The return of students to school always signals fall to me and to get ready, I’ve made up a big batch of homemade chai sugar. You can sprinkle it into coffee or tea, of course, and you can substitute it in many of your fall baking recipes. It can spice up your morning oatmeal or french toast, and I’m thinking about how delicious it would be mixed in some icing for cupcakes!
If you have friends that bake, these little jars of chai sugar would make a SWEET gift for them. And they would make a great hostess gift along with some tea or cookies made with it.
But be sure to treat yourself to a few jars, too!
Are you familiar with the flavor of chai? It is composed of warm, aromatic spices that were traditionally used to flavor tea in India. I first became acquainted with it about 20 years ago when one of Leo’s sons made some bottled chai tea concentrate. I fell in love with the sweet yet warm spicy flavor. During the fall and winter, I usually get my “chai fix” at Starbucks when I order a Chai Tea Latte. But now I can get that same flavor at home with this chai sugar!
To make your own chai sugar, you will need granulated sugar, vanilla beans, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves.
I ordered my vanilla beans HERE (affiliate link.) I discovered that cardamom can be hard to find, but I finally spotted it at Harris Teeter. So if you are ordering your vanilla beans from Amazon, you may want to go ahead and order the cardamom (affiliate link) as well. Putting the cardamom in your chai sugar is a MUST! It’s a bit pricey, but it won’t be chai without it!
Since I love the flavor of nutmeg, I added that into the mix as well. But I know some people are not fond of nutmeg so you could leave that out if you wanted.
All of the ground spices get mixed with the granulated sugar and split and scraped vanilla beans and seeds. Put it in an airtight container for at least a week or longer.
When you are ready to transfer it to glass jars, sift out the whole pieces of vanilla beans and seeds. Save for another use or throw them in your sugar canister.
I put mine in a variety of sizes of jars. I found a package of chalkboard labels at Big Lots for $1 recently.
The little jars got a topping of craft paper and twine. I can just see this tucked down inside a gift basket with some cookies made with the sugar!
The recipe that I’m giving you makes a big batch of chai sugar. It will be enough for all your baking needs and warm beverages this fall and winter as well as stock you up for some gift-giving. I hope you enjoy its warm spiciness as much as I do.
Chai Sugar
Ingredients
- 12 cups granulated sugar
- 10 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 6 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 vanilla beans split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine sugar, spices, split vanilla beans and vanilla seeds.
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Cover and let stand in a cool, dry place for at least 1 week.
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Discard vanilla beans and transfer sugar mixture to glass jars.
Recipe Notes
Enjoy the chai sugar in warm beverages, French toast, oatmeal, smoothies, cupcake icing, and many baking recipes such as cookies, cakes, and scones.
Melanie says
August 27, 2015 at 1:23 pmThat sounds like it would be good in oatmeal and coffee! Must try!
Mary says
August 26, 2015 at 5:15 amI love this! I didn’t discover cardamom until a couple of years ago when a pear cake called for it. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
liz says
August 21, 2015 at 2:01 pmInteresting recipe – I’ll give it a try. I also love the twine cattails – will have to try making those in the near future!
liz says
September 5, 2015 at 8:42 pmSo far, it’s been a nice addition to my coffee in the morning. Once it cools down then I’ll add it to the morning oatmeal.
One thing I noticed when I went through the pictures again is how old your can of whole nutmeg is – it looks rusty on the bottom. I think you need a fresh jar of nutmegs. I use a micro plane to get the fresh shavings of nutmeg, but my mom had a tiny grater that had a lid so you could store the partially used nut.
The grater goes on my kitchen Christmas tree with other cute but old cooking tools such as tiny whisks, chocolate molds, cookie cutters. I refresh my supply of Bigelow teas since they come in different color packets.
Jane Windham says
September 7, 2015 at 4:11 pmI’m loving it in my coffee too, Liz! And yes, that can of nutmeg was very old. I used the last of it to make this batch of chai sugar! I would love to find one of those tiny graters that your mom had!
Sue. says
August 19, 2015 at 7:28 pmSounds yummy! Thanks!
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage says
August 19, 2015 at 10:47 amJane,
I love vanilla chai tea so I am going to try this. It would make for great gifts.
Thanks for sharing.
Kris
Jean says
August 19, 2015 at 9:22 amThanks Jane! Cannot wait to try!
Michaelene Weber says
August 19, 2015 at 8:59 amI love most of your ideas this one is GREAT can’t wait to make it and also use it . We also made a little deck this summer useing your instrutions we love it my husband and son put it together on a Sunday afternoon we have a very small yard so this worked great . Thanks again for all of your WONDERFUL ideas Have a BEAUTIFUL i know WE WILL
Jenna says
August 19, 2015 at 8:20 amI can’t wait to try this Jane! What a great gifts for the holidays! I love the jar decorated with the brown paper top~
Dawn says
August 19, 2015 at 7:37 amJane I’ve never heard of such a thing and now I want a batch. I’ll try and make it with stevia and see if it works, I have an allergy to sugar. What a brilliant idea.