Make Iced Chai Lattes at Home! This simple method uses cold-soaked chai, honey syrup, and milk. Make a big batch and enjoy all week long!
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Last summer I was all about cold brew coffee. I’m obsessed with frozen chai lattes this summer. And my friends, I am deeply obsessed.
When I switched from water glasses to pint glasses, I knew I was in trouble.
I take a fairly simple, no-fuss approach to my iced chai—minimum fuss for maximum payoff.
How to make the best Iced Chai Latte
I like to let my tea cool for at least a few hours, although sometimes I let it sit all day. The beauty of cold steeping is that the tea stays soft and smooth even if you forget about it for a while. (If you need your iced chai a little more urgently, quick soak instructions are below.)
I sweeten my chai lattes with a quick honey syrup made of equal parts honey and water. A syrup like this mixes into the tea more easily than pure honey.
You can mix the syrup with the entire batch of chai once it’s done soaking, but I prefer to mix them in the jar. That way, I can adjust the sweetness to suit my tastes, or the tastes of random guests who need a cool, refreshing drink.
Top up your glass of iced chai with as much or as little milk as you like. Creaminess is a very personal choice. I like to use whole milk, but 2% milk, almond milk, or coconut milk are all wonderful.
One final thought: if you like to sip your iced tea slowly and don’t want it getting watered down with ice cubes, make an extra batch of chai and freeze it in ice cubes!
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What is chai latte?
Chai is black tea with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise. It is usually sweetened with honey or sugar. Mix chai tea with frothed milk and top with foam to make a latte. Chai originally comes from India, where water, milk and spices are steeped and added to tea. The word latte used to describe this tea brew – and the foam on top of the drink – are Western adjuncts.
How to buy stool tea bags at the supermarket
You can find chai tea bags – black tea with spices – in the tea section of the grocery store. Be sure to look for chai tea bags that are not pre-sweetened. You’ll add your own sweetener to taste for this frozen chai latte, so pre-sweetened tea bags won’t work for this recipe.
The best sweeteners for chai lattes
This recipe calls for a honey syrup sweetener, which is lovely, but other sweeteners will work too. Just keep in mind that the sweetener is added to a cold base, so granulated sweetener may not fully dissolve in the drink.
- Simple syrup
- maple syrup
- agave nectar
- coconut sugar
- date palm sugar
The best milk for chai lattes
- 2% milk
- whole milk
- coconut milk
- cashew milk
- hemp milk
- oat milk
How to store chai lattes to enjoy all week long
The brewed tea and honey syrup will keep separately in the fridge for at least a week. You can double or triple the recipe depending on how much you drink to get a week’s worth. Add the milk just before serving.
If you find you have extra brewed chai tea that you won’t be using, you can freeze it in ice cube trays to add to future glasses of iced chai latte or even regular iced tea.
More chai recipes to try!
- Homemade chai
- Creamy vegan rice pudding flavored with chai
- Boozy Chai Spiced Apple Cider Punch
- chai ice cream
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Iced Chai Latte
Double this recipe for more servings. The honey syrup and prepared chai will both keep in the fridge for at least a week.
Quick Soak: If you need to speed up the steeping process, bring 2 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Leave for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the remaining 2 cups of water. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge to cool completely.
Homemade Chai Blend: If you’d rather make your own chai blend instead of tea bags, follow the Quick Steeping instructions above and use the black tea and spice blend recommended in this homemade chai recipe.
ingredients
For the iced chai:
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4 tea bags from chai
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1 quart water
For the honey syrup:
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1/4 Cup honey
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1/4 Cup water
Serve:
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milkof any kind
method
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Steep the tea:
Combine the tea and water in a quart-sized glass.
Cover and let steep at room temperature for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. The longer it stands, the stronger and more infused the tea becomes.
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Make the honey syrup:
Combine honey and water in a small glass container. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve the honey.
Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Honey syrup keeps for about a week.)
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Remove the tea bags:
Once the tea is infused to your liking, remove the tea bags. The tea is ready to use immediately or can be covered and refrigerated for a week or more.
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Assemble a frozen chai latte:
Put a few ice cubes in a glass. Pour 1 to 3 teaspoons of honey syrup over the ice cubes. Fill the glass with about a cup of iced chai and add as much milk as you like.
Stir to combine and taste. Add more honey syrup or milk as you like.
The prepared chai and honey syrup will both keep in the fridge for at least a week.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 95 | calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 20g | carbohydrates |
| 2g | protein |
