Stop spending $6 on a single drink. This Starbucks Copycat Chai Tea Concentrate is bold, perfectly spiced, and easy to make at home. It has the same warm flavor you get at the coffee shop, but costs a fraction of the price and uses simple pantry ingredients. Keep a jar in the fridge and you're 2 minutes away from a hot or iced chai latte anytime the craving hits.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Shelf Life: Up to 2 weeks (fridge) or 3 months (freezer)
- Yield: 8 servings (approximately 4 cups)
- Difficulty: Super easy
Homemade Chai Concentrate from Scratch
In my ongoing mission to keep things simple (but still really good), this homemade chai tea concentrate has become a staple in my kitchen. It's warm, cozy, and surprisingly easy to make.
I still love a good cup of Homemade Lemon Ginger Tea or even a mug of my Instant Pot Hot Chocolate, but chai lattes are the one I keep coming back to. The problem? Most store-bought versions are overly sweet and just don't have that bold, spiced flavor.
Making it at home fixes all of that. You control the sweetness, the spice level, and exactly what goes into it. I usually keep a jar in the fridge so I can make a quick latte anytime - and around the holidays, I always double the batch because it makes a really great homemade gift. Once you have a jar in the fridge, it's hard not to start adding it to everything.
Jeri's Gift Tip
This chai concentrate makes a beautiful Christmas gift! Pour it into a decorative mason jar, tie it with a piece of twine and a cinnamon stick, and attach a tag with the 1:1 mixing instructions.
Jump to:
- Recipe at a Glance
- Homemade Chai Concentrate from Scratch
- Jeri's Gift Tip
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Chai Tea Concentrate
- Jeri's Top Tips
- How to Make a Chai Latte
- Other Ways to Use
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storage and Freezing
- FAQs
- More Beverage Recipes You May Like
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Saves You Money. Skip the $6 latte. This batch makes enough concentrate for 8-12 drinks at home for a fraction of the cost.
- Bold, Real Chai Flavor. No watered-down spices here. Simmering whole spices gives you that rich, warming flavor you expect from a good chai latte.
- You Control Everything. Adjust the sweetness, dial up the spice, or make it completely sugar-free - it's your call.
- Quick and Easy to Make. Just 20 minutes and one saucepan. No special equipment, no complicated steps.
- Keeps Well in the Fridge. Make it once and enjoy chai lattes all week long-hot or iced, whenever you want one.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Water. Use filtered water.
- Tea Bags. You'll need 8 black tea bags. A strong tea like Assam or Ceylon works the best. If using loose-leaf tea, use roughly 2 tablespoons of tea in a large steeper or cheesecloth bundle. (For a shortcut, see my "Cheat Code" below!)
- Whole Spices (Aromatics). Cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, and whole black peppercorns for that signature Starbucks flavor.
- Cardamom. Green cardamom pods, lightly cracked to release the oils.
- Fresh Ginger. 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced. No need to peel since it will be strained.
- Brown Sugar. Adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness that mimics the Starbucks syrup.
- Vanilla Extract. Adds depth and enhances the warm spice notes.
How to Make Chai Tea Concentrate
This method simmers the spices first, which gives you a deeper, richer flavor than most shortcut versions - and keeps the tea smooth, not bitter.
Simmer the Spices: Add 4 cups of water, cinnamon, cracked cardamom, star anise, cloves, ginger, and peppercorns to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Your kitchen will smell amazing!
Steep the Tea: Turn off the heat. Add the 8 tea bags and steep for 7 minutes. Do not over-steep, or the concentrate may become bitter.
Strain: Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass jar. Use the back of a spoon to firmly press the tea bags and spices against the sieve to extract every concentrated drop. Discard the solids.
Sweeten: Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla while the liquid is warm so the sugar dissolves completely.
Note: This concentrate is designed to be bold and slightly syrupy. If it tastes too strong, simply add more milk when serving.
Jeri's Top Tips
- The "Cheat Code" Shortcut: If you don't have all the individual spices, use 8 Chai-flavored black tea bags (like Twinings or Tazo) instead of plain black tea bags, and omit the spices.
- Crack, Don't Grind: Use the back of a spoon or mortar and pestle to lightly crack the cardamom pods. You want the oils to release, but you don't want powder, which makes the tea gritty.
- Don't Boil the Tea: Always add the tea bags after you turn off the heat. Boiling black tea bags for too long makes the concentrate bitter.
- Use High Quality Spices: Use the freshest, high quality spices you can for the best chai flavor.
How to Make a Chai Latte
When making a chai tea latte, I recommend a 1:1 ratio for that authentic coffee shop flavor:
- ½ cup chai tea concentrate
- ½ cup milk (dairy, oat, or almond)
To Serve Hot: Heat the concentrate and milk together on the stove or microwave and use a frother for the milk.
To Serve Iced: Fill a glass with ice, add concentrate, then top with cold milk.
Note: Check out my full, detailed recipe on how to make the ultimate Starbucks Copycat Chai Latte (including how to get that perfect foam)!
Other Ways to Use
Once you have this in your fridge, it won't just stay for lattes.
- Dirty Chai Latte: Add a shot of espresso to your finished latte.
- Ice Cream: Use ¾ cup as a flavor base for Ninja Creami Chai Ice Cream.
- Breakfast: Stir a splash into smoothies or overnight oats.
Variations and Substitutions
- Caffeine-Free: Swap the black tea for Rooibos tea. It has a naturally bold flavor that stands up well to the spices without the caffeine.
- Alternative Sweeteners: You can replace brown sugar with maple syrup or honey. If using honey, stir it in after the concentrate has cooled slightly to preserve its flavor.
- Extra Spice: For a spicier kick (like a Bhakti-style chai), double the fresh ginger and increase the black peppercorns to 2 teaspoons.
- Pumpkin Chai: Stir 2 tablespoons of pumpkin purée and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice into the finished concentrate while warm.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Shake well before using.
Freeze: Pour the concentrate into ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Drop a few cubes into a glass of milk for an instant iced chai!
FAQs
This is usually just natural oils from the spices. If it bothers you, strain it a second time through a double layer of cheesecloth.
Yes. Simply omit the brown sugar. The spices provide plenty of warm flavor on their own.
It will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container or jar.
More Beverage Recipes You May Like
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso - Bold, sweet, and infused with cinnamon.
- Chocolate Cream Cold Brew - Velvety, rich, and perfectly balanced in every sip.
- Easy At-Home Latte - Smooth, creamy, and even better than takeout options.
- Iced Coffee in 5 Minutes - Coffee shop flavor and ready in 5 minutes!
Printable Recipe
Starbucks Copycat Chai Tea Concentrate
Ingredients
- 4 cups filtered water
- 3 cinnamon sticks (broken)
- 10 green cardamom pods (cracked)
- 2 star anise
- 17 whole cloves
- 2 inches fresh ginger (sliced or grated, no need to peel)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 8 black tea bags (Assam or Ceylon) (or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf)
- ½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Simmer Spices: Combine water, cinnamon sticks, cracked cardamom, star anise, cloves, ginger, and peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Steep Tea: Remove from the heat. Add the 8 tea bags and let them steep in the hot spice water for 7 minutes. (Do not steep longer than 7 minutes or the tea can turn bitter.)
- Strain: Remove the tea bags and pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a glass jar. Use a spoon to firmly press the tea bags and spices against the sieve to extract every drop of concentrate. Discard the solids.
- Sweeten the Concentrate: Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla extract while the concentrate is still warm until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Cool and Store: Let it cool to room temperature before sealing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir before using, as the spices may settle. This concentrate is bold and slightly syrupy. Start with less concentrate and adjust to taste if you prefer a lighter chai.
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Notes
- The Perfect Ratio: For a strong, coffee-shop style latte, use a 1:1 ratio (½ cup concentrate to ½ cup milk).
- Best Tea for Chai: To stand up to the bold spices, use a strong black tea like Assam or Ceylon. If using loose-leaf tea, 1 tablespoon is roughly equivalent to 4 tea bags, so use 2 tablespoons.
- The Shortcut: Use 8 Chai-flavored tea bags and omit the individual whole spices.
- Cracking Spices: Do not grind the spices into a powder. Simply use the back of a spoon or a mortar and pestle to lightly crack the cardamom pods and peppercorns. This releases the essential oils without making the concentrate gritty.
- Sugar-Free Option: You can omit the brown sugar entirely for a spice-forward concentrate, or swap it for maple syrup or honey after straining.
- Storage: Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Shake well before using, as the spices may settle. For longer storage, freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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