Get ready to cozy up with your new favorite spiced drink – this delicious Chai Spice Cocktail! It’s the perfect mix of warm, aromatic chai tea, smooth dark rum, and creamy maple liqueur, creating a comforting and incredibly flavorful beverage. While the original inspiration suggests this for the holidays, I find the warming spices of chai are welcome anytime, especially on a cooler spring evening like today, April 28th! This Chai Spice Cocktail is incredibly easy to make, impressive enough for guests, and sure to become a staple in your rotation if you love chai flavors as much as I do.

Why You’ll Love This Chai Spice Cocktail

Cozy Chai Flavors: Perfectly captures the warming blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and other spices found in chai tea.
Easy to Make: Simple steps involving brewing tea and mixing ingredients.
Creamy and Comforting: The maple cream liqueur adds a lovely richness and subtle sweetness.
Unique Cocktail: A delicious departure from typical fruity or citrusy cocktails.
Perfect for Cozy Evenings: Ideal for sipping by the fire or relaxing after dinner.

Ingredients for Chai Spice Cocktail

Here’s what you’ll need to mix up this cozy and flavorful cocktail. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Chai Tea Base

Chai tea bags (Tea)
Boiling water (Liquid)

Cocktail

Chilled brewed chai tea (from above) (Tea)
Dark rum (Liquor)
Maple cream liqueur (Liqueur) (See Tips/FAQs for substitutions)
Ice (Ice)

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)

Variations

I love the specific combination in this Chai Spice Cocktail, but here are some delicious variations:

Maple Cream Liqueur Substitute: If you can’t find maple cream liqueur, try using regular Irish cream liqueur (like Baileys) and adding 1-2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup to the shaker. Or, use another cream liqueur you enjoy.
Different Rum: Use aged rum or even spiced rum for extra spice notes. Bourbon could also work for a different twist.
Make it Vegan/Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free cream liqueur (like Baileys Almande) or combine a splash of maple syrup with a creamy dairy-free milk/creamer in the shaker. Ensure your chai tea bags don’t contain honey if strictly vegan.
Add Citrus: Shake with a small squeeze of fresh orange juice for a hint of brightness.
Spiced Rim: Rim the glass with cinnamon sugar before pouring.

Pouring the shaken Chai Spice Cocktail from a cocktail shaker into a coupe glass.

How to Make a Chai Spice Cocktail

Making this cozy Chai Spice Cocktail is incredibly simple:

Brew and Chill Chai Tea

First, I brew the chai tea base. In a small measuring cup or mug, I pour ¾ cup of boiling water over the 2 chai tea bags.
I let them steep for about 10 minutes to get a nice, strong flavor.
I remove the tea bags from the measuring cup (squeezing them gently to get all the flavor out!).
Crucially, I chill this brewed chai tea completely before making the cocktail. Adding hot tea will melt the ice too quickly and dilute the drink. I often make this ahead and keep it in the fridge.

Mix the Cocktail

Once the chai tea is chilled, I fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes.
I add the chilled brewed chai tea (4 ounces for two drinks, so 2 ounces per drink if making one), the dark rum, and the maple cream liqueur to the shaker.
I secure the lid tightly.
I shake well until chilled.

Serve

I strain the mixture evenly into 2 small coupe glasses (or other cocktail glasses).
Alternatively, if I prefer it on the rocks, I simply mix the chilled chai tea, rum, and liqueur together in a glass filled with ice and give it a gentle stir.
Serve!

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chai Cocktail

Here are my secrets for making this Chai Spice Cocktail truly exceptional:

Strong Brewed Chai: Use two tea bags and steep for the full 10 minutes (or even a bit longer) to get a robust chai flavor that stands up to the spirits.
Chill the Tea Completely: This is essential for a properly chilled cocktail when shaken with ice. Warm tea will result in a watery drink.
Quality Spirits: Use a dark rum and maple cream liqueur (or substitute) that you enjoy the flavor of on their own.
Shake Well (If Serving Up): If serving without ice in a coupe glass, ensure you shake vigorously with plenty of ice in the shaker to get it perfectly chilled and slightly aerated.
Adjust Sweetness: Maple cream liqueurs vary in sweetness. If using a substitute like Irish cream + maple syrup, adjust the syrup amount to your preference.

How to Serve

This Chai Spice Cocktail is perfect served chilled! Enjoy it:

In Coupe Glasses: Serve “up” (without ice) in chilled coupe or martini glasses for an elegant presentation.
On the Rocks: Serve over fresh ice in a rocks glass for a slightly more casual sip.
As an After-Dinner Drink: A lovely, warming digestif.
For Cozy Gatherings: Perfect for small get-togethers during cooler weather or holiday planning sessions.
Garnished (Optional): A cinnamon stick, star anise, or a light dusting of ground cinnamon on top enhances the aroma.

Two Chai Spice Cocktails ready to be enjoyed, perhaps near a cozy setting.

Make Ahead and Storage

Chai Tea: Brewed and chilled chai tea can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Cocktail: This cocktail is best mixed fresh just before serving, especially if serving “up,” to ensure proper chill and texture.

FAQs about Chai Spice Cocktail

What is Maple Cream Liqueur? Can I substitute it?
- Maple cream liqueur is a spirit combining cream, maple syrup flavor, and often whiskey or rum. Brands like Cabot Trail or Sortilège exist, but might be regional. A great substitute is using Irish Cream Liqueur (like Baileys) and adding 1-2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup per serving to the shaker.
Can I use loose leaf chai tea?
- Yes! Use about 1-2 tablespoons of loose leaf chai tea in an infuser or strained well after steeping in the hot water.
Can I make this drink warm?
- You could gently warm the brewed chai tea, rum, and liqueur together in a saucepan over low heat (do not boil!). This would create a warm mulled-wine-style chai cocktail.

Enjoy this warm, spicy, creamy, and incredibly easy Chai Spice Cocktail! It’s a perfect comforting drink for chai lovers.

Chai Spice Cocktail

Author: Caoimhe Byrne
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 1x
Category: Drinks, Holiday, Cocktails
Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Description

This Chai Spiced Cocktail is sure to be your new favourite holiday drink! The perfect mix of strongly brewed chai tea, dark rum, and sweet maple cream liqueur makes for a cozy and flavorful cocktail.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chai Tea Base:

2 good quality chai tea bags
3/4 cup boiling water

For the Cocktail (Makes 2 servings):

4 ounces chilled brewed chai tea (from recipe above)
2 ounces dark rum
6 ounces maple cream liqueur (such as Cabot Triple Cream Maple or similar)
Ice cubes

Optional Garnishes:

Cinnamon stick
Star anise pod

Instructions

1. Brew and Chill Chai Tea:

Place the 2 chai tea bags in a mug or heatproof measuring cup.
Pour the 3/4 cup of boiling water over the tea bags.
Let the tea bags steep for 10 minutes (or according to package directions for a strong brew).
Remove and discard the tea bags.
Chill the brewed chai tea completely in the refrigerator before making the cocktail (at least 30 minutes).

2. Make the Cocktail (Choose Method):

Shaken Method (Recommended): Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the 4 ounces chilled chai tea, dark rum, and maple cream liqueur. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold (about 15-20 seconds). Strain the mixture evenly into 2 chilled small coupe glasses.
Built Method: Fill two rocks glasses with ice. Add 1 ounce dark rum and 3 ounces maple cream liqueur to each glass. Top each glass with 2 ounces of the chilled chai tea. Stir gently to combine.

3. Garnish and Serve: Garnish each drink with a cinnamon stick or star anise pod, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Chai Tea: Brew a strong chai tea for the best flavor. Ensure it’s completely chilled before mixing the cocktail.
Maple Cream Liqueur: This adds sweetness and creaminess. If unavailable, you could experiment with regular Irish cream or another cream liqueur and a splash of maple syrup, but the flavor will differ.
Serving Options: Shaking chills the drink thoroughly and adds slight aeration (recommended). Building it over ice is simpler. Choose based on preference.
Chilling Glasses: Chilling your coupe or rocks glasses beforehand keeps the drink colder longer.
Storage: This cocktail is best made and served fresh. Store leftover chilled chai tea in the refrigerator.

Cozy Chai Spice Cocktail (Easy Rum Drink!)