Homemade Chai Spice Mix
Would you believe me if I told you I only just started to enjoy chai tea this year? Yup, way late on the bandwagon. I was first introduced to chai in college by way of Starbucks , but (I’m sure I’m about to offend some of you here), it was so cloyingly sweet and overwhelmingly cinnamon-y that I could barely drink it. From then on, I steered clear of chai, assuming that it always comes pre-sweetened and flat in flavor.
Until this fall! I bought a tea variety pack and decided to give the chai tea a shot, and it was surprisingly delicious, not at all like the saccharine beverage I had many moons prior. This was warming and had multiple layers of bold flavor. My taste buds threw a party. Just a tad spicy, sweet from the spices instead of sugar, and so well-balanced. I couldn’t wait to have me another! Only thing is, the caffeine in black tea (and coffee!) makes my head all wonky, so I wanted to recreate a spice blend that captured the boldness of chai, tea and coffee optional.
I tinkered with lots of different spices and spice ratios, and convened friends to decide on the winning combination. They all gladly partook in multiple rounds of tastings and we all ended up happily chai-drunk that night. The result is this fabulous 6-ingredient mix that I’m now mixing into everything, and I’m delighted to share it with you. You can even pack the mix into a cute spice jar and give it as a super sweet holiday gift!
Recipe highlights
Way, way better than packaged, pre-sweetened chai mixes
Comforting and warming
Packed with nutritious spices like ginger, cardamom and cinnamon
Makes a great DYI gift!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Tag your photo #eatwelleatreal on Instagram. I’m excited to see your kitchen creations!
Homemade Chai Spice Mix
Recipe Notes: This is a super simple recipe with just 6 ingredients! The fresher your spices, the more fragrant and flavorful your chai mix. You can use this lovely blend to make a warming cup of chai tea or a chai latte, sprinkle onto your oatmeal or granola, or use it in your homemade baked goods like cookies, muffins or scones. Oh, chai spiced pancakes are always a good idea. So versatile!
For a chai-spiced latte: Warm a cup of your preferred milk (almond or macadamia milk are my faves for chai!). Put 1 to 1 ½ tsp of the spice mix to a mug. Add a couple teaspoons of the milk to the mug and stir well to loosen the spices. Then add the rest of the milk and stir, and add your preferred sweetener.
For a chai-spiced tea or a dirty chai coffee: Use the same method as above, but substitute 2/3’s of the milk with brewed black tea or coffee.
Option to make any of the above with a blender! No need to stir the spices with a bit of milk first.
Makes about 4oz of spice mix (or 20 1-tsp servings)
Ingredients
2 Tbs + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
5 tsp ground ginger
3 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp ground cloves
Directions
Combine all the spices together in a spice jar and shake well. Make sure there aren’t any clumps. Store at room temperature or in the fridge.