Why You’ll Love This Chai Spice Syrup
- Simple Ingredients—Sugar, water, chai spice, and a splash of vanilla extract (if you want). That’s it!
- Easy to Make—Just cook everything on the stove until the syrup reaches your desired thickness. In less than 20 minutes, you’ll have your own chai syrup—no trip to Starbucks required!
- Versatile—Add some to milk for a quick chai latte, stir a bit into your favorite iced coffee, or pour it over pancakes and waffles.
An iced chai latte is my go-to order at just about every coffee shop—and now, with this chai syrup, I can make one anytime at home! All it takes is my chai spice mix, water, sugar, vanilla extract (if you’d like), and less than 20 minutes on the stove. Stir some into cold or warm milk for a quick latte, add a splash to maple syrup before pouring it over these chai pancakes, or add a bit to your favorite iced coffee for a spiced twist. It’s the easiest way to bring cozy chai spice flavor to drinks (and more!) all season long.
A Note on Ground Spices In This Syrup
Since we’re using my homemade chai spice mix—a blend of ground spices—you may notice a bit of natural spice sediment in the syrup. This is completely normal, as the spices won’t dissolve. If you prefer a smoother syrup, simply pour it through a fine mesh strainer after simmering to remove some of the ground spices. Personally, I enjoy the extra spice, but be sure to give the syrup a good shake before each use (as the spices will settle in the fridge).
Chai Spice Syrup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need…
Light Brown Sugar: I find that brown sugar lends a warm, caramelized sweetness to the syrup that pairs perfectly with chai spice. You can also use white granulated sugar.
Water: This is a standard simple syrup, so you’ll need equal amounts of water and sugar.
Chai Spice: I might be a teeny bit biased, but I prefer my homemade chai spice. It’s a cinnamon-forward, sweet-leaning blend that adds warm chai-spiced flavor to this syrup. Of course, feel free to add your own favorite blend!
Vanilla Extract (optional): If you want to make this a vanilla chai spice syrup, stir in a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract after cooking the syrup. My favorite, as always, is from Nielsen-Massey. Pick up a jar on Amazon or Williams-Sonoma.
Equipment & Tools
You’ll also need…
- A saucepan and a whisk.
- An instant-read thermometer. This one is not 100% necessary, but it’s very helpful for ensuring you end up with chai syrup, not chai caramels!
- A fine mesh strainer. Run the syrup through the strainer if you want to remove some of the ground spices.
- A glass jar, syrup dispenser, or other container to store the syrup in.
How to Make Chai Syrup
Making chai syrup is a very simple process. Here’s what you’ll do…
- Add the water, brown sugar, and chai spice to a small/medium saucepan. Stir well until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring quite frequently.
- As soon as the syrup reaches a boil, turn the heat down. Allow the syrup to simmer (190°- 200°) for about 10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired thickness/consistency. Stir very frequently so as to not scorch the bottom.
- As soon as you are satisfied with the syrup’s thickness, turn off the heat and carefully pour the syrup into a jar or other container.
- Once the syrup has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the vanilla extract (optional). You do not want to cook the extract with the syrup, as the heat could dull the vanilla flavor—make sure you add it after!
- Store the syrup in the fridge for up to a couple weeks in an airtight container or jar.
How to Make an Easy Chai Latte Using This Chai Syrup
For a quick chai latte, stir 2–3 teaspoons (up to a couple tablespoons for stronger spiced flavor) of chai syrup into 1 cup of warm or cold milk. For a caffeinated version, add black tea or an espresso shot (dirty chai). Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and enjoy!
Read on for the full recipe for this chai spice syrup!
Once you’ve made a batch and given it a try, come back here to leave a rating and review. I would love to hear what you think of it!
Homemade Chai Syrup (& Easy Chai Latte)
Equipment (Shop on Amazon)
- Fine Mesh Strainer optional
Ingredients
Vanilla Chai Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup light brown sugar or white granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp homemade chai spice mix or your own favorite chai spice blend
- 2 tsp vanilla extract optional
Easy Iced Vanilla Chai Latte
- 8 oz milk
- 2-3 tsp vanilla chai syrup or to taste!
- Ice optional
- Shot of espresso, iced coffee, etc. optional; to make it a dirty chai!
Instructions
Vanilla Chai Syrup
- Add the water, brown sugar, and chai spice blend to a small saucepan. Whisk well until the sugar has dissolved.1 cup water, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp homemade chai spice mix
- Bring to a boil on medium/medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
- Once the mixture reaches a boil, immediately turn down the heat and let the syrup simmer for about 10 minutes (at about 190°- 200°).
- Once you are satisfied with the consistency of the syrup, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe jar or container.
- Allow the syrup to cool for a few minutes. Then, add the vanilla extract and stir well (optional).2 tsp vanilla extract
- Let the syrup cool completely, then enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Easy Chai Latte
- Stir a couple of teaspoons of chai syrup (up to a couple tablespoons for a stronger spiced flavor) into 1 cup of warm or cold milk.8 oz milk, 2-3 tsp vanilla chai syrup
- Add a shot of espresso, a splash of iced coffee, or tea for a caffeinated version (optional). Pour over ice, or serve warm. Enjoy!Ice, Shot of espresso, iced coffee, etc.
Notes from the Happy To Be Here Kitchen
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