Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chai Spice Mix
- Warm Chai Flavor—This sweet-leaning blend starts with a base of cinnamon and is rounded out with just the right amounts of cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper for a mellow, balanced chai flavor.
- Easy to Make—Just whisk together 6 ground spices (many of which are pantry staples) and store in an airtight jar or container. That’s it!
- Versatile—Stir this chai spice blend into pancakes, muffins, applesauce, cookies, and more to add warm, spiced flavor to all your favorite recipes.
While pumpkin spice may steal the spotlight every fall, I am here to remind you that it is also the start of chai season (although you can find me sipping on chai lattes all year round). Chai muffins, chai cookies, dirty chai lattes, chai cake—I want alllllll the chai-flavored goodies, please!
If you can’t tell, I love chai—which is why having a jar of homemade chai spice mix on hand is a must. Made with just 6 ingredients, this warm and sweet chai blend is easy to make and even easier to find use for during the cold fall and winter months. Add it to baked goods, pancakes, applesauce, and more—or even make your own chai syrup to have chai lattes at home whenever you want.
What is Chai Spice?
Chai spice is a warm, aromatic blend inspired by the traditional Indian drink “masala chai,” which combines black tea, milk, and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. But don’t assume that the use of chai spice is limited to drinks! It adds beautiful flavor to all kinds of baked goods, applesauce, pancakes, and more.
My chai spice mix leans mellow and sweet—not because it actually contains sugar, but because it’s cinnamon-forward. The cinnamon gives it that naturally warm sweetness, along with some ground cloves and nutmeg. The other spices, like cardamom and ginger, add depth without overwhelming the mix with too much sharpness or kick. It’s a balanced blend that’s super versatile for everyday baking.
While obviously this is my version of a perfect chai spice mix, I encourage you to use this recipe as a starting point. Give it a try, then adjust to suit your own taste. For example, I find that cardamom can easily overpower the blend, but if you love that floral note, go ahead and add a bit more.
Chai Spice Ingredients
1. Ground Cinnamon: Serves as the warm, naturally sweet base of this spice blend.
2. Ground Cardamom: Cardamom adds a bright, floral note to the chai spice. However, I find that too much of it can easily overpower the blend, making it taste sharp and slightly perfumey. I use 1 teaspoon, and I encourage you to start there and then add more if you would prefer a more pronounced floral flavor.
3. Ground Cloves: Ground cloves add deep warmth and a touch of natural sweetness to the chai spice.
4. Ground Nutmeg: Adds a warm, nutty flavor and subtle sweetness.
5. Ground Ginger: Ginger brings a spicy, slightly sharp edge that cuts through the sweetness of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It adds depth and helps balance the blend.
6. Finely Ground Black Pepper: Emphasis on finely ground! You do not want large chunks of black pepper in this mix (trust me). You’re just looking for a hint of black pepper’s heat and slight bitterness to balance out the other spices.
How to Make Homemade Chai Spice
Simply gather your ground spices, measure them (ensure you level off your measuring spoons), and add them to a bowl. Whisk well, and you’re done!
How to Store Chai Spice
Store the spice blend in an airtight jar or container, preferably in a cool, dark place.
What to Make With Homemade Chai Spice
There are so many ways to use this chai spice blend. Here are just a few ideas:
- Add it to muffins, cookies, cakes, and more to infuse warm, spiced flavor into your favorite baked goods.
- Stir some into my favorite homemade applesauce in place of ground cinnamon.
- Make a chai syrup to add to make homemade chai lattes (or dirty chai lattes).
- Add some to your favorite breakfast dishes—like pancakes and waffles.
Read on for the full recipe for my homemade chai spice mix!
Then, once you have given it a try, come back here to leave a rating and review. I would love to hear what you think!
Homemade Chai Spice
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp finely ground black pepper must be finely ground
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well. Store in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dark place.¼ cup ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground ginger, ⅛ tsp finely ground black pepper
- Add to muffins, cookies, pancakes, waffles, applesauce, and more. Store the chai mix in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dark place.
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