Make your own creamy, flavorful homemade chai tea latte with this easy recipe. Customize the spices to your liking and enjoy a cozy, affordable treat that’s better than the coffee shop version.
If you’re a fan of chai tea lattes but don’t want to leave the house to satisfy your craving, I’ve got great news for you: you can make a delicious homemade chai tea latte right in your own kitchen! My husband and I used to treat ourselves to these indulgent drinks at our favorite bookstore, where we’d sip them while relaxing with a good book. But we always had a few “buts” about the drinks. They were either too sweet, not sweet enough, or the spice ratio was off, and we’d end up tinkering with cream, sugar, and milk at the counter to get it just right.
That’s when I realized: we could make a homemade chai tea latte that’s customized to our exact preferences, and it would be so much easier and more affordable than constantly heading out to the coffee shop. No expensive gadgets needed—just a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. If you’re not someone who wants to invest in a bunch of coffee equipment, this recipe is perfect for you!
So, what exactly makes a chai latte so special? Imagine indulging in a rich, creamy, and flavorful drink. A The first sip is a delightful blend of smooth, frothy milk, with just the right amount of sweetness, followed by the comforting warmth of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and a few others. It's soothing, yet invigorating, with the perfect balance of creamy richness and aromatic spices. It's the kind of drink that feels both luxurious and cozy, whether you're sipping it on a chilly afternoon or winding down after a long day.
Now, instead of making a special trip to get our chai, my husband and I enjoy cozy homemade chai tea lattes right at home. Whether we’re curled up watching a movie or reading a book, it’s the perfect drink to make the moment feel even more special. The best part? It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, it tastes better than any coffee shop version (thanks to our custom spice blend), and it costs a fraction of what we used to spend. After trying many recipes, I’ve finally found the one that hits all the right notes, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups milk or half n half
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 vanilla bean, split in half and beans scraped out
5-7 peppercorns
½ - 1 teaspoon cardamom
¼ - ½ teaspoon nutmeg, allspice, ground ginger, each
3-5 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 cups of black tea
How To Make Homemade Chai Tea Latte
Steep the tea, making it as strong as you like, using whichever tea you prefer.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk (or half n half) cinnamon stick (you can use ground cinnamon instead), vanilla bean, peppercorns, cardamom (I could only find the ground cardamom, you can use the cardamom pods), ground ginger, allspice and nutmeg. I really recommend using whole nutmeg, that you have to grate, instead of ground nutmeg, because it makes a HUGE difference in taste.
You can also use vanilla extract or ground cinnamon, instead of the whole spices. You can also adjust the flavors of the drink by adding more or less of an ingredient, or omitting some that you don't like. That's the beauty of making this at home, that you can adjust it to YOUR personal preference and make it perfect.
Add the brown sugar, as much as you like. Keep in mind that the milk will be much stronger in flavor, but will balance out when you add it to the tea.
Bring the milk to a simmer, turn it off and let it steep for about 5 minutes. Strain the milk through a fine mesh sieve. 
Froth up the milk with the milk frother. 
The milk frother is a tiny, magical machine. It's battery operated and can be very easily stored. I keep it in a drawer with all my other small kitchen tools. You can find one anywhere from $5-$20. It makes all the difference in making your mundane drink fancy with a beautiful and delicate foam gracing the top of your beverage. You can check out the one I have in my Store.
Pour the milk into the tea. 
Spoon some of the foam on top of the chai.
Homemade Chai Tea Latte
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk or half n half
- 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
- 1 vanilla bean split in half and beans scraped out
- 5-7 peppercorns
- ½ - 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon nutmeg allspice, ground ginger, each
- 3-5 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cups of black tea
Instructions
- Steep the tea, making it as strong as you like, using whichever tea you prefer.
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk (or half n half) cinnamon stick (you can use ground cinnamon instead), vanilla bean, peppercorns, cardamom (I could only friend the ground cardamom, you can use the cardamom pods), ground ginger, allspice and nutmeg. I really recommend using whole nutmeg, that you have to grate, instead of ground nutmeg, because it makes a HUGE difference in taste. Add the brown sugar, as much as you like.
- Bring the milk to a simmer, turn it off and let it steep for about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the milk will be much stronger in flavor, but will balance out when you add it to the tea.
- Strain the milk through a fine mesh sieve.
- Froth up the milk with the milk frother.
- Pour the milk into the tea. Spoon some of the foam on top of the Chai Tea Latte.
If you love cardamom as much as I do, the best place to buy is Penzeys.com or one of their retail stores. Most of the cardamom that I’ve found at grocery stores is stale. It’s best to buy the seeds and grind it in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. The fragrance is unforgettable!
What kind of milk do you use? Whole, 2% or some other variety? I watch my calories but don't want to miss out on taste!
I usually do whole milk, but you can use whatever you prefer.
I made this today it turned out great! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe
Do you add the peppercorns to the pot with the milk before starting to simmer?
Yes, Amanda. Add the peppercorn to the milk along with the rest of the spices.
I had no idea there was such a thing as a milk frother! You may have just changed my life 🙂 I have your chai recipe simmering on the stove right now and it smells delicious.
hi everyone! from trying this recipe, ive learned the hard way lol dont boil the milk or it will not froth! Bring to simmer take off to steap. Also half and half seemed to not froth for me. Warm milk is the key for frothing!
Thanks for the great recipe and detailed instructions! I tried it out this afternoon and my mom and I agree it's better than the too-sweet coffee shop varieties.
That's great, Haley! One of the best things about cooking at home is that you can make it exactly how you like and with the best ingredients:). Thanks for taking the time to write.
Hello- Can the step with the milk(or 1/2 & 1/2) be made ahead in a bigger batch and refrigerated for a week or 2?
Thanks
I think that should be just fine, Jim. Just make sure to reheat it later before adding to the tea.
Looks fantastic...can't wait to try it!
What a beautiful Chai Tea Latte! I love making warming drinks for the morning!
Absolutely! Such a great start to a new day:). And so easy too.
Yum, this looks sooo delicious! Awesome photography 🙂
Thank you, Dina.
What is cardamom? And where can I get it?
Cardamom is a spice and you can find it in any grocery store with other spices. It is sold either whole or ground.
oh I love Chai Tea Latte ( it doesn't have as much caffeine as coffee) I always buy it at Panera Bread now I can make it at home Thank you Olga=)
You're welcome, AnnaHanna! Enjoy:).
This looks great and easy to make! I've been trying to make the perfect white chocolate mocha at home. Any tips?
I don't have a recipe for that yet, although I'll be trying out different recipes:).
This is one of my favorite drinks and I'm so happy that I can finally make it at home- the way I like it! Thank you so much, you're definitely a chef genius in your own right! 🙂
That's awesome, Anna! I'd love to hear what you think once you try it.