A dirty chai latte is a chai latte with a shot of espresso in it. That is the whole idea: spiced black tea, steamed milk and coffee in one cup. The trick is keeping the tea strong enough that the espresso doesn’t flatten it.
Below you’ll find a single-serving recipe with metric and US measurements, a quick guide to picking the espresso and tea, and fixes for the most common problems.
What a Dirty Chai Latte Is
Chai simply means “tea” in Hindi and several other languages, so “chai tea” is technically “tea tea.” In English-speaking cafes, a chai latte usually means masala chai: black tea simmered with warming spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper, then mixed with milk.
“Dirty” means a shot of espresso has been added. You get the sweetness and spice of chai with the roasted, slightly bitter edge of coffee. It is a different drink from a vanilla or pumpkin spice latte, because the spice here comes from tea, not a flavored syrup on top of espresso.
Ingredients and Equipment
This makes one drink of about 330 ml / 11 fl oz.
- Water: 120 ml / ½ cup
- Black tea: 4 g / 2 tsp loose leaf (Assam or another robust black tea), or 2 tea bags
- Whole spices: 3 green cardamom pods (lightly crushed), 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 thin slices fresh ginger, 2 whole cloves, 2 black peppercorns
- Milk: 180 ml / ¾ cup
- Sweetener: 5–10 g / 1–2 tsp honey or sugar, to taste
- Espresso: one double shot, about 18 g (0.6 oz) ground coffee yielding roughly 36 g / 1.3 oz liquid
- Equipment: small saucepan, fine strainer, espresso machine or alternative, steam wand or frother, 330–350 ml / 11–12 fl oz cup
No espresso machine? A moka pot gives a concentrated, espresso-style shot that works well here. Our guide to making espresso without a machine covers the options.
How to Make a Dirty Chai Latte
Brew the chai first and keep it hot while you pull the shot. Coffee loses its best flavor quickly, so it should be the last thing you make.
- Combine the water, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil at 100°C / 212°F, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes.
- Add the tea and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes. Longer than that and the tea turns harsh.
- Strain into your cup. You should have roughly 90–100 ml / 3–3.5 fl oz of dark, concentrated chai. Stir in the sweetener while it is hot.
- Pull the espresso shot. If you need a refresher on dose, yield and timing, see our guide to making a good espresso.
- Steam the milk to 60–65°C / 140–150°F. Aim for a smooth, lightly textured foam rather than stiff bubbles. The steps are in our article on steaming milk for a latte.
- Pour the espresso into the chai and stir once. Then pour in the milk, holding back the foam with a spoon, and finish with the foam on top.
Optional: a light dusting of cinnamon on the foam. Skip it if you’ve already used plenty in the base.
Choosing the Espresso and the Tea
Chai is loud, so a delicate, fruity light roast tends to get lost. A medium or medium-dark roast with chocolate, nut or caramel notes sits better next to cardamom and ginger. Our overview of roast levels explains what to expect from each.
For the tea, pick something malty and strong. Assam is a common choice because it stands up to milk and spice. Very delicate teas, such as a light Darjeeling, are better drunk plain.
Spice base shortcuts
Store-bought chai concentrate works if you’re short on time. Check the label for sweetness, since many concentrates are already sweetened. If so, skip the extra sugar and taste before adding more. Use about 90–100 ml / 3–3.5 fl oz of concentrate in place of the homemade base, and warm it with the milk.
Dirty Chai Latte vs. Chai Latte vs. Latte
The three drinks share steamed milk but differ in what carries the flavor. This is a rough guide, since cafes vary.
| Drink | Base | Coffee | Flavor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chai latte | Spiced black tea | None | Sweet, warm spice, malty |
| Dirty chai latte | Spiced black tea plus espresso | One or two shots | Spice first, roasty finish |
| Café latte | Espresso | One or two shots | Milky, coffee-forward |
If you want the coffee to lead rather than the tea, use less chai base and a double shot. For a spicier, tea-led drink, keep the single shot and the full base.
Milk and Variations
Whole milk gives the creamiest result and balances the spice. Plant milks work too, though they behave differently under the steam wand. Oat milk is a popular match because its mild sweetness suits chai, and we cover it in our comparison of dairy and plant milks.
- Iced: let the chai base cool, then pour it over ice, add cold milk and finish with the espresso. Pulling the shot directly onto ice dilutes it, so let it cool a minute first.
- Less sweet: reduce the sweetener and add a little extra ginger.
- Stronger spice: simmer the spices for an extra minute before adding the tea, not after.
- Decaf: use decaffeinated espresso, and a caffeine-free rooibos in place of black tea if you want to avoid caffeine entirely. The flavor will be different.
Fixing a Dirty Chai That Tastes Off
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tastes mostly like milk | Chai base too weak or too much milk | Simmer the base longer, or reduce milk to 150 ml / ⅔ cup |
| Harsh and drying | Tea steeped too long | Cut the tea simmer to 2 minutes |
| Espresso overpowers the spice | Dark roast or oversized shot | Use a single shot or a milder roast |
| Sour or sharp | Under-extracted shot | Grind finer or lengthen the shot slightly |
If the coffee tastes bitter rather than sour, see our guide to bitter coffee causes and fixes.
Caffeine: What to Keep in Mind
A dirty chai combines two caffeinated ingredients, black tea and espresso. The total depends on your tea strength, steeping time and shot size, so it is hard to give one reliable figure. Research suggests moderate caffeine intake is fine for many adults, but sensitivity varies a lot.
If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, take medication or notice jitters and poor sleep, talk to your doctor about how much caffeine suits you. For a general comparison, see how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee. A single shot with a shorter tea steep is an easy way to lower the total.
Adjusting Your Next Cup
Change one thing at a time: tea steep, shot size or sweetness. Write down what you did. After two or three cups, you will know the exact balance you like, and that ratio is easy to repeat every morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a dirty chai latte stronger than a regular chai latte?
Yes in caffeine terms, because the espresso adds to the caffeine already in the black tea. The flavor is also stronger and more roasted. The exact amount varies with how strong you brew the tea and the size of the shot.
Can I make a dirty chai latte without an espresso machine?
Yes. A moka pot or AeroPress makes a concentrated coffee that works well. It will not be identical to true espresso, but with strong chai and steamed or frothed milk, the result is balanced and satisfying.
Why is it called “dirty”?
Cafe slang. Adding coffee “dirties” the clean look and taste of a plain chai latte. The term is informal and not standardized, so some cafes may ask whether you want one or two shots.
How many shots of espresso go in a dirty chai?
One shot gives a spice-forward drink with a coffee finish. Two shots make the coffee more noticeable. At home, start with a double shot in a 330 ml / 11 fl oz cup and reduce it if the spices get lost.
Can I use chai tea bags instead of loose tea and spices?
Yes. Use two bags in 120 ml / ½ cup of water and steep them for about 4 minutes. Most bags are milder than a simmered base, so you may need a third bag or less milk to keep the spice noticeable.