• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Quick Links

Love Mischka

  • Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Breads, Brownies, & Bars
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes & Cakes
    • Other Desserts
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Wellness
  • For Dogs
  • Printables
Home » Recipes » Drinks

Published: Jun 27, 2022 · Modified: Jul 12, 2025 by Mischka

How to Make Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Easily make your own chai concentrate from tea bags, without any additional spices or fancy ingredients, for a convenient and inexpensive way to enjoy chai lattes at home whenever you want.

A bottle of how to make chai concentrate with tea bags next to a milk bottle of white milk and brown cinnamon sticks.

This post contains affiliate links. This means, if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at NO extra cost to you. Thank you for any and all support! 💛

I LOVE having chai concentrate in the fridge - whether it’s homemade or store-bought. 

It’s such a quick way to make an iced chai latte, a pumpkin spice chai latte, a matcha chai latte, or a vanilla chai latte without ever leaving home.

You can even use it to make this Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe.

And, it’s cheaper than buying one from a coffee shop. 

This homemade chai concentrate recipe makes about 3 cups of concentrate.

Which means you’ll have enough for iced chai lattes ALL week. 

And, the best part? It’s cheaper to make a week’s worth of homemade chai concentrate than buy a chai latte at Starbucks. 

Starbucks Chai Concentrate

If you want to make a Starbucks Chai Tea Latte, I recommend checking out How to Make Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Iced. 

White Milk poured into an iced chai tea latte. The brown concentrate and white milk swirl together in the mason jar shaped glass.

In that post, I talk about the chai concentrate that Starbucks uses.

The absolute closest store-bought chai concentrate to the one at Starbucks is Tazo Classic Chai Latte Concentrate. 

SO, if you want to make a homemade chai tea concentrate that tastes close to the Starbucks Chai Concentrate, I recommend using Tazo Classic Chai Black Tea Bags to make it. 

I have tried this recipe with other spiced black tea bags… Tazo Chai Tea Bags definitely make the BEST chai concentrate. 

A box of them can be purchased at Target or some local grocery stores. 

Amazon has this box of Tazo Organic Chai for a Warm Spiced Chai Black Tea (20 Tea Bags). 

The classic version, which is not organic, seems to only be available in larger quantities on Amazon, like this pack of 6 boxes of Tazo Chai Tea Bags. 

A bottle of dark brown homemade chai concentrate next to two orange and white Tazo Classic Chai Tea Bags.

Chai Black Tea Bags

This homemade chai concentrate recipe can be made with other brands of chai tea bags, especially if you’re not looking to make Starbucks copycat chai lattes at home. 

To keep this recipe incredibly simple, look for CHAI black tea bags. 

Chai tea bags are usually a blend of black teas and warm, rich spices.

By using chai tea bags instead of regular black tea bags, we don’t have to add our own whole spices. Which can be pretty expensive. 

Chai black tea bags already have them included. 

According to Tazo.com, the ingredients in Tazo Classic Chai tea bags are “black teas, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, star anise.”

If you want extra flavor, you can definitely add more of your own whole spices. Like cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, fresh ginger, or peppercorns. 

If it’s your first time making this homemade chai concentrate recipe, I recommend following the instructions in the recipe card below and not adding any additional spices. 

After you know how it tastes, you can play around with it a little bit. 

A dark reddish brown concentrate in a glass bottle on wooden coasters in between a milk bottle of white milk and two tan iced chai lattes.

How to Make Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags

This simple recipe only includes three ingredients and one is optional. 

  1. Chai Tea Bags
  2. Filtered Water (unfiltered water can affect the taste)
  3. Sweetener (optional)

The first step is preparing the tea bags by removing any tags and tying the strings together. This makes it easier to scoop the bags out later.

Next, place the tea bags and cups of water in a medium pot. 

Cook on high heat until the water boils. 

Then, reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and discard tea bags. 

If using sweetener, add now and mix until fully dissolved. 

Allow the chai concentrate to cool to room temperature. 

Then store it in an airtight container, like a mason jar or milk bottle. 

If you feel this makes a large batch of the concentrate and would like less, simply reduce each of the ingredients by half. Everything else stays the same.

A bottle of dark brown chai concentrate with two iced chai tea lattes in the back with gold straws in How to Make Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags.

Should I add sugar?

This depends on your personal preference. The best part of making our own chai concentrate is that we can control what goes in it.

Most chai concentrates do include sugar. 

A ¾ cup of Tazo Chai Concentrate has 26 grams of sugar. 

The skinny version has 13 grams of sugar per ¾ cup.

When I was creating this chai tea concentrate recipe, I wanted it to have less sugar than store-bought concentrates. 

I first tried it without any sugar and it had too much of a bitter taste for me. 

Next time, I added ¼ cup of granulated sugar to the entire batch. This created a good balance of sweet and spicy. 

A glass bottle of reddish brown chai concentrate with a blush circle label, attached by twine, that says, "Handmade with Love. Chai Concentrate. LoveMischka.com".

A ½ cup of this homemade chai concentrate has 8.3 grams of sugar. 

It is not as sweet as the one used in the Starbucks chai tea latte. 

If you would like it sweeter, you could always add sugar when making your homemade chai tea latte. This way you can sweeten it to taste. 

You can also replace the granulated sugar with a sweetener of your choice. Possible options are brown sugar, honey, or stevia. If you try it with maple syrup, I would love to hear how it tastes. 

How to Use Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags

The quickest and easiest way to use chai concentrate is to make an iced chai tea latte!

Simply pour the chai concentrate and the milk of your choice over some ice cubes in a glass. Stir then enjoy! That’s it!

To make a pumpkin spice chai latte, mix the concentrate and milk with this pumpkin sauce for coffee. It's the perfect fall drink!

A glass mason jar of brown chai concentrate swirled with white milk next to two brown cinnamon sticks and a white milk bottle full of milk.

A homemade chai tea latte in a minute. And for way less money than buying one at a coffee shop. 

Making chai concentrate from tea bags is a great way to save money and still treat myself to one of my favorite things. I hope after your first sip, you’ll feel the same. 

Another way to use chai concentrate is to heat it up with milk to make a hot chai latte. 

It can also be put in a blender with ice cubes and milk to make a chai tea frappuccino. 

The ratio of concentrate to milk is 1:1 for a strong chai latte. 

If that’s too much flavor, adding a little more milk tastes great too. 

Love vanilla-flavored drinks? Check out this easy Iced Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe.

Printable Tags - Perfect for Gifting Chai Concentrate

A close up of the blush circle printable "Chai Concentrate" label attached to a bottle of concentrate with thick, tan twine.

I made two different tags for this chai concentrate recipe. Originally, it was just to make my own concentrate look pretty, but I want to share them with you too.

If you have a chai lover in your life, this chai concentrate would make a great inexpensive, handmade gift that is sure to warm their hearts. 

Just put it in a mason jar or glass bottle then add the tag with some twine for a super cute, easy gift. 

I like to put the homemade concentrate into milk bottles like these 12 oz Clear Glass Milk Bottles with Gold Metal Airtight Lids. 

An easy way to cut out one of the chai concentrate tags is to use a 2-inch hole punch. You may need to trim some of the white paper around the design to get the paper punch to match the circle perfectly. 

A round blush tag that says "Chai Concentrate" in handwriting in the middle with leaves on the sides.
Several round blush chai concentrate labels as a free printable.
A round, blush label that says "Handmade with Love", "Chai Concentrate", and "LoveMischka.com" with leaves going up the middle of each side.
Click Here to Download Chai Concentrate Printable TagsDownload

How long does homemade chai concentrate last?

For the best chai tea latte, use it within a week. 

I have used it about two weeks after I made it and I was fine. It just didn’t taste as fresh or flavorful. 

Store the chai concentrate in an airtight container in the fridge. 

To make an Iced Chai Latte with this recipe, check out How to Make Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Iced. 

You can also make a Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte by adding this homemade pumpkin sauce to your chai latte.

Or use the concentrate in this Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe.

A glass bottle full of reddish brown chai concentrate made from tea bags with two iced chai lattes in the background.
Print Recipe
4.84 from 249 votes

How to Make Chai Concentrate from Tea Bags

Save money by making your own chai lattes at home with this simple homemade chai concentrate recipe. 
Prep Time2 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time17 minutes mins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Filtered Water
  • 13 Chai Black Tea Bags
  • ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (or other Sweetener) optional

Instructions

  • Prepare tea bags by removing each one from their packaging. Remove any tags and tie the strings together.
  • Heat water and tea bags in a medium pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. 
  • Once the water boils, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat and discard tea bags. No need to squeeze them.
  • Add sugar or sweetener of your choice. Stir until completely dissolved. 
  • Let cool to room temperature.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge. 

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below. I also love to see your photos of my recipes. Tag or mention @lovemischka on Pinterest, FB, Insta, or TikTok.

More Drinks

  • Clear simple syrup sits in a beautiful syrup dispenser with a black pump, on top of two wooden coasters.
    How to Make Simple Syrup at Home
  • A layered iced oat milk latte in a mason jar glass with a handle and a purple and white striped paper straw.
    Iced Oat Milk Latte Recipe
  • A brown, iced chai latte in a decorative mason jar with velvety pumpkin cold foam on top sits in between a beige dish towel with bright orange flowers and another chai drink topped with fluffy pumpkin cold foam.
    Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe
  • A tan, iced vanilla chai latte in a mason jar with a gold and white striped paper straw sits next to two chai tea bags, a mason bottle of homemade vanilla syrup for coffee, and a small container of creamy milk.
    Iced Vanilla Chai Latte Recipe

Filed Under: Drinks, Most Recent, Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.84 from 249 votes (244 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Elizabeth says

    May 07, 2023 at 11:33 pm

    How much of that concentrate is used per coffee or latte?

    Reply
    • Holly says

      February 06, 2025 at 11:21 am

      The long explanation above says a ratio of 1:1 with milk... but she considers that as strong.

      Reply
  2. Leah says

    August 30, 2023 at 2:30 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! I've been trying to find the right homemade ived chai latte to replace the expensive one I usually get. This is PERFECT. Zero changes needed. So, so good. I used brown sugar

    Reply
  3. Leah says

    August 30, 2023 at 2:31 am

    5 stars
    Iced. I apologize.

    Reply
  4. Alicen says

    October 13, 2023 at 8:33 am

    5 stars
    How long does it last in the fridge?

    Reply
  5. Meera says

    November 01, 2023 at 9:58 am

    Hi...I was planning to use your recipe for chai concentrate but I dont have tea bags with these spices already added where I stay. So in such cases what ratio of the spices would you recommend adding?

    Reply
  6. Claire says

    May 14, 2024 at 8:07 am

    I made this recipe and 15 minutes seems much too long to steep black tea without it becoming bitter, which is exactly what happened. I’m going to try again, this time steeping for the typical 3-5 min for a black tea, then simmer for an additional 10 min to reduce it to a “concentrate” consistency.

    Reply
  7. Marissa Eshelman says

    August 24, 2024 at 5:11 pm

    How long does the concentrate last in the fridge?

    Reply
  8. Jesus Lover says

    January 30, 2025 at 12:10 pm

    5 stars
    If anyone is looking for a decaf chai, I made this with the Numi brand Rooibos Chai. Wish I knew about this when I was pregnant! Delicious!!

    Reply
  9. Jesus Lover says

    January 30, 2025 at 12:54 pm

    If anyone is looking for a decaf chai, I made this with the Numi brand Rooibos Chai. Wish I knew about this when I was pregnant! Delicious!! I used 1/2 cup of brown sugar and a dash of cayenne powder because I like my chai spicy! Pre-mixed with almond milk and poured it in a pitcher, popped in the fridge. New weekly rotation!

    Reply
  10. Laura says

    June 12, 2025 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    I was gifted 200 chai tea bags and this is the perfect way for me to use them! I made your pumpkin sauce as well and my husband and I are OBSESSED with iced pumpkin Chai lattes at home. The price breakdown and decreased sugar ratio compared to commercial products is amazing and the taste out of this world. (I used trader joes chai tea bags). Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

A smiling, middle age brunette - Michelle Hopkins - the owner of LoveMischkka.com.

Hi, I'm Mischka!

Welcome to Love Mischka, where I share easy, hassle-free recipes and DIY guides for the whole family - dogs included. I absolutely love to create. This blog started as an etsy shop where everything was handmade, by me, with love. It soon merged with my other passion… food. 😆 I hope you stay awhile. Let’s have some messy fun!

Learn more about me →

MOST POPULAR

  • A closeup of soft, moist brown banana bread.
    Simple Banana Bread Recipe - Easy, Moist, & Delicious
  • Creamy, beige oatmilk poured into a mason jar glass of dark brown espresso, creating beautiful swirls of different shades of browns and tans.
    Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso Recipe
  • A batch of golden coffee cookies. with chocolate chips, sit on a sheet of white parchment paper on a black, wire rack.
    Coffee Cookies Recipe {made with Instant Coffee}
  • Slices of golden, soft banana bread without baking soda sit in a stack on white parchment paper, next to yellow bananas with brown spots and a small white bowl of pale yellow squares of butter.
    Banana Bread Recipe No Baking Soda
  • A dark brown iced coffee in a mason jar glass with a white and mint green stripped straw sits on two wooden coasters, surrounded by black instant coffee granules.
    Iced Coffee Recipe Instant Coffee
  • One heart-shaped, golden brown, baked homemade dog treat.
    Easy, Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats (Only 3 Ingredients!)

Footer

↑ back to top

The Nitty Gritty

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

Love Mischka is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at NO extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love. Thank you for your support! ❤️

Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.