Chai Spice Recipe
By Swasthi on August 28, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe
Chai Spice is a Indian spice blend made with various aromatic and healing spices. Also known as Chai ka masala or tea masala powder, this is a super aromatic spice blend that can infuse magical flavors to your drinks, desserts and savory dishes. This Chai Spice mix is not the same as you get in those store bought packs & jars. You will experience the special and much superior flavors with this homemade version.
About Chai Spices
A basic Chai Spice mix includes green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg and dried ginger. Some versions also include fennel seeds, star anise, liquorice and black cardamoms to enhance and impart sweet, floral, earthy and smoky flavors.
Traditionally, to make a Chai Spice powder, whole spices are slow roasted on a low fire/heat to bring out the flavors. They are cooled down and then crushed to a powder. This blend is ready to use and does not require any cooking.
It can be simply added to your hot chai/tea, hot milk, pudding or to cake batters and cookie dough to impart those wonderful chai spice flavors.
Most of the store bought spice blends are low in flavors due to oxidization and prolonged shelf storage. This homemade version is my go-to and comes so handy, when I want to brew a cup of Masala Chai (spiced tea) instantly without having to pound the spices or simmer for longer.
It also works well in your Chai latte, Turmeric latte, Turmeric Milk, Turmeric Tea and even in stir fry dishes & marinades. In a pinch you can use this in place of garam masala but in lesser quantities. A small batch of this lasts for several months to an year. It keeps good at room temperature for 3 months & in the refrigerator & freezer for a year.
Here are the spices you need for this recipe – (read my pro tips section below for flavor strength & variations)
- 1 tablespoon black pepper (8 grams)
- 3 tablespoons green cardamoms (20 grams)
- 1 small stick (8 grams) True cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia)
- 1 tablespoon cloves (6 grams)
- 2 tablespoons ground dried ginger (14 grams)
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons fennel seeds (7 to 10 grams)
- 3 Black cardamoms (3 grams, optional)
- 1 large star anise
- 1 medium nutmeg (4 grams)
You will weigh/measure your spices first. Roasting can be done in a heavy bottom pan on the stovetop or in the oven.
How to Make Chai Spice (Stepwise Photos)
1. Break open the nutmeg with a nut cracker or in a mortar pestle and peel the black cardamoms.
2. To roast them in a oven, spread all the spices in a tray and roast them in the oven at 50 C / 120 F in the middle rack, until the spices turn aromatic. When you begin to smell the wonderful roasted spices, turn off and leave them in the oven with the door open.
I did it in a pan on the stovetop. Add the larger spices to the pan – cinnamon, green cardamoms, black cardamom peels and star anise. Roast them on a low flame for 3 to 4 mins.
3. Add black pepper, black cardamom seeds, cloves and fennel seeds. Roast for 2 to 3 mins, stirring often.
4. Add the crushed/broken nutmeg and roast just for a minute.
5. Turn off the heat and add the ground ginger.
6. Roast mixing (stove turned off) until ginger turns hot.
7. Cool down completely and add then to a grinder jar. Avoid using a plastic jar.
8. Grind to a powder. If you are going to use it only in chai/ tea, coarse powder is fine. I prefer to make a fine powder so it blends well in anything.
9. Cool down the chai spice mix and store in a air tight glass or steel jar.
Store it in a cabinet away from moisture.
How to use Chai Spice Mix
To make 1 serving spiced milk tea, pour ¾ cup water and add 1½ to 2 tsps loose leaf tea (or 2 tea bags). Bring to a boil and simmer until the decoction turns deep, for 3 mins. Pour ½ cup milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 2 to 3 mins. Add half tsp chai spice and turn off. Rest for 3 to 4 mins. Strain it and serve.
1. To make 1 cup of black chai, add half teaspoon loose tea or 1 tea bag to 1 cup hot water along with a sweetener to taste (1 tsp sugar or jaggery).
2. Bring it to a boil. Add ¼ teaspoon chai spice. Turn off and cover. Let rest for 3 to 4 mins on the stove
3. Strain it.
Serve hot.
Flavor Variations
- Increase ginger by another tablespoon to infuse more gingery flavors. Ex: adrak chai or ginger cookies.
- Black cardamoms impart a strong smoky flavor. If you do not prefer that, you may discard the peels or even leave them out. But if you want to mimic the strong spiced chai flavors, do use it.
- You can use 8 to 10 organic dried rose petals if you want.
- If you are going to use this chai spice in bakes, you can increase the cinnamon to 12 grams.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Chai Spice Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 3 tablespoons (20 grams) green cardamoms
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) black pepper
- 1 small stick (8 grams) cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia)
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) cloves
- 2 tablespoons (14 grams) ground dried ginger
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons (7 to 10 grams) fennel seeds
- 1 large star anise
- 1 medium (4 grams) nutmeg
- 3 (3 grams) Black cardamoms (optional)
Instructions
How to Make Chai Spice
- Break the nutmeg using a nutcracker or in a mortar pestle. Peel the black cardamoms if using. Break up the cinnamon stick roughly with your fingers to smaller piece.
- Add cinnamon, green cardamoms, star anise and black cardamom peels to a heavy bottom pan and dry roast on a low heat for 3 minutes.
- Add cloves, black pepper, black cardamom seeds and fennel seeds. Roast for 2 to 3 mins and add nutmeg. Roast for another minute and stir in the ground ginger.
- Turn off the heat and continue to stir until the ginger is hot. Cool down and transfer to a nut grinder and grind to a fine powder.
- Cool down and store in a air tight glass or steel container for upto 3 months at room temperature or in the refrigerator/freezer for a year.
- Use ¼ tsp per serving of black tea or ½ tsp per serving of milk tea. You can find the recipe to brew your tea in the recipe post.
Notes
- Nutrition values are per gram of the chai spice mix. 1 tsp is 5 grams.
- If you prefer more gingery flavor, you can increase the ground ginger by another tablespoon. ex: like ginger chai
- If you are going to use it in bakes, you can increase the cinnamon to 12 grams.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Thanks for figuring out this recipe. I followed it as written. It took me about an hour to put together but that time will pay off as I work through the mix. I’m drinking some now with almond milk and it is delicious. I will continue to tinker with it to get different flavor profiles I enjoy.
Admittedly, I did a very toned down version of this using ground spices I had on hand. Nonetheless, the ratios were perfect, especially with the recommendation of extra cinnamon. Adding fennel and star of anise felt intimidating to my developing tastebuds but it is perfectly balanced. I look forward to trying the whole spice true version soon.
Thank you Taylor. So glad you like it. I am sure you will love the whole spice version too!
I tried the chai spice recipe; it was superb!
Thank you Hadiza. Glad you like that
Can I use whole dried ginger in this recipe? A friend gifted me some whole spices and it has some ginger/saunt included. Any advice on how much to use? Do you use grind the black cardamom shells? I see they are being toasted in the pan but not sure if you use them in the next step.
Hi Elise,
Whole dried ginger root must be toasted first on a low heat for sometime. It turns out light from inside after toasting. Without this step they can break down your grinder because they are very hard. Also if you have a mortar pestle break the toasted ginger to small pieces before you grind them. Start with a small amount because it is very strong compared to ground.
Yes you will use the black cardamom shells. They lend a smoky and earthy flavor. Hope you like the chai spice.
Swasthi,
How much mulethi do you suggest in this recipe? Are sticks better than ground? Do you toast the muleti before adding?
Hi,
Sticks have better flavor than powder. Toast the sticks and powder separately. I recommend storing it separately in a jar and use whenever required at the time of making chai. At max you can use 1 gram per day (divided if required) and it is best not to use it regularly.
Used this chai spice recipe twice and also included liquorice/ muleti. Smells authentic and good. My family prefers stronger flavors so we add the chai spice early along with the tea leaves. Everyone should try this for the best winter chai.
Ananti, Thank you so much for trying and sharing back about liquorice. It may help others.
This looks so authentic like the Indian chai spice but do you have a conversion to use store bought ground spices.
Hi,
Thank you. You can use the same amount of ground spices as mentioned in grams. But store bought ground spices are less aromatic due to oxidization and won’t make the same chai spice mix like whole spices. But this recipe works with both – ground and whole spices.
This chai spice is very fragrant and we have been using it many ways. It goes well in our masala chai, chai latte, spiced coffee, turmeric tea, chai shakes and many more. I keep everything the same except to double the cinnamon because we love the sweeter tones. So fragrant and makes it so much easier to enjoy every time rather than steeping whole spices every time for so long!
Thank you Una. Yes you can increase cinnamon if you want.
i like it.
Thank you
Is there an online store you recommend to purchase the spices?
Also, what is a grinder jar and where can you get one. Thank you.
Hi Tara,
You can buy the spices from any Indian grocery stores. I buy mine from amazon. I use a grinder like this one – ultra on amazon You can use any spice grinder like the one from Cuisinart or kitchenaid.
Chai And Rain Agar Aise Masale wali chai mili to Maja aa jaye very nice and healthy …..
Thank you!
I made a batch of this and my husband loves it in his tea.
That’s a super fast try Rajita! Thank you so much. Happy to know!
We were introduced to your recipes by a Indian friend and she said everything from here is authentic and delicious. I have made more than 10 dishes using your recipes and quite happy with the outcome. Thank you for sending these new recipes. Hope this turns out as good as your garam masala.
So glad to read this Samuel. Yes it does turn out as good as the garam masala.
Love your recipes. I am sure this chai spice will be great just like your other recipes.
Thank you Samar