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square crop of a martini glass filled with chai drink with coffee beans floating on top, a sugared rim, and a cloth napkin behind it.

Dirty Chai Cocktail

The Dirty Chai Cocktail brings together chai flavors, a hit of coffee, with Bourbon and Kahlua for a fun drink. Serve it hot as a Hot Toddy type drink, or serve it iced or shaken for an old fashioned or martini drink.

This is a great drink for fall and winter with those warm spices and flavors, but it can be enjoyed year-round as well. I love a nice iced chai mocktail on a warm summer evening.

I originally posted this recipe in 2012 as part of my chai concentrate recipe. But it was time for it to have its own space. So, I’ve updated the photos and the information for a better user experience.

a martini glass with a chai cocktail with 3 coffee beans floating on top and a sugared rim.
This cocktail can be served iced or shaken. It can also be served hot.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

a wooden mug filled with a warm chai hot toddy, coffee beans around it and a brown cloth napkin.

But, wait, what’s a dirty chai?

Well, my not-caffeinated-enough-friends, a Dirty Chai or Red Eye Chai is God’s gift to the chai tea. Ok, maybe that’s a bit much, but it is delish.

It’s simply a shot of espresso mixed into a chai tea.

When you can’t decide between your soy chai and a mocha latte, a dirty chai is the clear winner!

a hand holding a blue mug filled with a warm chai drink.
cheers!

How to make

This is a simple Bourbon Chai Cocktail drink to make. First, you’ll want some delicious chai concentrate. I have an easy to make homemade recipe for you. Once you have that made, you can store it in the fridge and this cocktail is a snap to make.

And, yes, you can use a store-bought chai concentrate (like one from Walmart or Starbucks) for convenience if you prefer, but it won’t be as tasty! And I like the homemade one because you can customize it making it less sweet, sweeter, or spicier.

Then, you’ll just mix in the other ingredients.

This can be served hot or iced. Shaken or stirred.

You can use any milk you like. Dairy milk. Make it super rich and creamy with half & half. My usually choice is whole milk – not too heavy and nice and creamy. Or save some fat and calories and go with skim milk.

Use plant-based milk. I’m a big fan of vanilla soy milk in this or a super creamy canned full fat coconut milk. Oatmilk is so popular right now too, and it makes this like an oatmeal cookie.

That’s it! And cheers!

bookers bourbon bottle on its side.
Use a good quality Bourbon like Booker’s for this cocktail

a Kahlua bottle.
If you can’t find Mocha Kahlua, just use regular Kahlua

Can I change it up?

Of course, you can change it and make it different anytime you like.

Leave the alcohol out for a mocktail. Or add in one of those alcohol-free spirits.

Add in some amaretto, Tuaca, or another type of whiskey to change up the flavors.

looking down into a martini glass filled with chai cocktail and topped with 3 coffee beans.

Other great cocktail recipes

Everyone loves a good cocktail. And here are some of my favorites. Rob Roy, Hot Toddy, Cherry Scotch Sipper, and Orange Cinnamon Moscow Mule.

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a white mug filled with a creamy cocktail and 3 coffee beans floating on top next to a cloth napkin and coffee beans scattered around.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe!

Recipe

square crop of a martini glass filled with chai drink with coffee beans floating on top, a sugared rim, and a cloth napkin behind it.

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Dirty Chai Cocktail

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The Dirty Chai Cocktail brings together chai flavors, a hitof coffee, with Bourbon and Kahlua fora fun drink. Serve it hot as a Hot Toddy type drink, or serve it iced or shaken for an old fashioned or martini drink. Celebrate the weekend with this drink!

Course DrinksCuisine AmericanKeyword bourbon, cocktail, drink

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 0 minutes Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 2 servings
Calories 198kcal
Author Debi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chai concentrate (recipe in the notes below)
  • 1 cup milk any kind from dairy half & half, skim, soy, to almond milk
  • 1 ½ ounce espresso or strong coffee
  • 1 ½ ounce good bourbon like Bookers or Knob Creek
  • 1 ½ ounce mocha Kahlua

Instructions

  • Mix chai concentrate with milk. Add in espresso, bourbon, and Kahlua. Enjoy as a warm beverage or shaken with ice.

Notes

To make 4 & 1/2 cups chai concentrate (you’ll only need 1 cup for the cocktail):
Ingredients:

  • 4 & 1/2 cups water
  • 10 black tea bags
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 7 whole cardamom pods
  • 10 whole cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tea bags, spices, and orange zest. Stir to combine, and remove from heat. Let steep 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Remove tea bags, and strain out the spices with a fine mesh sieve. Add brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
  3. Concentrate can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 252mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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