Chai Spice Recipe - Swasthi's Recipes (2024)

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.

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