Our chai latte spice mix blends the comfort of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, with a mild bite of ginger, cardamom, and peppercorns. It is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, perfect for creating delicious hot chai lattes and adding warm, spicy flavor to other recipes.
As I sat down to create a chai latte spice mix that hit all the right notes, I realized my challenge. It needed to be spicy enough to wake me up, but mild enough that my wife wouldn’t feel like she’d just taken a bite of a peppercorn.
I set to work, experimenting with different ratios and combinations. For a while, it became a daily ritual—one that my wife affectionately referred to as “Jeff’s morning spice chemistry experiment.”
After several renditions—and a lot of taste testing from both of us—we finally nailed it creating what we believe is the best chai spice blend.
Now, we have this chai latte mix ready to go in our kitchen, and it’s a game changer. No more daily spice spills and my morning treat is consistently delicious. Plus, we’ve discovered it’s not just for lattes; this blend has found its way into all sorts of recipes.
Spices needed to make our chai latte mix
One reason we decided to create our own chai latte spice mix was to avoid star anise, a common ingredient in many chai spice mixes.
First off, we don’t enjoy the added licorice flavor that comes from star anise. Secondly, even though it was over 20 years ago, in 2003 the US FDA issued a warning advising consumers to avoid teas made with star anise because of reports linking it to serious side effects.
We settled on:
- Ground cinnamon (cassia is best)
- Ground ginger
- Ground cardamom
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Ground black pepper
Do you have a favorite recipe? Why not share it with us? Whether you’ve got traditional Jewish food or anything gluten-free, we’d love to see what you can create.
Submitting your recipes is now easier than ever. Click here for our online recipe submission form.
Our homemade chai spice recipe is not just for lattes
Chai spiced smoothies
Add a teaspoon of the chai latte mix to your morning smoothie for a warm, spicy twist that pairs perfectly with bananas, almond milk, and vanilla protein powder.
Chai muffins or pancakes
Using our chai spice mix for baking adds a delightful aroma and flavor, especially when replacing the spices in each recipe with our chai latte mix on our apple pancakes, carrot cake muffins, or even pumpkin/butternut pancakes.
Oatmeal
Stir the mix into a bowl of warm oatmeal. It’s a cozy, comforting way to start the day.
Chai-flavored cookies
Incorporate the spice blend into cookie dough for a warm, spiced flavor that elevates everything from sugar cookies to snickerdoodles. Sometimes, I even use it in place of ginger in our gingernut cookies.
Pumpkin side dish
In the winter, we often serve pumpkin as a side dish to meat or chicken. Adding our homemade chai spice recipe gives our pumpkin cubes or pumpkin mash a festive feel.
Turmeric almond milk latte
You can also tweak the chai latte spice mix recipe by adding turmeric and adjusting a few of the other spices to create our turmeric almond milk latte. However, for a quick and easy version of the turmeric latte, use the chai latte mix in place of four spices in the ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and ground pepper.
Some readers have asked . . .
Can I adjust the spices in the chai latte spice mix to suit my taste?
Absolutely! This chai latte spice mix is very customizable. If you prefer a spicier blend, you can increase the amount of black pepper or ginger. If you like it a bit sweeter, try adding more cinnamon or even a touch of ground vanilla. The recipe is just a starting point—feel free to experiment until you find your perfect balance.
How long does the chai latte spice mix stay fresh?
If stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, this spice mix should stay fresh for up to six months. The spices might lose some potency over time, so if you notice the flavor isn’t as strong, it might be time to make a new batch. Of course, ours never lasts this long before we have used it up.
Our chai latte spice mix recipe
Chai Latte Mix
A beautiful melange of sweet spices reminiscent of American pumpkin pie spice, chai, and turmeric. Use this for making a chai latte, in baking or for flavoring granola (grain and keto based varieties).
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (cassia is best)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all the spices together in a bottle and shake well.
Notes
For a chai latte (or spiced latte), use ¾ teaspoon mixed in a cup with 2 ounces boiling water and 6 ounces of your favourite milk (dairy, almond, soy, coconut, etc.). Add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup to the cup and steam with an espresso machine steaming wand. To make the latte "chai", add a tea bag to the cup and steep for a minute or two.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 4Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
If you enjoyed our chai latte mix recipe, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.
I love a chai – I’ve never made it from scratch myself but this has certainly inspired me. Thanks for sharing.
Homemade spice mix is always the best. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Seriously this mix is so good! I am not an anice fan, so well done! Cozy flavors!
This homemade spice mix brings the warm, comforting flavors of chai to any drink. Perfect for cozy mornings!
Nice article! I tried Chai latte again after a while and realised how favourful it can be.. I think homemade is a better option as you can adjust for tastebuds!!
This chai latte spice mix was so flavorful and delicious! I used it to make a chai latte and it tasted so much better than the store bought mix!