Rice Free Classic Chai Latte

Total time20 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time15 min

4.8

(8)

Warm, deeply spiced, and endlessly comforting, this homemade chai latte is the kind of drink that makes you want to curl up and slow down for a few minutes. Whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns are simmered low and slow until the water turns fragrant and amber — that's where all the magic happens. Black tea and whole milk join the pot next, steeping together until the chai reaches that signature deep brown color and rich, layered flavor you just can't get from a powder or a syrup. Honey sweetens everything naturally, and you can dial it up or down to suit your taste. The whole process is straightforward stovetop cooking with nothing processed or packaged hiding in the ingredient list, which makes it a genuinely clean, grain-free option without any compromise on flavor. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve gives you a silky, café-quality result right in your own kitchen. It's the kind of recipe you'll make once and then find yourself coming back to every single week.

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Ingredients

2 servings

1 cup water
1 cup whole milk
2 black tea bags (or 2 tsp loose-leaf black tea)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
4 whole black peppercorns
1 star anise (optional)
2 tbsp honey, or to taste

Instructions

1
Combine the water, ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and star anise (if using) in a small 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
Add the tea bags and milk to the saucepan. Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer — small bubbles at the edges, not a rolling boil — then reduce the heat to low and steep for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chai is deep brown and richly spiced.

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