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Chai Concentrate Recipe

Bernice Baran
Easy homemade chai concentrate recipe to make your kitchen feel like your favorite coffee shop!
4.71 from 34 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 42 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot

Ingredients
  

  • 12 green cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp whole cloves
  • 2 tsp whole allspice
  • 1/2 tsp peppercorns
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 5 cinnamon sticks chopped in half
  • 4 inches dried ginger root roughly chopped
  • 1 whole nutmeg chopped
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 vanilla bean split and scraped (put the whole thing in)
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 2 bags black tea

Instructions
 

  • Place the cardamom pods, cloves, allspice, peppercorns and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle and crush them until the cardamom pods crack open and the rest look somewhat crushed (or you can also place them on a cutting board and smash them with the side of a large knife).
    12 green cardamom pods, 1 tsp whole cloves, 2 tsp whole allspice, 1/2 tsp peppercorns, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • Dump the crushed spices, cinnamon sticks, ginger and nutmeg in a bottom heavy pot. Over low-medium heat, toast the spice for 2 minutes. Add the water and turn the heat up to high to bring the water to a boil.
    5 cinnamon sticks, 4 inches dried ginger root, 1 whole nutmeg, 3 cups water
  • Remove the pot from the heat, add in the star anise, vanilla bean, orange zest and brown sugar and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the water to steep for 20-30 minutes. You can taste it and if you want it spicier, let it steep for another 10 minutes or so.
    2 star anise, 1 vanilla bean, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • Once you like the spice level, bring the water back to a boil and then remove it from the heat again. Add the two tea bags, cover with a lid and let it steep for another 5-10 minutes (if it steeps longer, the tea will get bitter).
    2 bags black tea
  • Strain the water into a clean jar and use as desired. I recommend equal parts concentrate and milk.

Notes

If you use fresh ginger instead of dried, I would use just 2 inches and add it in after the water has already boiled and is only steeping.
If you use vanilla extract, use 2 tsp and add it at the end after you strain everything out. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 10gSodium: 10mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7g
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