If you’ve ever paid $7 for a Starbucks chai latte and thought, “I could make this at home,” you were right. Here’s exactly how to make chai lattes at home for a fraction of the cost. And just TWO ingredients!
For years, I went to the Starbucks drive-thru specifically for a Chai Latte. Not the coffee. Just the chai. That warm, spiced, creamy cup of “everything is going to be okay” that costs approximately one million dollars a month if you have it as often as I did.
Then someone told me that Starbucks uses Tazo Chai Concentrate. I went home, ordered a carton from Amazon, and my life changed forever.
Y’all. It tastes exactly the same. I’m not exaggerating. It is the same drink, made in about two minutes, for maybe $1.50 a cup. Pro tip- put it on Subscribe and Save and you’ll get it even cheaper, plus it’s delivered to your doorstep!
I’ve been making this at home ever since, and today I’m sharing exactly how to do it, including the milk ratio that matches the Starbucks version and a few tweaks that honestly make it taste even better.
What Is a Starbucks Chai Latte?
A Starbucks Chai Latte is a hot (or iced) drink made with spiced black tea concentrate and steamed milk. The spice blend typically includes cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper, which is why it tastes so warming and complex even though it’s technically just tea and milk.
Starbucks uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate as the base for their chai lattes. This is not a secret… it’s publicly available at most grocery stores, on Amazon, and at Costco in bulk if you’re as obsessed as I am. I see all these recipes online telling you to brew your own tea, and I’m here to tell you DON’T. You’ll never be able to replicate the taste of the Tazo concentrate at home. Just splurge and get the good stuff. Trust me.
What You Need to Make a Copycat Starbucks Chai Latte
This is a short ingredient list. That’s on purpose.
Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate — This is the one. The black box. If you see Tazo Skinny Chai or Tazo Decaf Chai, those work too, but the flavor is slightly different. The original concentrate is what Starbucks uses.
Milk — Whole milk gives you the creamiest result and the closest match to Starbucks. 2% works. Oatly oat milk is the best way to go if you’re dairy-free but want rich, creamy consistency. You could also use almond or soy milk, but it will be thinner. Starbucks uses 2% by default unless you request otherwise.
Simple syrup (optional) — Starbucks sweetens their chai slightly beyond what’s already in the concentrate. If you like a sweeter cup, a pump or two of simple syrup does the trick. You can also use honey or brown sugar syrup.
A milk frother — Not required but absolutely worth it. A handheld frother takes this from “homemade” to “this tastes like a coffee shop made it.” I use mine every single day.
A good mug or glass pitcher for iced versions — If you’re making this iced (and you should — the iced version is incredible), a clear glass pitcher or large glass shows off that gorgeous caramel color beautifully.
The Starbucks Chai Latte Ratio
This is the part most copycat recipes get wrong. They use too much concentrate and not enough milk, which makes it taste heavy and over-spiced.
The real Starbucks ratio for a hot 12 oz (tall) chai latte is:
- 1 part Tazo Chai Concentrate
- 1 part milk
That’s it. Equal parts. For a 12-oz mug, that means 6 oz of concentrate and 6 oz of milk.
For a grande (16 oz), you’re looking at roughly 8 oz concentrate and 8 oz milk.
Copycat Starbucks Chai Latte Recipe
Equipment
- Milk Frother Optional
- Microwave
- Microwave-safe mug
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Tazo Chai Latte Tea Concentrate
- 6 ounces milk (2% or whole is what Starbucks uses, but any milk will work, including oat/almond/soy if you're dairy-free)
Instructions
- Pour Tazo tea concentrate into a microwave-safe mug. (You'll want to use equal parts tea & milk. If you prefer it a bit sweeter, add a bit more concentrate than milk.)
- Microwave on high for 60-90 seconds. Keep adding 15-20 second increments until it's to your preferred temp. DO NOT LET IT BOIL OVER.
- Heat your milk on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or microwave it for 60-90 seconds until steaming but not boiling.
- Use your frother to froth the milk until it's foamy. Pour the frothed milk over the concentrate and stir gently.
- Add simple syrup if you want a sweeter cup. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon on top if you're feeling fancy.
Notes
How to Make Starbucks Chai Latte (both hot or iced)
Hot Chai Latte
- Heat your milk on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or microwave it for 60-90 seconds until steaming but not boiling.
- Use your frother to froth the milk until it’s foamy.
- Pour the Tazo Chai Concentrate into your mug.
- Pour the frothed milk over the concentrate and stir gently.
- Add simple syrup if you want a sweeter cup.
- Sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon on top if you’re feeling fancy. (I’m always feeling fancy.)
Iced Chai Latte
- Fill a glass with ice — and I mean all the ice. Don’t be shy.
- Pour in your Tazo Chai Concentrate.
- Pour cold milk over the top.
- Stir, taste, adjust.
- Optional: Add a splash of vanilla cold foam on top for a Starbucks-style upgrade.
The iced version is stunning in a clear glass. Pour the milk in slowly and let it layer before stirring — it looks gorgeous.
How to Make It Even Better Than Starbucks
Here’s where I deviate from the drive-thru version, and where my version wins every time.
Add vanilla, caramel or hazelnut syrup instead of simple syrup. If you haven’t tried a Portland Syrup before, stop what you’re doing and go buy a bottle immediately. They come in a variety of flavors, but this coffee trio from Portland Syrup is THE BEST for any latte lover! It adds a depth that plays so beautifully off the chai spices. Combine a tablespoon (or two if you’re extra) in with the concentrate and milk for an amazing drink that makes every morning feel extra special.
A tiny pinch of cardamom on top. Chai is built on cardamom and most people don’t get enough of it. Just a pinch freshly ground on the foam makes the whole cup more aromatic.
Whole milk frothed properly. The thing that separates a good homemade latte from a great one is milk temperature and texture. Heat to about 150 degrees — hot enough to taste rich, not so hot it scalds. Froth until you have that thick, velvety foam rather than big airy bubbles. My advice: Invest in a good milk frother with a plug so you never have to worry about replacing batteries or recharging it.
Let it steep. This is unconventional for a concentrate-based drink, but if you heat the concentrate and milk together slowly in a small saucepan rather than separately, the flavors meld in a way that tastes even more integrated. Try it once and tell me I’m wrong.
If you want to be EXTRA fancy, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetizer Milk Frother also warms it up to the perfect temperature while frothing at the same time.
How to Make a Chai Latte Without Concentrate (way harder!)
If you want to make this completely from scratch, you can brew your own chai using loose-leaf tea and whole spices. It’s more involved but deeply satisfying on a Sunday afternoon.
For a scratch chai:
- Combine 2 cups water with 2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose leaf black tea), 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods lightly crushed, 3 whole cloves, a 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, and a few whole black peppercorns.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Strain into a mug.
- Add warm frothed milk and sweeten to taste.
It’s a beautiful weekend project. But honestly? For a Tuesday morning? Just use the Tazo concentrate. Life is short.
How to Make a Dirty Chai Latte
A dirty chai is a chai latte with a shot (or two) of espresso added. It sounds like it shouldn’t work and it absolutely does. The espresso adds bitterness that cuts through the sweetness and spice in the most satisfying way.
To make it at home, just add a shot of espresso or a double shot of strong brewed coffee to your regular chai latte recipe. The iced dirty chai — with that dark espresso ribbon running through the spiced tea and milk — is one of the most beautiful drinks you can make at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Starbucks uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate as the base for all their chai latte drinks. You can buy the exact same product at most grocery stores and on Amazon.
A chai tea is simply brewed spiced black tea, typically served without milk. A chai latte is that same spiced tea — usually as a concentrate — combined with steamed milk, creating a creamier, coffee-shop-style drink.
You can. The frother just adds that foamy top layer that makes it feel luxurious. Without it, you simply heat your milk and pour it over the concentrate. It will taste just as good — it just won’t have the foam.
No. Tazo makes both loose leaf tea, tea bags, and liquid concentrate. The concentrate is what you want for a latte — it’s already sweetened and spiced. The tea bags are for brewing a traditional cup of chai tea.
Once opened, Tazo Chai Concentrate lasts about 10 days in the refrigerator. Sealed, it’s good until the printed date on the package. If you go through it as fast as I do, shelf life is not an issue.
Absolutely. Scale the recipe up using the 1:1 ratio and serve it in a glass pitcher over a big bowl of ice. It’s gorgeous for brunches and holiday gatherings.
Yes. Tazo Chai Concentrate contains black tea, which is caffeinated. The caffeine content is lower than a standard cup of coffee but comparable to a cup of black tea.
Whole milk gives the creamiest, richest result. Barista Oat milk is the best dairy-free option because it froths well and has a natural sweetness that complements the chai spices. Almond milk works but is thinner and not quite the same.
What You’ll Need to make Chai at home (Affiliate Links)
Everything I use to make this at home:
- Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate — the exact product Starbucks uses
- Handheld milk frother— game changer for home lattes
- Glass pitcher — for iced versions and batch making
- Simple Syrup — or make your own with white sugar (or Monkfruit simple syrup is only 10 calories)
- Portland Syrup Flavored Coffee Syrups — Extra fancy!
- Loose Leaf Black Tea — if you want to make it from scratch
- Cardamom — for that finishing pinch of warmth
If you make this, I want to hear about it. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram — there is something deeply satisfying about knowing someone is out there saving $7 a cup because of a blog post I wrote.
If you love chai (or copycat recipes) check these out!
