This Dirty Chai Latte Recipe combines a sweetly spiced masala chai latte with a shot of espresso for an aromatic, cozy 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?
This Dirty Chai Latte Recipe 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, and peppercorns, 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!
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.
The Best Dirty Chai Latte Recipe
This coffeehouse beverage is very easy to make at home!
The recipe below is the from-scratch version if you have a well-stocked spice cabinet. Here’s what goes into it:
- Cardamom pods
- Cloves
- Star anise
- Cinnamon stick
- Fresh ginger
- Peppercorns
- Freshly-grated nutmeg
- Water
- Coconut sugar, or sweetener of choice
- Black tea bags
- Milk
- Espresso or strong hot coffee
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!
Tips for Making a Dirty Chai Latte
- 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 (find chai tea bags on Amazon).
- 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.
Dirty Chai FAQs
How Much Sugar is in a Dirty Chai Latte?
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.
Can You Drink Chai Without Milk?
Traditionally in India (where chai is from), chai (meaning “tea”) is served with milk.
However, if you prefer a non-dairy Chai Latte when you’re making Dirty Chai, 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.
How Do I Order a Dirty Chai Latte at Starbucks?
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 and Unique Drinks to Try
- Iced Bubble Coffee
- Thai Iced Tea
- Bulletproof Matcha Latte
- Butternut Butterscotch Latte
- Blended Iced Cinnamon Lattes
- Rose Tea Latte with Vanilla Rooibos
- 5-Minute Low Carb Hot Chocolate
Let’s Connect
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xoxo, Faith
Dirty Chai Latte Recipe
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 strong 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.
Faith’s Tips
- 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 (find chai tea bags on Amazon).
- 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.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on December 3, 2020. I updated it with more information on December 14, 2021.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
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