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Two ornate glasses of milk tea sit on saucers amid dried flowers. In front, a golden tray holds cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cardamom pods, and ground spices—essential ingredients for any flavorful iced tea recipe—all beautifully arranged on deep blue fabric with a stone wall background.

Creamy Spiced Chai Recipe with Indian Assam

Servings: 2
Cook Time: 25 minutes
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Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tsp (rounded) of our Indian Assam loose leaf tea or other traditional black tea of choice
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tsp (rounded) Chai Spice Mix see recipe below
  • 4 Tbsp. brown sugar

For the Chai Spice Mix:

  • 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  1. In a small saucepan, combine half and half, milk, and water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to low and stir in Indian Assam loose leaf tea and Chai Spice Mix.
  3. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 5 minutes.
  4. Strain into pre-warmed mugs and stir in brown sugar to taste.
Chai Spice Mix:
  1. In a small cup or bowl, blend together the above spices for Chai Spice Mix. Store in an opaque glass or ceramic jar with screwtop lid or tight-fitting cork. Give the jar a good shake to help distribute the different ingredients before using the spice mix for brewing. Makes a scant 1/4 cup.

Notes

St. James Chai Tea Secrets:

While we prefer to use a bold, malty tea like Indian Assam, a toasty traditional black tea like China Keemun or other traditional black teas will add different notes to your chai. If you are more of a green tea drinker, you can substitute black tea for Gunpowder Green with a bold green tea flavor, or Sencha with comforting, earthy notes. *Note: Use simmering liquid for green teas instead of boiling. Your chai will look different in color when using green teas.
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