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    Home » Beverage

    Vegan Masala Chai - Dairy Free

    Published: Feb 4, 2023 by Poppy Hudson

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Cup of creamy vegan masala chai.
    Indian spiced black tea with macadamia milk ready to ladle into cups.
    Cup of Indian chai on a saucer with whole spices.
    Ingredients to make Indian spiced tea with plant-based milk.
    Pinterest graphic with photo of whole and ground tea spices.

    Vegan Masala Chai is my latest obsession! It's a healthy, sweet, and creamy indulgence that I've had on repeat all winter. I love grabbing a steamy mug of this quick Indian spiced tea before settling onto the couch after a long day.

    Small cup of Indian spiced tea on a saucer.

    Believe me; it's been grand testing and retesting the proportions of tea leaves, chai masala powder, and macadamia milk to get this cozy, dairy-free recipe just right.

    The only thing that would make it more perfect is a soft and chewy Dairy-Free Oatmeal Cookie on the side.

    Jump to:
    • 🏆 Top tip
    • ⭐ Why it works
    • 📋 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Steps
    • ♨️ What is chai masala?
    • 🥛 Homemade macadamia milk
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips
    • 💭 FAQ
    • 🍲 More winter recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    🏆 Top tip

    Rich and creamy homemade nut milk will make a huge difference in this vegan chai. My favorite is macadamia, but homemade almond milk is luscious as well.

    ⭐ Why it works

    • Quick and easy
    • Authentic Indian spices
    • Make it decaf or regular
    • Vegan
    • Naturally sweetened or sugar-free

    📋 Ingredients

    Pan of water with tea, spice, sugar and macadamia nut milk.
    • Water - filtered or bottled spring water.
    • Black tea - loose leaf Darjeeling or English breakfast, regular or decaffeinated work well.
    • Chai masala powder - freshly ground authentic Indian spice mix is essential. You can make your own in advance or buy a premium mix.
    • Sweetener is optional. Unrefined brown cane sugar, coconut sugar, and maple syrup all add welcome caramelly flavors. Liquid stevia makes it sweet and sugar-free.
    • Macadamia milk - homemade is by far the richest and creamiest, but don't skip out on this recipe if you have to use your favorite store-bought brand of milk.

    🔪 Steps

    Boil tea with spice, strain and add macadamia milk and sweetener.
    1. Boil black tea and powdered spice mix with water. Let steep for 5 minutes.
    2. Strain the mixture.
    3. Add macadamia milk and bring to a second full boil.
    4. Pour into cups and sweeten vegan chai as desired.

    ♨️ What is chai masala?

    Jar of Indian spice powder next to a bowl of whole spices.

    Chai masala is a select blend of freshly ground sweet and hot Indian spices. It's the key ingredient in this recipe that makes it possible to have a fragrant, warming cup of chai in no time.

    My 5-minute powdered spice mix has cardamom, clove, black peppercorn, cinnamon, fennel seed, ginger, and star anise, and it's a dream to have it on hand when you get a craving for vegan masala chai.

    A tiny spoonful of this magical mix infuses boiling water with all the heady, tongue-tingling flavor of whole spices without the long steeping time.

    It's also a brilliant addition to baked goods and anything else your creative heart desires. I think you'll be more than happy if you blitz up your own precious jar of powdered tea spice.

    🥛 Homemade macadamia milk

    Macadamia nuts with water and a tea towel.

    So, why would you take the time to make homemade macadamia milk as well? In my book, its pure flavor and rich quality are vastly superior to the packaged plant milk you buy at the store.

    Now, if you have a rich and creamy plant milk you're sold on, by all means, use it.

    Pan of spiced tea swirled with macadamia nut milk.

    However, if you haven't already tried making your own homemade nut milk, I think you'll be amazed at the difference. The recipe card below also gives you all the instructions you need to make macadamia nut milk.

    The problem with many store products is they have off-flavors from a slew of additives, are overly sweet, and when it comes to making dairy-free vegan masala chai, pitifully thin, slimy, or watery in taste.

    In addition, homemade nut milk often has as much as six times the protein of vegan milk from the market. I'd go for flavor alone, but the nutrition factor is also persuasive. I don't want you to miss out on the option to make your own.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

    Pan of hot masala chai with cups and ladle.
    • Loose-leaf black tea is recommended.
    • Fresh spice powder is essential.
    • Macadamia milk made with one part nuts and 4 parts water is just right in this recipe.
    • Extra tips on equipment and technique for making nut milk can be found in my Vitamix Almond Milk Recipe.
    • Boil tea with powdered spices and let steep in the pan, covered, for a full 5 minutes.
    • Strain the tea and spice mixture before adding milk.
    • Repeat boil after adding milk.
    • Whisk vegan masala chai vigorously before pouring it into cups.
    • Serve piping hot with sweetener as desired.

    💭 FAQ

    Cup of masala chai with spices on tile.
    Can I use tea bags in place of loose-leaf tea?

    Yes, you can substitute 2-3 tea bags for one tablespoon or 5 grams of loose-leaf tea in this recipe.

    Are chai masala and masala chai the same?

    "Chai" means tea in Hindi and "masala" means spice. Thus, "chai masala" means tea spice, like the whole spices or ground powder used to flavor tea. In contrast, "masala chai" means spiced tea, like the popular warm beverage made with black tea, Indian spices, milk, and sugar.

    What does pulling chai mean?

    In parts of Southeast Asia and India, street vendors have a craft of pouring chai from a great height and transferring it from one cup to another. It is an art form and incorporates air resulting in a frothy chai, as well as cooling the beverage. Whipping tea vigorously with a whisk is a lesser alternative but is easy for home cooks.

    What spices are in masala chai?

    All over the world, a myriad of spice combinations are used. That being said, the Indian spiced tea most commonly referred to as masala chai typically includes cardamom, clove, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and sometimes fennel, nutmeg, and star anise.

    🍲 More winter recipes

    • Tasty turmeric broth noodle soup boosts immunity.
      Tasty Turmeric and Garlic Immunity Broth
    • Buckwheat Banana Pancakes Vegan
    • Comforting brown stew made with all vegan ingredients.
      Rosemary Shiitake Vegan Stew
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      Hot and Sour Thai Soup

    Enjoyed this post? Leave a comment, rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it, and follow @poppyswildkitchen on Instagram. Aloha!

    📖 Recipe

    Cup of creamy rich Indian spiced tea with macadamia nut milk.

    Vegan Masala Chai - Dairy Free

    Vegan Masala Chai is a quick Indian spiced tea made with fragrant, authentic spices and rich, creamy homemade macadamia nut milk. Sugar-free option.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    4 Servings
    Calories: 128kcal
    Author: Poppy Hudson

    Ingredients

    Single portion

    • 1 ⅛ cups water
    • 1 tablespoon loose black tea
    • ⅓ teaspoon chai masala powder
    • ⅔ cup macadamia milk preferably homemade
    • 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup or brown sugar optional

    One-quart (950 ml) batch

    • 3 cups water
    • 3 tablespoons loose black tea
    • 1 teaspoon chai masala powder
    • 2 cups macadamia milk preferably homemade
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Single-portion Vegan Masala Chai

    • Measure 1 ⅛ cups water, 1 tablespoon loose black tea, and ⅓ teaspoon chai masala powder and combine in a saucepan.
    • Bring spiced tea to a full boil. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let steep for 5 minutes.
    • Pour spiced black tea through a strainer and rinse out the saucepan.
    • Return the spiced black tea to the clean saucepan and add ⅔ cup macadamia milk, (homemade) or plant milk of your choice. Bring the mixture to a full boil again.
    • Remove tea from heat and whip vigorously with a whisk to aerate and cool tea.
    • Pour the finished vegan masala chai into a cup and add 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup or brown sugar if desired, or substitute liquid stevia for sugar-free.

    One-quart batch Vegan Masala Chai

    • Measure 3 cups water, 3 tablespoons loose black tea, and 1 teaspoon chai masala powder and combine in a saucepan.
    • Bring spiced tea to a full boil. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let steep for 5 minutes.
    • Pour spiced black tea through a strainer and rinse out the saucepan.
    • Return the spiced black tea to the clean saucepan and add 2 cups macadamia milk (homemade) or plant milk of your choice. Bring the mixture to a full boil again.
    • Add 3 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar to the batch if desired, or serve in individual cups to let each person sweeten to taste. Use a few drops of liquid stevia for sugar-free.

    Make 2 cups homemade macadamia nut milk

    • Place ½ cup of raw macadamia nuts in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. Add 2 cups of filtered water and blend on the highest speed for one minute or until very smooth.
    • Line a colander with a thin, tight-weave cotton tea towel or large men's handkerchief and set it over a bowl.
    • Pour the macadamia nut milk into the cloth, bundle up the sides, wring, and squeeze until all the milk is extracted. Discard the nut pulp or use it in baked goods.

    Notes

    Ingredients
    Loose-leaf black tea is recommended.
    Fresh Indian spiced tea powder is essential. My Chai Masala Powder only takes 5 minutes to make.
    Macadamia milk made with one part nuts and 4 parts water is just right in this recipe.
    Sweetener - Maple syrup, unrefined brown cane sugar, and coconut sugar are all-natural sweeteners that taste yummy in this vegan chai. Liquid stevia sweetens the chai without adding any sugar or calories.
    Preparation
    Extra tips on equipment and technique for making nut milk can be found in my Vitamix Almond Milk recipe.
    Boil tea with powdered spices and let steep in the pan, covered, for 5 minutes.
    Strain tea and spice mixture before adding milk.
    Repeat boil after adding milk.
    Whisk milk tea vigorously before pouring it into cups.
    Serving
    Serve piping hot with sweetener as desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 24mg | Phosphorus: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @PoppysWildKitchen or tag #poppyswildkitchen!

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