Dirty Chai Latte Recipe

Simmer spices

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup water, crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, crushed peppercorns, 0.25 tsp ground cardamom, 0.25 tsp ground ginger, and 0.125 tsp ground cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Allow the spice mixture to simmer for 3 minutes to bloom the flavors, stirring once or twice so spices don’t stick. Reduce heat to low.

Add tea bags to the simmering spiced water. Steep 3 minutes off the heat for strong flavor (steep longer for stronger chai). Remove and discard tea bags.

Stir in 1 cup whole milk, 0.25 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbs brown sugar (or maple syrup). Warm the mixture over low heat until hot but not boiling, about 2–3 minutes, whisking to dissolve sugar and integrate milk.

Taste and adjust sweetness or spice: add the optional 1 tsp sweetener if you prefer sweeter chai. Strain the chai concentrate through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container to remove whole spices and cinnamon stick.

Prepare espresso: Pull one fresh shot (about 1 shot) of espresso. If you don’t have an espresso machine, brew 1/4 cup strong coffee (French press or Aeropress) and use that.

For a hot Dirty Chai Latte: In a cup, combine 3/4 cup of the warm chai concentrate with the hot espresso shot. Froth or steam 1/2 cup milk (or heat and whisk vigorously) until it’s foamy. Pour the frothed milk on top of the chai + espresso, holding back foam with a spoon, then spoon foam on top. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon over the foam as garnish.

For an iced Dirty Chai Latte: Fill a tall glass with ice (about 1 cup). Add 3/4 cup cooled chai concentrate, then pour the espresso shot over the top. Stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup cold milk and stir gently. Garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon.

Adjust final sweetness and spice to taste. Serve immediately. Leftover chai concentrate can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat before assembling hot lattes or use chilled for iced versions.