If you’ve ever ordered a sticky chai at your favourite café and wondered how to recreate that spiced, syrupy magic at home, this one’s for you.
Sticky chai is a rich, aromatic blend of loose black tea leaves and whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves, all soaked in sweet, golden honey. The result? A ready-to-brew chai mix that’s sticky to the touch, bursting with flavour, and just a little bit indulgent. It’s kind of like the lovechild of traditional chai and a spiced tea concentrate... only more natural, more fragrant and far more delicious.
To enjoy it, simply scoop a tablespoonful into a pot with your favourite milk (dairy or plant-based), gently warm it through, strain, and sip (I've got Thermomix and teapot instructions below!). Because the spices have been steeping in honey, the flavour is beautifully deep and balanced - no need to simmer for ages or guess your spice ratios.
Best of all, once you make a batch, it stores beautifully in the fridge, so you’re never more than a few minutes away from a comforting, soul-soothing cuppa. Whether it’s part of your slow morning ritual or your mid-afternoon pick-me-up, this sticky chai is a little luxury you’ll quickly fall in love with.
Here's a quick video showing you just how easy it is to make...
Makes 3 cups sticky mixture, approximately 24 serves
+soy free
+nut free
+egg free
+dairy free
+vegetarian
+vegan (option)
Ingredients
16 cardamom pods
12 cloves
8 cinnamon sticks
8 star anise
2 tsp fennel seeds
40g fresh ginger, peeled
150g honey, or to taste*
80g loose black tea leaves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Method
- Place cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and fennel in TC bowl, chop for 5 seconds, speed 8.
- Add ginger, chop for 3 seconds, speed 5.
- Add honey, warm for 5 minutes, 37 °C, speed soft. Scrape down sides.
- Add tea leaves and nutmeg, mix for 12 seconds, reverse speed 1.
Transfer to an airtight jar or container and store in the fridge for up to two months. Keep scrolling for instructions on how to brew your sticky chai!
*Adjust the honey to suit your taste. Our recipe gives a lightly sweetened chai - 100g is very mild, 200g is moderately sweet with room to go sweeter if you like. Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan option.
Brewing your chai: Thermomix method
Brewing sticky chai in your Thermomix is, in my opinion, the most flavourful method. The gentle agitation helps release even more of the spices’ natural goodness, resulting in a rich, aromatic brew. It’s also wonderfully convenient - everything happens in one jug, from brewing to heating the milk. While it may lack the slow, soothing ritual of the teapot, it more than makes up for it with ease and intensity.
You’ll need:
- 2 heaped teaspoons of sticky chai per person
- 1 large mug of liquid per person - milk (dairy or plant-based), water or a combination of the two. For a creamy cup use all milk, for a lighter brew, use half water half milk
- Strainer
Method:
- Place sticky chai into your TC bowl - 2 heaped teaspoons per person. Add your chosen liquid combination.
- For a single serve, heat for 6 minutes, 80°C, speed 3. Add an extra 1 minute for each additional serve (eg. for 3 serves, heat for 8 minutes instead of 6 minutes).
Pour through a strainer into mugs.
Tip: Want to batch brew? Make extra and store in the fridge - it's so easy to make up to 2L in the Thermomix. Enjoy it cold over ice or gently reheat when needed. It’s chai your way, any day!
Brewing your chai: Teapot method
Brewing sticky chai in a teapot is a calming ritual - slow, simple, and soul-soothing. It may not extract quite as much intensity as the Thermomix, but it makes up for it in charm. There’s something special about letting the spices steep gently, filling the kitchen with their warming aroma. Perfect for those slow mornings or cosy afternoons when the process is just as comforting as the final cup.
You’ll need:
- 2 heaped teaspoons of sticky chai per person
- Your favourite teapot (ideally with a built-in strainer)
- Option 1: Warm milk of choice (dairy or plant-based); you can heat this in the Thermomix, on the stove or in the microwave
- Option 2: Boiling water + a splash of milk at the end
- Strainer (if your teapot doesn't already have)
Method:
Add your sticky chai straight into the teapot - 2 heaped teaspoons per person. Pour in a small splash of boiling water, just enough to cover the chai. Let it sit for 30 seconds to bloom - this releases the aromatics and softens the honey.
Option 1: Top up the teapot with hot (not boiling) milk—about ¾ cup per person. Let it steep with the lid on for 5–10 minutes. If heating your milk in the Thermomix, heat for 5 minutes, 80°C, speed 3, or until 80°C is reached (if doing multiple serves at once, you'll need a couple of minutes longer).
Option 2: Fill your teapot with freshly boiled water. Steep for 5–10 minutes, then add a generous splash of milk to your cup when serving.
Pour through a strainer into mugs. Sweet, spiced, and oh-so-satisfying.
