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Spiced Winter Masala Chai Recipe and Guide

An Introduction to Our Spiced Winter Chai

Combining warming spices from India and China, this is our variation of chai masala, and the recipe our Spiced Winter Chai essential oil formula is based on. This chai is meant to be rich and spicy. Feel free to adjust the spice levels to suit your taste, modify the amount of tea (or substitute with decaf), and tweak the water if it’s too thick for your liking. This is your cup of tea, after all, so make it yours.

<p>1. Collect Your Ingredients</p>

1. Collect Your Ingredients

<p>2. Crush and Chop</p>

2. Crush and Chop

<p>3. Toast Dried Whole Spices</p>

3. Toast Dried Whole Spices

Our Spiced Winter Chai Recipe

Ingredients

  • Green cardamom pods or seeds: 8–10 pods (or 1 teaspoon seeds)
  • If using ground cardamom, substitute with 1/2 teaspoon.
  • Cinnamon sticks: 4–5 medium sticks (3–4 inches each)
  • Cloves: 6–8 whole cloves
  • Black peppercorns (whole): 1 teaspoon
  • Szechuan peppercorns (whole): 1 teaspoon (adjust for more bite)
  • Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon
  • Star anise: 2–3 whole stars (increase to 4 for a stronger flavor)
  • Dried ginger powder: 2 teaspoon (or substitute with 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger)
  • Dried turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon (or a small 1-inch piece fresh turmeric)
  • Red dates (chopped): 2–3 (add while brewing, not ground into the mix)
  • Nutmeg: 1/8 teaspoon, freshly grated
  • Dried orange peel: 1 teaspoon (or peel from 1/2 orange, finely chopped)
  • Saffron: A few threads to a pinch
  • Vanilla bean: 1/2 bean, split and scraped
  • Or add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with the tea and orange peel.

Instructions

  1. Toast the Whole Spices:
  2. Crush—no need to grind or powder—the whole spices in a mortar and pestle (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, and star anise). Add the crushed spices to a dry pan and toast them on low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. The goal is to lightly toast the spices to enhance their aroma and flavor, not to burn them.
  3. Decoct the Spices:
  4. Add 5 cups of water, the toasted spices, ground spices (ginger, turmeric, nutmeg), and the vanilla pod (split and scraped) to the pan. If you’re using vanilla extract instead of a pod, wait to add it until you add the tea. Decoct (simmer) on very low heat for 15–20 minutes to extract the flavors. Keep a lid on the pan to retain the aromatics, but make sure it doesn’t boil over.
  5. Add Milk and Bring Back to Heat:
  6. Add 1 cup of milk (I use oat milk) and 1 can of coconut milk. Slowly bring the mixture back up to just below a simmer to meld the flavors. Use the lowest heat possible.
  7. Add Tea and Orange Peel:
  8. Just before the mixture reaches a simmer, reduce the heat as low as possible. Add 6–8 teaspoons of loose black tea (or 5–6 tea bags), the dried orange peel, and a pinch of saffron. Let the tea steep for 5–10 minutes, depending on the type of tea used.
  9. For a stronger tea, increase the steep time or the amount of tea. Less strong? Use less tea, shorten the steep time, or both.
  10. Sweeten and Fatten:
  11. Add your sweetener of choice (e.g., honey) to taste. Add ghee, if desired, for added richness. It is winter, after all.
  12. Strain and Serve:
<p>4. Simmer &amp; Decoct</p>

4. Simmer & Decoct

<p>5. Add Milk, Tea, &amp; Orange Peel</p>

5. Add Milk, Tea, & Orange Peel

<p>6. Steep at Low Heat</p>

6. Steep at Low Heat

Notes on Selecting the Right Tea

  • This recipe is excellent with Jin Jun Mei black tea, known for its smooth, golden flavor.
  • If you have it, pu-erh tea adds a wonderful earthy depth to the chai.
  • Truly, any black tea will work beautifully in this recipe. The tea you have is the right tea to use. Do not let perfect be the enemy of good.

Adjusting and Perfecting For Taste

  • Customize Your Spice Level:
  • Add more Szechuan peppercorn or ginger—or both—for warmth or star anise for licorice notes. This recipe already has some bite to it. You can also reduce the amount called for.
  • Tea Strength:
  • Experiment with the tea strength by steeping longer or increasing the amount of tea.
  • Add red dates and vanilla while brewing for additional sweetness and depth.

Spiced Winter Chai Essential Oil

It’s hard to say which came first: this recipe or the formula for our Spiced Winter Chai essential oil. This chai recipe has been percolating—pun intended—for years. In 2024, we released two tinctures featuring the essential oil version of this recipe: Twelve Rivers Functional Mushroom MycoMedic Elixir and Arrow of Eros Vital Fire Elixir. The flavor—the warmth and indulgence—shines through perfectly in these tinctures. The taste is exceptional on its own and pairs beautifully with coffee, tea, or even hot cocoa.