Almond Free Chai Spice Iced Tea

Total time45 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time10 min

4.5

(23)

Warm spices meet a cool glass in this deeply aromatic iced tea that tastes like a coffeehouse drink you made entirely from scratch. Cinnamon, fresh ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns are simmered together until the water turns fragrant and amber, building a spice base that's bold without being overpowering. Black tea bags steep right into that spiced liquid, and a splash of maple syrup ties everything together with a gentle, natural sweetness. The whole thing gets strained, chilled, and poured over ice for a drink that's refreshing and complex at the same time. For anyone navigating nut-free eating, bottled chai blends and coffee shop versions can be a minefield — flavored syrups and pre-mixed powders often sneak in almond extract or almond milk without much fanfare. This recipe keeps things completely transparent: every ingredient is whole, recognizable, and easy to verify. There's nothing hiding in a spice packet or a store-bought concentrate. The result is a gorgeous, deeply spiced iced tea you can feel completely confident serving to anyone at the table.

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 cups water
3 black tea bags
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced
6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 whole cloves
¼ tsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp maple syrup

For serving

1 cup ice cubes, for serving

Instructions

1
Combine the water, cinnamon stick, sliced ginger, crushed cardamom pods, whole cloves, and black peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is fragrant and lightly amber.
2
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the tea bags and steep for 4 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags.

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