Homemade chai spice recipe without black tea leaf

5 tablespoons cardamom pods

2 tablespoons whole cloves

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Cinnamon sticks – about 6-8 sticks, 2” long each

1/8 to ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

2 whole star anise

1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

Combine all of the ingredients except the ginger in a non-stick ungreased heavy skillet. Over low to medium heat, toast the spices for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the ginger and blend. Now you have to pound everything, enough to crush the spices coarsely. I used my magic bullet but you can also do this with a mortar and pestle, in a spice/coffee grinder, or put the spices in a plastic bag and pound with a mallet or rolling pin. Transfer to an airtight container where they’ll keep nicely for about 4 months.

You can brew this into tea, put a little into your hot chocolate, or bake it into a cake like I'm going to do.