Dirty Chai – A Beautiful Mess

A dirty chai, or dirty chai latte as some call it, is essentially chai with a shot or two of espresso added. So if you love both tea and coffee, this is certainly a drink you’ll want to explore. And this homemade dirty chai is easy to make and sure to please.

Chai is made differently in different parts of the world, but it is basically black tea brewed with other spices and then mixed with some kind of milk. You can use my recipe below to make a dirty chai or you can keep it simple and use a remixed or ready made chai tea and add milk and espresso.

Related: Next up, try a turmeric latte, matcha latte, or iced chai latte.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy alternatives)
• 1 shot espresso
• 2 black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling tea are great choices)
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger (grated) OR 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 2-3 tablespoons of sweetener (sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
• Optional: a pinch of ground nutmeg or star anise for garnish

Another option is brew chai tea from a mixed tea bag, add the espresso shot and steamed milk.

Directions

1. Prepare the Spiced Tea Base:
   • In a medium-sized saucepan, combine water, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, and grated ginger.
   • Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
   • Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the spices simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse the water.
2. Add the Tea & Espresso:
   • After the spices have simmered, add the black tea bags to the saucepan.
   • Let the tea steep in the spiced water for 3-5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired strength.
   • Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the tea bags.
   • Brew the espresso shot.
3. Prepare the Dirty Chai:
   • Place the saucepan back on the stove over low heat.
   • Add the milk of your choice and espresso shot to the spiced tea base.
   • Stir gently and heat the mixture until it becomes hot but not boiling. Be careful not to scorch the milk.
   • If you prefer a frothy latte, you can use a milk frother or blender to froth the mixture before serving.

Home Espresso Makers

We’ve tried many espresso makers over the years, and here are our favorites at different price points and skill levels:

• Cafe Automatic Espresso Machine – My current machine. It uses any whole beans, so if you use high quality beans you’ll get high quality espresso. It makes espresso shots automatically (no barista skills required) and includes a milk frothing wand to heat and froth milk. We’ve used this machine almost every day since we got it a year and half ago and we love it! It comes in three colors.
• Stovetop Espresso – This is the cheapest way to make espresso at home. It’s more labor intensive and you will also need a way to grind your beans for best results. But, this is a classic method that works great when done well.
• Breville Barista Touch – We bought this for a good friend as a wedding gift once and they said they love it. It’s a higher end machine that you will need some barista skills to operate, but it’s an excellent home espresso maker.
• Nespresso Vertuo – For those who want an espresso maker that uses pods, this is my favorite. Depending what pod you use, it can make espresso or coffee.

More Coffee & Tea Drinks