Authentic Homemade Indian Chai

A truly authentic Indian Chai tea recipe, as made for me by my lovely Indian mother-in-law. Tea the Indian way is rich and milky, deeply coloured, steaming hot, flavourful and sweet. You’ll love this homemade masala chai from scratch with warming spices like whole cinnamon.

homemade chai tea in a pot with indian spices

The pale tea that North Americans typically drink is nothing close to the tea drunk by millions of Indians.

Indian tea, called chai in hindi, is rich and milky, deeply coloured, steaming hot, and boldly flavourful with a definite need for sugar to offset the toasty bitterness.

The word chai just means tea. Chai = tea.

If you ask for chai tea in India, you’re asking for tea tea and your dorky adorableness will get laughed at a little bit.

Masala chai, on the other hand, is what you’re probably aiming for – it’s the spiced version. Masala = spices. When we think of chai in North America, we are probably thinking of masala chai.

If you visit India, you’ll see chai-wallas on every corner, calling out “chai! chai! chai!” and pouring steaming tea from a height (called “pulling” the chai), allowing it to cool a bit as it streams into little metal cups.

What is Chai Tea Made of?

What I love so much about it is that the tea is actually brewed in milk and water in a saucepan on the stove.

Because of this, it stays piping hot until ready to be drunk, rather than cooling down as it steeps in a teapot.

Authentic chai tea made from:

  • Water
  • Milk (in a ratio of roughly one part milk to two parts water
  • Lots of tea leaves or tea bags for strong infusion
  • Plenty of sugar
  • Optional addition of spices
adding milk to hot water

How to Make Chai Tea at Home

Despite what Starbucks would have you believe with their chai tea lattes, the real homemade chai tea recipe doesn’t start with a syrup and it’s not super heavily spiced.  

A “recipe” is not really necessary; it’s really the method that matters.

The most important key for flavour is to make really good strong tea without letting it get bitter from oversteeping.

adding the black tea to the milk mixture

Here’s how to make really good cup of chai:

  1. Bring water, milk and spices to a simmer in a small saucepan on the stove (adding the spices from the start gives them plenty of time to infuse).
  2. Reduce heat and add in black tea to brew.
  3. Wait for tea to steep (don’t boil it at this point or the tea releases too many tannins – those bitter compounds that make your mouth feel dry).
  4. Strain the warm spiced mixture into a mug; this will hold back the whole spices and tea leaves.
  5. Stir sugar into your chai and sweeten to taste.

Scale the recipe measurements below to the number of servings you need.

mixing the black tea and milk

Chai Tea Spices

If you love the flavour of North American coffee-shop chai lattes, you can buy tea masala at any Indian grocer, which is just a ground mixes of sweet spices.

I personally find those spice blends usually taste dusty. I prefer to infuse my chai with fresh whole spices instead.

Some of the most common spices (masala) used in Indian chai include:

  • cinnamon sticks (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)
  • fresh ginger
  • whole cloves
  • green cardamom pods (or a pinch of ground cardamom)
  • nutmeg
  • allspice
  • star anise
  • fennel
  • black peppercorns

My personal favourite spice blend includes fresh ginger root, whole cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and sometimes fennel. You can use any or all of them to make your own flavour.

I typically just toss in a few cardamom pods and fennel seeds. Warming and delicious.

If you don’t have whole spices, you can use ground. Start with a bit and work up in quantity, as the intensity will vary.

The spices for Homemade Indian Chai

What Tea Should You Use to Make Chai Tea at Home?

I love loose-leaf black tea leaves like assam or darjeeling, and the flavour is incredible in spiced tea.

  • This Tata Black Tea is the brand of premium Assam loose leaf tea my mother-in-law brings mr from India (and I can also find it at our Indian grocery stores).
  • For the most part at home, however, I use whatever black tea I can easily find at the grocery store. For me, that is basic Tetley Orange Pekoe.
  • If you are avoiding caffeine, you could make it with decaf black tea (but I find the flavour is super lacklustre) or a rooibos tea.

How to Sweeten Chai

For authenticity, it should be generously sweetened. 

I’ve seen recipes call for 1 tbsp sugar per cup. I don’t measure, but I probably use 1 1/2-2 tsp in a coffee mug. It should have a similar sweetness to hot cocoa.

Just avert your eyes and keep on spooning.

(It won’t have more sugar than a Starbucks anyway, you’ll just be aware instead of ignorant.)

To sweeten chai, you can use:

  • Plain granulated white sugar
  • Natural cane sugar (my fav, because it adds rich flavour)
  • Maple syrup or honey (not my preference, because those flavours are bolder and don’t belong)
indian chai tea from scratch in a pot with whole cinnamon

What Milk Should I Use for Chai?

You have options here:

  • Plain whole cow’s milk is the authentic standard.
  • In parts of India where fresh milk isn’t as easily available, powdered whole milk is used instead. I really actually love the flavour of this, too, and the concentrated creamy milkiness it imparts. Try it if you ever get the chance.
  • If you don’t do dairy milk, you are welcome to use your favourite substitute, however I don’t personally like the flavour of most almond, soy, or coconut milk alternatives.
  • The only milk substitute that I enjoy the texture and flavour of is Earth’s Own Barista Oat Milk (that’s an Amazon link for a visual product reference but it appears they only sell it by the case).

Is Chai Tea High in Caffeine?

Yes! Chai tea is brewed strongly with lots of black tea. However coffee contains nearly twice the amount of caffeine in tea.

Furthermore, black tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid with therapeutic calming properties.

I am a Registered Dietitian and I actually take L-theanine as a supplement for stress and sleep.

Because of this compound, the overall caffeine feeling in chai is a less-aggressive buzz than a cup of chai coffee.

Keep in mind that the more tea bags you use, the longer you steep it, and the more you stir it all make for a higher-caffeine chai.

filtering the tea granules

Are There Health Benefits to Drinking Chai?

Wondering what chai tea can do for you or if it’s healthier than drinking coffee? Well, masala chai infused with spices may offer some impressive health benefits. Spices like black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove have shown biological activity in preventing disease.

There is good evidence to show that spices can reduce inflammation, and chronic inflammation is related to so many illnesses.

So drink up, chai lovers! Happy cozy-weather sipping. (And thanks, Amma, for all the tea and love.)

My Indian Husband’s Favorite Recipes:

Authentic Homemade Indian Chai

Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 1
Drinks
Indian
Keyword Authentic Homemade Indian Chai, Indian Masala Tea

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 oz water
  • 4 oz whole milk
  • granulated sugar to taste (about 2 heaped teaspoons per serving, traditionally)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of black tea empty out tea bags to make a tablespoon if you don’t buy loose leaves

Add any (or all) of the following:

  • 4 cardamom pods smashed with side of a knife
  • small piece of cinnamon stick
  • ¼ ” coin of fresh ginger
  • pinch of fennel seeds about 10 seeds

Instructions
 

  • Bring water and milk to a simmer with desired spices in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to lowest setting and add tea. Steep until tea takes on a deep, pinky-tan colour, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Strain into a cup and stir in sugar to taste.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 521mgFiber: 3gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1474IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Authentic Homemade Indian Chai, Indian Masala Tea

Last Updated on March 10, 2024 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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Karen
Karen
4 years ago

Will somebody please tell me what a “1/4″ coin of ginger” is? I am guessing it is a cut of the root 1/4″ thick, but how large a piece?

Courtney
Courtney
4 years ago

Hi! Could you potentially make a large batch of this, refrigerate, and reheat later? If so, how long do you think it’ll keep for? I’m excited to try this. Thanks!

Joesph
Joesph
4 years ago

Can I ask why the recipe starts with a story? Cause like a lot of online recipes do this, I don’t get it. Like people google a specific recipe and have to scroll down before they find the content they are looking for. I’m thankful here it’s relatively short here, but I honestly wish it wasn’t there. Don’t take this as an attack on you, but I honestly don’t care about all the fluff when I want to know a recipe, and I’m sure other people feel that way too. I hope you can take this as a criticism that can help your writing in future.

Not to say you have to be completely bland and matter of fact if you are looking to be creative, I think a tidbit or 2, some extra options when making the food, depending on the persons tastes, or anything else that doesn’t detract from the main recipe or point, can make it livelier and make it so the reader gets to know the chef and writer as well. For example binging with babish, a popular YouTube chef with a how to cook channel, entertains people with witty commentary while getting right to the recipe as well.

That being said, I appreciate that you have given me the means to try this wonderful tea at home. Thanks

Gabriela
Gabriela
5 years ago

Lol this article is awesome! I went to India a few years ago and remember how SWEET chai was. I actually drink yerba mate tea so it’s very differently prepared, and no, I never buy chai at Starbucks. If I can get my hands on some loose chai I’ll give it a go using this article. This a great take on what chai means. Cheers!

Dianne
Dianne
5 years ago

I really enjoy Chai tea, but don’t like the flavored brands. This authentic recipe is simply amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing it. As I don’t enjoy sugar in my tea I modified it to reflect that and just take the bitterness out of the black tea. This is by far the best cup of tea I have ever drunk. . . (i’m canadian Eh!)

Lisa McLean
Lisa McLean
5 years ago

Thanks so much! This is actually do-able. I just returned from my first trip to India. A guy would bring a cup of chai to my room every day at 9am and 11am. I’m hooked! I must have this every day! I’m so thankful for the measurements … I can’t do the “just add what you like” because I have no idea what I like yet. This is a great way to start. Our chai was always so HOT … it must be because they had it simmering on the stove downstairs. My husband’s in town buying the cardamom and ginger. Can’t wait!

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