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This dirty chai recipe combines a sweetly spiced masala chai latte with a shot of espresso for an aromatic, cozy, and caffeinated beverage. And don’t worry if you don’t have a milk frother or steamer; I’m sharing two methods to easily froth milk at home without any fancy equipment!
As far as unique coffee shop beverages go, I hadn’t heard of this one until recently when a friend told me about it.
She said this is her go-to in the fall instead of a pumpkin spice latte. You still get the warm spices and subtle sweetness, but without the flavor of pumpkin!
I was intrigued. One sip in I realized that dirty chai is a hidden gem.
What is Dirty Chai Latte?
Dirty chai basically combines a masala chai latte with a shot of espresso. It has an alluring spiced aroma, and is a perfect marriage of tea and coffee.
A masala chai latte is typically black tea steeped with spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, peppercorns, etc., served with steamed milk.
The “dirty” part of this drink comes from the fact that a shot of espresso is added to the masala chai latte. To make it extra dirty (or filthy), add two shots of espresso per serving!
This coffeehouse beverage is very easy to make at home. If you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you probably have everything on hand to make it.
Check out my honey vanilla masala chai recipe if you want to make sweet spiced chai concentrate that you can keep in the fridge to make a dirty chai latte anytime. If you’re a fan of TAZO classic chai latte concentrate, you’ll save a ton of money by making this at home!
Why is it Called a Dirty Chai?
The name of this drink comes from the fact that when you add espresso, it “muddies” or “dirties” the color of the latte.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Cardamom pods – Cardamom is a classic ingredient in masala chai; it adds a cooling piney, peppery, citrusy sweet and spicy flavor.
- Whole cloves – Sweet but with an underlying astringency, cloves are integral here. Clove adds a warmth that’s reminiscent of Christmas spice!
- Whole star anise – For a sweet, warm, licorice-y, fennel-like flavor.
- Cinnamon stick – Aromatic, warm, sweet, and spicy cinnamon ties the other spices together.
- Fresh ginger – Ginger adds a punchy, peppery, citrusy back-end flavor note.
- Peppercorns – Pepper adds a touch of spicy piquancy. Just like sweet gingerbread spices, masala chai spices include peppercorn to create a balanced flavor profile.
- Nutmeg – Freshly-grated nutmeg makes a huge difference. Nutmeg is both citrusy and woodsy, sweet and spicy.
- Water – We steep the spices and tea in water.
- Coconut sugar – Or whatever sweetener you like to taste.
- Black tea bags – You can use looseleaf black tea if that’s what you have on hand.
- Whole milk – Warm or steam the milk for this latte. It’s easy to froth milk at home with no special equipment, and the frothy top makes this drink coffee shop-quality!
- Espresso – If you don’t have an espresso maker, you can use double strength coffee that’s brewed any way you like.
Pro Tip: Make the Spice Mix Your Own
One of the best things about masala chai is that it’s completely customizable to suit your taste preferences! For example, if you don’t like licorice-y flavor, omit the star anise. Or if you really want a zesty kick, add more fresh ginger.
How to Make This Easy Dirty Chai Recipe
- Add the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, peppercorns, nutmeg, and water to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat off, stir in the sugar, and add tea bags. Cover the saucepan and steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want it.
- Strain out the spices. Whisk in the warm milk and hot espresso. Serve.
Expert Tips
- Simplify the chai. Omit the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, peppercorns, nutmeg, and black tea bags and instead use 2 chai tea bags.
- Swap out the sweetener. Change the type and amount of sweetener in this recipe to suit your tastes. You can even use a keto sweetener to keep this low carb!
- You can froth milk easily at home. To froth milk in a French press, heat milk in a saucepan on the stovetop until steaming. Carefully pour the hot milk into a French press, put the lid on top, and plunge up and down until you have a good amount of foam on the top (it should almost double in volume). Or to froth milk in a mason jar, fill a 1-cup mason jar about halfway with milk, put the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously until it’s frothed (about 30 seconds). Remove the lid and microwave briefly (about 30 to 45 seconds) to warm the milk.
- On the other hand, if you want an inexpensive option that will make the process even easier, you can get a handheld milk frother wand on Amazon for less than $10.
Variations
As written, this recipe is naturally gluten free. If you have special dietary needs, you can easily make it low carb/keto friendly, paleo, or vegan!
- Low carb and keto – Use your favorite keto sweetener. Omit the milk and instead use 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream + 1/4 cup water.
- Paleo – Use lite coconut milk instead of whole milk.
- Vegan – Use your favorite non-dairy milk instead of whole milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dirty chai latte recipe uses 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar per serving.
The nice thing about making this drink at home is that you can add more or less sweetener if desired. Also, you can use a different sweetener if you prefer, such as honey, brown sugar, stevia, etc. And to make it low-carb, use a keto sweetener.
Traditionally in India (where chai is from), chai (meaning “tea”) is served with milk. Masala chai is tea steeped with spices.
However, if you prefer a non-dairy chai latte, you can use whatever type of plant-based milk you like.
Alternatively, you can omit the milk and use hot water instead, just note that the drink won’t be creamy like a latte.
A dirty chai latte is part of the Starbucks “Secret Menu”. To order this drink at Starbucks, simply ask for a chai latte with a shot of espresso!
More Fun, Unique Drinks to Try
- Iced Bubble Coffee
- Bulletproof Matcha Latte
- Butternut Butterscotch Latte
- Blended Iced Cinnamon Lattes
- Rose Tea Latte with Vanilla Rooibos
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
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Dirty Chai Latte Recipe
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Ingredients
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
- 2 black tea bags
- 1/2 cup whole milk steamed or warmed
- 2 shots hot espresso or 1/2 cup double-strength hot coffee
Instructions
- Add the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, peppercorns, nutmeg, and water to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat off, stir in the sugar, and add tea bags. Cover the saucepan and steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want it.
- Strain out the spices. Whisk in the warm milk and hot espresso. Serve.
Notes
- Use Chai Tea Bags Instead of Spices: If you prefer, you can omit the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, peppercorns, nutmeg, and black tea bags and instead use 2 chai tea bags.
- Swap Out the Sweetener For Your Favorite: You can change the type and amount of sweetener in this recipe to suit your tastes. You can even use a keto sweetener to keep this low carb!
- Make Frothed Milk Easily at Home: No worries if you don’t have a milk frother, you can froth milk easily at home. To froth milk in a French press, heat milk in a saucepan on the stovetop until steaming. Carefully pour the hot milk into a French press, put the lid on top, and plunge up and down until you have a good amount of foam on the top (it should almost double in volume). Or to froth milk in a mason jar, fill a 1-cup mason jar about halfway with milk, put the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously until it’s frothed (about 30 seconds). Remove the lid and microwave briefly (about 30 to 45 seconds) to warm the milk. On the other hand, if you want an inexpensive option that will make the process even easier, you can get a handheld milk frother wand on Amazon for less than $10.
- Special Diet Friendly: As written, this recipe is naturally gluten free. If you have special dietary needs, you can easily make it low carb/keto friendly, paleo, or vegan!
- Low carb and keto – Use your favorite keto sweetener. Omit the milk and instead use 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream + 1/4 cup water.
- Paleo – Use lite coconut milk instead of whole milk.
- Vegan – Use your favorite non-dairy milk instead of whole milk.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on December 3, 2020 and updated on October 28, 2024.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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