5 from 135 votes
Chai Simple Syrup (Starbucks-inspired)
Chai Simple Syrup infuses sugar water with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and optional notes of coriander, black pepper, and fennel. The syrup balances sweet and spice through a careful simmering process that extracts flavor without bitterness or excessive thickness. It's used to sweeten chai beverages, offering a concentrated, aromatic sweetness that can be diluted or added to tea, coffee, or drinks.
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings:
1
Jar
Calories:
903 kcal
Course:
Dessert, Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine:
Fusion, Indian
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 13 green cardamom
- 6 cloves
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds optional
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns optional, add if you like spice
- ½-1 teaspoon fennel seeds optional
- 5 ginger slices of fresh root
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Cup sugar I use brown demerera sugar but you can use white sugar, date sugar etc
Instructions
Releasing the flavor of the spices
- Optional: Gently bash the spices in a mortar and pestle to release aromas (not to crush them into a powder!) Use a large pot to dry toast the spices over medium-low fire. (Don't use high fire as spices burn easily.)
Cup of Yum
Making the Chai Syrup
- Once fragrant, slowly pour in the water then the sugar. (If you add the sugar before the water, the syrup will bubble very furiously and may burn you- hot sugar syrup is much hotter than water!)
- Boil for 5-10 minutes. (I prefer 10 as the flavor is sweeter and more full bodied.) However, don't boil for too long or the syrup will become too thick and difficult to use. (If so, simply add some water to thin it out.) Boiling for too long may also develop a bitter aftertaste.
Storing the Syrup
- Allow the syrup to steep and cool, then sieve or strain out the spices. If you did a spectacular job bashing the spices, you may need to use a cheesecloth or nut bag.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a 1 week or more (if your container is sterilised.)
- Tip: you can save the spices to boil again to make tea. I boil mine for 10 minutes and no one can tell it's not a freshly made Masala Chai Tea!
Making Chai Drinks
- Dissolve the Chai Syrup into your black tea, coffee, latte etc. I like to use 1 Tablespoon per Cup of black tea, but you can vary it as per your taste!
Notes
- Handle hot syrup carefully to avoid burns as sugar syrup temperature exceeds that of boiling water.
- Used spices can be boiled again to make chai tea with a strong, fresh flavor.
- Store syrup in a sterilized airtight container in the refrigerator for weeks to months; higher sugar content extends shelf life.
- Freeze syrup in ice cube trays for 6 to 12 months; cubes can be added directly to drinks for ease and portion control.
- Adding about ¼ teaspoon of food-grade citric acid can help preserve syrup freshness.
Nutrition Information
Calories
903kcal
(45%)
Carbohydrates
229g
(76%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
3g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
0.4g
(2%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.3g
(2%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
28mg
(1%)
Potassium
526mg
(11%)
Fiber
12g
(48%)
Sugar
200g
(400%)
Vitamin A
26IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
8mg
(9%)
Calcium
186mg
(19%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1 Jar
Amount Per Serving
Calories 903
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 903kcal | 45% |
| Carbohydrates | 229g | 76% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 28mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 526mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 200g | 400% |
| Vitamin A | 26IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 186mg | 19% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.