Why you must take a look at this recipe: For cinnamon chai, a short piece of bark is easier to manage than a spoonful of powder. It perfumes the water first, then black tea and milk turn the infusion into a small, creamy chai. This guide gives a measured two-cup starting point and shows how to keep cinnamon distinct without overcooking the tea. Cinnamon varies by species and bark thickness, so the piece size and timings are a starting point for a home brew, not a single canonical Indian recipe.
The images are AI-generated illustrations, not photographs of a tested batch.
Quick answer: cinnamon chai at a glance
Simmer a 3 cm cinnamon bark piece (about 1 g) in 300 ml water for 4 minutes. Add 6 g Assam CTC black tea for 90 seconds, then 200 ml milk. Bring the milk to a rise and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Strain into two cups; sweeten with up to 8 g sugar if desired. Expect about 350–420 ml in roughly 13 minutes. Water reaches about 100°C / 212°F at sea level; milk needs only a gentle simmer. Thick bark may take longer to scent the water.
Cinnamon Chai
Cinnamon-bark black milk tea with a short separate tea stage for two small cups.
By Krishna Sahani
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Equipment: Small deep saucepan
Fine strainer
Two heat-safe cups
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Infuse cinnamon
Put one 3 cm cinnamon bark piece in 300 ml water. Bring to a boil (about 100°C / 212°F at sea level), then simmer for 4 minutes. -
Add black tea
Add 6 g Assam CTC black tea and cook for 90 seconds, stirring once. -
Add milk
Add 200 ml milk and optional 8 g sugar. Let the liquid rise, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes; watch for foam. -
Strain and serve
Remove bark, then strain promptly into two cups. Cool briefly before drinking. This is one cooked infusion; discard the used tea and bark.
Storage
Serve fresh. Strain and refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container; reheat gently.
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Where cinnamon fits in chai
The Tea Board of India lists cinnamon as one possible spice in masala chai based on Indian black tea. A Government of India embassy recipe includes cinnamon in a mixed-spice milk tea, demonstrating that a bark infusion and a tea-and-milk stage can be handled separately. This page narrows that idea to cinnamon as the primary flavor; it does not present the blend as a named regional ritual. Expect opaque warm tan chai, with the bark removed before serving.
Ingredients and equipment
Measure 300 ml water (about 1¼ US cups), 200 ml whole milk (about ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon), 6 g Assam CTC black tea, one 3 cm piece of food-grade cinnamon bark (approximately 1 g), and optional 8 g sugar (about 2 teaspoons). Use a deep small saucepan, a spoon, fine strainer and two heat-safe cups. Dairy and caffeine are present. Ground cinnamon is not a direct substitute: it leaves particles in the cup and can produce a very different strength.
Cinnamon chai method
- Put the bark in the pan with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for 4 minutes. The water should smell gently of cinnamon, not look syrupy.
- Add the tea and cook for 90 seconds. Stir once; keep an eye on evaporation.
- Add milk and optional sugar. Let the surface rise, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Use a deep pan because milk can foam quickly.
- Turn off the heat, remove the bark and strain the tea into two cups. Cool briefly before drinking. This is one cooked infusion; discard the leaves and bark.
Why these settings?
The bark gets a longer water stage than the tea so the cinnamon can be noticed without boiling CTC leaves for the whole time. The embassy’s mixed-spice method is one reference point, but its milk and tea ratio differs. Thicker bark and different cinnamon varieties change the aroma. After a hands-on test, adjust bark size before changing tea mass: more bark gives more cinnamon while more tea gives greater briskness.
Troubleshooting
- Cinnamon barely present: Break the bark once to expose an edge, or add one more minute to its water stage next time.
- Woody or overpowering: Use a shorter piece and strain promptly rather than leaving bark in the hot cup.
- Tea tastes dry: Cut the tea stage to 60 seconds; keep the cinnamon stage intact.
- Powdery sediment: Choose a bark piece instead of ground spice.
Variations and serving
A small slice of fresh ginger can be simmered with the bark for a modern two-spice variation. Cardamom is another common masala-chai companion, but leave it out if the goal is to judge cinnamon on its own. Serve in modest cups with sugar to taste. Strain and refrigerate any leftover milk tea within two hours; reheat gently. Do not leave a milk chai on the stove for repeated reheating.
FAQs
Is cinnamon chai always made with milk?
No. This is a milk-chai recipe. Cinnamon can also flavor plain black tea, but the measurements should be adjusted for that lighter drink.
Can I use ground cinnamon?
It can work in a different formula, but it will not strain cleanly and teaspoons vary widely. Start with bark for this card.
Does the type of cinnamon matter?
Yes. Bark shape, thickness and aroma vary. Buy a labeled food-grade product and use a small amount first.
Can I make it caffeine-free?
Leaving out the black tea makes a cinnamon milk infusion, a different beverage rather than this chai recipe.
References and further reading
- Tea Board of India: Masala Tea — cinnamon as one possible masala-chai spice and black tea as the base.
- Embassy of India in Jakarta: Flavors of India, Masala Chai — government recipe with cinnamon, tea and milk.
Related TeaTurbo articles
Editorial method: research-based preparation awaiting TeaTurbo hands-on verification. Author: Krishna Sahani.
