HomeWHATWhat Is A Dirty Chai Tea Latte

What Is A Dirty Chai Tea Latte

Coffee lovers and tea enthusiasts will put aside their differences in the glorious presence of a dirty chai latte. What’s in a dirty chai latte? It is the best of both worlds with an espresso base, concentrated tea body, hot frothed milk, and an aromatic blend of warm spices.

This dirty chai latte recipe will show you how to make one at home easily, and it’s way better than anything you’ll find at a chain coffee shop. Read on for the delicious deets on this hot drink.

What Is A Dirty Chai Latte?

A dirty chai is masala chai, or “spiced tea,” added to a traditional cafe latte recipe of espresso and frothy steamed milk. Masala chai originates from India and consists of black tea with milk, water, spices, and sugar. The terms chai and masala chai are often used interchangeably, but “chai” is actually just the word for tea in many languages. So avoid referring to this drink as a dirty chai tea latte to eliminate redundancy (1).

Dirty Chai Latte recipe

Dirty chai lattes are one of the best drinks to get at Starbucks, but personally, I find that any espresso drink tastes better if you make it for yourself at home. If you agree and want to keep satisfying your inner home barista, check out more delicious recipes like the Pumpkin Spice coffee recipe. Or if you want a drink that has a milder flavor, try this Starbucks Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte copycat recipe instead.

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Choosing the Best Tea

It is preferable to use high-quality tea. Assam tea is grown in Northeastern India and has a powerful aroma, malty mouthfeel, and health-promoting properties related to antioxidants, heart and brain health, and immune system function (2). Most grocery stores should have it.

How to Make A Dirty Chai Latte

We’ll take you through four simple steps en route to the best dirty chai latte.

Things you

1. Prepare The Brew

Pull one or two espresso shots with your espresso machine. If you don’t have an espresso machine, use a French Press with a higher ratio of coffee to water to brew an extra-strong coffee. You can also brew a strong coffee using an AeroPress or Moka Pot.

Prepare the brew

How Many Shots Of Espresso In A Dirty Chai?

A dirty chai latte has one shot of espresso. Adding a second espresso shot makes it a double dirty chai latte or a filthy chai latte. The names may be a tad uncomfortable to toss around the family dinner table, but the taste and extra kick of caffeine in this drink are worth it.

2. Brew The Concentrated Chai Tea

Brew one to three bags of black tea with boiling hot water from a stove top or a kettle. You can brew as you would typically for tea or let everything simmer on the stove to extract more flavor.

Dirty Chai Latte spices

Add the following chai spices with your black tea: cinnamon, fresh ginger, ground cardamom pods, black pepper, nutmeg, clove, fennel seed, and/or peppercorn. Use pre-ground spices or grind whole spices like cinnamon sticks for extra freshness. But you don’t need all of these spices. Play around with what you have, and have fun!

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You can up the spice factor by using prepared chai teabags with added natural ingredients like cinnamon, ginger root, allspice, cinnamon oil, clove bud oil, and cardamom oil, along with the black tea.

For a stronger chai concentrate, use more tea with less water. Otherwise, use fewer bags and a decaf option (3).

3. Froth The Milk

Froth one cup of milk in a milk frother, or steam the milk using the steam wand of your espresso machine for a more traditional latte texture. For the best result, use 2% dairy milk.

To make this a vegan recipe, use a plant-based milk like oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. Use a zero-sugar vanilla oat milk to make more of a dirty vanilla chai latte. Keep in mind that each milk froths differently and affects the taste in a unique way. Don’t use more than one cup of dairy-free milk, or your frother may overflow.

4. Combine Everything And Enjoy!

Pour one-half cup of the chai mixture into a large mug, followed by the shot of espresso or 2 ounces of strong coffee. Top it up with steamed milk froth, and voila! You’ve got yourself a hot dirty chai latte. Sweeten it to taste as needed, and top it off with a star anise spice garnish if you have one.

For an iced chai latte, pour everything over a glass filled with ice. It’s up to you if you prefer an iced dirty chai latte or one served hot.

Final Thoughts

Dirty chai lattes are popular drinks in coffee shops, but they’re both better and more affordable when enjoyed at home. You can customize your dirty chai latte to your taste if you have a milk frother, milk, espresso or strong coffee, black tea, and spices. Plus, it’s compatible with a variety of dietary restrictions, including dairy free, vegan, and gluten free.

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Tell us if you try this out and what variations you’ve made as a recipe developer!

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