Homemade Chai Tea – a coffee house favorite made two ways| Paleo + Vegan + Low FODMAP
And now it’s time to take a brief remission from all things pumpkin spice to start brewing up all things chai spiced.
(I’m going to need to try real hard to get through this entire post without spelling chai like chair.)
First up: we’re starting with this homemade chai tea
because
a. it’s early
b. I was out last night
c. coffee is necessary right about now
d. all of the above
You ready?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m still fully aboard the pumpkin spice train. It’s only mid October and I’ve got a bottomless pit of a stomach that not yet bored of pumpkin spice. I’m just ready for something new and I’ve always been a sucker for those sweet & spicy flavor blends.
It wasn’t until my brief stint working at Starbucks years back that I became familiar with chai tea lattes. I tried one of these my very first day and was sold. It probably helped that it was also mid October why back when and this happens to be one of the most comforting drinks ever. It’s exactly the type of thing you want to have after starting a new job. Comforting. Warm. Spicy.
Homemade Chai Latte – 2 ways
Regular chai teas lattes are actually non caffeinated – just frothed milk and infused tea. Dirty chai tea lattes are all that with added shots of espresso. Depending on my mood I’ll take this dirty or clean – so I include two ways to make this at home. The dirty version involves a french press, the clean version just requires a little stove top time to get your milk simmering.
Instead of hand mixing a few spices together I decided to opt for tea bags here to get that chai infused flavor. Sometimes when I make drinks using actual spices things can get a bit too gloopy at the bottom of the cup and it’s not pretty.
If you want to get real proper – Starbucks uses Tazo Organic Chai tea bags, but you can also find chai tea bags easily in most supermarkets.
Whichever why you make this you’ll love it! Top it off with a spoonful of coconut whipped cream, or maybe sprinkle on a dash of cinnamon for final touch.
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Homemade Chai Tea Two Ways
A coffee house favorite made two ways| Paleo + Vegan + Low FODMAP
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened dairy free milk, (coconut, almond, rice, etc)
- 1 tablespoons 1 tablespoons sweetener like maple for low FODMAP, honey, agave, coconut nectar etc, (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons ground coffee beans, can sub with espresso beans if you like
- 2 bags chai tea
Instructions
French Press Version
- Heat your milk in a kettle or a pot over high heat. Stir in the sweetener and vanilla extract until they're fully dissolved in the milk.
- While the milk is heating grind the beans if you need to and add them to the french press.
- Empty the chai tea bags into your french press.
- Once the milk starts to boil, take it off the heat and pour it into your french press.
- Stir the contents well, then add the top of the french press and let steep for 5-7 minutes.
- Press the handle down until the liquid is separated from the coffee grounds and tea and pour your latte into mugs and drink up!
Caffeine Free Version
- Heat your milk in a kettle or a pot over high heat. Stir in the sweetener and vanilla extract until they're fully dissolved in the milk.
- Once the milk starts to boil remove it from the heat and drop the two tea bags in the milk (don't open them like you do for the French press version).
- Let the tea bags steep for at least 3 minutes and then pour the milk into two cups and enjoy!
Emily says
I visited a coffee shop on vacation a few years ago and fell in love with their dirty chai. They had all the wonderful lactose free milks to choose from. But they also had something I had never experienced before, they asked me if I wanted it spicy or sweet. This blew my mind because my tastes have changed drastically with my diet and now things that are fine for most people are sickeningly sweet for me. While on an all liquid diet for my IBD I began making chai shakes with my protein powder but it was still too sweet. Now with your recipe from scratch I may finally be able to make it spicy!
Sarah says
I know what you mean! I actually recently ordered a dirty chai from a coffee shop – something I used to really enjoy getting – and I couldn’t finish it because it was just SO sweet. I hope you like this one as much you used to enjoy your coffee shop ones!
laura@motherwouldknow says
I’m not a chai lover but might have to give it another try. I never knew what a “dirty” chai was and now that I do, I can’t imagine what that tastes like. Mixing tea and coffee in the same drink? Hmmm …
Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says
Chai tea is the only type of tea I like, it’s usually coffee for me! I never thought about making it in the french press, trying soon!