Chai-Spiced Apple Cider Recipe

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 12/13/22
Chai spices apple cider recipe

The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

Prep: 4 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 24 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Looking for a drink that combines the wintertime comfort of mulled apple cider and the bold flavor of masala chai? This delightful chai-spiced apple cider recipe from Stephanie Knight of Pangea Tea Company is just what you need. It combines the warming whole spices of traditional Indian drink with the sweet, comforting flavor of apple cider for a wonderfully wintery taste. It's the ideal blend of apple cider and chai in one irresistible beverage.

The warming spices in this chai-cider make it ideal for the holidays. It pairs well with many traditional Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah foods, including apple pie, sweet potato pie, gingerbread, latkes with applesauce, and sufganiyot.

That said, you don't need to wait for a special occasion to drink it! It's also great alongside many wintertime foods, including cookies, cakes, baked apples, applesauce (especially homemade applesauce with cinnamon), many creamy cheeses and creamy dishes (such as Camembert or a creamy chicken pot pie)—pretty much any sweet involving cinnamon, and baked meringues.

Ingredients

  • 4 whole allspice corns
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon chips
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger root
  • 1/2 vanilla bean pod (seeds removed)
  • 1/2 small apple (such as Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or McIntosh)
  • 4 cups apple cider (fresh-pressed is preferable)
  • 2 tablespoons assam loose leaf black tea
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (if desired, you can omit this or use other dairy alternatives)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chai spiced apple cider recipe
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  2. Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the allspice, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and ginger.

    Spices
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  3. In a small saucepan, add the apple cider, crushed spices, vanilla bean, and sliced apples.

    Chai spiced in pot
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove the pan from heat.

    Bring mixture to a boil
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  5. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

    Cover
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  6. Return the spiced cider to a boil, then remove from heat.

    Return to boil
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh 

  7. Add the tea and almond milk. Cover and let steep for 4 minutes.

    Add tea
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  8. Stir well, then strain into a teapot.

    Apple cider
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh

  9. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve
    The Spruce Eats / Anfisa Strizh 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
165 Calories
2g Fat
35g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 165
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Protein 7g
Calcium 180mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)