FOTG contributor, Jen from Long Haul Trekkers is here to share her masala chai recipe. This creamy, spicy drink will warm you up on adventures of all kinds.

I fancy myself a masala chai connoisseur. And I am pretty tough to please.

My favorite place to indulge in a masala chai is at Dragonfly Coffee House in Portland, Oregon. Not only do they have an incredible assortment of homemade pastries, ranging from vegan to gluten-free and everything-full, they make one of my favorite smoothies, and of course, my favorite masala chai latte. After a long and chilly run in Forest Park during the rainy months, I spend the last few miles thinking about warming up with a cup of this tea in my hands.

Let’s get one thing straight first before we dig into the recipe. We often see some variation of “Chai Latte,” “Chai Tea Latte,” or “Chai Tea.”

Chai is the word for “tea” in a variety of languages (often spelled differently, but pronounced the same), but of course, we’re talking about India specifically here. What we know as “Chai Tea” is really Masala Chai, which refers to the spices used to infuse the tea.

I’ve tried various masala chai lattes wherever I go, and it’s rare that I find the right ratio of spice to sweet. I prefer my masala chai to be on the spicier side, so keep that in mind when you make this tea. If you prefer a sweeter masala chai, you can add more sweetener or reduce the ginger and peppercorns slightly.

For months, at home, I’ve followed numerous recipes, in attempt to develop my perfect cup of masala chai and I think I’ve finally landed on the right one. It’s creamy and soothing with the perfect amount of spice.

I originally had intended for this to be a masala chai latte recipe, meaning I’d be adding foamed milk to the mix, but, alas, I could not locate our camp french press after all of our rearranging and moving in between travels, so this is a more simplified version, which I loved just as much, if not more. Plus, it was one fewer step!

If you do want to create a frothy topping, then I would suggest following the first steps in making the tea, then filter the tea into an insulated container to keep warm while you heat the milk separately. There are a variety of camp-friendly ways you can froth your milk without a steamer, as I learned from a bit of research. Just promise me you’ll top it off with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Masala Chai

This spiced tea is perfect for sipping on to warm up after winter adventures.

Author: Messkit Maven

5 from 2 ratings

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Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 10

servings

Ingredients

2 inch piece of ginger, sliced into coins (I usually can’t be bothered to peel ginger when I don’t have to, so I always buy organic)
2 cardamom pods, crushed (with the back of a wooden spoon, a knife, or some other hard surface)
2 cinnamon sticks
8 black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
2 star anise, (optional)
2 cups water
3 black tea bags
2 ½ cups shelf-stable almond or hemp milk
Maple syrup or liquid sweetener to taste

Instructions

Combine spices and tea bags with water and bring to a boil.
Cover, and reduce to simmer for five minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit five more minutes.
Add the milk and heat up to just before the liquid reaches the boiling point, when you can start to see small bubbles forming on the edge of the pot.
Strain and add liquid sweetener to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Small pot
Strainer
Mugs
Knife

Show Nutrition Hide

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 140kcal

*Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator

Drinks

Indian-Inspired

About The Author

Jen Sotolongo lives for adventure and food. Most recently, she returned from a two-year bicycle tour across Europe and South America with her dog and partner, otherwise, you can find her running long distances in the woods. When she’s not outdoors, she is crafting culinary delight in her kitchen, wherever that may be. She is a blogger and photographer at Long Haul Trekkers. Follow along @longhaultrekkers.

5 Comments

Natalia says:

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I absolutely adore masala chai butI often find it a bit sweet. This recipe looks great. Can’t wait to try it!

1. Jen Sotolongo says:
  
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  I’m the same way. The ones from coffee shops are almost always too sweet for me. That’s why I kick up the ginger and peppercorns! I hope you enjoy!
  
Bluegreenguitar says:

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Hi! Thanks for the comprehensive article. I love masala chai and have been working on my personal recipe for almost a year now!

I’ve been adding cocoa and turmeric to the classic list of ginger, clove, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. While I’m still learning how to get the perfect froth and how to bring out the spiciness, I have learned that I like it with a lot of honey. I think the honey sometimes brings out the spiciness of the other parts of the tea, too!

Best wishes!

Yaoli says:

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This recipe worked out really well! Had it during our last camping trip, was easy to do and actually drank it without straining (just made sure to not drink the spice bits).

1. Az says:
  
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  Wow thanks for the awesome recipe… I love an authentic chai, and find that the syrups and powders that the coffee shops use fail to live up to the authentic flavours found on the streets of the Asian subcontinent… We also crush our own spices, or if. Feeling lazy I’ll use a Three Legends Chai bag… Try googling them, you won’t be disappointed.