Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes
Easy Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes made with real brewed chai and topped with a sweet spiced glaze, inspired by your favourite coffee shop drink.
If you love the warm, cosy flavour of a chai tea latte, you’re going to adore these Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes. They’re soft, lightly spiced, and infused with real brewed chai for that authentic coffee shop taste in every bite.
This easy cupcake recipe starts with a simple white cake mix, making it perfect for when you want something impressive without a lot of fuss. Finished with a sweet chai-spiced glaze and an optional sprinkle of crunchy turbinado sugar, these cupcakes are the perfect treat for fall gatherings, afternoon coffee, or anytime you’re craving those classic chai flavours in dessert form.
Recipe Highlights – Why This Recipe Works
- Real chai flavour: Tea bags are steeped into the batter and glaze for authentic warm spice in every bite.
- Soft, fluffy texture: A simple cake mix base keeps the cupcakes light and tender.
- Sweet chai glaze: Infused milk and powdered sugar create a smooth glaze that adds extra flavour.
- Easy to make: Straightforward steps and pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Coffee shop inspired: All the cosy flavour of a chai tea latte in cupcake form.
Tips for Best Results
- Storage: Keep cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 3-–4 days.
- Steep the tea properly: Don’t over-steep; it can make the cupcakes bitter. Remove tea bags once the liquid is aromatic and lightly coloured.
- Cool cupcakes completely: Glaze will slide off if the cupcakes are warm.
- Whisk glaze slowly: Add milk gradually to powdered sugar for a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Optional crunch: Turbinado sugar adds texture and a sparkly finish.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chai tea bags: Use your favourite chai blend; cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom notes work best.
- White cake mix: Can substitute with a homemade white or vanilla cupcake batter.
- Vegetable oil: Can swap for melted butter or neutral oil like canola.
- Milk: Any type of milk (dairy or plant-based) works for the glaze.
- Powdered sugar: Lightly sift for a smoother glaze.
- Turbinado sugar (optional): Can omit or replace with regular granulated sugar for topping.
Looking for More Tasty Cupcakes?
Check out more of my favourite cupcake recipes!
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These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island’s Cocoa Tea – a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.
Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 4 chai tea bags
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 package white cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Chai Tea Latte Glaze
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 chai tea bags
- 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
- Turbinado sugar, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with approximately 24 standard cupcake liners.
- Steep the chai tea bags in the boiling water until slightly cooled. Squeeze excess liquid from the tea bags and discard.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cooled tea, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when pressed.
- Remove cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- To prepare the glaze, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat with the tea bags until it just begins to scald. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then squeeze out and discard the tea bags.
- Gradually whisk the infused milk into the powdered sugar until smooth and thick enough to coat the cupcakes.
- Place a wire rack over waxed paper. Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the glaze and return them to the rack.
- Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar, if desired, and allow the glaze to set before serving.
Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes
Easy Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes made with real brewed chai and topped with a sweet spiced glaze, inspired by your favourite coffee shop drink.
Ingredients
- 4 Chai Tea bags
- 1 1/2 Cups Boiling Water
- 1 package white cake mix
- 3 Eggs
- 1/3 Cup Vegetable oil
Chai Tea Latte Glaze:
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 3 Chai Tea Bags
- 2 to 3 cups powdered Sugar
- Turbinado Sugar, (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with approximately 24 standard cupcake liners.
- Steep the chai tea bags in the boiling water until slightly cooled. Squeeze excess liquid from the tea bags and discard.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cooled tea, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when pressed.
- Remove cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- To prepare the glaze, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium
heat with the tea bags until it just begins to scald. Remove from heat,
allow to cool slightly, then squeeze out and discard the tea bags. - Gradually whisk the infused milk into the powdered sugar until smooth and thick enough to coat the cupcakes.
- Place a wire rack over waxed paper. Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the glaze and return them to the rack.
- Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar, if desired, and allow the glaze to set before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 94Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Could you make this recipe in a cake pan or loaf pan ?
It can be made in a loaf pan, but you will need to bake it for closer to 40-50 minutes.
Late to this party, but oh my, these look delicious. Will be printing this one. Thanks for sharing. (again)
I just love the look of these and the holder has a cool design
now that’s a unique and tasty cupcake!
These look so good. I had some chai cookies last year and have been looking for a recipe ever since. These may help with that craving!
I am getting hungry. they look so tasty and as KD said the wrappers make them look extra classy. I;ve got to make some of these.
The cupcakes are probably tasty, but those wrappers just make them look extra-classy! (As if chai tea cupcakes didn’t sound fancy enough!) Mmm…
These look wonderful! I must make these!
These cupcakes are most definetely on my must try list
This is a crazy easy recipe! I love chai so they look awesome!
These Cupcakes Look Awesome! Thanks for the recipe.
These look fabulous. I’ve never tried chai tea cupcakes before so this will be fun! Thank you for sharing.
What a good idea using flavoured tea. I love chai tea.
OMG! These sound SO delicious and I’m a HUGE chai fan! Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe, I’m almost tempted to make them right now, but alas, it is 9:44 PM and I have to be up with the kiddos in the morning. Maybe tomorrow 😀
All your recipes look so delish!
these look delicious!
I love chai tea, so this would be an awesome recipe for me to try!
I love anything with extra spice these would be AMAZING! Thanks for the recipe!
Look wonderful!
These cupcakes sound very yummy. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
these look so delicious I must try them thanks for the post
I love chai tea,and these muffins looks delicious! Will definitely have to make them! Thanks for sharing
MMMmmm yummy. These would go well with a nice cup of creamy black tea!
I love Chai tea and these look so good, oh my gosh I have to make them, thank you for sharing the recipe
these look adorable and yummy thanks for the post
Omg, I bet these are so delicious! I’ve never made a tea flavoured cupcake before! What a treat for a cold fall day!
thanks so much for the recipe
These look delicious! I will have to try
Oh my…these do look delicious! An easy recipe and I can’t wait to taste the glaze!!
I love my Tassimo Chai Tea Latte, but this gives a whole new meaning to love. Chai Tea + cupcakes all in one!
Yum! One of these and a cup of tea would be the perfect treat after an afternoon of raking leaves.
very yummy looking cupcakes! I’ll give this recipe a go this weekend, thanks for sharing.
Oooh, YUM! I cannot wait to try these! Simple and delicious – my fave! 🙂
Going to have to try this -mine may not look as good as yours though
sounds yummy and easy!
My husband really likes spice cake and these will be something I
will make for him for his birthday in September!
Thanks, Cindi
try the icing on chocolate cupcakes too! delish.
can’t wait to try these out thanks so much for the recipe
Those look delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
These sound AMAZING!
These sound like the perfect party cupcake
These sound absolutely YUMMY! Have never tried anything like these.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Wow… those almost look too good to eat! The paper cups are adoreable 🙂
well this is a different kind of cupcake!! They look pretty tasty so this is one recipe I’m gonna have to try! Thank you so much for sharing!!
looks yum!
Those look really good and unique!
These look wonderful and the recipe looks rather easy too!
My favorite flavour. Can’t wait to try these, thanks!
Thanks for sharing this recipe:)
My husband loves Chai Latte and Chai Tea…
I plan on making these for him!
Many thanks, Cindi
Love to try this recipe!
My husband really likes chai-tea so I really want to make those for him.
These look really good, will have to try them
These look fantasticI never would of thought of using chai tea to bake with thanks for the share!
These look amazing and they sound so simple to make!
Ohhhhh lovely! I love chai lattes so these are wonderful.
We just made these and they were delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Mmmmm! The cupcakes looks so pretty (as well as yummy)! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Just pinned it … these sound too yummy! Would be great to bring to book club. Thanks!
the cupcakes look delicious and they are very pretty too.
Aren’t they awesome? They are Reynolds Staybrite baking cups. They are so much better than your everyday ones.
Love your cupcake wrappers!
Those look delicious! 🙂