Sugar-Free Chai Concentrate
This Sugar-Free Chai Concentrate is a warmly spiced, naturally sweetened blend of black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger that you can keep on hand for instant lattes any time of day. It mixes in seconds with hot or cold milk for a comforting, low sugar drink whenever you need it.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Fine mesh strainer
- Glass jar or bottle with lid
Ingredients
- 4 cups water filtered preferred
- 4 bags black tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea
- 2 sticks cinnamon sticks
- 8 pods green cardamom pods crushed
- 8 whole cloves
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger sliced thin
- 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener or stevia, to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, cinnamon sticks, crushed cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, and sliced ginger. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid turns a deep amber color and the kitchen smells richly spiced.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the tea bags or loose tea. Cover and steep for 5 minutes, no longer, to avoid bitterness.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof pitcher or jar, pressing gently on the solids to release all the flavor.
- While still warm, stir in the monk fruit sweetener and vanilla extract until fully dissolved.
- Let the concentrate cool to room temperature, then transfer to a sealed jar or bottle and refrigerate. Mix with hot or cold milk to serve.
Notes
Store the concentrate in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 to 10 days, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months. The most common mistake is over-steeping the tea, which makes the concentrate taste bitter, so keep steeping time to about 5 minutes. Taste the concentrate before bottling; it should taste slightly stronger and spicier than you want your final drink, since it will be diluted with milk or water.