COPYCATSStarbucks Chai Latte (Copycat)
The quick answer
Steep 2 black chai tea bags in 4 oz near-boiling water for 5 minutes to make a concentrate. Add 1-2 tbsp honey or simple syrup. Pour over ice with 6 oz steamed or cold milk. Finish with a pinch of cinnamon. Costs $0.80 vs. $5.25 at Starbucks.
Starbucks' Chai Latte uses a pre-made Tazo Chai concentrate that's about 60% syrup by weight. At $5.25 for a tall, it's a high-margin item. You can make a richer, spicier version using real chai tea bags and whole milk for under a dollar.
The Starbucks Chai Latte is not brewed fresh. It uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte concentrate, a pre-mixed syrup that combines black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves in a sweet, spiced base. It's then mixed 1:1 with steamed milk. The drink is sweet by default, with about 42 grams of sugar in a grande.
To copy it at home, you have two routes. The fastest is buying Tazo Chai Latte concentrate at the grocery store ($4 to $5 per carton, makes 8 servings) and mixing it 1:1 with steamed milk. That's essentially the identical product at half the price per serving. The second route is making real chai from scratch, which tastes better.
For scratch chai, the key spices are cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and black pepper. Simmer 2 cups water with 4 crushed cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 black peppercorns, and 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger for 5 minutes. Add 2 black tea bags and steep 4 more minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey, and it beats the Tazo version handily.
Cost comparison: homemade chai concentrate from whole spices costs about $0.35 per serving. Add $0.15 for milk. Total: $0.50 to $0.80. A tall Starbucks Chai Latte is $5.25. That's a difference of $4.45 per drink. Five days a week, that's $1,157 saved per year.
Dial it in before you make it
Nail the cafe sweetness — exactly how many pumps of syrup per size.
| Measurement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pumps | 3 |
| Tablespoons | 1.5 tbsp |
| Volume | 22.5 mL |
| Approx. calories (regular syrup) | ~60 cal |
Sugar-free syrup ≈ 0 calories. 1 pump ≈ 0.25 fl oz / 7.5 mL / 0.5 tbsp / ~20 cal. Based on standard cafe pump chart.
Make it
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients
Steps
We tested three versions: Tazo concentrate straight from the carton, a quick-steep from chai tea bags, and scratch chai with whole spices. The scratch version won our blind taste test with five tasters, described as 'spicier' and 'more complex' than the Starbucks version. It takes 15 minutes but is absolutely worth it.
Pro tips
- Tazo Chai Tea bags are available at most grocery stores and are the most accurate copycat starting point.
- For a dirty chai, add one shot of espresso or 1 tsp of instant espresso dissolved in 1 oz hot water.
- Steep the tea bags for a full 5 minutes for strong concentrate. Shorter steeping times produce a weak, watery result.
- Oat milk works beautifully in this recipe and is the most popular dairy-free substitute for the iced version.
- Add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the concentrate for an extra warming spice kick.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to make a Starbucks Chai Latte at home?
A tall Starbucks Chai Latte costs $5.25. Making it at home using chai tea bags, milk, and honey costs roughly $0.80 per serving. Using the shortcut method with Tazo Chai concentrate from the grocery store runs about $1.10 per serving. Either way, the savings are over 75% per drink.
What brand of chai does Starbucks use?
Starbucks uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate, a liquid chai concentrate they mix 1:1 with steamed milk. Tazo is actually a Starbucks-owned brand. You can buy the same concentrate at grocery stores and mix it at home for a fraction of the in-store price.
What is a dirty chai latte?
A dirty chai is a chai latte with one or two shots of espresso added. The espresso adds caffeine and a slightly bitter edge that balances the sweet, spiced chai base. Ask for it specifically at Starbucks or add a shot of espresso or strong moka pot coffee to your homemade version.
Can I make chai latte without a milk steamer?
Yes. Microwave the milk in a mason jar for 60-90 seconds until hot. Then seal the jar and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds to create foam. Alternatively, use a handheld frother after heating. For the iced version, no heating is needed at all.
How do I make it less sweet?
The Starbucks version has about 42 grams of sugar in a grande, mostly from the sweetened chai concentrate. At home, reduce the honey to 1 teaspoon or skip it entirely if your chai tea bags are already spiced enough. Use unsweetened chai tea bags (Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice is a good option) for full control over sweetness.
