Easy Homemade Chai Tea Mix
I’ll be honest… I’m not a tea drinker. In fact, I could probably go the rest of my life without drinking another cup of tea and I’d be alright. But take away my coffee and I’d have a hard time even getting through the day!
That being said, I do drink tea from time to time, but I’m pretty selective about what kind of tea I drink. It has to have the same bold flavours that a good espresso has, and for that reason pretty much the only tea I really enjoy drinking is chai tea.
What exactly is chai tea anyway?
Chai tea originates from India, and funnily enough, calling it chai tea is actually a bit of a misnomer because chai literally means tea in India! So technically chai tea really means “tea tea.”
But chai as we know it is a very distinct type of tea, made with black tea and a mixture of warming spices like cinnamon, cloves and ginger (among others).
The chai tea mixture is then steeped in water and brought to a simmer over heat to extract maximum flavour (and medicinal benefits) from the tea and spices. Finally, milk and sugar/sweetener is added, and then the liquid tea is strained into mugs to be enjoyed. (You could also strain the tea and then add warm milk and sweetener, but I like adding it before straining as it gets heated in the same saucepan and even more flavour gets extracted and infused right into the milk).
Chai is admittedly delicious and almost as invigorating as a rich latte, especially on a chilly fall or cold winter day. And while I do tend to keep a few chai tea bags on hand for quick steeping, there’s nothing like homemade chai tea, made with crushed whole spices and looseleaf black tea.
But lest you think that making your own chai tea from scratch is difficult, let me reassure you that I wouldn’t waste my time making it myself (or sharing the recipe with you) if it was.
How to make homemade chai tea mix
Making your own homemade chai tea mix is actually super easy, and it takes just a minute or two to whip up a quick batch!
You can make it fresh when you’re in the mood for sipping some chai or you can make up batches ahead of time and keep them on your shelf.
This chai tea mix also makes a great homemade gift, especially for Christmas. Package it in a Mason jar or a decorative bag or pouch, attach a pretty label and a recipe card (I’ve got printable versions of both under the “Labels” section of my Free Resource Library), and you’ve got a simple but impressive homemade gift for all of the tea lovers on your list! (And even us coffee lovers too;)
Start by gathering your ingredients, which include
- Looseleaf black tea (Assam or Darjeeling are best… I use organic Assam tea)
- Spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns and ground ginger)
Using a mortar & pestle (I love this handmade stoneware mortar & pestle from Roots & Harvest), gently crush the whole spices to break them into smaller pieces and release their aromatic oils. Add the tea and the ground ginger and mix well to combine. And that’s it! Just transfer it to a jar and it’s ready to go:)
As for brewing homemade chai tea, you’ll of need some water to steep the chai tea mix in, some milk or cream (or non-dairy milk) and some optional sweetener of choice (I prefer honey).
The recipe below makes enough for two servings, or about three cups of finished chai tea.
The chai tea mix on its own makes about ¼ cup and fits nicely in a 4oz Mason jar or similar.
Whether you make this for yourself or for someone else, you’ll want to label your homemade chai tea mix. Be sure to download the printable labels I use. You’ll find them –along with some printable recipe cards for gifting– under the “Labels” section of my Free Resource Library.
You can either print the labels on regular printer paper and then cut and paste them, or they’re designed to fit these brown kraft paper sticky labels (the same ones I use for labelling all of my homemade goodies).
If you’re gifting your chai tea mix, print out the recipe cards and paste onto card stock and include the recipe along with the tea. You could even package it along with a set of mugs for an inexpensive but impressive gift from the heart!
Finally, if and when you do make this recipe, be sure to leave a review below to let me know what you think! Or take a photo and tag me @thehouseandhomestead over on Instagram and I’ll happily re-share:)
Oh, and above all else, enjoy!!!
Easy Homemade Chai Tea Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
- 3 star anise pods
- 1 teaspoon whole cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon grond ginger
- 2 tablespoons looseleaf black tea
Instructions
1. Using a mortar and pestle, gently crush the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, allspice, cloves and black pepper seeds. I find it easiest to crush each spice one at a time.
2. Add the ground ginger and black tea and use the pestle to mix them with the spices.
3. Package in a Mason jar or a decorative bag or pouch, add a pretty label and attach a recipe card (you can make your own or download the labels and recipe cards I use from my Free Resource Library) and either store on your own shelf or gift to someone you love!
Notes
To make the Chai Tea
Ingredients
1 jar/package chai tea mix
2 cups water
2 cups milk or cream (or non-dairy milk substitute)
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, maple syrup)
Directions
1. Transfer chai tea mix to a medium saucepan, along with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups of milk or cream and one tablespoon honey (or other sweetener of choice). Bring back to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Strain, serve and enjoy hot!
CATEGORIES
ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
Go Beyond Organic Gardening to Grow More Food With Less Work
You’ve most likely heard of organic gardening before, but have you ever heard of beyond organic gardening? In this post, we’ll go over exactly what this means, and how you can implement “beyond organic” practices in your own garden to grow more...
What is Hugelkultur Gardening (And What Are the Benefits?)
Learn about the many benefits of hugelkultur gardening and start your own highly productive and 100% sustainable hugelkultur raised bed! This is a guest post by Sunflower Craig of Permies.com Hugelkultur (pronounced: hoogle-culture) is German for...
This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#radishes
#vegetablerecipes
#sustainablecooking
#foodforeveryone
#eatlocallygrown
#seasonalrecipes
#freshandlocal
#eatingseasonally
#eatlocallygrown
#seasonalproduce
#eatseasonalfood
#seasonalshift
#seasonalfoods
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
Why are radishes still being relegated to boring garden salads when they could be roasted and caramelized in honey butter instead??? Try this delicious recipe today!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/roasted-radishes-with-honey-butter/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#kitchengardener
#gardennerd
#radishrecipe
#gardengoodies
#eatyouryard
#homegardener
#gardenfreshveggies
#ediblegardens
#foodfromthegarden
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
This homemade herb butter is versatile and easy to make. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to preserve your fresh summer herbs to enjoy all year long!
Here are my favorite recipes and tips!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/homemade-herb-butter/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#herbbutter
#compoundbutter
#seasonalrecipes
#freshandlocal
#eatingseasonally
#eatlocallygrown
#seasonalproduce
#eatseasonalfood
#seasonalshift
#seasonalfoods
#herbalgarden
#gardenherbs
#herbsfromthegarden
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
#backyardhomestead
#hobbyfarmer
Who else saves their canning lids? 🙋🏻♀️
Even though canning lids should never be reused for CANNING, they are super useful for storing other things like:
• Dry goods (beans, rice, oatmeal, pasta, spices, etc.)
• Dehydrated fruit and vegetables
• DIY home and body products (body butter, bath salts, sugar scrubs, home cleaners, lids for candles, etc.
• Store dried herbs for your home apothecary
• Punch holes in them and let your kiddos collect bugs and nature treasures in a Mason jar!
• Paint them or cover with fabric to make your own ornaments and crafts
• And of course, save them to store open jars of home-canned food in the fridge!
I’m sure I’m missing some things.
Can you think of any other ways to reuse canning lids? Let me know in the comments!
Oh, and P.S., there are just two days left to save 15% off your order at @denalicanning !!!
Use code ANNA15 to save 15% off your order of $75 or more at denalicanning.com.
Stock up on canning lids, rings, home canners and preserving supplies and be prepared for the onslaught of garden goodies come summer and fall!
And remember to save those canning lids when you’re done!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#canning #homecanning #denalicanning #denali #preserve #preservetheharvest #homesteading #foodpreservation #lifehacks #homesteadhacks #frugal #frugalliving #frugallivingtips #reuse #zerowaste
As far as weeds go, yarrow is definitely one you want growing in your garden. It’s a powerhouse of a plant, packed with medicinal properties to help cure everything from fevers and colds to bleeding, bruises and everything in between.
Learn how to use it to treat almost any ailment through the link in my profile.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/yarrow-home-remedies/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#growingherbs
#homeopathics
#naturesmedicinecabinet
#naturesmedicines
#herbsaver
#healthyfamilies
#tincturetuesday
#herblove
#herbsheal
#tipsforwellness
#wellnesstipsforliving
#naturalherbalremedies
#growyourownherbalremedies
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
#backyardhomestead
#hobbyfarmer
#selfsufficientliving
#homesteadingmama
#offgridhomestead
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
#rusticfarmhouse
#farmhouseinspo
#farmhouselife
#modernhomesteading
Calendula has to be my favourite flower to grow. For starters, it’s incredibly easy to grow from seed and requires very little care. Second, it looks gorgeous in the garden. But third and most importantly, calendula is packed with medicinal properties and is an incredibly powerful, natural home remedy.
Learn how to use it through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/calendula-healing-powers/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#herbalmedicinemaking
#herbalmedicines
#planthealing
#herbalgarden
#gardenherbs
#herbsfromthegarden
#freshherbsfromthegarden
#gardenfreshherbs
#healinginnature
#herbalinfusions
#herbalgarden
#herbschool
#herbalmedicinecabinet
#allherbal
#calendula
#homegardener
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
I’m not gonna lie: when I first decided to learn how to make kombucha at home, I was feeling pretty intimidated.
But as it turns out, making kombucha at home is actually one of the quickest and easiest things that I now DIY on a regular basis.
Follow the link in bio to find out how easy it will be for you too!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-make-kombucha-at-home/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#fermentingisfun
#kombucha
#kombuchalove
#homemadekombucha
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
In a world where so much is out of our control, it's time to reclaim your independence. I've put together a whole collection of online courses for your path to your homestead- whether you're off the grid already or in a city apartment!
Head over the link in my bio.
.
https://thehouseandhomestead.mykajabi.com/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#liveanauthenticlife
#livinginspired
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
#backyardhomestead
#hobbyfarmer
My honey brioche bread makes delicious French toast- perfect to spoil Mom on Mother's Day this Sunday!
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/honey-brioche-bread-recipe/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#mothersdaybreakfast
#homemadebread
#modernhomesteading
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
#backyardhomestead
#hobbyfarmer
#selfsufficientliving
#homesteadingmama
#offgridhomestead
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
#microfarmer
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
Every year in the spring, I plant the seeds that will eventually turn into the crops to be harvested from our annual vegetable garden.
I’ve grown an annual garden for 8 years now, and every year is just as exciting as the last. But it is work, and it requires diligence in the spring to get all of your seeds planted on time and set up with the proper growing conditions.
With a new baby, I’ve found myself struggling to get everything started and planted out in time, which is why I’m so thankful this year for our perennial food plants; The ones we planted long ago and continue to enjoy every year, no seed starting and little to no work required in the spring!
Perennials need only be planted once and will continue to provide a harvest year after year.
Aside from just being a great return on your initial investment, in an uncertain economy and with our global food supply under more pressure than ever before in our lifetime, knowing you can rely on your land to produce even some food every year without worrying about being able to get seeds, or hitting your seed starting window on time, or whether those seeds will germinate or not can provide a lot of peace of mind.
Plus there a whole bunch of other great benefits for your garden and your soil too!
If you do nothing else this year, I recommend adding at least one perennial edible plant to your homestead, no matter where you live or what size space you’re working with.
Check the link in my profile for 12(plus!) Edible Perennials to Plant Once and Harvest Every Year!
(Or visit https://thehouseandhomestead.com/edible-perennials for the full list).
.
.
.
#ediblegarden #permaculture #perennials #homesteadhacks #homesteading #modernhomesteading #gardentips #gardentipsandtricks
Make your own DIY essential oil rollerballs for spring and summer to soothe all sorts of ouchies and ailments, including bug bites, sunburns and more.
Grab all the recipes through the bio link!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/essential-oil-rollerballs-for-spring-summer/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#theseasonalcottage
#seasonallife
#seasonalshift
#liveseasonally
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
Harvest spruce, fir or pine tree tips to make delicious tree tip syrup at home with just two simple ingredients! Make your own homemade syrup out of tree tips and brown sugar and enjoy over breakfasts, desserts or in cocktails.
Get the how to and recipe in through my clickable link.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/homemade-tree-tip-syrup/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#foragedfoods
#wildfoodforaging
#springbuds
#foragingforfood
#wildfoods
#foragedandfound
#forageharvester
#foragers
#treetotable
#wildforaging
#foodforaging
#foraginglife
#foragingandfeasting
#foragebyfolk
#foraging
#foragedfood
#foodforest
#selfsufficient
#wildfood
#naturesgift
#createinspring
#seasonalrecipes
#springmenu
#eatseasonal
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
0 Comments