Description
This Iced Vanilla Chai Latte is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Made with a concentrated brew of aromatic chai spices and infused with pure vanilla, it is a refreshing Starbucks copycat you can make at home in minutes. Naturally gluten-free and easily adaptable to be dairy-free, this drink is a creamy, cooling treat for any time of day.
Ingredients
2 bags Chai tea (ensure gluten-free certified if sensitive)
½ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (adjust to sweetness preference)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 1 tbsp vanilla syrup)
¾ cup milk of choice (whole milk, almond milk, or gluten-free oat milk)
1 cup ice cubes
Pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, for garnish
Instructions
1. Steep Tea: Pour the boiling water over the chai tea bags in a heat-safe mug. Let it steep for 5–7 minutes to create a strong, spicy concentrate. Squeeze the bags gently before removing to extract all the flavor.
2. Flavor & Sweeten: While the tea is still hot, whisk in the honey (or maple syrup) and the vanilla extract until fully dissolved.
3. Cool (Optional): Allow the tea mixture to cool to room temperature if time permits. This prevents the ice from melting too quickly.
4. Assemble: Fill a tall glass to the rim with ice cubes. Pour the sweetened vanilla chai concentrate over the ice.
5. Add Milk: Pour the cold milk over the tea and ice. Stir gently to combine.
6. Serve: Dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a spicy finish and serve immediately.
Notes
Spicier Version: For a ‘spicier’ kick, add a pinch of fresh ginger or extra black pepper to the steeping water.
Make It ‘Dirty’: Add a shot of espresso to turn this into a Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte.
Vanilla Bean: If you want to feel fancy, scrape half a vanilla bean into the hot tea instead of using extract for specks of real vanilla.
Storage: You can triple the tea concentrate recipe and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Just pour and add milk when ready.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Drinks
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 24
- Sodium: 90
- Fat: 3
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 10