Iced Masala Tea Latte: Cool Twist on Nepali Chiya

When the weather turns warm, many tea drinkers start reaching for iced coffee or sugary café drinks. If you love Nepali chiya and want something cooler that still feels grounding, an iced masala tea latte is the perfect middle path.

This recipe keeps all the spice and comfort of traditional Nepali masala chiya and turns it into a smooth, refreshing iced latte. It is creamy, lightly sweet, and built on real Himalayan black tea rather than syrup or powder.

Updated: December 12, 2025

Iced masala tea latte keeps the heart of Nepali chiya while adding a cool, creamy twist made for summer.

Why Iced Chiya Belongs in Your Summer Ritual

In Nepal, chiya is more than a beverage. It is a daily ritual shared with family, guests, and neighbors. Traditionally it is served steaming hot, but the same spices and strong black tea also make an incredible iced drink when the temperature rises.

An iced masala tea latte gives you:

• The familiar flavor of Nepali masala chiya, just served cold.
• A smoother caffeine lift than coffee, without a crash.
• A way to enjoy real tea and spices instead of overly sweet café syrups.

It feels like a treat, but it is grounded in the same high-altitude black tea and spices that make hot chiya so satisfying.

What Is Masala Chiya?

In Nepali households, masala chiya is a spiced milk tea made by simmering black tea with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and other warming spices, then adding milk and sugar. The goal is balance: the tea should still taste present, not buried under sweetness.

If you want a deeper dive into the culture and history behind this drink, you can explore how chiya is made and served at home in What Is Chiya? How to Make Nepali Milk Tea at Home .

When you pour this same spiced tea over ice and top it with milk, it becomes an iced masala tea latte: cool on the outside, warm and aromatic at the core.

Why Our Masala Tea Works So Well Iced

Many café-style chai lattes are built on syrups, concentrates, and flavor oils. They are usually very sweet, with the spices and tea flavor flattened into something that tastes the same everywhere.

Premium Nepalese Himalayan Masala Spiced Black Tea takes a different approach. It is blended to taste like real Nepali masala chiya, whether you brew it hot or iced.

Use one masala tea blend for both hot morning chiya and iced lattes when the day turns warm.

If you want to explore more strong black teas for experimenting with your own spice blends, browse the Nepali Loose Leaf Black Tea Collection.

How to Make Iced Masala Tea Latte

There are two reliable ways to build an iced masala tea latte at home:

• Hot-brewed tea that you cool and pour over ice.
• Cold-brewed masala tea concentrate that steeps slowly in the fridge.

The hot-brewed method gives a classic masala chiya flavor with a little more body. Cold brew is smoother and slightly sweeter, with less bitterness and a gentler caffeine release.

Hot-brewed iced masala tea latte (serves 2)

• 2 teaspoons Premium Nepalese Himalayan Masala Spiced Black Tea
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 cup cold oat milk or dairy milk
• 1–2 teaspoons raw sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
• Ice cubes
• Optional: small pinch of nutmeg or a drop of vanilla extract

Step-by-step instructions

1. Make a strong masala tea base.

   Bring 1 cup of water to a gentle boil, around 200°F. Add 2 teaspoons of masala tea and simmer for 4–5 minutes. You want the tea slightly stronger than you would drink hot, so it does not taste weak over ice.

2. Strain and cool.

   Strain the tea into a heat-safe jar or glass. Let it come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. This keeps the ice from melting too quickly and watering down the flavor.

3. Prepare your glass.

   Fill a tall glass with ice. If you like, you can drizzle a little maple syrup along the inside of the glass for a gentle sweetness.

4. Assemble the latte.

   Pour the chilled masala tea over the ice until the glass is about halfway full. Top with cold milk. Stir gently to swirl the tea, milk, and spices together.

5. Adjust sweetness and spice.

   Taste and add sweetener if desired. A pinch of nutmeg or a drop of vanilla can add extra depth without making the drink heavy.

If you enjoy dialing in brew strength and timing, the steeping tips in How to Steep Black Tea for Maximum Flavor carry over directly to this iced masala latte.

Cold-brew masala tea latte concentrate

Cold brewing is an easy way to keep iced masala tea ready for the week. It extracts flavor more slowly and pulls out less bitterness, which works well if you prefer a very smooth iced chai style drink.

• 3 teaspoons Premium Nepalese Himalayan Masala Spiced Black Tea
• 1½ cups cold filtered water
• Milk of your choice for serving
• Ice and sweetener as desired

1. Add the tea and cold water to a jar and stir gently.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours, depending on how strong you like your iced masala tea.
3. Strain the concentrate and store it in the fridge for up to three days.
4. To serve, fill a glass with ice, pour in half concentrate and half milk, and adjust to taste.

For more ideas on using cold water steeping with different teas, see How to Brew a Delicious Cold Brew Using Loose Leaf Tea .

The Cooling Side of Warming Spices

Spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove are often described as warming, but in many traditional systems they are also used to support balance in hot weather. When combined with tea, milk, and ice, they create a cooling effect that feels steady rather than shocking.

An iced masala tea latte can help:

• Support digestion after heavy summer meals.
• Reduce the need for sugary soft drinks or energy drinks.
• Provide a moderate caffeine lift that feels smoother than coffee.
• Offer a richer flavor than plain iced tea, without extra syrups.

You still get a grounded sense of ritual, just in a form that fits long, bright days and warmer evenings.

Iced Masala Latte vs Café Chai Drinks

Many people first meet iced chai through a café menu, where it often comes from a carton, powder, or pump bottle. Making your own iced masala tea latte at home gives you more control over sweetness, ingredients, and flavor.

Summer Variations to Try

Once you have the base recipe, it is easy to adapt your iced masala tea latte to match your mood or the weather. Here are a few ideas that stay true to Nepali masala chiya while giving you room to be playful.

Strong iced masala latte

Brew the hot tea base with an extra teaspoon of leaves and use slightly less milk. This version is closer to a classic iced chai for days when you want a more assertive tea flavor.

Light, all-afternoon version

Use more milk and a little less tea, then pour over plenty of ice. You still get the spice and tea character, but in a softer, all-day sipping style.

Blended masala frappe

Add chilled masala tea, milk, ice, and a small touch of honey to a blender and pulse until smooth. This creates a creamy, milkshake-like texture without needing flavored syrups.

Iced coffee and chiya together

For a stronger lift, add a small shot of espresso to your iced masala tea latte. The black tea and coffee share the glass, and the spices help keep the drink balanced.

Masala latte popsicles

Pour leftover iced masala tea latte into popsicle molds and freeze. The result is a lightly sweet, spiced tea pop that tastes like a frozen version of your favorite summer drink.

Related Teas and Guides

• Premium Nepalese Himalayan Masala Spiced Black Tea for both hot chiya and iced masala tea lattes.
• Nepali Loose Leaf Black Teas if you want to experiment with different bases for spiced lattes and iced chai style drinks.
• What Is Chiya? How to Make Nepali Milk Tea at Home to understand the hot version that inspired this iced latte.
• How to Steep Black Tea for Maximum Flavor for timing and temperature tips that improve both hot and iced brews.
• How to Brew a Delicious Cold Brew Using Loose Leaf Tea to expand your summer iced tea rotation beyond masala lattes.

FAQs About Iced Masala Tea Latte