A vanilla chai latte combines the spices of masala chai with the foam of a latte! This fine tea latte tastes like coffee.
How comfortable does this mug look? Yes, that Vanilla Chai Latte is the equivalent of putting on a fluffy sweater and snuggling up in front of a roaring fireplace. In fact, it might help with my winter aversion! This tea is flavored with the beautiful spices of masala chai: cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Add the frothy milk froth of a latte and you’ll feel like you’re sipping fine milk tea from your local coffee shop. Here’s how to make it (and why not order a chai tea latte).
Why not say chai tea latte
First things first: let’s talk about the terminology. Avoid saying the words “vanilla chai tea latte.” Ban phase chai tea from your vocabulary. Why? Word chai means “tea” in Hindi, so saying chai tea is like saying “tea tea”.
The most correct term for Indian tea blend is Chai masala. Word masala refers to a spice mixture used in cooking. Much like the word curry, a Westernized reduction of a complex blend of Indian spices, the American concept of chai can appropriate a rich Indian cultural tradition.
So what is a vanilla chai latte?
A chai latte is a western invention: it takes traditional masala chai, India’s flavored milk tea, and combines it with frothed frothed milk from a latte. The mashup was popularized by Starbucks in the 1990s. Many coffee variants of a chai latte no longer have much to do with traditional Indian inspiration: They are often too sweet and too spicy.
The following recipe for a vanilla chai latte is lightly spiced and subtly sweet, with a delicious vanilla essence. It combines our masala chai milk tea recipe with chai spices, then adds frothed milk for a frothy finish. It’s just sweet and light enough instead of being too rich.
Make a homemade chai spice mix
Masala chai spices can contain many different ingredients depending on the chef, just like curry powder. This homemade chai spice blend uses common chai spices, but note that many more are used regionally in Indian blends. Traditional masala chai often uses whole spices or requires the chef to grind whole spices in a mortar and pestle. This blend uses ground spices for convenience and allows you to use this blend in baking recipes as well. What you need for the chai spices:
- Cinammon
- Ginger
- cardamom
- Black pepper
- nutmeg
- cloves
- fennel seeds
How to froth milk for a vanilla chai latte
The most important thing with a vanilla chai latte is frothing the milk! You’ll need a bit of technique to get the perfect foam and some gear. If this is your first time frothing milk, we strongly recommend that you read the milk frothing guide before you start.
- The best milk for a tea latte? Our favorite is 2% milk. Use whole milk if you want a richer latte, but avoid skim milk.*
- Heat milk to 150 degrees (scalding). The temperature is important for the perfect froth. For best results, use a food thermometer. Or wait until the milk is warm to the touch and small bubbles form on the outside, but is not yet simmering.
- Use a French press or hand frother. We used our French Press to froth the milk and it worked great. You can also use a hand frother (which works even better!) or just whip the milk vigorously. For the French Press, pump 100 times or 1 minute: This should produce a nice creamy, frothy lather!
*Fancy a vegan vanilla chai latte? These tips only work for cow’s milk. Learn how to froth plant-based milk in our article on vegan chai latte.
Sweeteners for this vanilla chai latte
This vanilla chai latte is designed to be just sweet enough! If you’re used to super-sweet Starbucks drinks, you can add a little more sweetener ahead of time. Here’s what we like to use to sweeten it just right:
- maple syrup (Favourite). Maple syrup is our favorite natural sweetener for beverages: it adds nuance without the maple flavor. (We also use it for cocktails.)
- Simple syrup. Simple syrup has a more intense sweet and simple flavor.
- honey or agave syrup. These natural sweeteners also impart sweet sweetness.
Tea drinks and finer lattes
Do you like drinking tea latte? Here are some other ways to enjoy the flavor of chai spices:
- Chai Latte How to make a chai latte at home… easy! This drink is creamy and flavorful with the perfect fluffy foam topping.
- Matcha Latte or Iced Matcha Latte These classic green drinks are creamy and delicious.
- Perfect Tea Latte Prepare a pure milk tea without spices: even easier.
- Plant-based vegan chai latte with oat milk!
- Dirty Chai Latte Add a shot of espresso to your chai latte (our favorite).
- Masala Chai Go traditional and enjoy this beautiful, foam-free Masala Chai.
- Iced Chai Latte This deliciously refreshing tea latte is made with black tea, pleasant spices and milk. Or opt for a coffee with Iced Latte!
This recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, head to Vegan Chai Latte.
The description
A vanilla chai latte combines the spices of masala chai with the foam of a latte! This fine tea latte tastes like coffee.
- 1 teaspoon Homemade Chai Spices
- 1 cup the water
- 1 black tea bag (or 1 teaspoon loose black tea in a tea strainer)
- ½ cup 2% fresh milk (or whole milk)*
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (or honey, agave, or plain syrup)
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the chai spices, water, and tea bag and bring to a boil. After boiling, remove from heat and let stand for 1 minute. Then strain through a fine-mesh sieve** into a cup or two (one for a large latte and two for a small one).
- Rinse pan. Add milk, vanilla and maple syrup. Heat the milk to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (check with a thermometer): it will be hot with a few small bubbles forming on the outside, but not simmering. The exact temperature is useful for getting the perfect foam (if you don’t have a thermometer you can approximate it).
- Use a hand frother, whisk or French press to froth the milk. (French press is a preferred method: add boiling milk to French press and pump vigorously until frothy, about 100 times for 2% milk, or about 1 minute; use 50 times for whole milk.) Leave the mousse about Rest for 30 seconds. , allowing it to attach itself. Go to How to froth milk if you are frothing milk for the first time.
- Pour milk and froth evenly between cups (or in 1 cup). Sprinkle with additional chai spices and serve.
Remarks
*Fresh milk is best for getting a nice froth. You may find that a milk container that has been open for several days no longer froths.
**You can skip filtering if you wish: the spices will settle to the bottom of the drink.
- Category: drink
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: tea
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Vanilla Chai Latte, Vanilla Chai Latte Tea, Chai Latte Tea
