This Iced Chai Tea Latte is a cold drink packed with sweet, warm spices! It's the perfect way to enjoy a chai latte on a warm day, or any time you're craving this spicy drink. This latte is dairy free, vegan, and amped up with a shot of espresso.
ICED CHAI TEA LATTE RECIPE
Chai is a traditional drink that dates back almost 5,000 years. This delicious drink has been used as a medicinal and recreational drink for years, and for good reason, it's delicious!
Warm notes from cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and anise meld with the earthiness of black tea to make the perfect chai from scratch. We are adding vegan milk, maple syrup, and espresso and then icing it down to create a coffeeshop masterpiece at home.
Prefer your vegan lattes hot? Try this recipe for a Dirty Chai Latte instead.
INGREDIENTS IN ICED CHAI TEA LATTE
water - distilled or tap whatever will work just fine.
vegetable or nut milk - I love coconut milk, but you can use your favorite milk here. I've also made this with Hemp Milk and macadamia nut milk.
black tea bags - Use your favorite brand of tea or you can grab some black tea online as well.
cinnamons sticks - I always seem to have cinnamon sticks in my pantry. Any brand of cinnamon sticks will work.
whole cardamom pods - Be sure to use the whole cardamon pods and not ground cardamon. We'll be grinding them ourselves!
whole cloves - Be sure to use whole cloves and not ground cloves.
star anise - Star anise is a fun spice because it has a neat shape and a unique taste!
pepper corns - While this might seem like an interesting ingredient, the whole pepper corns add depth to the favor!
ginger - You will need to use fresh ginger for this recipe. Leave the peel on the ginger to save time.
maple syrup - You can use any brand of real maple syrup, I love to use local maple syrup.
espresso - I like a shot of espresso in my iced chai lattes. You can brew you own at home on the stovetop using an Italian style moka, or your espresso machine. No espresso machine? No problem. Use regular brewed coffee or cold brew concentrate.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE AN ICED CHAI TEA LATTE
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns. Place the crushed spices in a small pot.
- Add ginger slices, cinnamon sticks, black tea bags, and water. Bring to a boil and then immediately remove from heat and remove the tea bags from the water. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
- Pour the Mixture through a strainer to separate the spices from the tea.
- To assemble your iced chai tea latte, first make two espresso shots. In each of two mugs add ½ cup of the chai mixture, ½ cup of milk 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 1 shot of expresso, and a few ice cubes. Stir to combine and enjoy.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH A DIRTY ICED CHAI TEA LATTE?
I love enjoying this homemade iced chai tea latte as treat all on its own, but it's even more delicious when paired with something sweet!
Try our Vegan Coffee Cake, Vegan Panna Cotta, or Vegan Oatmeal Cookies. Air Fryer Apple Crisp has some of the same spices in it and would be delicious too!
DO ICED CHAI LATTES HAVE COFFEE?
What we're making here is technically an iced "dirty" chai latte. They call it dirty when they add a shot of espresso in. If you leave it out, you'll have a regular iced chai latte, and it will be amazing.
You should also try making my easy Vegan Horchata - it's so delicious and coffee-free.
WHY IS CHAI LATTE SO SWEET?
I find that when I order Chai Lattes in coffeeshops they are generally too sweet for my taste. The two tablespoons of maple syrup in each latte for this recipe makes it the perfect sweetness for me, but if you aren't sure, just add one tablespoon, taste it, and increase if you need to.
MORE SWEET DRINKS TO ENJOY
Learn how I make my Mason Jar Cold Brew. It's my favorite morning drink in the summer, and simple to make.
For a chocolate craving, Vegan Hot Cocoa is my favorite fix!
Iced Matcha Latte is another tea based coffee shop favorite that you can make at home, or try a matcha highball, or Strawberry Matcha Latte.
Iced Chai Tea Latte
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups plant or nut milk of your choice
- 2 black tea bags
- 2 cinnamon Sticks
- 8 whole cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2-3 star anise
- 4 whole peppercorns
- 2-3 slices fresh ginger
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 shots espresso
Instructions
- First, crush the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.
- In a small pot, place the crushed spices, 2 cups of water, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and tea bags.
- Bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat, and remove the tea bags from the mixture.
- Let chai stand for 20 minutes to cool down and develop flavor.
- Pour the chai mixture through a strainer to remove the spices. Set aside
- In each of two mugs, brew a shot of expresso.
- Then add to each mug ½ cup of the chai mixture, ½ cup of milk, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, to taste.
- Add a handful of ice cubes to each mug. Stir to combine. Add more milk or syrup if desired.
Notes
- You may leave out the espresso if you prefer. If you don't have an espresso brewer, you can substitute regular coffee or cold brew concentrate.
I usually go for a iced matcha latte, but it looks like I need to try chai tea asap. 🙂
Beautiful photos, delicious drink! Love how simple it looks to make, this is perfect for end of summer/ early fall!
Love all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this! It looks so delicious and easy!
Oh yum! Such a flavorful latte! I love the addition of all those spices paired with the maple syrup.
So glad you enjoyed it!