The Best Dirty Chai Tea Latte Recipe (Iced or Hot)
This Dirty Chai Tea Latte is spicy, sweet and creamy. It’s a delicious pick-me-up for morning, afternoon, and beyond.
The only thing that got me through my 8:00 am anthropology class in college was the promise I made myself to stop at the campus coffee shop for an iced chai latte. And I’m not even exaggerating a little. Though we all know I love matcha, chai was my first tea love for sure. When I heard about a dirty chai latte I was skeptical but intrigued. But boy did I love it! Bold coffee flavor, spicy chai with creamy milk (and perfectly sweetened of course) is a heavenly pairing.
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What’s in a Chai Tea Latte?
Chai tea typically consists of masala chai, which is a black tea that is brewed with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. These spices are generally known as “chai spices”. Variations can include other spices like star anise or fennel seeds. To make a chai tea latte, you simply add some cold or steamed milk to the steeped tea.
What is a Dirty Chai Latte?
If you’ve never tried a Dirty Chai Tea Latte, let me introduce you to this spicy caffeine-packed little number. A dirty chai tea latte consists of strong chai tea (sweetened generously), shots of espresso (or strong coffee), and a little bit of your favorite chilled or steamed milk (if you’re making it a hot drink). The “dirty” part comes from the addition of espresso, which adds a rich, robust flavor to the traditional chai latte. The resulting drink is creamy, spicy, and more caffeinated than a chai latte or cafe latte on its own. Being someone who loves both coffee and tea, this is one of my all-time favorite drinks!
What makes this the best Dirty Chai Latte Recipe?
I’ve tried making an iced dirty chai latte many different ways and I’ve found that this is the best combination of sweetener and milk (I prefer oat milk), and the best ratio of coffee to chai. Oh, it’s so good! I sweeten my dirty chai lattes with brown sugar syrup, but it’s also amazing with maple syrup if you’re in need of that caffeine fix without the added step of making simple syrup (but I promise you won’t be disappointed!).
Ingredients for a Dirty Chai Latte
2 servings
- Your favorite chai tea bags, I use Trader Joe’s Chai or Tazo, which can be found in most grocery stores (2 bags, steeped in 3/4 cup water)
- Brown sugar syrup or other sweetener of choice (1/4 cup)
- Strong coffee (1/2 cup)
- Oat milk (3/4 cup)
As I mentioned above, feel free to use a different milk if you’d like. I actually also really enjoy coconut milk in an iced dirty chai.
How to make a Dirty Chai Tea Latte
If you plan on using brown sugar syrup, make that first.
Next, steep your tea and make your coffee.
Steep two tea bags in 3/4 cup of water for 5 minutes.
If you’re like me and don’t have an espresso machine, you can very easily make strong coffee using a french press. I use 4 tablespoons of ground coffee, steeped in 3/4 cup water in a french press. If you’d like to replicate a “red eye chai” (a chai latte with two shots of espresso), use 6 tablespoons of ground coffee in 1 cup of water.
Once the tea is brewed, add the syrup, coffee and milk and stir to combine.
If you’d like to make this a hot latte, simply warm your milk (froth if you wish) and add to the warm dirty chai mix.
Or you can wait on the milk and pour it into the glass with the chai/coffee mixture for this cool swirly effect.
Why you’ll love this Dirty Chai Tea Latte recipe
I love this recipe so much and I think you will too! If you like chai, it’s definitely a must-try! Chai and coffee pair together really well and with the sweetness from the brown sugar syrup and creamy oat milk, it’s just a total treat.
Milk, Chai, and Sweetener Substitutions
While I recommend the exact ingredients that are listed above, there are lots of substitutions you can make with a dirty chai recipe such as this. Any type of milk could be substituted for oat milk if that’s not your favorite. Whole milk, almond milk, soy milk, and cashew milk can all be substituted for oat milk, just to name a few. Honey is a good substitute for the sweetener if you’d like a more natural option. Just make sure to add it to the hot tea/coffee mixture and stir well before adding ice.
Chai Concentrate Storage Instructions
To store the chai tea concentrate for quick access to your next dirty chai latte, allow it to cool completely and add it to a jar with a secure lid, such as a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You might want to give it a quick shake before preparing your chai latte if you’ll be storing it for later use.
Where to use Chai Tea Concentrate
There are so many coffee drinks that go well with that classic chai flavor!
–Pumpkin Chai Latte (add shots of espresso or a splash of strong coffee to make it extra bold!)
-Add to a cold brew for a quick and easy latte
-Make chai lime spritzers! Chai concentrate, lime and a splash of club soda combine to make a refreshing iced drink!
More chai recipes
Chai Shortbread Snowball Cookies
Tried this recipe?
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PrintDirty Chai Tea Latte
This iced dirty chai is spicy, sweet and creamy. It’s so easy to make and absolutely crave-worthy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: American, Indian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 4 tbsp ground coffee (for french press)
- 2 bags chai tea
- 1/4 cup brown sugar syrup
- 3/4 cup oat milk (or other milk of choice)
Instructions
- Steep 4 tbsp ground coffee in 3/4 cup boiling water in a french press for 4 minutes. Strain and set aside.
- In the meantime, steep 2 chai tea bags in 3/4 cup boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Combine chai and coffee, add brown sugar syrup and stir. Add oat milk and serve over ice.
- If you want to make a hot latte, heat the milk in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove and add to the warm dirty chai mixture. Froth milk before adding if desired.
Delicious! I tried it with strong coffee as you said and it was just as good as espresso.