Homemade chai ice cream starts with honey-sweetened cream, steeped with warm chai spices. It is then churned to make a delightful, creamy, fall-inspired ice cream. It takes the orange, clove, cinnamon, and fennel flavors of your favorite tea and yields a rich, frozen delicacy.
Tea and coffee are my favorite drinks of choice, especially during these cool months.
There is something about sipping a hot Spiced Rooibos Latte or Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe that makes my heart sing. The busyness of the day seems to calm just for a split second as I take a sip.
Hearty food from scratch has my heart, but drinks take a close second. And if there was a race, ice cream would be right up there with them.
So, I decided to take my favorite things, ice cream and chai, and put them together to make a wonderful dessert. For the record, this ice cream transcends beyond the seasons, so please enjoy regardless of the temperature outside.
The delicious, warm flavors are like your favorite fall diffuser blend or candle in a yummy, creamy dessert.
Scoop this ice cream atop some sourdough pumpkin cobbler and we’re talking full on autumn glee.
What is Chai flavor made of?
There are variations of chai and its ingredients. Normally, you will find notes of orange or lemon, clove, hints of black pepper, fennel, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon.
Tips For Making Chai Ice Cream:
- If you have difficulty finding all the whole spices in your grocery store, you can alternatively use 3-4 tea bags of your favorite brand of chai from the store.
- Taste your mixture as it steeps so you know when it has reached your desired level of chai flavoring.
- Getting ice cream frozen to the correct temperature quickly will really determine how smooth and creamy your final product will be.
- Ensure your ice cream machine canister is frozen completely before using. Ensuring your custard mixture is completely chilled before churning is also very important.
- Honey is not only a better sweetener option than white sugar for the nutritional benefits, but it also produces a creamier texture to the ice cream and pairs so well with the flavors of chai.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Tools you may need:
Dutch oven or saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Freezer safe container
How To Make Chai Ice Cream
Begin by crushing the cloves, fennel, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon stick in a mortar and pestle just to break up the whole spices and release their flavors.
Combine whole milk, cream, honey, black pepper, lemon (or orange) zest, tea bags and crushed spices in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and stir well to ensure honey is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Remove from heat and allow chai spices to steep in the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
Taste the mixture while it steeps until it reaches the strength of chai flavor you desire.
Strain the crushed spices from the mixture and return the mixture to the clean pot.
Whisk egg yolks separately in a small bowl. Gradually whisk 1⁄2 cup warm cream mixture to the egg yolks to temper the egg yolks and prevent curdling.
Then, whisk to combine yolk mixture into the remaining cream mixture in the medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, around ten minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.
Pour custard through a fine, wire-mesh strainer into a bowl.
Place the bowl in the fridge to cool for several hours before churning in the ice cream maker, OR place the bowl over an ice bath and stir until the custard is very cold.
Pour the cold custard into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once ice cream is churned, pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.
Storage:
Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Find More Delicious Desserts Straight From The Farmhouse Kitchen:
- Sourdough Carrot Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
- Sourdough Pumpkin Rolls
- Homemade Apple Pie
- Toasted Coconut Cookies
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Chai Ice Cream
Homemade chai ice cream is a delightful, creamy, fall-inspired ice cream. It blends the orange, clove, cinnamon, and fennel flavors from your favorite tea and yields a rich, frozen dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1⁄3 cup honey
- 5 egg yolks (large eggs)
- 2 black tea bags
- zest of one orange or lemon
- 1⁄2 tsp of whole cloves
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1⁄4 tsp of whole fennel
- 1⁄2 tsp of whole allspice
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1⁄2 tsp of whole cardamom
- Half a cinnamon stick
Instructions
Begin by crushing the cloves, fennel, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon stick in a mortar and pestle.
Combine whole milk, cream, honey, black pepper, lemon (or orange) zest, tea bags and crushed spices in a medium saucepan.
Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and stir well to ensure honey is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Remove from heat and allow chai spices to steep in the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
Taste the mixture while it steeps until it reaches the strength of chai flavor you desire.
Strain the crushed spices from the mixture and return the mixture to the clean pot.
Whisk egg yolks separately in a small bowl. Gradually whisk 1⁄2 cup warm cream mixture to the egg yolks to temper the egg yolks.
Then, whisk to combine yolk mixture into the remaining cream mixture in the medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, around ten minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.
Pour custard through a fine, wire-mesh strainer into a bowl.
Place the bowl in the fridge to cool for several hours before churning in the ice cream maker, OR place the bowl over an ice bath and stir until the custard is very cold.
Pour the cold custard into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once ice cream is churned, pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.
Notes
If you have difficulty finding all the whole spices in your grocery store, you can alternatively use 3-4 tea bags of your favorite brand of store bought chai.
Taste your mixture as it steeps so you know when it has reached your desired level of chai flavoring.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 5g
Pin It For Later
Tara says
Hi! I would love to know what ice cream maker you use and where is it made. I would like to buy a new one. Thank you!