Cocoa & Cardamom Chai

Beverages

Cocoa & Cardamom Chai

Cocoa adds a chocolate note to this spiced black tea without turning it into a heavy drink. Crush the whole spices, bring them up to heat with the tea, then add milk and strain straight into mugs.
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Serves
6 small servings

Bring it to the table

About this recipe.

A warm black tea drink with cocoa, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and milk.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

See the ingredient checklist
  • 1 2-inch piece ginger (scrubbed)
  • 1 3-inch stick cinnamon
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 4 black tea bags
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

Whole spices give the cup its character

Breaking the cardamom pods and cinnamon before heating helps release their flavor. Straining as soon as the milk returns to a boil keeps the finished drink free of spice fragments.

At the table

Serve in warmed mugs while hot, with a spoon handy for any cocoa that settles.

The cooking plan

How to make Cocoa & Cardamom Chai.

  1. Crush the ginger, cinnamon and cardamom with a mortar and pestle to break them up and expose their aroma.

  2. Put the crushed spices in a medium saucepan with the tea bags, honey, cocoa, vanilla, salt and water. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid comes to a boil.

  3. Pour in the milk and stir. Bring just back to a boil, watching closely so it does not boil over.

  4. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs, discarding the tea bags and crushed spices. Serve hot.

Let’s cook

The full recipe.

Check off ingredients as you get them ready.

Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.

The Broken Scale

Cocoa & Cardamom Chai

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A warm black tea drink with cocoa, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and milk.
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Servings: 6 small servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Ingredients Equipment Instructions Notes

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Ingredients
  

  •  
    1 2-inch piece ginger scrubbed
  •  
    1 3-inch stick cinnamon
  •  
    10 green cardamom pods
  •  
    4 black tea bags
  •  
    ¼ cup honey
  •  
    2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups water
  •  
    1 ½ cups whole milk

Equipment

Saucepan
Saucepan
Fine Mesh Strainer
Stirring spoon
Stirring spoon
Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
Measuring cups and spoons

Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.

Instructions
 

  1. Crush the ginger, cinnamon and cardamom with a mortar and pestle to break them up and expose their aroma.
  2. Put the crushed spices in a medium saucepan with the tea bags, honey, cocoa, vanilla, salt and water. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid comes to a boil.
  3. Pour in the milk and stir. Bring just back to a boil, watching closely so it does not boil over.
  4. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs, discarding the tea bags and crushed spices. Serve hot.

Notes

Makes 4 larger mugs or 6 smaller servings.
Use a saucepan with room above the liquid; milk can rise quickly as it reaches a boil.

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A couple of useful answers.

How do I change the number of servings?

Use the serving controls in the recipe card. Ingredient quantities change automatically; quantities written in the instructions, pan sizes and cooking times still need your attention.

Can I print or check off the ingredients?

Choose Print recipe near the title for a printable version. On this page, check ingredients off as you prepare them, then use Reset ingredient checks to start again.

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