Name: Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea: Make Vanilla Chai Latte from Scratch
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Recipes with herbs
Ingredients: 1 large cinnamon stick (about 3–4 inches); 5–6 cardamom pods, gently crushed or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/2 nutmeg or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 6 cloves or 1 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 star anise (optional, for a stronger licorice-like note); 3 inches fresh ginger, sliced; 5 teaspoons Assam or Darjeeling black tea (or 5 black tea bags); 5 cups filtered water; seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste; 1 cup (8 oz) milk; 3–4 tablespoons brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (adjust to taste); Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom, for topping

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Brew a vanilla chai latte at home with black tea, warm chai spices, and a hint of vanilla flavor. Use tea bags or loose leaves, enjoy hot or cold.

There’s nothing quite like the mix of black tea, warming spices, and a touch of vanilla. It turns an ordinary cup into something cozy and aromatic — the kind of drink you crave when the air gets chilly.

If you’ve never paired the bold spices of chai with the sweet creaminess of vanilla, you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those flavor combinations that feels obvious once you’ve tried it, like they were meant to be together. You might have ordered a vanilla chai latte at a coffee shop before, but making it at home is surprisingly simple and, honestly, more satisfying.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to make a homemade vanilla chai latte. You can keep it steaming hot for winter or pour it over ice when summer hits. Either way, it’s easy to adapt, less sugary than most coffee shop versions, and you can tweak the sweetness and spices to fit your taste.

What is Vanilla Chai Tea?

“Chai” literally means tea, but when most of us say it, we mean masala chai — the traditional Indian drink made with strong black tea, milk, sugar, and a blend of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger, and star anise. Adding vanilla softens those bold spices, giving the tea a mellow, rounded sweetness.

Turn that into a latte by adding frothed or steamed milk, and you’ve got a creamy, café-worthy drink that can be served hot or iced. Sweeten it with sugar, honey, or maple syrup, whatever you like best.

If you decide to add coffee, you end up with a dirty chai latte.

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make This Vanilla Chai?

To make this homemade vanilla chai latte, you’ll need:

Black tea bags (Darjeeling, Assam, or English Breakfast)

Chai spices: cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, whole cloves, star anise, a piece of fresh ginger, and a grating of nutmeg

Vanilla: 1–2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, scraped vanilla beans or you can use vanilla bean paste.

Sweetener: ¼–⅓ cup honey, sugar, maple syrup or homemade vanilla syrup for extra vanilla flavor.

Milk of your choice: traditional whole milk, or non-dairy alternatives like oat milk, soy, almond, or coconut.

How to Make Vanilla Chai Tea at Home

Making a chai latte from scratch is easier than you’d think.

First step: Crush and Simmer the Spices

Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly crush the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. This helps release their oils for a more fragrant chai.

In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of filtered water to a gentle boil. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, star anise, and nutmeg. Lower the heat and let the spices simmer for 10–15 minutes to release their oils and create a deep, fragrant base.

Second Step: Add the tea

Stir in the black tea leaves (or add the black tea bags) and let them steep for 3–5 minutes only. This ensures the tea is strong but not bitter.

Third step: Add Vanilla and Sweetener

Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract (or vanilla bean seeds) and your chosen sweetener — honey, sugar, or maple syrup all work beautifully.

Fourth Step: Strain and Store

Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or measuring cup and pour the mixture through to catch the spices and tea leaves/bags. Transfer the liquid into a clean jar or bottle, cool, and refrigerate.

The concentrate will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or you can freeze it in cubes for a quick iced vanilla chai latte.

How to Prepare a Vanilla Chai Latte

Once you have your concentrate, turning it into a latte is simple:

Heat equal parts (1:1 ratio) chai concentrate and milk of your choice.
Froth the milk until creamy.
Pour into a mug, spoon the foam on top, and dust with ground cinnamon.

That’s it — your homemade vanilla chai latte is ready to enjoy.

Are There Any Ways to Make It Faster?

Yes! If you don’t have time to simmer spices for a homemade concentrate, you can still enjoy a quick vanilla chai latte. The first option is to steep a couple of chai tea bags in hot water, then add a splash of vanilla and top with warm frothed milk. It only takes a few minutes and still gives you that cozy chai flavor.

The second shortcut is to use a store-bought chai concentrate. Just mix it with your favorite milk, heat, and froth. For extra vanilla flavor, add a drop of vanilla extract or a drizzle of syrup, and you’ll have a latte that tastes close to a coffee-shop version.

How to Make an Iced Vanilla Chai Latte

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and pour in equal parts chilled chai concentrate and your favorite milk or non-dairy substitute. For extra café flair, add everything to a shaker and shake about 10 times for a frothy iced latte, or use a cold frother to whip the milk before pouring it over the tea.

How to Store Vanilla Chai Concentrate

Once cooled, pour your vanilla chai concentrate into a clean glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For longer storage, you can freeze the concentrate in ice cube trays and transfer the cubes to a freezer bag, perfect for making an iced vanilla chai latte without watering it down.

Other herbal drinks you will enjoy

Festive Cranberry Rosemary Cocktail

Rosemary Simple Syrup

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Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea: Make Vanilla Chai Latte from Scratch

Which tea is best for making vanilla chai? Can I use something other than black tea?

Traditional chai is made with strong black tea because it holds up well against bold spices. Assam, Darjeeling, or English Breakfast are great choices, and you can also use black tea bags for convenience. If you want less caffeine, you can swap in decaffeinated black tea. For a different twist, try rooibos for a naturally caffeine-free chai, or experiment with green tea for a lighter, more delicate flavor. Each type of tea gives your vanilla chai its own character.

Does this homemade vanilla chai recipe have caffeine?

Yes, from the black tea, unless you use decaf or rooibos.

Can I make vanilla chai tea latte without dairy?

Yes, oat, almond, soy, or coconut milk all work.

Is this Vanilla Chai Latte a copycat of Starbucks’ chai latte?

Yes and no. The Starbucks chai latte is made with a sweetened, pre-bottled chai concentrate (they used Tazo for years) mixed with steamed milk. My homemade version is similar in taste and style, but it’s fresher, less processed, and fully customizable. You control the spices, the sweetness, and the amount of vanilla flavor. If you prefer the Starbucks-style drink, you can also use a store-bought concentrate at home, but the homemade version gives you a richer, more authentic chai experience.

Can I adjust the chai spices?

Absolutely. Use more ginger for spice, more cinnamon for sweetness, or leave out spices you don’t love.

Can I make a decaf vanilla chai?

Yes, by using decaffeinated black tea bags or an herbal tea base.

Yield: 5 cups

Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea: Make Vanilla Chai Latte from Scratch

This vanilla chai tea recipe combines black tea, warm chai spices, and a hint of sweet vanilla for a cozy homemade latte that’s better than store-bought.

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 large cinnamon stick (about 3–4 inches)
5–6 cardamom pods, gently crushed or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 nutmeg or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cloves or 1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 star anise (optional, for a stronger licorice-like note)
3 inches fresh ginger, sliced
5 teaspoons Assam or Darjeeling black tea (or 5 black tea bags)
5 cups filtered water
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup (8 oz) milk
3–4 tablespoons brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom, for topping

Instructions

Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly crush the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. This helps release their oils for a more fragrant chai. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of filtered water to a gentle boil. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, star anise, and nutmeg. Lower the heat and let the spices simmer for 10–15 minutes to release their oils and create a deep, fragrant base.
Stir in the black tea leaves (or add the black tea bags) and let them steep for 3–5 minutes only. This ensures the tea is strong but not bitter.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract (or vanilla bean seeds) and your chosen sweetener — honey, sugar, or maple syrup all work beautifully.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or measuring cup and pour the mixture through to catch the spices and tea leaves/bags. Transfer the liquid into a clean jar or bottle, cool, and refrigerate.