What’s the secret to making the perfect cup of Indian masala chai? The spices, of course!
Chai masala, or tea masala, is a blend of fragrant Indian spices. You infuse these spices into black tea in order to make spiced chai. Every Indian family has its own way of making chai, and today, I’m sharing my family’s secret recipe with you.
Authentic Homemade Chai Masala
For years, I’ve wondered why my chai never tasted as good as my mom’s or dad’s chai. I figured it was because my parents just had more experience making chai. Don’t get me wrong; I make a good cup. But I always felt like something was lacking. Until now.
It turns out they typically make two versions of chai – a quick version with basic whole spices, and then this – what I’ve deemed their “special chai” made with a secret ingredient! It’s a spice that isn’t commonly used in chai – but it sure makes a difference.
I’m pretty excited about sharing this homemade chai blend with you. I’ve spent a lot of time going back and forth with my parents to ensure all spice ratios are absolutely perfect. It’s been hard work having to drink so much chai (lol), but I did it – just for you. 😏
You’re going to love this chai. I suggest trying my recipe as written first. I realize chai is personal though, so after you give my recipe a try, adapt it to your taste!
“OMG! This is so good, one of the very best chai masala I have used. I have tried many versions of DIY blends over the years on the web. Nothing comes close to what I felt. This is hands down the best. I made my first cup of chai with this blend of masala & as soon as I tasted it, felt a sense of warmth engulfing me. It was as if I was sitting across the table chatting with my best friend with a cup of chai my hand. Seriously! Thank you Ashley for sharing this with us.”
Muni
What is Chai Masala?
Chai Masala refers to the spices you use when making a cup of chai.
This blend can vary by family but typically includes green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. I prefer having a jar of ground spices ready to use, but if I run out, I’ll make do by simmering whole spices.
There are many different ways to make a cup of chai, but I believe my family’s recipe for chai masala makes for the best cup. Our family spice blend calls for at least one ingredient that I haven’t found in any other recipe, at least not in any recipe on the internet. But before I tell you about that special ingredient, let’s first talk about masala chai.
What is Chai?
Masala chai is a creamy, spiced tea made with: black tea, spices, milk, and sweetener. I’m going to tell you all about chai’s interesting history below, but for now, here’s what you need to make a cup of chai:
- Black tea: you can use tea bags or loose-leaf black tea. I prefer the latter.
- Spices: see the spice breakdown below!
- Milk: I almost always use whole milk, but if you are dairy-free, you can use whatever milk you’d like. I like oat milk or cashew milk.
- Sweetener: I prefer sugar, but use whatever you like.
Okay, now on to the spices!
Chai Masala Ingredients + Our Family’s Secret Ingredient
Check out the list below – see anything unusual? Ajwain! That’s our family’s secret ingredient – it’s barely there but gives the masala some kick. The ratios in my chai masala are spot on, and I can’t wait for you to try it.
- Whole Green Cardamom Pods: every cup of chai calls for this fragrant floral spice.
- Fennel Seeds: I love the sweet aroma and flavor that fennel seeds add to chai. While I don’t see this in every chai recipe, I consider it a must-have ingredient.
- Whole Cloves: add a uniquely sweet and warm aroma.
- Ajwain: THIS is our family’s secret ingredient! Just a bit of this gives the masala life! While ajwain is a pungent and aromatic spice with a strong thyme flavor – when used in this small quantity, it enhances the flavor of the masala rather than overpowering it.
- Ground Ginger: everyone loves ginger in chai, right? Right!
- Ground Cinnamon: just a touch adds the right amount of sweetness.
- Whole Black Peppercorns: all good chai should have a teeny bit of heat.
Spilling the Tea on Some Chai History:
I always thought of chai as a decidedly Indian thing.
I mean, drinking milky spiced tea is as Indian as it gets, right? Every Indian person I know drinks chai. And not only do we drink it, but we are also extremely particular about how it’s made. I sort of figured that drinking chai is something our ancestors did – a ritual passed down from ancient times.
But nope. Not even close.
Apparently, even at the start of the 20th century, most Indians didn’t even know how to make tea.
That is crazy, right?
After delving more into Indian food history over recent years, I’ve learned that it was the British who introduced tea to India – they actually put a lot of effort into getting Indians to start drinking tea (so that Indians would, in turn, buy tea from them). I remember when I first asked my parents about this, they were basically like, “well yeah, Ashley… but we don’t focus on that.” 🤷🏽♀️
According to food historian Lizzie Collingham, it’s a myth that Indians shared their love of tea with the British; in fact, it’s the opposite. In her book Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, she writes, “the conversion of the population to tea drinking was the result of what must have been the first major marketing campaign in India. The British-owned Indian Tea Association set itself the task of first creating a new habit among the Indian population, and then spreading it across the entire subcontinent.”
As someone fascinated by both food and marketing, I have to say, what a campaign… They went door to door, showing up at homes with tea kettles and making tea for families, persuading reluctant folks to drink their tea. Clearly, it worked. And for better or worse, we’re all addicted to chai. 🤷🏽♀️
Now that said, I do think it’s important to note that Indians did occasionally drink their own version of tea, made with spices and herbs rather than tea leaves. I assume that kind of “tea” was probably more along the lines of Turmeric Tea, aka Haldi ka Doodh.
So I guess while the ritual of drinking tea may have come from the British (which they learned from China, who was drinking tea way back in the fourth century), I believe the chai that we all know and love is unquestionably Indian. We made it our own by adding milk, sugar, and spices. I’m not a fan of plain tea. But sweet, milky, spiced chai? Now that’s my cup of tea.
Tips for Making Chai
- The recipe below includes amounts for making either 1 or 2 or 4 cups of chai.
- Each cup of chai makes a total of around 6.25 ounces, which will fill up a teacup. Depending on the size of the mug/cup you use, you may need to adjust the amount of chai you make.
- The color of the tea can vary according to the brand of black tea you use. I like 24 Mantra’s Organic Loose Leaf Assam Black Tea which I get from my local Indian grocery store (no link to share at the moment, sorry!). Any brand will work.
- If you prefer a more robust cup of chai, use more black tea and/or boil it for a longer period of time.
- Make sure you have a good spice grinder. This is the spice grinder I have and love.
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Try this masala blend the next time you make chai, and tell me what you think. I’d love to know if there’s an ingredient you always add to chai – leave a comment to let me know!
More Chai Recipes
- Chai Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Buttered Chai
- Mango Chai Smoothie
- Chai Concentrate
- Masala Chai Pumpkin Pie
- Instant Pot Masala Chai
- Chai Spiced Chocolate
- Don’t want to make the spice mix below? Try this Masala Chai
Chai Masala + How to Make Perfect Masala Chai
Chai Masala + How to Make Perfect Masala Chai
Ingredients
Chai Masala:
- ¼ cup whole green cardamom pods (with the shell on) 23 grams
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds 14 grams
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves 4 grams
- 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds) 2 grams
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns approx 30 peppercorns
To Make 1 cup of Chai:
- 8 ounces water
- ½ teaspoon chai masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons loose leaf black tea
- 2 ounces whole milk
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons sugar to taste
To Make 2 cups of Chai:
- 16 ounces water
- 1 teaspoon chai masala
- 3 teaspoons loose leaf black tea
- 4 ounces whole milk
- 3 to 4 teaspoons sugar to taste
To Make 4 cups of Chai:
- 32 ounces water
- 2 teaspoon chai masala
- 6 teaspoons loose leaf black tea
- 8 ounces whole milk
- 6 to 8 teaspoons sugar to taste
Instructions
To Make Chai Masala:
- Add all of the spices to a spice grinder and grind (this is the spice grinder I have and love).
To Make Chai:
- Add water and chai masala to a pot, and bring it to a boil.
- Add loose black tea and let it boil for 3 minutes.
- Add milk and bring to a full rolling boil (until you like the color of the chai), then turn off the heat.
- Strain into teacups.
- Add sugar to the teacups and stir.
Mit says
Great recipe, Ashley! We make this regularly along with the Blossom Chai from Ahista Tea. Both are household staples!
Patricia Robertson says
can this spice mix be used in milk with no tea?
Chris says
This recipie is amazing Ashley. We made it in the weekend and have now had it in chai tea, chai flat whites and chai hot chocolate. I didnt have Ajwain on hand so used Caraway seed and some fresh thyme as substitutes which worked well. The whole family is hooked now! 10 out of 10. Thanks so much for sharing.
DesiKuri says
Caraway seeds are Ajwain my friend
Anna says
Thank you for the recipe. I used it as a guide. I didn’t have any Ajwain nor a spice grinder. But, a mortar and pestle works. I did toast the spices before I pounded it. Also, used fresh ginger instead. Made a big pot so it can last my family 2 days. Really yummy even without any milk.
Fatima Patel says
First time in your site and I love this recipe! Unfortunately your website has so many pop-ups and ads, it’s difficult to use your page.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m sorry, that’s such a pain. I’ll check in with my ad company about this yet again but feel free to disable ads on your browser if you can. I can’t get rid of the ads completely as they are how I make my income but totally get it’s annoying.
Alan says
Got the Ajwain and added it. I went to the local Indian grocery and there it was. Unfortunately it tastes to me like asphalt. Perhaps it is an acquired taste. While traveling in India I never had chai with this in it.
The recipe without this is great however.
Love your recipes.
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Aw man, sorry to hear that. It’s a unique flavor for sure and not for everyone. Feel free to omit it and play around with other spices too if you’d like.
Sharon says
Hi Ashley,
I am so happy to have found your website! I am a midwife and also provide nutritional counseling for women scattered over multiple states. I have begun recommending your website to my clients. I have never found a good chai recipe—until now! For personal taste, the ajwain seemed strong. But, it was an easy fix. I kept the cardamom and fennel the same. Weighed the ajwain at a scant 2 grams. And doubled the rest of the ingredients. Love it and love the flexibility! What you are doing is a real gift for many people and is much needed in our world today! Keep going!
Daniele says
Hi Ashley,
Congrats for your lovely blog and thanks for posting this amasing recipe for Chai Masala Tea.
Question, in your experience with these spices quantities you indicated for the Chai Masala recipe, how many tea spoons of Chai Masala you’d get?
Or another way to put the question I suppose with this quantity of Chai Masala mix how much Black Tea you’d add to have a Black Tea Chai Masala ready for brewing?
I hope the questions make sense. Thank you very much for your help on this.
Kind regards,
Daniele
Nick says
This looks amazing, and thank you. My ingredients have all arrived.
Do you ever toast the spices before grinding?
I’m making a decaf version for my wife since finding a good quality one has been such a struggle.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Nick, I don’t toast them before grinding – I don’t think it’s necessary (but if you try, let me know what you think!). As for decaf, I recently started using decaf black tea from Trader Joe’s – it’s the first decaf black tea I’ve liked (and I’ve tried quite a few in the past). Give it a try!
Capucine says
It’s quite a nice mix! I’m sipping it now, analyzing if the carom adds a bit of “something.” I really love chai made with whole spices, but was wanting a jar mix for everyday convenience and might save the whole spices for the weekends. I might be missing the fresh ginger a bit, although this is enough ginger . The spices are otherwise the same ones I use, except for this addition of carom, and also I usually add a bit of star anise. Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe! Over the next week or so, I will sip and contemplate what/if I might change ever so slightly to make it my own. Best wishes to you!
Teagan says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Completely delicious!! Could I use this as a foundation for a concentrate? If so, how much water would you recommend adding to it, if using this exact recipe you provided? Thanks for your time.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Teagan, I actually have a chai concentrate recipe you can try if you’d like: https://myheartbeets.com/homemade-chai-concentrate/
Louden says
What is your favorite style of black tea? Assam? Darjeeling? I like my plain tea, no spice or milk, very strong. Like French Roast coffee strong. I love having the masala yet have found that it requires an even stronger tea. For example, using my twenty-ounce teapot, using bags, even before I add the spiced bags from an Indian company, I put four bags of Irish Breakfast and two of Senancha green. With just enough heated milk to turn it a caramel color, I steep it for five minutes. I then add three masala-spiced black packets to steep for five to six minutes, adding sweetener–honey–per mug, not before.
I would like to start making my own chai cooked in the traditional method on the stove in a pot.
Muni says
OMG! This is the so good, one of the very best chai masala I have used. I have tried many versions of DIY blends over the years on the web. Nothing comes close to what I felt. This is hands down the best. I made my first cup of chai with this blend of masala & as soon as I tasted it, felt a sense of warmth engulfing me. It was as if I was sitting across the table chatting with my best friend with a cup of chai my hand. Seriously! Thank you Ashley for sharing this with us.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Muni, so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know how much you enjoyed this chai masala 🙂
Amara says
How many teaspoons of chai masala does this recipe yield?
Jeannine says
It looks to make 7 Tablespoons, or 21 teaspoons, enough for 42 cups of Chai Masala. About 1/2 cup.
I was given some Chai Masala from my son, who just came back from visiting India. He had purchased some in the market, and I needed to determine just how to make a mug!
Sara says
Hi,
Can’t wait to try this as I have never added Ajwain.
Would you kindly share some loose leaf black teas you or your family like. I have tried numerous loose and bagged tea from the Indian grocery stores and none are as good in flavor, depth and color as we have when I visit India. I have tried Red Label, Wagh Bakri, Tetley, just to name a few and have not liked any of them.
Randy says
My good friends in Manipur India my Son and I visited over the years. My friends Son made us his chai recipe at my home and it was the best I ever had. Your recipe was identical and it tastes just same. Thank You I had to switch from coffee to tea it would give me a stomach ache. Now I get my fresh chai every morning had to have two cups.
Thank You for sharing I am only missing the ajwain seeds. I could not find them here.
So I will have to order on Amazon. Thank You for sharing your Family recipes. Aloha Randy
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Randy, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how this turned out for you. Let me know what you think if you try it with the addition of the ajwain 🙂
Trace says
I bought the ingredients from Trinethra in San Jose where I live and then made a cup, following the directions exactly except for using a decaf teabag since it’s late. At first I thought it was a bit too subtle/weak. But as I sipped, it grew on me. Much better than my plain cup of tea! I’m sure it will rate 5 stars once I make it tomorrow with the loose Assam tea I bought. Thanks for a superb website. I thought I didn’t like Indian food because I’d only had it in mediocre restaurants. But cooking your food changed my mind, big time.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it, Trace. I’m sure you’ll like it even more with the loose tea – let me know how that goes!
Sreejith Nair says
This recipe is really helpful as it entails measurements in grams ! I tried and it worked out great !!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sreejith, I’m so glad you tried and liked this! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Morgana says
Hi Ashley – I would like to make an herbal chai tea mix, but find that “decaffienated” black teas still keep me awake at night.
What other herbs would make a good base in place of the black tea for this mix?
Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Morgana, I don’t think this particular blend would be very good with something other than black tea. You can experiment, but I would probably skip this recipe. I’ll try to think of some caffeine-free drinks to add to the blog 🙂
Lisa says
Rooibos tea is a great tasting herbal tea that I use as a base for Chai when I want my tea to be caffine-free. It will change the taste slightly but it is still delicious.
Bobbi Kennedy says
Hi there. I’m really excited to try your chai recipe. You mentioned that this is your family’s tried & true recipe. As I was clicking on all the banners, I noticed you had another chai recipe that you also said was your family’s tried & true, yet the recipes are different. Can you help to clarify this for me? Thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Bobbi, the other recipe is a quick and easy version – made with whole spices that all Indian families have on hand. My family makes both versions, but this is a special chai, made with more spices – it’s better in my opinion but requires first making the ground masala. Let me know if you give it a try!
VSM says
On this 1st day of Fall, the weather here has taken on a chill and the temperatures are falling throughout the day…I am craving something warm to sip on, and I stumbled upon your Masala Chai recipe! My BIL is from Punjab and my sister taught me how to make this delicious treat many years ago. She makes it everyday for my BIL, and when we visit them, we ALL enjoy an afternoon treat. For whatever reason, I have not made it myself for a long time, but that will change today! **Or as soon as the Ajwain arrives in the mail…
The recipe I was taught did not use the Ajwain, or the peppercorns, but I look forward to trying it the traditional way of your family!! Thank you for making the complex dishes of India easier to create and share!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome – I’m so glad you found this recipe! I hope you love this chai – let me know what you think 🙂