Homemade Chai Concentrate (From Tea Bags)

DIY your way to spiced tea deliciousness with this simple Homemade Chai Concentrate recipe. With just 4 basic ingredients and about 10 minutes of effort, you can make a batch that rivals Starbucks—perfect for making chai lattes at home!

Even though I love coffee (enough to dedicate a whole website to it!), over the years Starbucks has made me a tea-lover, too. After all, who can resist the charms of a milky, sweet, warmly spiced iced chai latte? Not this gal.

And, with a bevy of exciting seasonal mishmashes to choose from—iced pumpkin cream chai, apple crisp chai, and gingerbread chai to name a few—there’s always a good reason to keep this DIY Starbucks chai concentrate on hand.

If you’re new to the barista game, not to worry—this recipe for chai concentrate is a snap to throw together. All you need are 4 basics—one of which is water—and zero fancy tricks. All in all, you’ll only need to spend about 10 minutes in the kitchen for a week’s worth of yum!

Jump to:

• What is chai concentrate?
• What does it taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Chai Concentrate From Tea Bags
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• FAQs
• Homemade Chai Concentrate Nutrition
• Chai Latte Recipes
• Homemade Chai Concentrate (From Tea Bags)

What is chai concentrate?

If you’ve ever ordered a chai latte from a big coffee chain, chances are you’ve had a run in with masala chai concentrate. While the classic Indian preparation requires simmering tea leaves with a bunch of spices, milk, and sugar, this streamlined method distills all the spicy tea yumminess into a syrupy liquid concentrate. That way, when you get a craving for a homemade chai latte, all you have to do is mix it with milk! 

What does it taste like?

Because everyone has their own blend of chai masala, it will depend on the brand of tea bags you use! I made a Tazo tea chai concentrate to emulate Starbucks as closely as possible, so the primary spices are cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper—super cozy. 

There’s also a tannic, almost astringent flavor from the black tea, plenty of sweetness from the sugar, and the added warmth of vanilla. It’s like a super concentrated, very sweet cuppa chai!

Why You’ll Love This Chai Tea Concentrate Recipe

• Quick & Easy - If you have 10 minutes to spare, you have plenty of time to whip up a batch.
• Cost-Effective - While buying a box of chai latte concentrate is undoubtedly cheaper than buying actual lattes from Starbucks, it’s still more expensive than making your own! This easy recipe costs just a couple of bucks to make, and will keep you in chai dreamland all week long.
• Customizable - When you order a chai latte at Starbucks, you can’t make many adjustments other than your choice of milk. By making your own, you have the opportunity to make it decaf, sugar-free, or with the particular spice blend of your choosing!

Ingredients Needed

As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this homemade chai mix:

• Chai Tea Bags - Starting with pre-measured, pre-mixed tea bags keeps the process simple, straightforward, and mess-free. 
• Water - If possible, use filtered water for the cleanest taste.
• Sugar - Plain white sugar has a neutral sweetness, which allows the black tea and warm spices to shine. Feel free to use either caster sugar or superfine sugar—they’re the same thing with smaller granules.
• Vanilla Extract - For added warmth and sweetness. Make sure to reach for pure vanilla for the best flavor!

Substitutions

Need to make some changes? No problem. Here are some easy swaps to try:

• Chai Tea Bags - You are welcome to swap in about 2 Tablespoons of loose leaf chai, or make your own chai masala with tea leaves and the warming spices of your choice.
• Sugar - Feel free to swap in cane sugar for a less processed alternative. You can also use brown sugar if you don’t mind a caramelly undertone!
• Vanilla Extract - You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste or powder.

How To Make Chai Concentrate From Tea Bags

Making a chai concentrate Starbucks would approve of is simpler than you may think. Here’s how it’s done: 

Step 1: Prep. Remove the tea bags from the box and tie them together, then clip the paper tags off.

Step 2: Steep. Add the chai tea bags and water to a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and remove the tea bags, allowing the tea to drip out of them before discarding them.

Step 3: Stir the sugar and vanilla extract into the chai concentrate. Keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved. 

Step 4: Cool & Store. Allow the concentrate to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to a mason jar or container and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

As I mentioned earlier, one of the best parts about making your own chai concentrate is you can customize it as needed. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Sugar-Free - Feel free to swap in the cup-for-cup sugar alternative of your choice (e.g. monkfruit) to make a diabetic-friendly version.
• Decaf/Caffeine-Free - You are welcome to swap in decaffeinated chai tea bags, or use an uncaffeinated blend made with rooibos.
• Lower Glycemic Index - Use agave instead of sugar to sweeten your concentrate.
• Other Tea Concentrates - You can use the same method to make other flavors of tea concentrate (e.g. use Earl Grey tea bags to make London Fog syrup).

Serving Suggestions

This homemade chai concentrate is wonderfully versatile, adding warm, spiced flavors to all kinds of drinks and dishes. Here are a few creative ways to enjoy it:

• Dirty Chai Latte: Add a shot of espresso and your choice of steamed milk for a cozy, caffeinated twist.
• Chai-Infused French Toast: Mix a splash of chai concentrate into your French toast batter for a subtly spiced breakfast upgrade.
• Chai Iced Latte: Combine chai concentrate with cold milk and pour over ice for a refreshing, spiced drink.
• Chai Smoothie: Blend it into your morning smoothie with banana, vanilla yogurt, and a pinch of cinnamon for an energizing start to the day.
• Chai Hot Chocolate: Mix equal parts chai concentrate and hot chocolate for a decadent, spicy treat.
• Chai Pancake Syrup: Reduce the concentrate slightly on the stove and drizzle over pancakes, waffles, or even oatmeal for a sweet and spiced topping.

Recipe Success Tips

• Don’t oversteep. Black tea can begin to taste bitter if you leave it to steep for too long.
• Remove those tags! There’s nothing appealing about little pieces of paper floating in your homemade chai latte. 
• Use smart storage. A syrup bottle or a container with a pour spout will save your counters and fridge from any icky stickiness.
• Freeze chai ice cubes for pre-portioned drinks. Each standard ice cube well is approximately 2 tablespoons!

FAQs

Homemade Chai Concentrate Nutrition

As with most coffee syrups and drink sweeteners, this chai concentrate is mostly just sugar and water. Each serving clocks in at 103 calories, with 0 grams of fat, protein, or sodium. There are 25 grams of carbs per serving, all 25 of which are from sugar. All in all, it’s a relatively light, delightfully sweet treat that’s easy to fit into nearly any diet!

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 103 calories
• Total Fat: 0 grams
• Protein: 0 grams
• Sodium: 0 mg
• Carbohydrates: 25 grams
• Sugar: 25 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Chai Latte Recipes

xoxo Megan