Creamy Assam Iced Chai Latte
A bold Assam concentrate shaken with ice, milk, and a touch of vanilla—a creamy, spiced iced latte that beats any coffee shop version.
Assam is the tea that invented chai, and it's the only base strong enough to hold its flavor when diluted with ice and milk. Lesser teas would fade; Assam punches right through.
The trick is brewing a double-strength concentrate—use twice the tea you normally would, steep it fully, then shock it with ice. This flash-chill locks in the brisk, malty flavor without any of the bitterness you get from slow cooling.
Whole milk (or oat milk) adds body and creaminess that transforms the iced tea into a proper latte. A splash of vanilla extract bridges the gap between the tea's malt and the milk's sweetness.
Make a big batch of the concentrate on Sunday night and you've got iced chai lattes for the whole week. Just pour over ice, add milk, and you're out the door with something better than anything you'd spend $6 on.
Ingredients
- 3 Assam tea bags or 3 tbsp loose leaf
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk or oat milk
- Ice cubes
How to make it
- 1Brew Assam with cardamom and cinnamon in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes (strong).
- 2Strain and stir in honey and vanilla while still warm. Let cool to room temperature.
- 3Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour the tea concentrate over the ice.
- 4Add milk slowly—it will create beautiful layers.
- 5Stir to combine and enjoy. Dust with cinnamon if desired.
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