If you love chai and coffee, this iced dirty chai latte will win you over with one single sip.

A warm spice-filled chai tea with homemade dirty chai syrup, paired with espresso, chocolate caramel syrup, and whipped cream, is just what you need for a cool summer treat.

How to Make an Iced Dirty Chai Latte

I have a confession to make.

I’ve only become hip to drinking iced coffee drinks in the last few years. Before this, I would die on the hill of only drinking my strong coffee hot!

I started visiting some of our local coffee shops and Starbucks and would try different coffee drinks, including iced ones.

Now I’m only wondering why it took me so long to come over to the dark side. Ha!

Today, we’re sharing our version of a homemade dirty iced chai latte you can make right at home with your espresso maker and favorite milk!

Dirty chai is when you add a shot of espresso with warm spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper with your choice of milk.

And it is a delicious caffeine boost that will help you make it through the day or indulge in a Dirty Chai just because!

Talk about incredible flavor down to the last sip. Also, check out these 65 tea drink ideas to try out.

If you enjoy changing what you sip on, there are many latte recipes to try.

What is a Dirty Chai Latte?

A dirty chai latte is simply a chai latte with a shot of espresso. The dirty part comes from the espresso pouring into the drink.

If you want even more caffeine, you can do extra dirty by adding two espresso shots.

Ingredients Needed For Iced Dirty Chai Latte

Purified Water. Sometimes, unpurified water can alter the taste of your drink. I find that purified water ensures you get that coffee shop-quality flavor.

Light Brown Sugar. The perfect way to sweeten your chai—without overpowering your drink with sweetness—is to use light brown sugar.

Plus, the light brown sugar will add notes of subtle caramel.

Spices. Cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, and even cayenne pepper. You will find all these spices blend well together and elevate the flavor.

Espresso. This is what makes this drink dirty. We use the Breville Espresso machine and use it daily to make our espressos! The espresso will transform the flavor and is a great way to get that 2 pm slump pick me up.

Milk. Traditionally, high-fat cow’s milk is used in a dirty chai recipe. However, you can use almost any milk or plant-based milk substitute.

Notes: using low-fat kinds of milk will make your dirty chai less creamy.

Whipped Cream. It’s optional, but adding a dollop of whipped cream on top will give your chai a bit of sweetness and creamy flavor.

Consider adding the whipped cream with spices on top.

Syrup. Chocolate caramel syrup can dress up your drink and add another decadent flavor dimension.

Note: If you love lattes, be sure to check out some of our other latte recipe ideas on the blog:

Brown Sugar Latte

Pumpkin Pie Mocha Latte

Caramel Chai Coffee Latte

How to Make Dirty Chai Simple Syrup

1/3 cup purified water
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 whole cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions on making a dirty chai syrup

Over medium-high heat, place a saucepan and add the purified water, light brown sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, ground cardamom, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Gently stir, allowing the mixture to come to a low boil.
Remove the saucepan from heat and place a tight-fitting lid on top.
Allow the chair syrup to steep for ten to fifteen minutes.
When the mixture cools, store the chai syrup in a Mason jar-style container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

How to Make an Iced Dirty Chai Latte

Ingredients:

Pebble Ice (We use this ice machine to make pebble ice at home)
drizzle of chocolate caramel
2 ounces of espresso
2 tbsp of syrup
1 cup of milk of choice
Top with whipped cream
Dust with ground nutmeg, cardamom, or cinnamon
Optional garnish: Star anise

Directions:

Build your dirty chai drink directly in a serving glass.
Fill the glass with pebble ice.
Add the chilled espresso and chai syrup.
Pour in your preferred milk.
At this point, you can stir or not stir. However, stirring the drink mixes all ingredients and is recommended.
Top with whipped cream and dust with your choice of ground nutmeg, cardamom, or cinnamon.
Serve.

Another optional garnish is using Cinnamon sticks.

Can I make this with cold brew instead of espresso?

Go right ahead and reach for cold brew coffee to replace the espresso.

You can add extra coffee if you want the flavor to stand out a bit more.

Can I serve this latte warm instead of iced?

Absolutely! If you prefer a warm latter, use warm milk and hot water when mixing up your drink.

Then serve it warm and sip and enjoy. It tastes delicious, hot or cold.

Can I use store-bought chai syrup?

You can use a store-bought chai syrup like the Chai Spiced Tea from Torani.

Add the rest of the ingredients to have that refreshing chai latte flavor you know and want.

Another alternative to using chai syrup is maple syrup.

Is there caffeine in the Chai Latte?

Yes. This latte includes espresso, which contains caffeine. If you prefer not to have caffeine, you can use decaf espresso.

If you prefer a little stronger chai latte, a few espresso shots should do the trick!

Note: You can also use a French Press to make your shots of espresso.

What if I don’t want to use coffee in my Chai Latte drink?

You can take out the espresso shots and use Chai tea bags.

We prefer the Tazo brand of Chai tea bags because of the Chai spices listed in this blend.

What to do with the extra syrup?

Just store the extra syrup in the refrigerator in an airtight container like this glass one.

This is a great way to ensure that it stays fresh, and then when you want to whip up a drink, you have it ready to go.

What’s the best type of milk to use in a Chai Latte?

This will boil down to preference. You may prefer a non-dairy option or your favorite whole milk or almond milk.

This chai tea latte recipe also works with coconut milk or soy milk.

How do you make pebble ice?

There are a few ways you can get pebble ice. First, you can make pebble ice right at home using the right type of ice machine or using ice cubes.

We have the GE Profile Opal 2.0, and this ice maker has been one of the best purchases of 2022!

Before purchasing our ice machine, we would pick up bags of pebble ice at fast food joints (Sonic, Chick-fil-A).

Another option is to purchase small ice trays like this one to achieve a similar look.

This popular drink is similar to the Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Latte but is cheaper because you’re making it right at home!

If you love your iced coffee drink in the summer months, add this one to your list.

The next time we make this, I plan to try it with a cold foam instead of whipped cream!

There are so many options for making this coffee shop a favorite, so grab all your ingredients and have fun!

More Latte Recipes:

Gingerbread Latte

Brown Sugar Latte

Pumpkin Pie Mocha Latte