The iced chai latte is one of the most satisfying cold drinks you can make at home — and it’s dramatically cheaper and fresher than anything you’ll order at a coffee shop.

The key is the concentrate. Make it yourself, and you control the sweetness and spice intensity. Use store-bought, and you’re paying for convenience (and a lot of added sugar).

Here’s everything you need, including the homemade concentrate recipe and three variations.

What Is an Iced Chai Latte?

An iced chai latte combines:

  • Chai concentrate — brewed spiced black tea (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper)
  • Cold milk — whole, oat, almond, or coconut
  • Ice — plenty of it

The result is a creamy, spiced, refreshing cold drink. Unlike iced coffee, there’s no espresso (unless you’re making a dirty chai — more on that below). The spices do all the heavy lifting.

Iced Chai Latte Recipe

Time: 10 minutes (+ cooling time for concentrate)
Makes: 1 drink (16 oz)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (120 ml) chai concentrate (store-bought or homemade, see below)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) cold milk (whole, oat, or almond)
  • Handful of ice cubes (6–8 cubes)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (if using unsweetened concentrate)
  • Optional: cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

  1. Fill a tall 16 oz glass with ice.
  2. Pour chai concentrate over the ice.
  3. Add cold milk. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Taste and sweeten if needed.
  5. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick.

Serve immediately — the ice dilutes the drink over time, so drink it fresh.

Homemade Chai Concentrate Recipe

Store-bought concentrates work, but homemade is richer, less sugary, and more customizable. Make a batch and refrigerate it for the week.

Time: 20 minutes
Makes: ~2 cups concentrate (enough for 4 drinks)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (480 ml) water
  • 3 black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling work best)
  • 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 4 slices fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
  • ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or honey (adjust to taste)

Instructions

  1. Combine water and all spices in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes — the water will take on a rich amber color.
  3. Add tea bags. Remove from heat. Steep for 5 minutes (longer = stronger, but can get bitter).
  4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
  5. Stir in sugar or honey until dissolved.
  6. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a sealed jar.

Keeps for: 5–7 days refrigerated.

To use: Combine equal parts concentrate and cold milk over ice. Adjust the ratio to your preference — more concentrate for stronger spice, more milk for creamier.

Concentrate to Milk Ratios

PreferenceConcentrateMilkResult
Strong spice⅔ cup⅓ cupIntense, coffee-shop style
Balanced½ cup½ cupClassic 1:1
Creamy⅓ cup⅔ cupMild, very creamy
Starbucks copy½ cup½ cupPlus 2 pumps liquid sweetener

Milk Options for Iced Chai

MilkFlavor PairingNotes
Whole milkBest overall creaminessRich and classic
Oat milkVery popular, slightly sweetEnhances warm spices
Almond milkSubtle nuttinessSlightly thinner texture
Coconut milkTropical warmthPairs beautifully with cardamom
Soy milkNeutral, creamyGood for foam if you want some
2% milkLighter classicGood everyday option

For the closest Starbucks match: Use 2% milk and sweetened concentrate in equal parts.

3 Variations

1. Dirty Iced Chai Latte

The most popular chai variation. Add one shot of espresso to an iced chai latte for the “dirty” version — extra caffeine, complex coffee-spice flavor.

How to make it:

  1. Pull a single or double espresso shot.
  2. Let the espresso cool for 1–2 minutes (pouring hot espresso over ice causes dilution).
  3. Build your iced chai latte as usual.
  4. Pour the espresso over the top and let it sink through the layers.
  5. Stir before drinking — or don’t, for a pretty layered effect.

The espresso and chai spices complement each other remarkably well. See our full dirty chai latte recipe for the hot version.

2. Oat Milk Iced Chai Latte

Swap regular milk for oat milk for a creamy, slightly sweet dairy-free version. Oat milk’s natural sweetness pairs especially well with cardamom and cinnamon.

Use a barista-style oat milk (Oatly Barista, Minor Figures) for the best texture — they’re formulated to blend smoothly rather than separate.

3. Vanilla Iced Chai Latte

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla syrup or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to your chai concentrate before building the drink. The vanilla rounds out the spices and adds a subtle sweetness reminiscent of the Starbucks vanilla chai variation.

Starbucks Copycat Version

Starbucks iced chai uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate in a 1:1 ratio with milk. A grande has 42 grams of sugar — quite sweet.

To copy it exactly:

  • Use Tazo Chai Concentrate (available in grocery stores)
  • ½ cup concentrate + ½ cup 2% milk + ice
  • Add 1–2 pumps of vanilla syrup for the signature sweetness

To make it lower-sugar:

  • Use homemade concentrate with 1 tablespoon honey instead of 2
  • The flavor will be spicier and less sweet — which many people prefer

Make It Ahead

Cold concentrate: Make a double batch of concentrate and refrigerate it in a mason jar for up to a week. You’ll have iced chai ready in 2 minutes any time.

Iced chai concentrate cubes: Pour extra concentrate into an ice cube tray. Use chai ice cubes instead of water ice cubes — the drink won’t dilute as it melts, and the chai flavor actually intensifies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an iced chai latte?
An iced chai latte is a cold drink made with chai concentrate (brewed spiced black tea), milk, and ice. It has a warm, spiced flavor from cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper, balanced by the creamy milk. The iced version is refreshing and slightly sweet, usually served over ice in a tall glass. Most coffee shops use a pre-made chai concentrate; at home, you can make your own for a fresher, less sugary result.
How do you make an iced chai latte at home?
Make or buy chai concentrate, then pour it over ice with cold milk in a 1:1 ratio (or adjust to taste). For a simple version: steep 2 chai tea bags in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes, add 1–2 teaspoons honey or sugar, let it cool completely, then pour over ice with ½ cup cold milk. For the best flavor, make a homemade concentrate using whole spices and refrigerate it for up to a week.
What is the difference between a chai latte and an iced chai latte?
A chai latte is a hot drink: warm steamed milk blended with hot chai concentrate. An iced chai latte uses cold milk and ice instead of steamed milk, served in a tall glass. The flavor is the same (spiced black tea with creamy milk), but the iced version has a lighter, more refreshing texture. Iced chai lattes are typically not frothed — the milk is poured directly over the concentrate and ice.
What chai does Starbucks use?
Starbucks uses Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate, which is their proprietary pre-made concentrate. It’s quite sweet — a grande (16 oz) iced chai has around 42 grams of sugar. The Starbucks version uses a 1:1 ratio of chai concentrate to milk. You can replicate it at home using Tazo concentrate (available in grocery stores) or make a lower-sugar version using homemade concentrate with whole spices.
What milk is best for iced chai latte?
Whole milk creates the creamiest, most authentic iced chai latte. Oat milk is the most popular dairy-free substitute — its neutral sweetness complements chai spices beautifully. Almond milk adds a subtle nuttiness. Coconut milk gives a tropical twist and works especially well with chai’s warming spices. Avoid very thin milks (rice milk, light oat milk) as they can make the drink watery.
What is a dirty chai latte?
A dirty chai latte is a chai latte with a shot of espresso added. The espresso adds coffee flavor and an extra caffeine kick without overpowering the chai spices. For an iced dirty chai, pull a shot of espresso, let it cool slightly, then pour over the ice and chai mixture. The espresso sinks through the layers for a visually striking layered effect before stirring. It’s one of the most popular chai variations at coffee shops.
How much caffeine is in an iced chai latte?
A standard 12 oz iced chai latte made with black tea contains about 50–70 mg of caffeine (from the tea). A 16 oz Starbucks iced chai has around 95 mg. For comparison, a single shot of espresso has about 65 mg. If you add espresso (dirty chai), total caffeine jumps to 120–160 mg. The exact amount depends on the chai concentrate, steeping time, and tea variety used.