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Madhur Jaffrey’s Masala Chai Recipe

Name: Madhur Jaffrey’s Masala Chai Recipe
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 11 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves; ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or 8 green cardamom pods, crushed with a mortar and pestle; ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger; Freshly ground black peppercorns; 6 bags black tea, such as Assam or Darjeeling; 6 cups water; 4 cups whole milk; 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 26, 2026 • 1 min read

Masala chai, a creamy, soothing South Asian beverage, is a heavenly combination of black tea, spices, sugar, and milk. You can customize the chai’s spices; Madhur’s recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper, but feel free to experiment with other spices from your own cabinet. Masala chai is sweetened, and Madhur’s recipe uses one teaspoon of sugar per cup; double that amount for an even sweeter concoction. Jump to recipe.

Learn From the Best

What Is Masala Chai?

Masala chai (spiced tea) is a tea beverage with origins in the Indian subcontinent. Consisting of black tea, milk, a sweetener, and a range of aromatic spices, masala chai is integral to daily life in India. Though the word “chai” means tea, the drink is often referred to as "chai tea" or "chai latte" in the West, a nod to the steeping of the black tea and spices directly in the milk, which creates a texture similar to the steamed milk used to make an espresso-based latte.

Exact recipes for masala chai vary by household and location, with some calling for whole spices, and others preferring to use a ground spice blend, or a combination of both. This blend of spices is known as a karha, and in addition to ginger and cardamom, it may include everything from star anise and fennel seeds to cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla. Some blends may feature loose tea leaves, a granule-style tea known as Mamri.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Masala Chai Recipe

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makes

prep time

0 min

total time

11 min

cook time

11 min

Ingredients

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or 8 green cardamom pods, crushed with a mortar and pestle
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
Freshly ground black peppercorns
6 bags black tea, such as Assam or Darjeeling
6 cups water
4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1
In a large pot, combine the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, about 10 good grinds of black pepper, the tea bags, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2
Cover pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chai for 10 minutes.
3
Remove the lid, and add the milk and sugar. Stir to combine, and continue to simmer for another minute or so.
4
Decant the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a large teapot or individual cups, and serve.

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