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The best Christmas morning chai recipe!

If you are trying to recreate the Dutch Bros Christmas morning chai at home, read this post for the copycat recipe.

You will only need a few ingredients: 

• 1 pack of Oregon chai latte mix;
• 8 oz of hot water;
• 3 oz of half and half (full fat cream);
• 1 Tbsp of white chocolate syrup;
• powdered cinnamon, to sprinkle on top (optional).

Let’s brew a Dutch Bros Christmas morning chai at home!

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Ok, so you know by now how much I love my chai tea latte….it’s an obsession.

And, because I love it so much, I’m always on the hunt for a new recipe.

So, this is the story: I was surfing the Internet for some new way of brewing my chai tea latte at home, and I came across something totally new for me.

DUTCH BROS CHRISTMAS MORNING CHAI

Forgive me if I’m late to the party and you are not, but I live in Europe and up until now I had never heard of the Dutch Bros. company.

We don’t have this coffee house in this part of the world I’m afraid. And what a revelation it was!

Reading through the many online articles, I have the feeling the beverages they serve are pretty good!

And because I’m a big fun of chai, why not try to recreate their “Christmas morning Chai” recipe at home?

Let’s see what we can do!

WHAT IS DUTCH BROS KNOWN FOR?

Dutch Bros started as a company in 1992. It was created by two Dutch-American brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma, who decided to leave their employment in the dairy industry and start literally a push cart business, serving coffee locally.

Fast forward to now, the company boasts 400 locations in 9 states across the USA.

Dutch Bros. don’t only serve coffee. In fact, they also have a large selection of hot and cold drinks, such as energy drinks and smoothies made with fresh fruit.

What’s in the Christmas morning chai at Dutch Bros?

As I read this article from Cosmopolitan, I realise that this recipe is part of the Dutch Bros secret menu….wow! They even have a secret menu? 

As it happens, yes they do! And there’s so many mouth watering drinks to choose from!

Back to the Christmas morning chai, let’s have a look at the ingredients.

What’s in the Christmas morning chai?

Since, I’ve personally never tried one, I have to read the list of ingredients from a website.

In particular, I found this one very helpful: “Well, like all chai drinks at Dutch Bros, the Christmas Morning is made with the Oregon Chai tea latte base – an instant powder mix or concentrate, half and half, and white chocolate syrup. The chai tea packets are dissolved with water while the half and half is added later to achieve the creaminess and lighter color. For the iced version, the concentrate is mixed with your milk or choice, the white chocolate syrup and can be topped with whip if you like”.

It sounds very indulgent and Christmassy to me!

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WHAT IS A CHAI TEA?

If you are not familiar with chai tea, you might wander what all the fuss is about.

In case this was the first time you heard of it, chai tea is a very old and traditional drink, enjoyed around the world by many tea drinkers looking for a hot and spicy drink.

From www.tasteofhome.om

“Originating in India nearly 5,000 years ago, chai has been loved by many. Legend has it that chai didn’t originally contain tea leaves, milk or sugar when it was first created. It was only comprised of a mix of spices native to India and was used for Ayurveda, an all-natural Indian healing practice. (Fun fact: “chai” means tea, so when you say “chai tea,” you’re really saying “tea tea.”)

Flash-forward to the 1600s when black tea leaves were discovered in China. Once the tea leaf, known as Camellia sinensis assamica, made its way to India, the chai recipe we know and love today was created”.

Nowadays, chai tea lattes are very common, and they can be ordered in any coffee shop.

Generally speaking, a chai tea is a brewed black tea, made using pre-made chai tea bags or a concentrate. In both cases, whole spices such as cinnamon sticks, black pepper, cardamom pods, clove and fresh ginger are used to create this cozy drink.

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I have already written a few blog posts on chai tea, and if you are curious to know more about this healthy and delicious drink, you might want to check them.

IS CHAI TEA HEALTHY?

Here, I talk about all the health benefits you could get while enjoying a chai tea at home or at your favourite cafe.

Among them, chai tea can:

• Have antioxidant benefits;
• Provide anti-inflammatory support;
• Help with heart health;
• Promote better digestion;
• Aid with weight loss;
• Help managing blood sugar levels;
• Etc.

Read this post to learn more about the amazing health benefits that chai tea latte can provide you.

IS CHAI TEA VEGAN?

If you follow a plant based diet, the good news is that you can enjoy a cup of chai tea or chai latte without having to compromise on your lifestyle choices.

You can recreate your favourite drink by swapping some ingredients with vegan ones.

Read this post to learn how to easily make a vegan chai tea at home.

Also don’t forget to download the free recipe to make the perfect homemade chai latte at home!

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How do you make a Dutch Christmas morning chai?

There are so many different recipes of chai tea on line, and you will find that very often they use different ingredients.

Indeed, the beauty of drinking chai is that you can customise the recipe to suit your needs and taste.

However, if you are trying to recreate the Dutch Bros Christmas morning chai, there are a couple of ingredients you cannot skip. 

OREGON CHAI TEA LATTE 

Dutch Bros use this concentrate as the base for all their chai tea drinks.

This mix is an instant powder containing black tea, powdered milk, and a few spices (clove, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger).

Legend has it that the founder of the company “Oregon chai” travelled to the Himalayas and while there, got inspired to create her own version of chai tea. 

You can purchase this mix on amazon. Easy peasy!

half and half

At Dutch Bros, they brew their chai latte using the so called “Breve style”.

Breve is a drink made using half and half instead of milk.

This ingredient is used as it gives the drink more richness and a creamier consistency, thanks to the higher fat content in it.

Of course, half and half is a dairy based product, so if you are following a vegan diet, it might not be suitable for you.

In that case, you can opt for a barista version of your favourite plant based milk.

WHITE CHOCOLATE SYRUP

According to the recipes I found on line, this ingredient is imperative if you want to brew a cup of this Christmas chai.

The syrup adds sweetness to the drink, as well as a rich flavour and that Christmassy feeling!

CHRISTMAS MORNING CHAI RECIPE

After looking at a few Dutch Bros copycat recipes, I settled on this one, inspired by Karen Sanchez’s recipe.

As you can see, the recipe is not my own original one, and I need to give full credit to this website for it.

However, I made a few adjustment to it. 

The recipe that follows is inspired by the one on that website, but it is mine, according to the little changes I made to it to suit my taste. 

INGREDIENTS

For one serving, you will need:

• 1 pack of Oregon chai latte mix;
• 8 oz of hot water;
• 3 oz of half and half (full fat cream);
• 1 Tbsp of white chocolate syrup (or white chocolate sauce);
• Powdered cinnamon, to sprinkle on top (optional).

METHOD

In a small saucepan, add the water and bring to boil. As the water starts to boil, add the Oregon chai instant powder mix and slowly stir, until it’s completely dissolved.

Remove the pot from the hob and add the syrup. Stir until well incorporated.

Separately, steam or froth the half and half (or full fat cream).

Grab your favourite mug and gently pour the chai and syrup mix in it. Next, add the half and half.

Stir well to mix.

Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon (optional but recommended!).

Enjoy!

TIPS

If you prefer to make this recipe as a cold brew, simply add ice cubes to the mix, and skip the sprinkled cinnamon on top.

CHRISTMAS MORNING CHAI FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

This Christmas morning chai recipe is an ideal hot drink for the holiday season.

Why not whipping it up on Christmas Eve, while you are enjoying a cosy time, snuggled up in your favourite blanket on the sofa, in front of a roaring fire?

Also, if you are entertaining, chances are some of your guests might prefer to opt for an alcohol free drink. In that case, surprise your family and friends. Leave the hot chocolate to the children, and simply swap the Christmas cocktails for this rich and tasty drink.

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CHRISTMAS MORNING BREAKFAST

Better still, this chai latte would make a super indulgent drink to accompany a rich Christmas breakfast.

You could enjoy it with cinnamon rolls or a make ahead breakfast casserole.

The choice is yours!

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IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOME IDEAS FOR “MAKE AHEAD CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST”, MAKE SURE TO CHECK THIS POST!

7 make ahead breakfast recipes

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THE BEST CHRISTMAS MORNING CHAI RECIPE

Although I live too far away to taste the original Dutch Bros. Christmas morning chai, I certainly will make this recipe at home often.

I hope you will try it as well. And if you do, please leave a comment below and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.