‘Tis the season for warm chai tea… but without all the sugar and artificial flavours. 🤎
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Allow me to introduce you to sticky chai!
When I lived in Central Australia, I worked at a tiny café as a kitchenhand. I also trained as a barista, and there’s one drink from those days I’ll never forget… the sticky chai.
Unlike the chai concentrates and syrups you often find in coffee shops, Australian-style sticky chai is a wonderfully fragrant mixture of whole spices, fresh ginger, loose-leaf tea, and honey. Everything gets mixed together until it resembles a sort of wet, sticky granola – hence the name!
At the café, we’d steep the mixture in little teapots and let customers strain it themselves as they poured. Honestly, watching people’s faces light up after that first sip was everything!! 🙂
And oh my… the smell alone. 😍 This recipe is absolutely fragrant and full of warming spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger that are packed with anti-inflammatory properties and aid digestion. The honey brings natural sweetness, the peppercorns add a subtle kick, and the star anise rounds it all out with that liquorice-like warmth.
You keep the mixture tucked away in the fridge, then whenever the chai craving hits, scoop a couple of teaspoons into your mug, steep it with hot water and warm milk, and strain. It’s comfort in a cup, made entirely from scratch.
You can make it with English breakfast tea for a traditional caffeinated version or swap in rooibos for a lovely caffeine-free sticky chai.
Once you’ve made a jar, you’ll understand why I’ve never forgotten it.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Sticky Chai
- Made completely from scratch
- Naturally sweetened with raw honey
- Packed with warm, fragrant whole spices
- Easy to keep in the fridge for chai whenever you fancy
- Make it caffeinated or caffeine-free
- No premade chai concentrate or artificial flavours
- Makes the loveliest homemade gift!
What Is Sticky Chai?
Sticky chai is a fragrant mixture of loose-leaf tea, whole spices, fresh ginger, and honey that’s steeped with hot water and milk to make chai.
Unlike a powdered chai mix or liquid concentrate, the ingredients remain whole or roughly crushed and are mixed with honey to create that signature sticky texture. It’s especially popular in Australian cafés, where it’s often brewed in a teapot and strained as it’s poured.
What You’ll Need
- Small frying pan
- Mortar and pestle or food processor
- Airtight glass jar
- Fine mesh strainer
- Milk frother (optional)
- Teapot or small saucepan for serving
I keep my favorite tools and pantry staples in this storefront if you want to peek!
A Few Helpful Tips Before You Begin
Toast the spices gently.
We’re just waking up all those beautiful flavours here! About a minute is plenty. You want the spices fragrant, not browned or burnt.
Don’t pulverise the spices.
Break them into smaller pieces, but don’t turn them into powder. That lovely coarse texture is part of what makes sticky chai, well… sticky chai!
Watch your steep time.
Three minutes is the sweet spot. Letting the tea steep too long can make your chai bitter, especially when using English breakfast tea.
Play with the milk.
Oat milk gives this chai a wonderfully full flavour, but cow’s milk works beautifully too. Use whatever you love!
Sticky Chai FAQs
What is the difference between sticky chai and regular chai?
Sticky chai is made by combining loose-leaf tea, whole spices, fresh ginger, and honey into a sticky mixture that you steep and strain when you’re ready for a cup. Many café-style chai drinks instead use a premade powder, syrup, or liquid concentrate.
Why is it called sticky chai?
The honey binds the tea leaves, ginger, and crushed spices together into a sticky, almost wet-granola-like mixture – hence sticky chai!
Does sticky chai have caffeine?
It depends on the tea you use. English breakfast tea contains caffeine, while rooibos makes a lovely caffeine-free version. Sarah also suggests dandelion leaf tea as another caffeine-free option.
How long does homemade sticky chai last?
Store your sticky chai in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
What milk is best for sticky chai?
Oat milk is my favourite because its fuller flavour works beautifully with all those warm spices. Cow’s milk works too, although the finished chai will have a slightly more subtle flavour.
Can I use ground spices to make sticky chai?
Absolutely! Whole spices give you that lovely traditional texture, but ground spices work too. If you’re using ground spices, there’s no need to dry roast them first.
How to Make Sticky Chai
Here’s the quick version before we dive in:
- Gently dry roast the whole spices until wonderfully fragrant.
- Roughly crush them with a mortar and pestle or food processor.
- Mix with fresh ginger, loose-leaf tea, vanilla, and raw honey.
- Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate.
- When you’re ready for a cup, steep a couple of teaspoons with hot water and warm milk for 3 minutes.
- Strain, sprinkle with cinnamon or allspice, and enjoy!
Sticky Chai (Australian-Style Homemade Chai)
Ingredients
- 10 cardamom pods (about 6g)
- 2 cinnamon quills (about 3g)
- 5 star anise (about 3g)
- 7 whole cloves (about 1g)
- 1 tsp peppercorns (about 3g)
- 2 tbs fresh ginger grated or minced fine (about 30g fresh)
- 1 cup Rooibos or English breakfast tea leaves (67g) (rooibos for decaf, English breakfast for caffeinated)
- 1 tbs vanilla extract or powder (10ml liquid or 3g powder)
- ¼ cup raw honey (72g)
Method
- Place the cardamom pods, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and peppercorns in a small pan over low-medium heat. Dry roast for around 1 minute until fragrant. Be very careful not to brown or burn them.
- Put the dry spices in a mortar and pestle or food processor and pound/process them until they break down into smaller pieces but not into powder.
- Add the fresh ginger, tea leaves, vanilla and honey, and stir until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
- Place 2 teaspoons of the sticky chai mix in a mug.
- Pour approximately 50ml (3 tablespoons) of hot water directly onto the chai.
- Pour warm or frothed oat milk on top to fill the mug. Oat milk is recommended for more flavour, but cow’s milk works too (will just be more subtle of a flavour).
- Set a timer for 3 minutes, then strain and serve sprinkled with a little allspice or cinnamon. Too strong of a brew can make this bitter, so don’t leave it longer than 3 minutes.
- Place 6-8 teaspoons of the sticky chai mix in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover.
- Add 4 cups of oat milk (or cow’s milk if you prefer), and Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes.
- Strain and pour into a teapot or serving jug.
- Pour into mugs and serve sprinkled with a little allspice or cinnamon.
