This easy at home Iced Matcha Chai Latte combines warm chai flavors with healthy matcha to make a quick copycat coffeeshop drink!
Need more coffee in your life? Try this Maple Pecan Coffee with Cold Brew or this sweet Butter Pecan Coffee Milkshake!
If you are anything like me, you spend a lot of time in the Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks drive through lane. In a quest to drink healthier, I have been trying to create coffee and tea drinks at home that have less sugar and cost a fraction of a normal coffee run. This Matcha Chai Latte is simple to make at home, you can control the sweetness and is the perfect coffee alternative!
Latte Details
Level of Difficulty: Medium! While this Matcha Chai Latte is simple to make, there are a few steps to make the ingredients.
Flavor: The matcha powder creates a grassy and earthy flavor. The chai gives the latte a warm, cinnamon and nutty flavor. When you add a sweetener like Chai Simple Syrup or honey, the flavors meld together to create a slightly sweet, cinnamon latte.
Time: To make the Chai Simple Syrup and the Chai Latte, it will take about 20 minutes. Once those are made, it takes less than 5 minutes to make the Matcha Chai Latte. You can make a big batch of Chai Simple Syrup and Chai Latte so that you can make this drink quickly!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Milk: This is the base for your drink. The recipe calls for Unsweetened Coconut Milk, however, use your favorite milk. If you want to keep the drink plant based, choose coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk. All milks have been tested and taste great with the matcha chai combo. Because of the earthy matcha flavor, I prefer to use a milk that has natural sweetness like coconut milk.
- Chai Tea: I use this Organic Emperor's Chai Tea from The Tea & Spice Exchange. To make the milk latte base, I use 1 tablespoon of the chai tea in a tea diffuser. Alternatively, you could use 1-2 chai tea bags depending on how strong you prefer the chai flavor. The Chai Tea is used to make the simple syrup and the latte base.
- Chai Simple Syrup: I do not recommend substituting this ingredient as it gives a unique sweet chai flavor to the latte.
- Water: The water is needed to mix with the Matcha Powder. Water is also used to make the Chai Simple Syrup.
- Matcha Powder: Use a high quality matcha powder for the best flavor. I recommend using a Ceremonial Matcha Blend like this one from Naoki.
- Brown Sugar: Brown Sugar is the sweetener for the Chai Simple Syrup. If you do not have brown sugar on hand, you can substitute maple syrup.
- Cinnamon Stick: The extra cinnamon enhances the chai flavor. Substitute your favorite chai flavor like cardamon, cloves or ginger.
How To Make!
- Start by making the Chai Simple Syrup. This recipe will make 1 cup of Chai Simple Syrup. You will only use a tablespoon or two in this recipe. To start, add brown sugar and water to a small pot over medium heat. Allow water to heat up. Once bubbles beginning forming, remove from heat and stir to dissolve the brown sugar. Add the loose chai tea and cinnamon stick. Let steep for atleast 10 minutes. Pour into a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.
- Make the chai latte. Add milk of choice to a small pot on the stove and turn heat to medium high. When milk begins to bubble at the sides, remove from heat and add chai tea. Make sure that the entire tea diffuser or tea bag is covered by liquid. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.
- Make the matcha. Add water and matcha powder to a tall glass. Use a milk frother or matcha whisk to dissolve the matcha powder into the water. There should be no powder chunks in the liquid.
- Assemble the latte. Start by filling your glass with ice. Pour Chai Simple Syrup to bottom of glass. Add chai tea latte to glass. Top with matcha concentrate. Stir to combine all ingredients.
Health Benefits of Matcha and Chai
- Matcha: Made from the entire green tea leaf, matcha has higher levels of caffeine and antioxidants than traditional green tea. WebMD states that matcha can help to lower blood pressure, reduce joint inflammation and even aid in weight loss.
- Chai: This concoction of spices is also rich in antioxidants. The flavonoids from the black tea can boost heart health. The ginger can aid in food digestion and boost your immune system.
Like most teas, this Matcha Chai Latte is soothing. Not only will it provide a caffeine boost, it can soothe headaches, minor pains and sore throats.
FAQ
- Is there caffeine in a Matcha Chai Latte? Yes, there is caffeine in a matcha chai latte. If the latte is made according to the recipe measurements, this latte should have around 100 mg of caffeine which is about the same caffeine level as an 8 oz cup of coffee.
- Can you drink Matcha Chai Lattes while pregnant? While caffeine should be limited during pregnancy and a doctor should be consulted, most doctors recommend pregnant women consuming less than 200 mgs of caffeine per day. This latte would meet these requirements.
- Is a Matcha Chai Latte coffee? No, a Matcha Chai Latte is a combination of milk and teas.
- What is the best milk for a latte? The best milk for a latte is one that you enjoy! If you prefer sweeter drinks, use a flavored almond milk or coconut milk that is naturally sweeter. If you need to avoid lactose, use a plant based milk.
- What is the difference between a matcha chai latte and a matcha chai tea? The difference between a matcha chai latte and a matcha chai tea is that a latte uses milk as the base. Tea uses water as a base. The milk gives the drink more substance and is sweeter than if made with water.
- Are matcha and chai good together? Yes, the flavors of matcha and chai blend well together making a slightly earthy, nutty and sweet drink.
- Can you make this Iced Matcha Chai Latte hot? Yes, you can make this matcha chai latte a hot drink! Simply combine all the ingredients together while the chai tea seeps. Drink as soon as chai finishes seeping.
- What other recipes use Chai Simple Syrup? I have a whole cup! Use the Chai Simple Syrup in coffee or try it in this Chai Cider Whiskey!
If you make this Iced Matcha Chai Latte, please leave a comment and tag @delmarvaliciousdishes!
Iced Matcha Chai Latte
Equipment
- Milk frother or matcha whisk
- Large glass
- Tea diffuser if using loose tea
- Small pot
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Loose Chai Tea
- 1-2 tablespoon Chai Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tsp Matcha Powder
Chai Simple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Loose Chai Tea
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
Instructions
Chai Simple Syrup
- Add water and brown sugar to a medium pot. Turn heat to medium high.
- When water begins to simmer, remove from the heat. Stir to dissolve the brown sugar.
- Add the cinnamon stick and the chai tea. Allow to steep for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove tea and cinnamon stick. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Iced Matcha Chai Latte
- Make the chai tea. Add coconut milk to a small pot. Turn heat to medium.
- When milk begins to bubble on the side, remove from heat and add chai tea.
- Allow to steep for at least 10 minutes.
- Make the matcha. Add water and matcha powder to a tall glass.
- Using a milk frother or a matcha whisk, mix together the matcha powder until there are no lumps.
Tressa says
I make matcha a ton and recently became lactose intolerant so this recipe is super helpful for me. Thank you for posting!
delmarvaliciousdishes says
Tressa, I am sorry to hear that you are now lactose intolerant but glad that you are able to enjoy this drink! Cheers!
Bianca says
Love the combo of matcha and chai in this latte! The best of both worlds