A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail
We appreciate your support
This post may contain affiliate links. Life Currents participates in different affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information see here.
Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask. The comments can be easily found using the orange circle on the lower left, then Join the discussion!
So many recipes for Chai
I’ve been looking around for THE chai tea recipe. But, I’ve come to believe that everyone and their Indian Grandma has their own special recipe.
So, I finally decided to just choose one and go with it the best I could. (I found this recipe thanks to my friend Adrienne).
These two recipes were inspired by NPR and Food52.
My store didn’t have star anise, so I skipped that.
Fresh ginger would go bad in my house, so I went with dried.
I think you could totally cut back on the sugar in this, but for now, I’ll leave that the way I found it.
This was delish! Fresh and orangey. Fruity and peppy. Spicy and tasty. Yum!
Then, to make it even better, I made it into a Dirty Chai Cocktail. Even better!
But, wait, what’s a dirty chai?
Well, my not-caffeinated-enough-friends, a Dirty Chai or Red Eye Chai is God’s gift to the chai tea. Ok, maybe that’s a bit much, but it is delish.
And, when you can’t decide between your soy chai and a mocha latte, a dirty chai is the clear winner!
I was inspired by Food 52’s picture as well as their drink
It’s a shot of espresso mixed into a chai tea. Now, you could have this as a morning beverage without the bourbon and Kahlua, but where’s the fun in that? (BTW, I’m pretty sure that this is my new favorite cocktail!)
Pictures of booze bottles
Ok, I couldn’t decide which picture of the Booker’s I liked better, so I used them both.
Mocha flavored Kahlua … yum!
Other great cocktail recipes
Everyone loves a good cocktail. And here are some of my favorites. Rob Roy, Hot Toddy, Cherry Scotch Sipper, and Orange Cinnamon Moscow Mule.
Let’s connect
If you like seeing my recipes subscribe via email in the upper right.
Or, connect with me on your favorite social media channel for recipes, photos, & much more:
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter!
And find my shop on Amazon for recommendations on cool tools
If you try this recipe,
please come back & leave a comment below letting us know how it goes.
Share a picture & tag @lifecurrents on Instagram.
Or you can upload a “tried it” photo (I would love to see)
via the pin.
Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe
And make sure you don’t miss the Chai Tea Cocktail recipe lower in the post
Chai Tea Concentrate
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 10 black tea bags
- 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 7 whole cardamom pods
- 10 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tea bags, spices and orange zest. Stir to combine, and remove from heat. Let steep 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove tea bags, and strain out the spices with a fine mesh sieve. Add brown sugar, honey and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week (if it lasts that long).
- Mix concentrate with milk of your choice (dairy, soy, almond, etc.) in about a half-half ratio. You may adjust more or less concentrate to your taste. Chai may be enjoyed warm or iced.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Dirty Chai Cocktail Recipe
Dirty Chai Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 cup chai concentrate
- 1 cup milk any kind from dairy half & half, skim, soy, to almond or rice
- 1 ½ ounce espresso or strong coffee
- 1 ½ ounce good bourbon like Bookers or Knob Creek
- 1 ½ ounce mocha Kahlua
Instructions
- Mix chai concentrate with milk. Add in espresso, bourbon, and Kahlua. Enjoy as a warm beverage or shaken with ice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
I’d chose the Dirty Chai Cocktail! Need my coffee in the am 🙂
Happy WW and feel free to stop by and link up!
Paula
I absolutely love that mug! (Random I know)
hee hee. Thanks. That cup is a thrift store special! 🙂
I am only used to instant chai tea and Starbucks chai tea, so I never knew there is a recipe behind it. Lovely pictures, btw.
xo Thank you for linking to the Thursday Favorite Things hop I hope you have a weekend filled with happy!
Your chai looks awesome, and the dirty chai cocktail sounds really tasty. I just infused some bourbon with coffee, brown sugar and vanilla. I bet it would be a nice variation on your drink. Yum…
Hi,
I followed you over from Happy Hour Projects. This sounds delicious. I will definitely have to give this a try. I do like a little something extra in my coffee at night while we’re camping 🙂
I would like to invite you to share this, and any other posts, on my link party. Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Michelle
Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday this week. Can’t wait to try this Chai tea.
I can’t wait to see what you link up next week. Have a great day.
Michelle
Oooo, this is my husband’s favorite tea! What a great recipe and post!!
Thank you for sharing your recipe with us last week on AFW! Be sure to check back this week for reader favorites and hostess picks.
Be Well,
–Amber & AFW Hostesses
I am a huge fan of Chai Tea and put it in everything I can possibly think of, but I never thought to add it to a cocktail before. I love the recipes you’ve shared and will be featuring this post tomorrow in my highlights.
I love chai and appreciate the recipe. You are a corrupting influence… I would have never have thought to spike it! Very nice. Please come by this friday to my blog and share a recipe with us.
This looks amazing! I’ve never made it before but will now. Thank you so much for sharing on Thursday’s Treasures. <3 and hugs!
This looks so yummy! I love Chai tea 🙂
Mrs. Delightful
Both of these drinks sound delicious – and I’m not much of a tea drinker at all, so that’s saying something 😉 I love the use of so many different spices and flavorings and I’m so glad you decided to share with Made with Love Mondays…
I love chai! Can’t say I’ve tried dirty chai, but it sounds like an interesting option! Thanks so much for linking up at I Gotta Create! <3 Christina
What a great way to warm you inside and out!!!