Xanthan Gum Free Classic Chai Latte

Total time20 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time15 min

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. Whole spices — cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and fresh ginger — are simmered together until the kitchen smells absolutely incredible, building a fragrant base that no powder or syrup can replicate. The milk is added right in the pot and brought to a gentle simmer with the tea, so every sip is rich, creamy, and layered with flavor. Honey sweetens things naturally and lets you dial the sweetness exactly to your taste. For anyone navigating thickener-free drinking, this recipe is naturally in the clear — every single ingredient is a whole food or pantry staple with zero additives to second-guess. Straining everything through a fine-mesh sieve gives you a silky, clean cup with none of the grit. It's the kind of cozy ritual that feels like a treat but comes together in under fifteen minutes.

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Ingredients

2 servings

1 cup water
1 cup whole milk
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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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