How To Make A Vegan Chai Tea Latte In 12 Minutes
Take a moment to sip slow.
…While enjoying something tasty and healthy. And if that slow moment passes you by—mama, you can always re-heat this tea, without compromising it’s taste.
Nothing says comfort like a warm, delightful beverage. But, most of those quick grab bevvies are often filled with sugar and other undesirable additives that can impact our health, if consumed regularly. Don’t want to knock all of the FUN out of your daily routine? Try this Vegan Chai Tea Latte recipe! It’s a quick, tasty and healthier alternative, with less sugar.
Skip to go straight to the recipe, below. Keep reading for the health benefits and cool facts about vegan chai tea.
Make this Vegan Chai Latte in about 10-12 minutes
I liked adapting this recipe, created by Kanchan Rawat of Foodtomic, because it’s not only super quick, but you also don’t need a ton of kitchen equipment to make it happen! Many of the homemade vegan chai tea latte recipes that I thumbed through require at least 30 minutes, and lots of fancy stuff, like an electric frother, which I don’t have on hand.
You can make this delish Vegan Chai Latte in about 10-12 minutes, with minimal ingredients and tools. Mine included a bowl, measuring cup, small pot, and a blender. I’m all about that minimal life!
Sarah Lawrence Days
A throwback picture of me in college, hanging in “The Tea House” on campus, a place better known for its late night poetry readings. I’m in a long white t-shirt in the middle, in a full 90’s stance. I discovered my love for chai tea during this time.
A little backstory…
I was first introduced to chai tea when I was in college at Sarah Lawrence. I often took the train down to Park Slope, Brooklyn, to visit my godparents. Their homemade cups of chai tea not only warmed my belly, but also connected me to home. My godmother grew up with my mom in Los Angeles, and her husband is from India. They introduced me to all of the ingredients and the slow cooking process, and I savored it! Their chai tea was so authentically good that I was never satisfied with fast-food versions, and have consumed chai tea sparingly since. Now that the weather is cooler and I found a quick version, I thought it would be great to try as a change to my usual herbal tea routine.
According to a little digging that I did, the original version of masala chai tea originated in South Asia 5,000-9,000 years ago and was dairy-free! Early versions varied in blends, and were mostly made with black tea, herbs and spices. Milk was later added by British colonists. “Chai,” meaning “every kind of tea” in Hindi, has grown in the Assam region of northeast Indian for years. It is believed that Chai tea was originally consumed in the royal courts in Thailand, and is linked to Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian holistic medicine system which values the mind-body-spirit connection, using herbs, minerals, and metals to treat ailments.
My favorite thing about this recipe is…
The smell of the tea and spices combined with the plant milk and water, while it cooks.
Now back to the recipe:
I tweaked my chai tea latte blend slightly from Foodtomic’s recipe, to boost some of the healthy properties that I enjoy. The benefits of my blend include:
Rooibos Tea: I was introduced to this wonderful South African tea by my good friend from Johannesburg. I can no longer comfortably drink caffeinated tea, after removing it from my diet during my pregnancy. I love that this is caffeine free! Rooibos is a plant and antioxidant, is heart healthy, good for your bones, and can balance your blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, and Star Anise: All of these plants and spices are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and some of them can help with heart health, oral health, can reduce blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cancer risk, improve gut health, and boost metabolism.
Pea-Based Milk: Has less sugar and more protein than almond milk, which is in the original recipe.
Rooibos Tea
I was introduced to this wonderful South African tea by my good friend, Leila, from Johannesburg. She’s sitting next to me and our friend, Imade, on the right. We met and exchanged healthy eating tips while in grad school. I love that Rooibos is a caffeine free plant and antioxidant.
Mommafied Vegan Chai Tea Latte recipe:
(Inspired by original recipe on Foodotomic)
Ingredients:
(2) Rooibos tea bags
(1 cup) water
(1 and a half cup) plant-based milk*
(3/4 teaspoon) cardamom powder *
(2) cloves
(1) star anise
(4) whole black pepper seeds
(1 teaspoon) cinnamon powder
(1/3rd teaspoon) turmeric powder
(1 tablespoon) agave syrup
A dash of vegan brown sugar *
(1/3 cup) plant-based milk (Optional: to make froth on top)
Mom Boss…
Treat yo’self to healthier options! Thanks to my own mom for gifting me with this mug.
Ingredient Notes:
* The original recipe calls for a half teaspoon of cardamom, plus 2 whole cardamom seeds. I couldn’t find the seeds, so I upped the amount of cardamom powder that I used, and it worked well. Play with the spice measurements to suit your taste. Improvise with what you’ve got!
*Almond milk is also used in the original recipe. We often buy the Silk brand, which has 14% sugar and 1g of protein. I swapped that out for Ripple, a pea-based milk, which has 10% sugar, and 8g of protein. It’s thicker than almond milk. Depending on your texture preference you may want to add more or less of the Ripple milk to your blend.
*Traditional brown sugar is often made with bone char. Vegan brown sugar brands include: Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Light Brown Sugar and Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Sugar.
Star Anise
…Are beautiful and can be found at local grocery stores. I grabbed mine from Sprouts. Star Anise are antioxidants, relieves congestion, and can help with lactation.
Tools:
(1) measuring cup
(1) measuring spoon
(1) small bowl for the spices
(1) small strainer
(1) medium sized pot
(1) coffee cup sized mug
(1) wooden spoon
Don’t be afraid to play with
Your spices, milk and water measurements to fit your taste preferences.
Directions:
Set up your kitchen tools.
MY NOVICE COOKING TIP: Measure your spices. Add them to a bowl first. Do this BEFORE you start boiling the water. I had a tight time window when I made this and found myself scrambling around for measurements, while trying to make sure that the water didn’t boil off. Don’t be like me in that moment! :)
Add 1 cup of water to a measuring cup. Pour it into a pot and boil on medium to high heat.
Once the water is bubbling, reduce the heat. Add your tea bags to the pot. Heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add all of your whole and powdered spices. Remain on medium heat.
Stir with a wooden spoon. Cook on medium for about 3 minutes. Enjoy the smell and color of the spices as they blend with the tea. Ahhh!
Lower the heat and slowly add in your milk. Kanchan Rawat of Foodtomic, adds, “If you prefer a strong chai tea latte you can reduce the quantity of milk and you can use equal portions of water to the milk.”
Add the agave into the pot, as it continues to boil for a few seconds.
Reduce the heat. Simmer for two minutes.
Turn off the heat. Pour your serving into a mug.
Here comes the froth topping!
Add 1/3 cup of plant-milk to a blender with a dash of vegan brown sugar (about a teaspoon). Blend for seconds!
Place your chai tea filled mug in the sink or in a spill-safe area.
Grab your strainer and pour the froth through it, into your mug (or yeti thermos if you’re heading out)!
Top with sprinkled cinnamon or a cinnamon stick.
Slipping Slow
While on the go!
P.S. >>>HONEST TRUTH TIME: I thought that my topping blend would come out frothier. Soy or almond milk may produce the froth of your dreams. Plus, I accidentally added a bit of my Ripple froth into the body of my latte, without the strainer. Sleepy Mommafied mom moment. It may have been frothier minus that hiccup. Despite that, it was still DELICIOUS!
No matter how this cup-o-latte comes out, ENJOY IT. You deserve a moment to sip slow. And if that slow moment passes you by, you can always re-heat it, or add it to a yeti when you’re on the go, (like I did). It also tastes just as good cold, with a few ice-cubes.
Thanks for reading! For more tips, resources, and good energy for busy moms who want to lead healthier lives: Follow me at @getmommafied on Instagram, and subscribe to my bimonthly Mommafied Note.