Apple Cider Chai (Chaider)
A warming fall drink that combines sweet apple cider with black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. Serve it straight for a bold apple-spice drink or add warm milk for a creamy chai-style finish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 green cardamom pods lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 6 thin slices fresh ginger
- 6 black peppercorns lightly crushed
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup whole milk optional for serving
Instructions
- Pour the 4 cups apple cider into a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed cardamom pods, cloves, ginger slices, and lightly crushed black peppercorns.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the cider to a gentle simmer. Avoid letting it reach a vigorous boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until the cider is hot and fragrant.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the 4 black tea bags, making sure they are submerged in the hot cider.
- Steep the tea for 4 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags without squeezing them.
- Stir in the 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
- Strain the chaider through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof pitcher or directly into mugs. Discard the spices and ginger.
- If making creamy chaider, warm the 1 cup whole milk separately in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming but not boiling.
- Divide the warmed milk evenly among four mugs, then add the hot strained chaider. For a stronger apple-forward drink, simply serve the chaider without milk.
- Serve immediately while hot and aromatic.
Notes
Use apple cider rather than clear apple juice for a fuller, more concentrated apple flavor.
Keep the cider at a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil to prevent excessive reduction.
Steep the black tea for 4 minutes. A much longer steep can make the chaider bitter.
Lightly crush the cardamom pods and peppercorns rather than grinding them.
Whole milk is optional. For a dairy-free variation, use unsweetened oat milk.
For make-ahead chaider, prepare and strain the drink without adding milk. Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes, until steaming. Warm any milk separately and add it just before serving.
A cinnamon stick can be added to each mug as a simple garnish.
Nutrition Nutrition information is estimated per serving and includes the optional whole milk. Calories: 190
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 34 g
Sodium: 35 mg
Keep the cider at a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil to prevent excessive reduction.
Steep the black tea for 4 minutes. A much longer steep can make the chaider bitter.
Lightly crush the cardamom pods and peppercorns rather than grinding them.
Whole milk is optional. For a dairy-free variation, use unsweetened oat milk.
For make-ahead chaider, prepare and strain the drink without adding milk. Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes, until steaming. Warm any milk separately and add it just before serving.
A cinnamon stick can be added to each mug as a simple garnish.
Nutrition Nutrition information is estimated per serving and includes the optional whole milk. Calories: 190
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 34 g
Sodium: 35 mg