There's no better antidote to the blues and sniffles than a hot cup of Indian masala chai! Learn how to make an authentic spiced masala chai (tea) recipe by brewing loose leaf black tea with water, milk and chai masala. This delicious beverage has a perfect balance of flavors and tastes way better than tea made with store bought concentrate. And it takes just five minutes to make!
A hot cup of tea is one of life's simple pleasures. And if you want to intensify that pleasure, make yourself a cup of masala tea.
The tea is perfectly spiced with the warmth of spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom from a homemade chai masala that takes all of five minutes to put together.
Chai can be had any time, but it makes a particularly potent wake-up drink. Or serve it for an afternoon pick-me-up. Don't forget to add a side of vegan nankhatai cookies or vegetable pakora!
And if you love drinks that warm and soothe, be sure to also check out our turmeric ginger tea and our matcha green tea latte.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this masala chai recipe
- It's comfort in a cup! Chai is truly the ultimate cozy drink, and there's nothing better than sipping a hot cup and letting the warmth infuse through you.
- It is easy to make. There's a particular technique to making masala chai, and it doesn't involve steeping a tea bag in a cup of hot water and spooning in some concentrate. But it's an easy technique nonetheless and you will master it in no time.
- It is good for you. The spices are not just there for their yumminess. They are good for you and even medicinal, particularly when it's cold outside or when you have the sniffles.
- It is everyone friendly. No matter where you fall on the diet spectrum, you can have a cup of masala chai. The chai itself is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and vegan. You can make it with milk if you're not vegan, or with any non-dairy milk, although you should choose a non dairy milk that's thick and creamy, like soy milk or oat milk. My choice is a vegan creamer, because it has the perfect texture. It is also low carb.
Ingredients and substitutions
- 2 cups filtered water. It's best not to use water straight from the faucet because stuff like chlorine can add a weird taste to the tea.
- 1 teaspoon chai masala. This is my homemade recipe and it can't get any easier. You can also buy chai masala powder at Indian stores, but nothing beats the flavor of fresh-ground whole spices. Use more or less chai masala depending on how strong you want the spices to be. If you don't have the chai masala, you can make a quick version by placing 2 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves, half a star anise, and a ½ inch stick of cinnamon in a mortar and pestle. Crush them coarsely and add to the water along with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.
- 3 teaspoons loose leaf black tea. You can use any (unflavored) black tea you have, although if you want a true Indian experience use a strong Indian tea, like Brooke Bond Red Label (I've included an Amazon link in the recipe, but you'll likely get a better deal at the Indian grocery store). Don't use any fancy teas here--an Assam tea is best for masala chai -- although a Darjeeling tea will do at a pinch. I like my chai on the strong side, but you can use less tea if you want a lighter tea. Don't use tea bags, please, for the best flavor-- you need to boil the tea leaves with the water for an authentic chai. If you don't have loose leaf tea just cut open three tea bags.
- 4 teaspoons sugar. How sweet you want your tea is a matter of personal preference, but a masala chai should be sweet. If you prefer it less sweet, just add less sugar. If you're watching your sugar, use a sweetener, including stevia or erythritol.
- 2 tablespoons vegan creamer. Use one that's unflavored because you already have all the flavor from the spices. You can also use a thick milk, like soy milk or oat milk. If you are low carb, use a vegan whipping cream, like this Silk heavy whipping cream, which has zero carbs. How much creamer to add is also a matter of personal preference so use more or less depending on how creamy you want the chai to be.
How to make masala chai
- Boil water. Do this in a small saucepan with a lid, not in a kettle.
- Add chai masala and sugar. Add the chai masala and sugar or sweetener to the water and let it come to a rolling boil.
My saucepan, after years of brewing tea, has acquired a nice patina.- Sugar and chai masala added to saucepan with water.
- Add tea leaves. As soon as the water boils, add tea leaves to it. Let the tea continue to boil for another minute so the tea infuses thoroughly and becomes quite dark.
- Add the creamer. Turn off the heat as soon as you add the creamer. Place the lid over the tea to let the tea and the spices continue to infuse for another 3-4 minutes.
- Strain the tea. Strain the tea directly into cups. Drink hot!
Variations
- Some cooks add fresh ginger to the masala chai. We already have dried ginger in the chai masala, but if you like a pop of fresh ginger flavor add a teaspoon of grated ginger to the tea along with the chai masala.
- If you are serving the tea to people who like different amounts of sugar or sweetener in their tea, don't add the sugar with the chai masala. Instead add it to the cups before you strain the tea into them and stir before serving.
- To make a milk tea, one with lots of milk, the way some Indians like it, use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup water. Bring them to a boil together. For a dairy-free tea use oat milk or soy milk. If you are using creamer, use no more than ¼ cup creamer and 1 ¾ cups water.
How to serve masala tea
- Serve the chai in the morning with a cookie (or biscuit, as it would be called in India), or with a layered puff-pastry biscuit called khari biscuit (available in Indian stores). Chai served with glucose biscuits (an Indian cookie found at Indian grocery stores) is a classic.
- In the afternoon, serve chai with vegetable pakora or any savory snack like a samosa or kachori.
Recipe FAQs
Black tea is packed with antioxidants, and so are chai masala spices. The oxidation process that black tea goes through creates powerful antioxidants that are different from those found in green tea, but just as beneficial. They help fight free radicals, reducing the risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Chai masala spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, peppercorns and star anise also have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and sugar- and cholesterol-lowering properties and they can improve respiratory health.
A chai latte is just black tea with frothy milk poured on top, and it may or may not have spices added to it. Some chai tea latte drinks add seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice. A chai tea latte (created and marketed by Starbucks) is simply a variation on a masala chai, but it's not a true masala chai, at least not the way the beverage has been traditionally made in India. Finally, Starbucks, can we please stop calling it a "chai tea"? Chai means tea in Hindi, so saying "chai tea" is like saying "tea tea." Cute when a two-year-old says it, but an adult? Definitely not.
You can drink masala chai in the morning -- it makes a great wake-up beverage. I have been drinking tea first thing in the morning for as long as I can remember, and I am never fully awake until after I've had my cup of chai.
In many Indian homes you'd be served a cup of tea in the early afternoon, much as the Brits would have high tea or afternoon tea, with savory snacks or cookies.
This is also the drink usually offered to guests when they drop in (except in south India where coffee is the beverage of choice).
Black tea has caffeine, although in smaller amounts than coffee, so it's best not to overdo the amount of chai you drink in a day. Around three cups a day would be a safe spot. If you are sensitive to caffeine, don't drink chai in the late afternoons or evenings unless you are using decaf tea leaves.
It's always best to make chai fresh each time you want to drink it, and it tastes better when it's freshly made and hot. If you have some leftover chai, you can reheat it in the microwave within an hour of making. Don't keep chai standing around for too long once you've made it. You can store chai masala for several months.
More Indian vegan drinks
Masala Chai Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 teaspoon chai masala (if you don't have chai masala, you can make a quick version by placing 2 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves, half a star anise, and a ½ inch stick of cinnamon in a mortar and pestle. Crush them coarsely and add to the water along with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.)
- 4 teaspoons sugar (use less or more depending on how sweet you want your chai. See FAQs for sugar-free options)
- 3 teaspoons loose leaf black tea (use less if you like your tea light)
- 2 tablespoons vegan creamer (or vegan whipping cream or oat milk or soy milk)
Instructions
- Place water in saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high.
- Add chai masala and sugar. Add the chai masala and sugar or sweetener to the water and let it come to a rolling boil.
- Add tea leaves. As soon as the water boils, add the tea leaves to it. Let the tea continue to boil for another minute so the tea infuses thoroughly and becomes quite dark.
- Add the creamer. Turn off the heat as soon as you add the creamer. Place the lid over the tea to let the tea and the spices continue to infuse for another 3-4 minutes.
- Strain the tea. Strain the tea into cups. Drink hot!
Recipe notes
- Nutrition information is based on the use of vegan whipping cream. It will vary if you use another creamer or a non-dairy milk. Almond milk will add the least calories.
- Black tea has caffeine, although in smaller amounts than coffee, so it's best not to overdo the amount of chai you drink in a day. Around three cups a day would be a safe spot. If you are sensitive to caffeine, don't drink chai in the late afternoons or evenings unless you are using decaf tea leaves.
- It's always best to make chai fresh each time you want to drink it, and it tastes better when it's freshly made and hot. If you have some leftover chai, you can reheat it in the microwave within an hour of making. Don't keep chai standing around for too long once you've made it. You can store chai masala for several months.
Debbie Knight
Yummy, love this chai
Vaishali
Awesome, so happy to hear!
vegan radha
Trying this first time with cashew milk today, tastes pretty good ! Just gotta play around with the spices little more. Will be trying more vegan recipes from your site, bookmarked tons 🙂
Ibs
Hi, Thank you, but I think the very idea about the recipe is the masala part. So if I can suggest something, I would replace the "chai masala" parts with an explanatory bracket of: (2 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves, half a star anise, and a ½ inch stick of cinnamon in a mortar and pestle. Crush them coarsely and add to the water along with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.). Like you have, just more prominent. Being a long-time sugar reducer, I also find it - when I have it outside the home, excellent with soy or oat milk.
Vaishali
Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I already had an explanation in the "variations" section but I agree it might not have been clear so I've added it in the recipe card and also in the "ingredients" section now. 🙂