Chai tea mix recipes have a tendency to differ practically from person to person because historically there wasn’t a standardized recipe for Chai tea. Each chai tea mix recipe has a unique blend of ingredients suited to the taste of the individual, the only true requirement being black tea, milk and spices. As with many aspects of using a chai tea mix recipe, even the type of tea used is also up for interpretation with some substituting herbal infusions like rooibos or yerba mate for black tea. Many spices and flavorings are typically used in chai tea mixes, but the most important among these is cardamom, as it is key in giving chai tea its characteristic flavor. Spicing agents like black peppercorns or ginger are also integral to the recipe. There is much debate about the proper ratio of milk to be used, but most estimates call for equal parts milk and water.

In the past, most chai tea was painstakingly made at home of served in a local café. In the last twenty years, the popularity of the beverage has spawned a multitude of mixes to be made at home as well as readymade chai tea drinks available in practically every modern supermarket and coffee shop.

Chai tea as westerners know it refers to a sweetened spiced tea concoction with milk initially made popular in the Masala region of India. It was originally born out of the economic thriftiness of the Indian local vendors serving tea to British colonists to stretch available tea reserves by adding larger amounts of spices milk and sugar to tea then the English were used to in their tea consumption. Even though the beverage wasn’t as widely consumed among the English visitors, the popularity of chai tea has spread worldwide.

Since there isn’t a standard recipe for chai tea, mixtures and strengths differ from region to region. It is known that families in the same region can create the beverage from very different ingredients. Even with the differences, the four main components of chai tea, tea, spices, sweetener and milk are fundamentally the same for all versions of the recipe.

The tea component of the drink is usually made from some sort of strong black tea.  Milk is another necessary ingredient; however the varieties can range from whole, low fat and fat free, as well as rice, almond and soy milk. White sugar is often used for sweetener, but raw sugar and even honey are suitable replacements.

The item that is most varied among modern chai recipes are the many spices included. Cardamom is the primary spice and probably responsible for the flavor characteristic of chai tea. Other spices commonly used are cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cloves, rose, nutmeg, or licorice.

Many variations to the drink can be found in the type of spices or sweeteners used. There are any number of spices and flavorings that have found their way into chai tea recipes including cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, anise, allspice, licorice, and vanilla. Any combination of these is acceptable, but many believe that true chai tea needs to include cardamom and either pepper or ginger for spiciness. Almost any sweetener is used, but the most common is plain white sugar. Turbinado, demarara and other raw cane sugars are sometimes used for an earthy flavor and some recipes even call for honey. Any type of milk or non-dairy milk substitute can be used, but there is much debate about the proper proportions of milk to water to be used.

Many retailers have caught on to the chai tea phenomenon and have produced quality chai tea mixes for speed and ease. Popular outlets have their own brands and mixtures like Starbucks chai tea, which has become one of their best selling drinks. Other brands like Mystic Chai Tea, Big Train Chai Tea and Tazo Chai Tea provide authentic flavor with the convenience of being already prepared. Many times, the drink is also referred to as “chai tea latte” to denote the presence of milk in the beverage.