Dirty Chai Latte

Here’s how to make a Dirty Chai Latte at home! This espresso drink has the best warm-spiced flavor and frothy foam top.

Our favorite fancy coffee drink for a splurge? A Dirty Chai Latte! Adding a shot of espresso to masala chai gives it a jolt of caffeine. Even better, the bitterness of coffee is just right for rounding out the subtle creamy sweetness. Usually Alex and I order black coffee at coffee shops, but every now and then we’ll go crazy and order a dirty chai latte. Here’s our spin on this coffee house special: it’s just sweet enough, and spiced gently with a special blend of chai spices. Here’s what to know!

What’s a dirty chai latte?

A chai latte takes traditional masala chai, a milky spiced tea from India, and combines it with frothy steamed milk of a cafe latte. The “dirty” version of it adds a shot of espresso. The story goes that the ditry chai latte was accidentally invented in England in the 1990’s, when a barista making a chai latte for an American added a shot of espresso by mistake. He loved it, and kept ordering it everywhere he traveled.

Other names for a dirty chai latte you might see in other coffee shops? Terms you might hear for this drink around the world are Java chai, red eye chai, or chai charger.

How to make a dirty chai latte: basic steps

Making a dirty chai latte involves three basic steps (or skip to the recipe below). Here’s the main outline of you’ll need to do to make this tea latte:

• Make the espresso. Use your favorite method! Use an espresso maker or simply make strong coffee (we used our Aeropress).
• Make the masala chai. Next you’ll make the masala chai, or spiced milk tea. Our method takes only a few minutes using a homemade spice blend.
• Froth the milk. The last step is frothing the milk! See below for tips.

Making the masala chai

The word chai translates to “tea” in Hindi, so saying chai tea is technically like saying “tea tea.” The more correct term for the Indian tea blend is masala chai. The word masala refers to a blend of spices used in cooking. Just like the word curry, a Westernized reduction of a complex blend of Indian spices, the American concept of chai can oversimplify and appropriate a rich Indian cultural tradition.

Masala chai spices can include many different ingredients based on the cook, just like curry powder. This Homemade Chai Spice mix uses common masala chai spices, but note there are many more used regionally in Indian blends. Many traditional Indian recipes use whole spices, other use spices ground in a mortar and pestle. This recipe uses ground spices to make it quick and easy (plus, you can use them for other uses like baked goods). Here are the ground spices you’ll need:

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cardamom
• Black pepper
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Fennel seed (optional)

To make the masala chai, simply simmer the spices with water and black tea. In this recipe, you won’t add the milk yet because you’ll need to froth it to make the “latte” portion of this drink. Speaking of that…

How to froth milk for a dirty chai latte

The most important part of a dirty chai latte: frothing the milk! This is the place where you’ll need a bit of technique. If it’s your first time frothing, we highly recommend reading How to Froth Milk before you start. Here are a few tips on how to get the perfect foam on a dirty chai latte:

• The best milk for a chai latte? Use 2% milk (our favorite), or whole milk if you like a richer latte. Don’t use skim milk, as it doesn’t foam enough.
• Heat the milk to 150 degrees (scalding). The exact temperature is important to get the right frothy foam. Use a food thermometer if you have one. Or, simply heat the milk until it’s hot to the touch with some small bubbles starting to form on the outside, but it’s not yet simmering.
• Use a French press, hand frother, or whisk. We used our French press and it worked great. You can also use a hand frother or simply vigorously whisk the milk. For the French press, pump 100 times or 1 minute: this should result in beautiful, creamy and frothy foam!

Vegan variation

Want to make a vegan dirty chai latte? No problem! Our favorite way to make a vegan latte is with oat milk. It froths up with a beautiful foam, almost like a dairy milk! It also has a nice creamy neutral flavor. While the foam isn’t quite as thick as dairy milk, it’s still quite good. Head to our Vegan Chai Latte recipe, then add 4 ounces of espresso.

Another variation? Add a shot of espresso to make a dirty Iced Chai Latte!

Serving your dirty chai latte

And that’s it! Make your masala chai, add the espresso, and top it off with frothed milk! It’s nice to serve it in a clear glass so you can see the lovely separation of the foam, but a mug works too. We like to add a sprinkle of chai spices on top as a finishing touch.

*Want to make dirty chai lattes throughout the week? Make a big batch of the spiced tea and refrigerate. When you’re craving a latte, warm up ¾ cup of the tea, add espresso and froth the ½ cup milk.

This recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, go to Vegan Chai Latte.

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More coffee drinks

We’re coffee fiends over here! If you are too, here are some of our favorite espresso drinks and coffee recipes:

• Americano This popular coffee drink smooths the bitterness of espresso with hot water.
• Mocha Rich and chocolaty, with just the right topping of fluffy milk foam.
• Cappuccino, Flat White, and Latte Creamy with just the right touch of foamed milk and bitter espresso.
• Iced Latte This iced drink is creamy, icy and refreshing!
• Amaretto Coffee Add a swig of booze to your coffee! This spiked hot drink is part cocktail, part dessert: and you won’t be able to stop sipping it.
• Espresso Martini A modern classic cocktail made with coffee, Kahlua, and vodka!
• Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee A refreshing way to feed your pumpkin spice addiction.
• Cold Brew Coffee Easy to make in just a few minutes of hands on time: then just wait overnight!