Vegan Chai Latte
Our inspired take on classic Indian chai lattes! Creamy, plant-based, perfectly spiced, and customizable to taste. The perfect warm drink for chilly winter days.
Servings 2 (chai lattes)
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 heaping Tbsp loose leaf black tea*
- 2 Tbsp whole chai spice blend* (use less if ground)
- Cane sugar, maple syrup, or other sweetener of choice (to taste)*
- 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk (more to taste)
- Coconut Whipped Cream (for topping)
- 1/2 scant cup raw cashews (optional // soaked in cool water overnight or very hot water 1 hour - then drained)
Instructions
- Add water, tea and spices to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to fully steep.
- Remove from heat and add almond milk and sweetener of choice and stir. Warm for 2-3 minutes off the heat, and then pour over 2 serving mugs (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) using a fine mesh strainer.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more sugar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan) for sweetness, and ground cinnamon for a little extra warmth.
- OPTIONAL: For extra creamy texture, add your chai tea mixture + soaked cashews to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness/seasonings as needed. I added more sweetener, ground cinnamon and ground ginger for extra spice.
- Either reheat briefly on the stovetop or microwave and serve. Heat modestly as the mixture can thicken quite a bit when reheated for too long (due to the cashews). If it gets too thick, thin with more almond milk or water.
- Top with coconut whip and a dash of cinnamon and serve. Leftovers keep well covered in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh.
Notes
*If you don’t have loose leaf tea, use 2-3 black or chai tea bags per 1 Tbsp loose leaf tea.
*For the whole chai spice blend, we used a store-bought mix that is no longer available. It was made with cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. If you can't find a similar store-bought blend, you can reference our newer Easy Masala Chai, or try with ground spices (see next note).
*Chai spice blend (if using ground spices): 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger powder, 1/2 tsp each black pepper, ground cloves + cardamom (more tips at The Kitchn). Mix these spices together and then add according to desired spiciness.
*Don’t forget to adequately sweeten. If it’s overly spiced and under-sweetened, it’s a no go. When in doubt, add a little more sugar, maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 2 lattes calculated with 1 Tbsp sugar and without cashews.
*For the whole chai spice blend, we used a store-bought mix that is no longer available. It was made with cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. If you can't find a similar store-bought blend, you can reference our newer Easy Masala Chai, or try with ground spices (see next note).
*Chai spice blend (if using ground spices): 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger powder, 1/2 tsp each black pepper, ground cloves + cardamom (more tips at The Kitchn). Mix these spices together and then add according to desired spiciness.
*Don’t forget to adequately sweeten. If it’s overly spiced and under-sweetened, it’s a no go. When in doubt, add a little more sugar, maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 2 lattes calculated with 1 Tbsp sugar and without cashews.
Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)
Serving: 1 chai latte Calories: 36 Carbohydrates: 5 g Protein: 0.5 g Fat: 1.8 g Saturated Fat: 0.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 292 mg Fiber: 0.5 g Sugar: 3.8 g