Homemade Iced Chai Foam (Printable)

A spiced iced chai topped with luscious cold foam for a creamy, refreshing treat anytime.

# What You Need:

→ Chai Concentrate

01 - 2 cups water
02 - 2 black tea bags
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 4 whole cloves
05 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
06 - 4 black peppercorns
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, adjust to taste

→ Cold Foam

09 - 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
10 - 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ To Serve

12 - Ice cubes
13 - Additional ground cinnamon for dusting, optional

# How-To:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add tea bags, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and sliced ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat, discard tea bags, and let spices steep for an additional 5 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and stir in honey or maple syrup while warm. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
03 - Whisk together cold heavy cream, sugar or honey, and vanilla extract in a bowl or with a milk frother until thick and foamy but not stiff.
04 - Fill two tall glasses with ice and pour chilled chai concentrate over ice, filling each glass about two-thirds full.
05 - Spoon cold foam generously over the chai and optionally dust with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that café-quality drink at home without the price tag or the wait.
  • The cold foam is the real magic—it's creamy, elegant, and honestly makes you feel fancy with every sip.
  • It's flexible enough to tweak based on what you have on hand or how you're feeling that day.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the chai completely—warm chai makes ice melt too quickly and dilutes your drink within minutes.
  • Oversteeping the spices is the biggest mistake I made early on; it turns the whole thing bitter and harsh, so set a timer and stick to it.
  • The foam needs to be whipped just before serving because it deflates over time, so don't make it more than a few minutes ahead.
03 -
  • If you find your foam deflating too quickly, try adding a tiny pinch of powdered sugar or honey to stabilize it—this gives the mixture more structure to hold onto.
  • Taste your chai concentrate before chilling; if it needs more sweetness or spice, adjust now rather than after assembling, which saves you from having to remake drinks.
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