Masala Chai, also known as Masala Tea, is a popular Indian beverage made by brewing black tea with a blend of fragrant spices (like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), milk, sugar, and water. This spiced tea is comforting, bold, and full of flavor – perfect for breakfast or your evening tea break. Ready in just 10 minutes, this homemade version is both warming and refreshing.

What Makes Masala Chai So Special

For me, Masala Chai is not just a beverage — it’s a part of home. I remember waking up to the comforting aroma of spices bubbling on the stovetop in my mother’s kitchen.

That little moment, where everything felt still and calm before the day began, always started with chai. Even today, making it is a quiet ritual I hold close — a blend of memory, warmth, and nourishment.

The Hindi word masala means “spices” and chai means “tea.” So, Masala Chai simply translates to a brewed tea infused with a blend of spices, milk, and sugar.

It’s made using everyday ingredients found in most Indian kitchens — black tea powder, water, milk, sugar, and a handful of whole spices.

While plain chai is already a daily ritual for many, it’s this spiced version that brings extra comfort, especially during cooler months or early mornings.

Every home has its own twist — some with more ginger, some with just cardamom, others with a full-bodied blend of warming spices. It’s a cup that feels like home, no matter where you are.

These days, some prefer lighter, milk-free versions for health reasons; a clearer spiced tea that still captures the essence. Whether you like it bold, mild, milky, or clear, Masala Chai can always be tailored to your taste and season.

Essential Spices & Herbs Used

The flavor of masala chai comes from the spices you add to it. Each spice has its own role — some bring warmth, others add a sweet note or help with digestion. You can always adjust the quantity or skip a spice based on your taste or the weather.

These are the spices I usually use:

• Cinnamon – Adds a mild sweet taste and pleasant aroma. A small stick is enough to bring depth to the chai.
• Cloves – Just one or two cloves go a long way. They give a slightly sharp taste and warming effect, especially good in colder months.
• Green Cardamom – This is one of the most commonly used spices. I lightly crush the pods to release more flavor. It gives the chai a light, sweet fragrance.
• Ginger – I often add freshly crushed or sliced ginger. It brings a little heat and is very soothing, especially when you’re feeling cold or tired.
• Other additions – Depending on the season, you can also add mint leaves, lemongrass, fennel seeds, nutmeg, or black pepper. Some people like to include herbs like mulethi (licorice root) or ashwagandha for their health benefits.

You don’t have to use all the spices every time. Sometimes, just ginger and cardamom are enough for a good cup of chai.

If you want to know more about the spices used in different herbal teas, you can also check my detailed post on Herbal Tea.

Which Tea To Choose

The kind of tea you choose plays a big role in how your masala chai tastes — strong and malty, or light and fragrant.

In most Indian homes, black tea in granular or powdered form is used for everyday chai. These come in two forms: CTC(Crush, Tear, Curl) and Tea Dust, both known locally as chai patti or tea powder.

CTC tea is processed into small pellets or granules, and when brewed, it releases a deep, robust flavor — perfect for spiced tea. 

Assam tea is the most commonly used variety for this purpose, and it’s the one I always reach for. Its strong character stands up beautifully to bold spices like ginger, cloves, and cardamom.

That said, some prefer a lighter cup made with Darjeeling tea or even a blend of Assam and Darjeeling or Nilgiri tea. If you enjoy floral, mellow notes, these blends may suit your taste better.

In this recipe, I’ve used organic Assam tea granules — they infuse quickly and produce a full-bodied flavor that balances well with the spices.

You can also use loose-leaf tea or even tea bags. If using loose-leaf, steep them gently in hot water for 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting to the strength you like.

If you’re outside India, look for Assam tea in Indian grocery stores or online. Try to choose organic varieties for better flavor and aroma.

Note: This recipe does not use pre-made Masala Tea Powder – everything is made from scratch so you can adjust the spices to your liking.

How to Brew Chai With Ready Masala Mix

If you’re short on time, you can make chai using premade masala tea powder. Just add it to water, boil for a few minutes, then brew the tea and finish with milk and sugar.

For 4 cups, use about ½ to 1 teaspoon of the mix, or adjust to taste.

This method works well when you don’t have whole spices on hand. Just be sure to use a good-quality masala blend.

Enjoy masala chai? You might also like these other traditional Indian teas.

• Ginger Chai – Strong and warming, perfect for cold days or digestion.
• Cutting Chai – Mumbai’s iconic half-glass strong chai, full of street-side charm.
• Mint Chai – A soothing chai made with fresh mint leaves, milk, tea powder, and sugar.
• Sulaimani Tea – Light black tea infused with spices, served without milk; popular in Kerala.
• Kashmiri Kahwa – A green tea brewed with saffron, cardamom, and almonds; fragrant and warming.

Step-by-Step Guide

How I Make Masala Chai at Home

Here is my everyday version of Masala Chai recipe, feel free to adapt it to your taste!

This Masala Chai recipe serves 2 to 3. It can be easily halved, doubled or tripled by simply adjusting the amount of ingredients.

Serve Masala tea steaming hot on its own or with Indian snacks such Onion Pakoda, Samosa, Aloo Tikki, sandwiches, rusk, khari biscuit, nankhatai or cookies.

Crush The Whole Spices

1. Add 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 2 cloves and 1-inch peeled ginger to a mortar-pestle. Use true cinnamon and not cassia cinnamon.

2. Crush coarsely with the pestle and set aside. But make sure that the ginger is flattened and crushed well.

Alternatively choose to grate the ginger and add the spices whole or crushed.

Simmer Spices

3. Using a saucepan or small pan with a handle, heat 2 cups of water (500 ml).

Let the water come to a boil and add the crushed spices. If required, add a generous pinch of nutmeg powder to the spices.

Either mint leaves or lemongrass can also be added at this step.

4. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar to taste. I usually add 4 teaspoons of raw sugar. Some people prefer a very sweet tea.

So you can increase the amount of sugar according to your taste preferences and also on the type and quality of sugar you are using.

Brew Black Tea

5. Now add 2 teaspoons of Assam tea powder or tea dust. Boil for 1 minute. This boiling time depends on how strong you want your tea.

If you prefer a deeper and stronger brew, then simmer for a few more minutes. But this can make the tea have some bitter notes.

Note that if you use tea leaves then instead of boiling you have to steep the tea. For steeping boil the water together with spices. Switch off the heat. Add the tea leaves. Stir to mix and cover with lid.

Steep the tea for 2 to 4 minutes depend upon the strength and concentration of the tea you prefer. Then add hot milk to the steeped tea. Mix, strain and serve.

Make Masala Chai

6. Add ¼ cup of milk (at room temperature or cold). You may add more milk if required.

For a vegan chai, soy or almond milk or cashew milk may also be used. If using soy milk, add to the tea mixture and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

If using almond milk or cashew milk or oats milk, then heat separately in another small saucepan. Add to the tea and switch off the heat. Stir to mix.

Do not let the almond or cashew milk come to a boil otherwise, the tea will have a grainy texture.

7. After adding milk boil for 2 to 3 minutes. If using chilled milk, boil for 2 to 3 minutes. If using hot milk, then add the milk and switch off the heat.

8. Pour the masala tea through a tea strainer directly into a cup.

9. Enjoy Masala Chai on its own or serve it steaming hot with your favorite Indian snack.

To Enjoy With Chai

Looking for the perfect snack to go with your hot cup of masala chai? Try one of these:

• Poha – Light, savory, and gently spiced. Makes a great breakfast with a cup of chai.
• Butter Cookies – Rich, crispy and delicious cookies made with butter and whole wheat flour.
• Pakora Recipes – Rainy day or not, these crunchy Indian fritters pair beautifully with chai.
• Nankhatai – Buttery and mildly spiced Indian shortbread cookies. Just right for dipping.
• Bombay Veg Sandwich – Spicy green chutney and layered veggies between soft bread. A street-style classic.
• Vegetable Cutlet – Crisp on the outside, soft inside. These spiced patties make a great tea-time snack.

You can also enjoy this robust, spiced chai with your favorite cookies or biscuits, or pair it with light tea sandwiches for a comforting snack.

Chai-Making Tips & Customizations

1. Milk: The amount of milk added varies from person to person. So you can add milk as per your preference.
2. Tea type: The type of tea also makes a difference to the overall flavor. I always use Assam tea as it is stronger than Darjeeling tea. But I do know some folks who prefer a mix of Assam + Darjeeling tea or only Darjeeling tea. What I have used here is organic Assam tea which is not the same as tea leaves, but in granules. You may use either one.
3. Spices: You may adjust the quantity of spices as required. I would suggest reducing the quantity of spice in the summertime as spices increase body heat and sweating. Increasing the quantity of spice may help to keep the body warm during winter or also when you have cold.
4. Making tea: The classic way of making tea is to steep the tea leaves in hot water. The Indian method is boiling the tea leaves for some minutes. I usually add milk later. Though in some families, water, milk and tea leaves are boiled together.
5. Strong tea: This recipe is a strong tea due to the taste and aroma of Assam tea along with the flavor of the spices. Adjust the amount of ginger to suit your taste.

Your Questions Answered

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Masala Chai recipe from the archives was first published on June 2016.