Chai Tea Latte Starbucks Copycat

Skip the coffee shop line. It’s easy to make a chai tea latte Starbucks copycat drink at home in less than 10 minutes. This popular drink is full of warming spices, and frothy milk.

My favorite drink at Starbucks is a chai tea latte. It’s full of delicious, rich, spicy flavor, the perfect hot drink when you want to feel warm and cozy. Did you know that the word chai means “tea” in Hindi? So this drink actually translates to “tea tea latte”.

This homemade version is super easy to make, with the help of tea bags, and at a fraction of the cost of a store bought drink.

If you like being your own barista, be sure to try this Starbucks copycat vanilla frappuccino and caramel frappuccino.

In this post you will learn:

• How to make a copycat Starbucks chai tea latte
• Tips for frothing milk
• Variations to customize your latte

Ingredients needed

Many recipes use a chai tea concentrate but this recipe just requires tea bags.

Chai tea bags – Be sure to choose chai tea bags, not black tea. I really enjoy the Celestial Seasonings Bangel Spice Tea because it tastes very similar to the Starbucks chai.

Water – Used to make the homemade chai concentrate.

Milk – Use your favorite milk like 2%, whole, soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or almond milk. Starbucks uses 2% milk in their drinks.

Brown sugar – Brown sugar adds a nice warm, caramel like flavor that pairs well with the chai spices. Feel free to substitute with granulated sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

Vanilla extract – An optional ingredient that adds a hint of warmth and sweetness. You could also add a splash of vanilla syrup.

How to make copycat Starbucks chai tea latte

Step one: Boil water in a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. Once boiling, remove from heat and add tea bags. Let steep for at least 5 minutes.

Step two: Mix in brown sugar and vanilla extract. Pour tea mixture into a coffee mug.

Step three: Froth milk either in milk frother, sauce pan or French press. Pour frothed milk into mug with tea. Optional, sprinkle with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

Do chai tea lattes have caffeine?

Yes and no. The answer will depend on if the tea bags you choose contain caffeine. The Starbucks chai latte does contain caffeine.

Recipe tips

• If you like the drink to be less sweet, reduce the amount of sugar to 1 teaspoon or leave the sugar out completely.
• If you want extra creaminess, try topping with a little whipped cream.
• What does it taste like? If you like pumpkin spice lattes, you will enjoy a chai. They contain similar spices but the chai doesn’t have the espresso.

Best way to froth milk

Frothing the milk is an important step to make this drink. There are a few different methods you can use to froth milk, a frother, a saucepan or French press.

If using a saucepan or French press, heat milk to 150 degrees. It’s helpful to use a food thermometer or look for small bubbles to form.

Once the milk has reached the right temperature, whisk vigorously until it starts to foam. If using a French press, pump it for about one minute.

Variations

Dairy Free – You can make this latte dairy free by substituting the milk with soy, oat, almond, cashew, or coconut milk.

Sweetener – The Starbucks version is very sweet. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking. This recipe calls for brown sugar but you can substitute with honey or maple syrup.

Iced – If you would like to make this an iced chai tea latte, let the tea mixture cool completely. Fill a glass with ice and pour in tea mixture and then stir in cold milk.

Dirty chai tea latte – To make a dirty chai latte, make about 4 ounces of espresso or strong coffee. Pour it into a mug. Add in chai and then foamed milk.

More easy drink recipes

• Starbucks copycat mocha frappuccino
• Puppaccino
• Iced vanilla latte
• Ginger tea
• Cinnamon roll latte

Did you try this Starbucks copycat recipe? Let me know how you liked this hot drink in the comments below.