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Life Currents
Home » Chai Tea

Chai Tea

April 25, 2012 by Debi 16 Comments

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A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail

a blue mug filled with chai tea on a black background.

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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.

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.

chai spices in a ceramic bowl.

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!

A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail Life Currents https://lifecurrentsblog.com #chaiTea #cocktail #drink

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

bookers bourbon A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail

bookers bourbon A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail

Ok, I couldn’t decide which picture of the Booker’s I liked better, so I used them both.

Kahlua: A recipe for Chai Tea concentrate as well as a recipe for a Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail

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.

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Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe

And make sure you don’t miss the Chai Tea Cocktail recipe lower in the post

square crop of a blue mug filled with chai tea.

Chai Tea Concentrate

Debi
a great easy to make recipe for Chai Tea Concentrate. Then add this to your favorite Chai Tea – iced or hot!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, Chinese, Indian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 76 kcal

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.
    4 1/2 cups water, 10 black tea bags, 1 cinnamon stick, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 7 whole cardamom pods, 10 whole cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 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).
    ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 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

Makes 4 cups
3 whole cloves equal 1/4  teaspoon ground.
10 cardamom pods equal 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

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.

Keyword chai, tea
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!

a blue mug filled with tea on a wooden window sill.

Dirty Chai Cocktail Recipe

a mug filled with tea, the mug is in shadow on a black background.

Dirty Chai Cocktail

Debi
a delicious cocktail recipe that's full of flavor. Celebrate the weekend with this drink!
5 from 1 vote
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Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving
Calories 399 kcal

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

Makes 1 cocktail
Adapted from Food 52

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 459mgSugar: 32gVitamin A: 395IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 277mgIron: 1mg

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.

Keyword bourbon, cocktail, drink
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!
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Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast Tagged With: Beverages, Breakfast, cardamom, chai, cinnamon, clove, cocktail, Coffee, Cooking, DIY, drinks, Food, ginger, ingredients, Kahlua, mocha, nutmeg, oranges, pepper, recipe, spices

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about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paula J

    April 25, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    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

  2. Heather Mulholland

    April 25, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I absolutely love that mug! (Random I know)

  3. Debi

    April 25, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    hee hee. Thanks. That cup is a thrift store special! 🙂

  4. LP @dishclips

    April 25, 2012 at 9:06 pm

    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.

  5. Katherine Corrigan

    April 27, 2012 at 9:46 am

    xo Thank you for linking to the Thursday Favorite Things hop I hope you have a weekend filled with happy!

  6. Alicia

    April 28, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    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…

  7. Michelle

    April 28, 2012 at 8:28 pm

    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

  8. Michelle

    April 29, 2012 at 11:43 am

    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

  9. Amber

    April 30, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    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

  10. Alea @ Premeditated Leftovers

    April 30, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    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.

  11. Diane Balch

    May 1, 2012 at 4:58 am

    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.

  12. Debi

    May 2, 2012 at 3:29 am

    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!

  13. Mrs. Delightful

    May 3, 2012 at 5:08 am

    This looks so yummy! I love Chai tea 🙂

    Mrs. Delightful

  14. Javelin Warrior

    May 8, 2012 at 9:55 am

    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…

  15. Christina at I Gotta Create!

    May 8, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    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

  16. mjskit

    December 8, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    What a great way to warm you inside and out!!!

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Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read More >>>

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