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Vegan Chai Latte, vegan recipe

Vegan Chai Latte

A homemade vegan chai latte built from whole spices simmered with black tea, then finished with lightly steamed oat milk, so it tastes warm and spiced instead of like a powdered mix.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 mugs
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chai spice base
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and sliced
  • 6 green cardamom pods green cardamom pods lightly cracked
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 star anise optional
Tea and finish
  • 3 black tea bags black tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf Assam or Ceylon tea
  • 2 cups oat milk or soy milk, barista versions froth best
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Method
 

  1. Toast the cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and star anise in a dry saucepan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until they smell fragrant and the cardamom pods start to darken at the edges.
  2. Add the 2 cups of water and the sliced ginger, raise the heat, and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, so the spices have time to infuse the water.
  3. Take the pot off the heat, add the black tea, and let it steep for 5 minutes. Pull the tea bags or strain out the loose leaves at the 5 minute mark so the base doesn't turn bitter or tannic.
  4. Strain the spiced tea through a fine mesh sieve into a jug, pressing lightly on the spices to get the last of the liquid. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt while the tea is still hot, then taste and add a little more syrup if you want it sweeter.
  5. Heat the oat milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it steams and small bubbles form around the edge, about 3 to 4 minutes. Don't let it come to a rolling boil.
  6. Froth the warm oat milk with a whisk, a hand frother, or by pouring it into a sealed jar and shaking it for 30 seconds, until a soft layer of foam sits on top.
  7. Divide the spiced tea between two mugs, filling each about halfway, then pour the steamed oat milk over the top and spoon the foam onto each drink. Dust with a little ground cinnamon and serve right away.

Notes

The base is deliberately concentrated because the milk dilutes it in the mug, so taste the strained tea on its own before you pour; it should be a touch stronger than you want the finished drink. Use oat milk or soy milk for the steamiest, most stable foam, and heat them only until they steam, since a hard boil gives plant milk a cooked taste. Cardamom is the one spice I wouldn't skip here, because it's what makes the drink read as chai rather than plain spiced tea.