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Homemade Chai Spice Mix

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A simple and easy 6-ingredient recipe for Homemade Chai Spice mix made with ground spices – cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Make a batch to keep on your spice rack for all of your chai spiced fall and holiday baking this year! 
A silver spoon rests on a white & gray marble surface filled with a spoonful of ground chai spice mix. Surrounding the spoon are several raw forms of the spices that go into this homemade chai spice mix.

Get Cozy With This 6 Ingredient Chai Spice Mix

It happens every freaking year. During the early weeks of September, the whole world inevitably goes crazy for all things pumpkin.

But for me? Pumpkin just doesn’t do it. I don’t know why, but it never really has. I tried my first pumpkin spice latte a few years ago and was SHOOK when I realized it was actually orange.

Seriously. Pumpkin just isn’t my jam. Chai spice, on the other hand? Man oh man, do I LOVE anything chai spice.

This 6 ingredient chai spice mix is a versatile addition to cozy baked goods, coffee, or cocktails. Plus it makes an awesome homemade gift to keep on hand for seasonal hostess gifts and more.

As someone who loves super spicy and cardamom-forward chai flavors, many of the recipes I tried just fell a little flat for me. They used tons of cinnamon and tiny little pinches of the other chai spices – I could really only taste the cinnamon.

To create the spicy and bold flavors that I expect when I taste something that is supposed to be chai flavored, I add generous amounts of both ground ginger and ground cardamom to this chai spice mix.

If you love a spicier chai, this chai spice recipe is for you. I’m in love with this spice mix and I figured it’s about time to share it here so you can obsess over it, too! TGI-Chai Spice Season!

Homemade chai spice ingredients arranged on a white ceramic plate: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, & nutmeg. The plate sits atop a white & gray marble surface.
There are just 6 simple spices in this chai spice blend: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Buy your ground spices in bulk and make a big batch of chai spice mix – extras make wonderful gifts!

Can I Make Chai Tea with this Mix?

We recommend adding this homemade chai mix to baked goods recipes. If you are hoping to make a true masala chai, you’ll want to look for a recipe using whole spices as this mix would likely result in a gritty texture if added directly to a tea or milk mixture. Check out a chai mix from a brand like Tazo tea!

A couple of quick tips and tricks

Buy spices online or in bulk to save $$$. The spices you need to make chai spice mix can be a little costly. Cardamom and allspice, especially, are really expensive when you buy them in the little jars from the grocery store spice aisle. I suggest ordering online; buying them in bulk to get extra bang for your buck. Check out the Recipe Card Ingredients for links to some great bulk spices, below.

Make it your own. For extra flavor, try adding ground black pepper and a split vanilla bean pod. Find more details in the Recipe Notes, below.

An overhead shot of a small mason jar filled with ground homemade chai spice that rests atop a white & gray marble surface.
Keep your spices fresh by storing in an airtight container…
A side angle shot of a small mason jar filled with ground homemade chai spice that rests atop a white & gray marble surface.
…I love using small mason jars (as pictured) but Weck jars work great too!

How to Use Homemade Chai Spice Mix

The beauty of this easy chai spice mix (other than the fact that it smells SO freaking good) is that it’s really, really versatile.

It’s perfect for autumn, football season, Thanksgiving pies and baked goods, and any other cozy occasion you can think of!

Ginger, cinnamon, cardomom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and a small mason jar filled with chai spice mix rests atop a white plate. A spoon rests inside the mason jar.
A few teaspoons of chai spice mix will take pretty much any cozy fall recipe up another cozy notch!

Try adding homemade chai spice mix to…

  • COFFEE. Most easily, I like to make cozy chai coffee on any cool fall morning. Stir a few pinches of chai spice into your morning coffee or even sprinkle a bit into coffee grounds being brewed through a coffee filter. If you want something that feels like a super special treat, to your chai spice coffee, add a tablespoon of pure maple syrup, a splash of cream or milk, and a little pinch of kosher salt. Chai spice heaven!
  • BAKED GOODS. I love adding chai spicy to warm Chai Scones, my favorite Chai Oatmeal Cookies, and the best Chai Cinnamon Rolls!
  • APPLE DESSERTS. Apples and chai spice pair really well together. Feel free to replace the spices in your favorite apple pie or apple dessert 1:1 with chai spice mix to add an extra kick of flavor. This time of year, I love Chai Spiced Apple Crisp.
A silver spoon rests on a white & gray marble surface filled with a spoonful of ground chai spice mix. Surrounding the spoon are several whole spices.
Sprinkle of chai spice mix with brown sugar in oatmeal, add a pinch onto buttery toast (chai spice and sugar toast!!), mix into cocktails, pancake mix, crumb cakes, and more!

Cozy chai vibes on repeat. All. Season. Long. I cannot wait for you to try this Chai Spice Mix! If you do, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡

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A silver spoon rests on a white & gray marble surface filled with a spoonful of ground chai spice mix. Surrounding the spoon are several raw forms of the spices that go into this homemade chai spice mix.

5-Minute Homemade Chai Spice Mix (6 Ingredients!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: â…“ cup 1x
  • Category: Sauces & Condiments
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

A simple and easy 6-ingredient recipe for Homemade Chai Spice mix made with ground spices – cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

Make a batch to keep on your spice rack for all of your chai spiced fall and holiday baking this year! 


Ingredients

Scale


Instructions

  1. Add all listed ingredients to an airtight container or jar. I like to use these mason jars, or these Weck jars. Seal the jar, and shake to combine. Store on your spice rack, at room temperature, for up to 1 year. Enjoy!


Notes

  • Buy spices online or in bulk to save money! The spices you need to make chai spice mix can be a little costly, especially if you rely on grocery store prices. Cardamom and allspice, especially, are really expensive when you buy them in the little jars from the grocery store spice aisle. I suggest ordering the spices online, and/or buying them in bulk to get extra bang for your buck. You can make a double or triple batch of chai spice – extras make wonderful hostess gifts! My favorite spices are linked above. 
  • Make it your own. I chose the 6 spices included in this chai spice recipe to keep it simple and easy to remember. If you’d like to add some extra flavor, try adding ½ tablespoon of ground black pepper. A split vanilla bean pod is another fun way to add tons of flavor to this chai spice. Cut a whole vanilla bean pod down the middle, and submerge it into the chai spices. As it sits on your spice rack, the vanilla’s flavor will infuse itself into the chai spice. Yum!

Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 8.2.26
    SMB said:

    Add a teaspoon to your next batch of banana bread. Yum!

    • 8.3.26
      Julie @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Ooh, great idea! It is the perfect spice blend for banana bread!