Chai masala powder is the secret to heavenly Indian spiced tea any time of day. You can make a warming mug of fragrant masala chai almost instantly with this mix. Plus, the recipe doubles as a sweet and spicy addition for everything from apple cider to your next healthy banana bread.
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I love a stimulating cup of Indian Spiced Tea in the morning and a comforting mug when winding down for the evening when it makes a healthy substitute for dessert.
But whether I'm on the go in the morning or winding down at night I don't want to take the time to pull out multiple jars of whole spices and count out my cloves!
That's why I came up with this recipe that does the work in advance. Now, there's nothing to hold me back from having a special occasion drink anytime. I hope it will help you enjoy chai more often as well!
⭐ Why it works
- Fresh - made from scratch for vibrant aroma and lingering taste.
- Complete bouquet - a balanced blend of authentic whole spices.
- Intense - a little goes a long way.
- Convenient - ground and ready means a fast cup of chai any time of day.
- Versatile - make spiced Indian tea or use it to enliven recipes.
🏆 Top tip
Grind spices to a fine, uniform texture with a few coarse bits. Then when you strain it, it won't leave powdery residue in your beverage.
📋 Ingredients
- Cardamom (elaichi) - the foundation of the spice mix. Fragrant and subtly sweet.
- Cinnamon (dalchini)- I recommend Saigon, also called Vietnamese cinnamon, for its potent, extra-sweet, and spicy taste.
- Star anise (chakraphool)- has a light licorice flavor that compliments fennel seed and makes this chai masala unique.
- Fennel seed (saunf) - sweet, mellow, and fragrant to balance the bite of peppercorn and ginger.
- Powdered ginger (sonth)- powder is convenient since dried ginger root is harder to find.
- Cloves (laung) - give the spice mix tingly warmth and depth.
- Black peppercorn (Kali Mirch) - has the zesty heat that makes chai tea a cozy, warming beverage.
🔪 Steps
- Break whole cinnamon sticks into pieces.
- Measure spices with a scale or tablespoon.
- Combine the broken cinnamon and whole spices and grind in batches.
- Stir powdered ginger into the ground spice mix.
📖 Chai masala vs. masala chai
It can be confusing if Hindi is not your primary language, right? Here's a simple way to think of it:
Chai = tea
Masala = spice
Thus,
- Chai masala is a spice blend like this recipe, used to flavor tea.
- Masala chai is tea brewed with spices and typically mixed with milk and sweetener.
I think it's amusing to realize when we say chai tea we're really saying "tea, tea."
🫖 How to use chai masala powder
Make masala tea
When you combine sweet Indian spices with robust black tea and rich milk, you end up with a warming brew that is both energizing and soothing.
My favorite way to enjoy it is with homemade macadamia nut milk. That's because it's naturally smooth and lush and doesn't have the off-flavors of many store-bought products, which can also be overly-sweetened, thin or watery.
If that sounds like extra work, check out this adaptable, 15-minute Vitamix Almond Milk and Cream recipe to see how easy it is to make your own luscious dairy-free milk at home.
Whatever milk you choose, make sure it's unsweetened, creamy, rich and uber-delicious. Otherwise, you may want to adjust the amount of milk and sweetener in the proportions below.
Single-cup
- 1 ⅛ cups water
- 1 tablespoon loose black tea
- ⅓ teaspoon chai masala powder
- ⅔ cup rich plant-based milk
- 2-3 teaspoons sweetener of choice, optional
One-quart (950 ml) batch
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons loose black tea
- 1 teaspoon chai masala powder
- 2 cups rich plant-based milk
- 3 tablespoons sweetener to taste, optional
Instructions
- Bring your water, tea, and chai masala to a full boil.
- Cover the pan, remove from heat and let the tea steep for five minutes.
- Return the pan to the burner, add milk, and bring the tea to a second boil.
- Pour chai through a strainer into cups and sweeten as desired.
🥧 Other ways to use
This floral, gingery blend is a tempting ingredient to wake up all sorts of recipes. Here are a few suggestions so you can go wild with your own creations.
Simply replace the spices in the original recipe with an equal amount of this incredible spice mix. I know I can't wait to make my way through the whole list!
- Apple pie
- Muffins
- Banana bread
- Cookies
- Cakes
- Ice cream
- Apple cider
- Iced lattes
- Smoothies
- Chia pudding
- Breakfast porridge
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Buy fresh whole spices for a mix that's highly aromatic and flavorful.
- Grind masala in two or three batches for a uniform mixture.
- Leave a little texture in the mix. You want the powder fine enough to release natural oils in hot water but not so fine as to fall through a strainer and leave grit in your beverage.
- Use sparingly. I was surprised to find with repeated testing that ⅓ teaspoon of spice mix really is enough for one cup of tea.
- Store chai masala powder in a tightly-sealed jar in a dry location out of direct sunlight for up to 3 months. It will be most potent for the first month.
💭 FAQ
Indian and Asian markets in your neighborhood are good sources of whole spices. Online specialty markets like The Spice House and The Spice Jungle offer quality products with helpful information. Pinch Spice Market supports organic farmers and fair trade practices. You can even find whole spices in health food stores and larger grocers. Wherever you buy spices, be sure to consider the freshness of your purchase.
If you don't have star anise available or prefer a different taste, you can use fresh ground nutmeg in its place. Grate one nutmeg into the spice blend after grinding and stir it in with the powdered ginger.
Toasting spices is a personal preference. Toasting releases natural oils and creates nuances of flavor. While the difference is subtle, you might want to try it both ways and decide for yourself. To roast, group similar-sized spices together and toast the batches separately taking care not to burn the spices. Then, cool the spices completely before grinding. This prevents steam from dampening the spice powder as it grinds.
🧂 More DIY seasonings
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📖 Recipe
Chai Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 40 grams whole green cardamom
- 10 grams whole cloves
- 8 grams black peppercorns
- 6 grams cinnamon stick
- 10 grams fennel seeds
- 4 grams whole star anise
- 4 grams powdered ginger
Instructions
Make spice blend
- Break cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces. Weigh and measure whole spices into a bowl and stir them to mix.
- Grind whole spices in batches in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Return the spice powder to the mixing bowl and stir in the powdered ginger.
- Transfer spice powder to small jars for storage and seal them tightly.
Make tea
- See full instructions in the recipe notes below.
Notes
Make tea:
Single-cup
- 1 ⅛ cups water
- 1 tablespoon loose black tea
- ⅓ teaspoon chai masala powder
- ⅔ cup rich plant-based milk
- 2-3 teaspoons sweetener of choice, optional
One-quart (950 ml) batch
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons loose black tea
- 1 teaspoon chai masala powder
- 2 cups rich plant-based milk
- 3 tablespoons sweetener to taste, optional
Instructions
- Bring your water, tea, and chai masala powder to a full boil.
- Cover the pan, remove from heat, and let the tea steep for five minutes.
- Strain the tea and return it to a clean saucepan.
- Add milk, and bring the tea to a second boil.
- Remove from heat and whisk chai vigorously.
- Pour chai into cups and sweeten as desired.
- Store chai masala powder in a tightly-sealed jar in a dry location out of direct sunlight for up to 3 months. It will be most potent for the first month.
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