Carrageenan Free Spiced Chai Latte
Warming, aromatic, and deeply satisfying, this spiced chai latte is the kind of drink that makes a cold morning feel like a ritual worth waking up for. Whole spices ā cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, star anise, and fresh ginger ā are simmered together until the water turns fragrant and amber, building a flavor base that no powder or syrup can replicate. Many store-bought chai concentrates and ready-to-drink lattes rely on carrageenan as a stabilizer or thickener, which can be a real headache for anyone avoiding that additive. Here, the only ingredients are whole spices, black tea, whole milk, and honey ā nothing processed, nothing hidden, nothing to second-guess. The milk is gently heated until steaming rather than boiled, keeping it silky and sweet without any need for additives or emulsifiers. A final strain through a fine-mesh sieve leaves you with a beautifully smooth, spice-forward latte that you can sweeten exactly to your liking. Dust with a little ground cinnamon before serving and it looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more āIngredients
2 servings
- 1 cup water
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 whole black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp loose-leaf black tea or 2 black tea bags
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1ā2 tbsp honey, to taste
For serving
- ground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, star anise, and ginger 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 black tea (loose-leaf or bags) to the saucepan and steep for 3 minutes, until the brew is deep brown and strongly aromatic.
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