Dirty Chai Lattes

By
Lindsey Goodwin
Lindsey Goodwin
Lindsey Goodwin is a food writer and tea consultant with more than 12 years of experience exploring tea production and culture.
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Updated on 03/2/19

Dirty chai lattes merge the best ingredients of masala chai, a traditional Indian spiced tea, and espresso-based caffe latte. Dirty chai lattes begin as black tea, with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, fennel seed, star anise, and black pepper among the many options for adding warming flavor.

Masala chai typically contains about a third of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. A dirty chai latte, though, includes a single or double shot of espresso along with the steamed milk common to both drinks. You can find a dirty chai latte on many coffee shop menus, but it's easy to DIY one at home when you want the masala chai experience without forfeiting the caffeine. You can even enjoy the flavor in a decaf version.

  • 01 of 05

    From-Scratch Chai Latte Recipe

    Pouring chai in kettle

    Hemant Mehta / Getty Images

    Masala chai simmers on the stove with warming spices. Use fresh and whole spices, rather than ground, for the best flavor. To make masala chai into a dirty chai latte, add one or two pulled espresso shots into each cup, then froth the drink with your espresso machine's steamer wand before you serve it.

  • 02 of 05

    Iced Chai Recipe

    An image of an Iced Chai Latte made with instant masala chai concentrate.
    Blended or served "on the rocks," this Iced Chai Latte is quick and easy to make. Marko Goodwin

    To turn an iced masala chai latte into an iced dirty chai latte, simply add a shot or two of espresso to the blender when you mix the other ingredients in this recipe. which uses a chai latte concentrate. You can make it with your own homemade blend of chai, though. Optional chocolate syrup turns the drink into a mocha dirty chai latte.

  • 03 of 05

    Caffeine-Free, Vegan Chai Latte Recipe

    An image of spice-and-rooibos-based Red Chai from ESP Tea Emporium.
    Red Chai is made with caffeine-free rooibos in lieu of black tea. Lindsey Goodwin

    This caffeine-free chai latte stars with rooibos, an herbal infusion also known as red tea. This vegan recipe calls for agave nectar or palm sugar as the sweetener. You can prepare it hot or iced. Either way, turn it into a dirty chai latte by adding a shot or two of decaf espresso just before you sweeten the drink to taste.

  • 04 of 05

    Homemade Chai Syrup Recipe

    An image of Chai Simple Syrup and masala chai spices.
    Chai spices give this simple syrup its rich, warming flavor. Lindsey Goodwin

    With a little shot of masala-chai-flavored simple syrup, you can transform a regular caffe latte into a dirty chai latte. Make a caffe latte as the base and then add a teaspoon or two of chai syrup.

    Alternately, you can use a pre-made chai-flavored syrup, such as Rishi's Masala Chai Concentrate, to make a chai latte and then mix in a shot or two of espresso for a dirty chai latte.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below
  • 05 of 05

    Chai Mix Recipe

    An image of Jaipur Avenue's instant Ginger Chai Mix in a box.
    Jaipur Avenue offers flavorful chai mixes in colorful, giftable packaging. Lindsey Goodwin

    For a quick way to spice up a caffe latte, add a scoop of masala chai powdered mix to your steaming espresso shot, stir until it thoroughly dissolves, then top the drink with foamed milk.