–5 minutes for a bold flavour.
- Use creamy milk like oat, coconut, or whole milk for a smooth texture.
- Sweeten with maple syrup or honey to taste.
- Froth before serving for a café-style finish.
- For an iced version, let cool, then pour over ice with cold milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 latte
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 6g
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
Absolutely love this Chai tea latte recipe,was just wondering if its possible to pre mix the the spices & store them? If so how much would you add at a time to the milk.
So happy you enjoyed it, Lianne! 🙂 You have definitely premix the spices and store them. I’d say you would need about 1 tsp of the prepared mix per serving.
Can you make this with other kinds of milk besides cashew milk?
Hi Abi, you can use any type of milk you like! either plant-based milk or dairy milk!
I’m sure this is a dumb question, but how do I get the chai mix out of my cup before drinking? Or do I put the chai mix into a tea ball strainer holder?
Hi Kathy, if you are talking about the bits & pieces of spices in the chai mix you can simply use a strainer to strain those out of the mix before serving. If you are using a loose leaf chai tea, you can use a tea ball strainer or mesh tea bags to steep the tea and then discard of the leave after you’re done steeping the tea!
I like this recipe…. One of my favorite beverage
I like how simple and amazing is the recipe! Thank you for sharing ?
Thank you very much Salome!
I’ve always wanted to know how to make my own Chai tea! And I’m so glad I have this recipe now 🙂 Thanks, Jess!!
Thanks so much Lucy!
Love this latte variation! So much healthier than a normal latte made with diary milk and coffee – I drink way too much coffee, so I can’t wait to try this latte!
Thanks Alyssa! It’s a great alternative to coffee that’s still energizing!
This latte looks SO cozy and delicious! Chai is my favorite thing to get when I’m at coffee shops, but I need to step up my latte game at home! 😉
Thanks so much Sarah! And you should definitely try making this one at home I promise it’s even better than anything from a coffee shop and all natural ingredients! (and even homemade cashew milk 🙂 )
What a delicious comforting drink Jess ! I love adaptogens! Dee xx
Thank you Dee! And same here! No better way to deal with stress!