Christmas Chai Latte (Printable Copy)

A festive chai beverage combining aromatic spices, creamy milk, and a spiced whipped cream topping.

# What You Need:

→ Chai Base

01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based alternative)
03 - 1 black tea bag or 1 teaspoon black tea leaves
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
09 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - Pinch of ground black pepper

→ Spiced Whipped Cream

11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for vegan option)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon reserved spice mix
13 - 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)

# How to Make:

01 - In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and black pepper. Reserve 1/4 teaspoon of this spice mix for the whipped cream topping.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine the water, black tea, brown sugar, and the remaining spice mix. Heat gently over medium heat until the mixture just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally.
03 - Reduce the heat to low, stir in the milk, and let the mixture steep for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
04 - Remove from heat and strain the chai into a mug to remove tea leaves and spice sediments using a fine mesh strainer.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, honey, and reserved spice mix until soft peaks form using a hand whisk or electric mixer.
06 - Top the chai latte with a generous dollop of spiced whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for festive presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a cozy holiday moment without requiring a complicated ingredient hunt or advanced skills.
  • The spiced whipped cream on top feels like a small luxury that actually takes less time than you'd think.
  • You can make it vegan, dairy-free, or however your kitchen needs it to be.
02 -
  • Don't let the chai boil after you add the milk, or it can separate and taste burnt instead of creamy and smooth.
  • Straining is worth the extra thirty seconds because it removes the tea bitterness that can hide the beautiful spice flavors.
03 -
  • Use a fine mesh strainer rather than a coffee filter or paper towel, which slow down the process and don't catch fine spice particles as effectively.
  • Whip the cream by hand if you want to feel more connected to the process, or use an electric mixer if you're making this for guests and want reliable soft peaks every time.
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