This Iced Dirty Chai Latte combines the amazing flavors of chai with coffee. It's a chai latte with a shot of espresso made with homemade chai concentrate. It's vegan-friendly and so easy to make!
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Why You'll Love This Drink
- Chai spices and coffee complement each other really well - It's no surprise this is a popular drink, whether it be at Starbucks or any other coffee shop! Chai and espresso are a great match because the espresso isn't too much liquid so it doesn't overpower the chai but still adds lots of flavor to the latte.
- Perfect for when you need an extra caffeine kick - Chai is made with black tea which naturally contains caffeine but that sometimes just isn't enough. I like adding 1-2 shots of espresso depending on how much caffeine I want to add to my drink that day.
- Homemade is cheaper and healthier - Making your dirty chai at home saves you money and you know exactly what goes inside. I really recommend making the chai concentrate at home! It's super easy and has much less sugar than store-bought!
- Double chai flavor - Making you rown concentrate adds a ton of flavor but if you want to add even more, I recommend adding homemade chai syrup! Check out the recipe in this Iced Matcha Chai Latte post. It's sooo good!
Ingredients
- Chai concentrate - This is made with chai spices and chai tea bags. I use whole spices, simmer them and then take them out. I don't recommend using ground spices because they will settle on the bottom and might get too strong as the concentrate sits. You'll need whole cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, cloves, coriander, black pepper, and ginger.
- Espresso - I recommend using 1-2 shots of freshly brewed espresso but you can also use regular brewed coffee or cold brew. You can adjust the amount or keep the amount the same. A single espresso would be 30 ml.
- Milk - I really like using almond milk with chai spices but you can use any milk you like. Oat would also be great!
- Chai spiced syrup - The concentrate is sweetened with a touch of maple syrup with more addded to the final drink but if you want to up the chai flavors, you can also add some homemade chai syrup I shared in the Iced Matcha Chai Latte recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Chai concentrate: Add water, maple syrup, and all the whole chai spices and fresh ginger to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add vanilla extract and chai tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain right away or let sit for 10 more minutes to make the spices even stronger.
To make a single serving of the dirty chai latte, fill up your glass with ice, pour in ½ cup of the chai concentrate (homemade or Tazo chai), froth your milk and pour over the chai. Brew the espresso and pour over the milk. I recommend frothing the milk because it helps to make nice layers
Storing
Store the chai concentrate in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for 2-3 days. It's the same as storing tea in the fridge so it doesn't last too long. The recipe makes 2 cups of concentrate which is enough for just 4 drinks so it usually doesn't last me longer than 2 days. Once you make the actual drink with milk and espresso, it's best consumed right away.
FAQs
Yes, definitely! Tazo is a great option.
You can just brew two bags of chai tea bags in ½ cup of water to make a quick single serving of the concentrate if needed.
Yes, you can! You might have to add a little more to get the same caffeine kick because espresso is a little more concentrated. Regular brewed coffee or cold brew are both great options.
Similar Iced Coffee Recipes
Here are four of my favorite caffeinated drinks. Two are mochas because coffee and chocolate are one of the best flavor combos and you can't convince me otherwise!
📖 Recipe
Iced Dirty Chai Latte
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups concentrate 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Iced Dirty Chai Latte is perfect for mornings when you're craving a chai latte with a little bit more caffeine kick. A "dirty chai" means chai latte with a shot of espresso added.
Ingredients
Chai concentrate:
- 2 ¼ cups water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 heaping teaspoon cardamom pods
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cloves
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1-inch fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 chai tea bags
Dirty Chai Latte:
- ice
- ½ cup chai concentrate
- ½ cup milk (almond or oat milk are great options)
- 1 tsp maple syrup or more based on preference (optional)
- 1-2 shots of espresso
- Cinnamon powder (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Chai concentrate:
- Add all the ingredients except the tea bags and vanilla extract into a medium saucepan.
- Stir to mix the maple syrup and water and bring to a soft boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and add the vanilla extract and tea bags. Let them steep for about 5 minutes.
- You can strain the concentrate immediately or take the teabags out and let the spices sit in it for 10 more minutes while it cools to enhance the flavors. Strain into a glass jar and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Dirty Chai Latte:
- Fill up a tall glass with ice, add equal parts of chai concentrate and milk (½ cup each or more depending on the size of your drink). I like to froth the milk but that’s optional. Add maple syrup if desired.
- Brew 1-2 shots of espresso and pour it over the milk and chai.
- Dust with cinnamon if desired and serve with a straw. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storing: The concentrate will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days but once you make the drink, it’s best consumed right away.
- Store-bought: You can also make this with a store-bought chai concentrate. Tazo brand is a great option.
- Single serving: To make chai concentrate for 1, steep 2 chai tea bags in ½ cup water and stir in 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Combine with the rest of the dirty chai ingredients.
- Double the chai flavor: Add the chai syrup from this Iced Matcha Chai Latte to add even more chai flavor!
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Freya
I love a dirty chai! When I first worked in a coffee shop, I thought all chai drinks had coffee in so a few customers had a bit extra energy those days!!
Gloria
I love chai in any form. This is going to be perfect for sipping on the patio. Better than takeout from Starbucks.
Tracy
Love ALL things chai! This was so so delicious. Just the right amount of spices!
Liz
I just recently gotten into Chai lattes, and this recipe sounds wonderful! I saved it to give it a try soon!
Bernice
This drink looks like such a treat! I love that you made your own chai concentrate too. It's so much better for you than the one from a store. I always add a shot of espresso into my chai as well, just for an extra little kick.
Kathryn
This is my new favorite drink! Better than Starbucks and love the extra kick of espresso! Can't wait to start the day with this dirty chai!
Healing Tomato
The combination of chai and latte is so good. It's the best of both worlds and really easy to make.
Ramona
I cannot stop staring at the picture for this iced dirty chai latte, It looks so perfect and super tempting to make! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to try it out!
Hayley Dhanecha
Love my Masala Chai, now that warmer weather is upon us I can imaging having this iced dirty chai latte in my back garden. Such a beautiful photos :)
Ange G.
Where is the glass in the photo from, it is beautiful! Thanks!
Veronika | thehealthfulideas
I got it from a small kitchen store in Toronto, they only had one, unfortunately. The brand is called Bormioli Rocco.
S&H
I really want to make this recipe! My question is, to make it warm, do I just skip the ice? Would it taste the same?
Veronika Sykorova
Yes! You can make it hot or iced, it will taste the same either way.
I do recommend warming up the chai and the milk before adding the espresso. You can warm up the two together in a small saucepan. It doesn't need to boil or simmer, just to make it warm enough for the drink.
If you want the milk frothy, warm and froth it separately from the chai.