You won't believe how simple it is to make your own Iced Chai Latte or Iced Dirty Chai Latte like Starbucks with only three simple ingredients. Plus, it's a lot less expensive than going to a coffee shop. Satisfy your craving for the warming spices of chai right at home with this easy recipe!
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The further down the Starbucks copycat recipe rabbit hole I go, the more I realize just how easy it is to make a homemade version of these drinks, and with such few ingredients! This one is extremely easy, especially when you grab the chai concentrate right from the grocery store! Sure, it costs a few bucks, but you can make several iced chai's for a fraction of the cost of just one at Starbucks, a much better bang for your buck!
An iced chai is the perfect drink for the warmer months, it's cool and refreshing but still has that spicy flavor you love. This recipe allows you to customize to your preferred sweetness, with your preferred milk choice, and you can even add a shot of espresso to make it dirty!
If you're enjoying this recipe, be sure to check out my other Starbucks copycat recipes like a basic shaken espresso, a shaken espresso with a chocolate twist, or this nutty brown sugar version. You can make your own Starbucks syrups too; classic syrup, brown sugar syrup, or vanilla syrup. How about a pink drink that kids can enjoy?!
What is Chai?
Masala chai, the spiced tea commonly known as chai, has its roots in India. In Hindi, the word chai means tea. Chai has gained in popularity all over the world and there are numerous variations of the recipe depending on the locale and the drinker's personal preferences.
Generally, black tea is steeped with a mixture of chai spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black peppercorns. The resulting tea has a flavor that is warm, fragrant, and just a little spicy.
Chai can be consumed hot or cold and can be served alone or with milk and sweetener.
What is Dirty Chai?
What makes a chai "dirty" is simply adding a shot of espresso to a chai latte. The result is a more espresso forward drink. If you love the spiciness of chai but seek the caffeine boost of espresso, this is a fantastic option.
Here's What You'll Need
- Tazo Classic Chai Latte Black Tea Concentrate: Find this product at your local grocery store! Take a look at the ingredients and compare them to the ingredients on the Starbucks app, they are identical. This is the exact same product that Starbucks is using to make Chai Tea Latte's in store.
- Milk: You can use your milk of choice here, whether that be regular 2% milk, whole milk, or a plant-based milk alternative.
- Ice: If you want to be fancy, make some fun, perfectly square ice cubes!
Substitutions
- Tazo Classic Chai Latte Concentrate: If you don't have Tazo iced chai latte black tea concentrate, you can use any other brand of iced chai tea concentrate. Or make your own chai concentrate by steeping chai tea bags in hot water and then letting it cool. Since the Tazo brand is also sweetened, you may wish to add some sugar to the mixture or add classic syrup when you make your latte.
- Milk: You can substitute any type of milk you prefer, such as almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
- Sweetener: If you want to sweeten your latte, you can use honey, maple syrup, or any other sweetener of your choice.
- Ice: You can also use frozen milk cubes or coffee cubes instead of regular ice to prevent your drink from becoming watered down.
Variations
- Vanilla Iced Chai Latte: Add a splash of vanilla extract or vanilla syrup to your iced chai latte to give it a sweet and creamy flavor.
- Cinnamon Iced Chai Latte: Sprinkle some cinnamon on top of your iced chai latte or add a cinnamon stick to your drink for an extra spicy kick.
- Honey Iced Chai Latte: Sweeten your iced chai latte with a drizzle of honey to balance out the spicy flavors.
- Coconut Iced Chai Latte: Use coconut milk or add a splash of coconut syrup to your iced chai latte for a tropical twist.
- Chocolate Iced Chai Latte: Stir in some chocolate syrup or add a sprinkle of cocoa powder to your iced chai latte for a rich and indulgent treat.
- Almond Iced Chai Latte: Use almond milk instead of regular milk for a nutty and creamy flavor.
How to Make an Iced Chai Latte
You can adjust this drink to any size you desire! The proper ratio is about half chai concentrate and half milk, along with enough ice to chill the drink.
Add ice to your preferred glass. Then add in the chai concentrate.
Top off with your favorite milk. Stir and enjoy!
How to Make an Iced Dirty Chai Latte
To make an Iced Dirty Chai Latte, simply add a shot of espresso to your Iced Chai Latte!
Storage
Enjoy this drink freshly made. You can keep extra chai tea concentrate in the refrigerator and simply mix up a glass as needed.
Top Tip
- Use cold milk and chai concentrate: For the best results, make sure to use cold milk and chai. This will help to ensure that your latte is nice and chilled and not watered down by the ice.
- Experiment with milk alternatives: If you prefer a dairy-free latte, try using a milk alternative like almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
- Adjust the sweetness: The Tazo iced chai latte concentrate is already sweet, but you can add more sweetener to taste. Try using honey or simple syrup.
FAQ
An iced chai latte consists of a black tea concentrate infused with the warming spices such as cinnamon, clove, ginger, and star anise that is combined with milk and ice for a sweet and spicy drink.
Yes, the Starbucks iced chai latte is sweet, the chai concentrate contains sugar and honey.
Starbucks uses Tazo Classic Chai Latte Black Tea Concentrate. This brand is owned by Starbucks and the pre-made concentrates can be found at most local grocery stores.
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Recipe
Starbucks Iced Chai Latte (Dirty option)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Tazo iced chai latte black tea concentrate
- ½ cup milk, any kind you prefer
- 1 cup ice
- 1 shot espresso, optional for dirty chai latte
Instructions
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Pour ½ cup of Tazo iced chai latte black tea concentrate over the ice.
- Add ½ cup of milk to the glass.
- If desired, add a shot of espresso to make it "dirty".
- Stir to combine and enjoy!
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