Spiced iced tea with milk — the cold-weather masala chai, made for summer. You brew a strong, spiced chai concentrate, sweeten it warm, then pour it over ice with cold milk. Brewing strong is essential: iced chai served over ice and cut with milk needs to start concentrated or it tastes thin and watery. If you keep Masala chai concentrate on hand, this is a two-minute drink.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose Assam tea)
- 1 inch ginger, crushed
- 3 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar, to taste
- 1 cup cold milk
- Ice
Instructions
Brew a strong concentrate
- Bring the water to a boil with the ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes to draw out the spices.
- Add the tea and steep 3 minutes — strong, since it'll be diluted by ice and milk. Stir in the sugar while warm until dissolved.
- Strain and cool the concentrate to room temperature (or fridge-chill).
Assemble
- Fill two glasses with ice. Pour the cooled chai concentrate over, then top with cold milk.
- Stir, taste, and adjust sweetness. Serve cold.
Variations
- From concentrate — if you have Masala chai concentrate, just pour it over ice with cold milk; skip the brewing.
- Vegan — use oat or almond milk; oat froths and tastes closest to dairy.
- Dirty chai — add a shot of espresso for a chai-coffee iced drink.
Notes
- Brew strong — the single most important step; ice and milk dilute heavily, so a weak brew tastes like spiced water.
- Cool before adding milk and ice — pouring hot chai over ice melts it instantly and waters the drink down; chill the concentrate first.
- Make concentrate ahead — a jar of strong spiced chai concentrate in the fridge makes this (and hot chai) a quick pour. See Masala chai.
Added Oct 26, 2026 · Updated Oct 26, 2026