The 20 Best Chai Recipes

1. RAILWAY CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• ½ cup whole milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger.
• 2 green cardamoms.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 1 tablespoon jaggery or cane sugar.

Place water, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add sugar and simmer 5 to 7 minutes.

Add tea and milk, bring to a boil then turn heat to low and simmer for 1 minute.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug.

2. DARJEELING FALL CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1⁄2 cup whole milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea)(Autumn pick).
• 4 green cardamom pods.
• 1 black cardamom pods.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 2 whole cloves.
• 1 star anise.
• Cane sugar to taste.

Place the water, cinnamon and sugar in a small saucepan and turn to high heat.  Add cardamom, star anise, and cloves to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low once water has been boiling for 5 minutes. Simmer the mixture until it becomes aromatic, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and add the tea bags and let steep 5 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Fill you mug half way with the tea, leave room to add the milk.

Meanwhile place milk in a separate saucepan and bring to a boil and pour it into the mug containing the tea.

3. SIMPLY CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 cup whole milk.
• A black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 2 green cardamom cloves 1 clove.
• 3 peppercorns.
• Cane sugar to taste.

Place the water in a small saucepan, and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add sugar and tea and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add milk and bring mixture to a boil, but be careful and don’t let it boil over.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug.

4. FROTHY FENNEL CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 cup whole milk.
• A black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 cinnamon sticks.
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds.
• 2 blades mace.
• 4 green cardamom cloves.
• 6 whole black peppercorns.
• Cane sugar to taste.

Place the water in a small saucepan, and add cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel, cloves and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add sugar, mace and tea and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes.

In a separate saucepan add milk and bring mixture to a boil, but be careful and don’t let it boil over. Take a ladle and scoop the milk and pour back into the pot by holding the ladle at a distance in order to add air to the milk.  This will cause the milk to become frothy and airy.

Strain chai through a fine strainer and add to saucepan containing the milk.  Pour drink into a mug and add sugar to sweeten your drink.

5. SPICY ORANGE CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 cup whole milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• A dried orange peel.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 2 berries whole allspice.
• 4 green cardamom cloves.
• 4 whole black peppercorns.
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

Place the water in a small saucepan, add cinnamon, orange, allspice, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add tea and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Add milk to the saucepan and bring mixture to a boil, but be careful and don’t let it boil over.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Add the desired amount of brown sugar to the mug and stir.

6. SOOTHING FENNEL CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• ½ cup whole milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds.
• 4 green cardamom cloves.
• Honey to taste.

Place the water and milk in a small saucepan, and add fennel, sugar and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add teabag and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Add the desired amount of honey to the mug and stir.

7. GINGER HONEY CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1⁄2 cup milk.
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, unpeeled and grated.
• 2 green cardamom pods.
• 4” lemongrass blade.
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• Cane sugar to taste.

Place the water, ginger, lemongrass and cardamom in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add teabag and milk, let simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug and add your sweetener.

8. SWEET SPICY CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1⁄2 cup milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 dried orange peels.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 1 mace.
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated.
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns.
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
• 2 tablespoons honey.

Place the water, milk, orange, cinnamon, mace, peppercorn and cardamom in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add teabag and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug and add honey.

9. VERY VANILLA CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 cup whole milk.
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped.
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns.
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar.

Place the water, milk, peppercorn and cardamom in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add vanilla and teabag and simmer 5 to 7 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Add agave nectar.

10. SOOTHING TURMERIC CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 cup whole milk.
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• 1⁄2 cup red grapes, sliced.
• 1 tablespoon turmeric.
• 4 fresh ginger, peeled and sliced.
• 1⁄2 teaspoon amchoor (mango powder), (optional).
• Cane sugar to taste.

Place the water, milk, grapes, turmeric, amchoor, and ginger in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add sugar and simmer 5 to 7 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Add cane sugar to sweeten.

11. MINT (PUDINA) CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 tablespoons of milk.
• 3 sprigs of mint.
• Honey to taste.

Wash pudina and cut off the muddy bottoms but keeps the stems.  Bring water and milk to a boil in a pot, and add pudina.

Boil for 2 min then add tea and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Strain and add honey.

12. LIGHT CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 cup instant non-fat dry milk powder.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• A black tea bag.
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger.
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves.
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
• Sugar to taste.

Place the water in a small saucepan, and add ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes. Whisk in sugar and milk powder and simmer the mixture over low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug.

13. SPICED CHAI LATTE (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 cup milk.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger.
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves.
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
• Maple syrup to taste.

Place the water in a small pot, and add ginger and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer another 5 minutes.

In a separate pot bring milk and sugar to a boil.

Add the tea to the milk and strain while adding it to the first pot.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug and add the desired amount of maple syrup. Add the whipped cream to the top and serve.

14. KASHMIRI PINK CHAI (SALT TEA) (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• Kashmiri Tea Leaves or Pure Green Tea Leaves as a substitute.
• ½ cup of whole milk.
• ¼ or ½ bicarbonate of soda.
• 2 green cardamom pods.
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt.

Garnish: 1-2 teaspoon of crushed pistachios.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil; add 2 tsp of tea and boil for 2 minutes.

Add bicarbonate and whisk vigorously for about 10 seconds.  You should achieve a bright pinkish red color.  Add the cardamom and milk to the pot.  Simmer for 2 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug and add the desired amount of salt. Add the crushed pistachios to the top and serve.

Considering Kashmir has very cold winters, “noon chai”.  Salt is always added instead of a sweet sugar.  Kashmiri tealeaves are hard to find so you can use pure green tealeaves instead.  People assume that the tea gets it color from adding saffron but there is no saffron added to this tea, the color is from the bicarbonate. 

15. ICED CHAI LATTE (Makes 4 Cups)

• 2 1/2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 cups milk, (cold).
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper.

Bring water to a boil. Add spices and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Remove the pot from the heat and add the tea bag and honey and stir until the honey is dissolved.

Allow the pot to cool a bit and then cover and refrigerate until cold.

Add 2 cups of milk into a pitcher and stir in the cold tea.  Pour into glasses over ice.

16. CHOCOLATE-SPICED CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups milk.
• 1 black tea bag (2 tsp. open tea).
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.
• 2 tablespoons of good drinking chocolate.
• 1 handful of marshmallows.

Place the milk, tea bags, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a pot. Stir over medium heat until heated through and chocolate is dissolved. Pour milk mixture over a strainer into mugs.  Add drinking chocolate to the mug and stir while it dissolves.

Place marshmallows on the top of the mugs.

17. COCONUT COLD CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• Water (1 cup).
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1 cup chilled coconut milk.
• 2 green cardamoms.
• 1 mace pod.
• 1 clove.
• Honey to taste.

Bring water to a boil in a pot.  Add cardamom, mace, clove and teabag. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add honey and allow the pot to cool a bit and then cover and refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile crush ice in a blender and pour ice into a tall glass.

Fill glass half way with the tea and add the chilled coconut milk.

18. ALMOND BUTTER CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 1/2 cup almond milk.
• ½ teaspoon almond butter.
• 1 star anise.
• 1 clove.
• Honey to taste.

Bring water to a boil in a pot.  Add the star anise, clove and teabag to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile add the almond butter to the bottom of the tea mug.

Fill glass half way with the tea and add the almond milk.  Add honey to sweeten your drink.

19. TURMERIC MILK (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups milk.
• ½ teaspoon turmeric.
• Honey to taste.

Bring milk to a boil in a pot.  Add turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile add the honey to the bottom of the tea mug.

Pour tea into the mug and serve.

20. AJWAIN CHAI (Makes 2 Cups)

• 2 cups water.
• 1 black tea bag (1 tsp. open tea).
• 2 tablespoons ajwain seeds.
• 4 black cardamom cloves.
• Ghee to taste.

Place the water and milk in a small saucepan, and add ajwain, sugar and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Strain chai through a fine strainer into a mug. Add the desired amount of ghee to the mug and stir.