High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Chai Spice Iced Tea
Warm spices meet a cool, refreshing glass in this homemade chai iced tea that tastes like something you'd pay way too much for at a coffee shop. Cinnamon, fresh ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns are simmered together before the black tea even hits the pot, building a deeply aromatic base that store-bought versions simply can't replicate. The sweetness comes entirely from maple syrup, which dissolves beautifully into the warm liquid and keeps the whole drink free from the corn-derived sweeteners that sneak into so many bottled teas and concentrates on grocery shelves. It's a genuinely clean ingredient list — nothing processed, nothing mysterious, just real spices and a natural sweetener doing all the heavy lifting. The straining step makes sure every sip is silky smooth, and pouring it over ice gives you that satisfying clink-and-chill moment that makes a homemade drink feel like a real treat. Whether you're sipping it on a hot afternoon or prepping a pitcher for guests, this one is easy to love and even easier to make again.
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Learn more →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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