Name: Easy Lavender Chai Tea
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 Cups Water; 2 Tbsp Black Tea; 1 Tbsp Dried Ginger ((can substitute with 1 tsp fresh ginger)); 1 Tsp Cardamom ((can substitute with cloves)); 1 Cinnamon Stick ((can substitute with 1 tsp powdered cinnamon)); 1 Tbsp Culinary Lavender; 1/4 Cup Sugar ((can substitute with any sugar alternative)); 1 Tsp Vanilla; Milk ((to taste))

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This famous South Asian beverage infuses the soothing flavors of lavender to create a delicious and calming medicinal drink. Prepare your drink hot or cold to match the weather!

The Origins of Chai Tea

You thought your Granny Sue’s apple cider recipe was historical?! Well, chai tea is truly an ancient beverage dating back 5000 years to the Assam region of India. Ancient Indians created a mixture of spices and herbs called “Masala”, which was the early incarnation of chai tea. Eventually, the beverage evolved to include tea leaves and milk to make what we now refer to as “Chai”. The word “Chai” actually means “Tea” in Hindi, so we sound quite ridiculous ordering “Tea Tea” in our local coffee shops!

Rather than brewing this tea solely for taste or leisure, chai was originally brewed for medicinal benefits. These medicinal benefits were known by practitioners of an ancient (and currently popular) medicinal practice called Ayurveda. They knew that blending certain herbs and spices together would not only taste delicious, but heal certain ailments as well.

Medicinal Benefits of Chai

The most common spices and herbs used in Chai Tea (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black tea, pepper and beyond) have a myriad of health benefits. Together, these herbs can help to:

improve digestion
improve immune system
improve dental health
improve skin health
reduce inflammation
ward off cancer
ward off heart disease
increase energy

That impressive list definitely persuades me to become a daily chai drinker! Especially in combination with the calming benefits of lavender…

Medicinal Benefits of Lavender

Lavender is the OG herb of calming one’s mood. But, did you know this herb has even more medicinal benefits. Here’s some of what lavender can help to do:

calm the nervous system
reduce pain and inflammation
supports healthy sleep habits
fight bacterial infections
ease premenstrual symptoms

What Lavender Should I Use for Chai Tea?

There are two types of lavender: culinary lavender and regular lavender. Culinary lavender is used primarily for cooking, while regular lavender is used for ornamental and medicinal purposes.

Culinary lavender facts:

It has a mild, sweet flavor.
It has less camphor, which means less of a soapy taste.
It is usually the English Lavender variety (Lavandula Angustifolia).
You can use this lavender for cooking or for medicinal purposes.

Regular lavender facts:

It has a stronger, soapy flavor.
It is usually the French Lavender variety (Lavandula Dentata).
You usually cannot use this lavender for cooking, rather it is used for landscaping and medicinal (topical) purposes.

Note: If you MUST use regular lavender from your garden, it will not hurt you to use it in your Chai Tea Latte. It will just taste a bit soapy (depending on the variety) and might turn you off from the recipe!

How to Make Lavender Chai Tea

This simple and budget friendly recipe only uses 8 ingredients and does not require any syrups. Most of the ingredients can be found in any grocery store, with the exception of cardamom (if this is the case, cloves are a readily available substitution). If you desire a Chai Tea Latte, you will want to froth the milk (either by hand with a whisk or with a handheld milk frother) before you add to the beverage).

Ingredients

Black Tea: I am a fan of loose leaf tea and buy my black tea in a local Middle Eastern specialty shop. If you don’t have access to specialty stores or can’t find loose leaf black tea, you can totally use tea bags instead.

Ginger: Ginger is a non-negotiable for chai! I used two medium-sized pieces of dried ginger for this recipe, but you can use fresh ginger instead. A traditional method of making chai is grinding ginger in a mortar and pestle along with other spices and herbs.

Cardamom: This spice can be found at specialty shops (Middle Eastern or Asian). If you cannot find cardamom, feel free to substitute cloves in the recipe.

Cinnamon: I like to use cinnamon sticks for this recipe, but powered cinnamon can be used in a pinch (see what I did there?!) Luckily cinnamon can be found just about anywhere as it is a very popular herb.

Lavender: Make sure you are using culinary lavender (English Lavender) to avoid a soapy taste in your recipe. I purchase my culinary lavender in bulk online, but you may be able to find culinary lavender in specialty health food stores.

Sugar: Use whatever sugar or sugar substitute you like! I have access to sugar and honey here on our ranch, but if you live near Canada/North East US you may be inclined to use delicious maple syrup.

Milk: Real chai enthusiasts prefer to use whole milk (as do I), but you can use whatever milk you’d like. You can easily make the recipe vegan by using oat milk or soy milk.

Vanilla: Vanilla ties the whole recipe together. When shopping for vanilla, make sure you use pure vanilla (if you have the financial means to do so) for an ideal flavor profile.

Let’s Make Lavender Chai Tea!

First, you are going to bring 4 cups of water to boil and add black tea, ginger, cardamom (or cloves), a cinnamon stick, lavender, and sugar to the boiling water. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. You should be smelling a wonderful fragrance of lavender and spices by now!

Turn off the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Then strain out the herbs and spices with a strainer. Add vanilla and milk of choice (whisk or froth milk to make a latte).

Serve warm or iced and enjoy the calming, invigorating effects of your Lavender Chai Tea!