plate of fresh ginger root

A favorite festive recipe is Chai Tea!

This will not only warm your body and soul, but makes your home smell like the holidays along the way… once I start making this Hygge season has officially arrived on our homestead.

Simple and completely able to tailor to your tastes, this recipe lets you add more or less of ingredients as you like.

I adore how I start craving this tea right around the same time I harvest my ginger each year. I’ve got an in-depth article on growing ginger in the north.

Chai Tea Recipe

Bowl of whole spices for chai tea, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger root and peppercorn
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, ginger root, peppercorns and a nutmeg pod.

Ingredients

3-4” of fresh ginger, chopped or grated
3 Sticks of Cinnamon
(ground cinnamon will make the tea gritty)
2 tsp Whole Cloves (or 1/2 tsp ground)
1/2 of a Whole Nutmeg (or 1 tsp ground)
1 tsp Peppercorns ( do not substitute ground)
2 tsp Allspice
Optional: 6-8 cardamom pods
or 2-4 Star Anise
1 Vanilla Bean (or add 2 tsp vanilla extract after you take off heat)

Directions

Pot of simmering spices for chai tea

Simmer all the above in a medium pot with 3-4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes.

Add 6-8 black tea bags, turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes.

Strain into a heat proof container. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

To serve, heat tea concentrate and then add milk, or milk with a splash of cream , or half and half- yum! Up to a 50/50 ratio. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup.

I will often keep the strained ingredients in a pot on the stove, and keep simmering in water like a stovetop potpourri!

Also, many of the same ingredients do well in my DIY Cocktail Infusion Kits.

Cheers to simple, slow cups of chai tea, herbal tea or whatever warms your soul!

Michelle