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It’s iced coffee time, y’all! Problem is, some of us (ME, ME!!) don’t like coffee. So here’s an iced chai for you tea lovers. I’m sure you could use different flavors of tea to make this drink your own, but you might have to use different spices or omit them altogether. This refreshing drink is easy to make (you don’t even have to get your blender out!) and much cheaper than buying those stupid Starbucks drinks. Can you tell I’m not a coffee drinker? Haha… Actually, I do enjoy Starbucks’s coffee-flavored iced frappe thingys, but I cannot in good conscience spend upwards of $4 on a drink that will be gone in all of 10 minutes. Not to mention the fact that they’re loaded with sugar and other yummy-but-disturbing things.
Trim Healthy Mamas (want to find out more about this low-glycemic lifestyle? Click here!), this homemade iced chai is an S drink because of the heavy whipping cream. You can make this drink Fuel Pull (no significant sources of either carbs or fats) by substituting more unsweetened almond milk for the cream, but I highly suggest that you make the S version. It’s just so creamy – a kind of coffee-shop creamy that you’re not going to get with just almond milk. This drink is not meant to be an all-day sipper, even if you make the Fuel Pull version. Use this drink with a meal or snack; you could probably add a little more protein powder to turn the drink itself into a light snack if you wish.
This iced chai is super-easy to make and does not require a blender, but if you wanted to whiz everything but the ice in a blender, I’m sure that would lend even more of a frothy, coffee-shop feel.
If you need suggestions for tea to use in this drink, I highly recommend either this vanilla chai or this decaf version. For a stronger flavor, use two tea bags instead of just one like I did here. I enjoyed the drink with one, but I know that some people would prefer two. You can also add more cinnamon and cloves (and other traditional chai spices) for more flavor, and don’t forget the salt and sweetener! They really round out the flavors.
If you don’t like chai (I didn’t either until only a month or two ago), try making this with fruit-flavored teas! I would omit the spices if doing so, but you can always add in some flavor oils to intensify the flavor. I’d love to try making this drink with raspberry tea and add a few drops of raspberry flavor oil.
If you’re in the mood for a hot drink, here’s a bulletproof chai that you could try. Like coffee? Check out my iced coffee recipe!
Question of the day (comment below!): do you like chai?
You can find this recipe in my cookbook, Necessary Food.
- 1 bag vanilla chai tea
- Hot water
- 2 T heavy whipping cream (substitute with almond milk for a low-fat, THM:FP option that's not quite as creamy)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- Cinnamon and cloves, to taste
- Hearty dash of salt
- Dash vanilla extract
- 1 T vanilla whey protein powder
- 3 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder, to taste (a doonk is 1/32 tsp.)
- Ice cubes
- Steep the tea bag in a coffee mug full of hot water for at least 5 minutes (even longer is great).
- Meanwhile, add all the other ingredients to a quart-sized jar with a lid. Shake well to combine and make the cream frothy. Fill the jar pretty much all the way up with ice cubes, then pour the tea over the top (it should come very near the top of the jar, but if it doesn't for some reason, feel free to add extra water and/or unsweetened almond milk). Stir to combine everything and taste. Adjust to your liking; I added more salt. You can also add more sweetener, as well as more spices for a stronger flavor. Feel free to use another tea bag for a stronger flavor as well, especially if you're not going to be drinking this all right away and it'll get watered down some.
- Trim Healthy Mamas, this is NOT meant to be an all-day sipper. Because of the cream (and even the amount of almond milk) it contains, you need to drink this within an hour with your meal or snack (or add more protein powder to make it into a snack itself) so you don't keep trickle-feeding your body with fuel to burn. Feel free to use more almond milk in place of the cream for a FP drink (it just won't be as creamy).
Suggested products:
- Vanilla Chai Tea or Decaf Vanilla Chai Tea
- Whey Protein Powder
- THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder, my sweetener of choice, can be purchased at the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
I cannot wait to try this! It looks so delicious. In Minnesota, however, it will be a few more days before iced drinks are needed. 🙂
Can you make this with unflavored whey protein and just add vanilla?
Sure!
This looks so great! I’m a chai lover ?
I was wondering why is this not a sipper if you make the FP? What makes a sipper…..a sipper???
A sipper is something that you can drink all day long without continuously fueling your body with calories. 🙂 This would not be a sipper because of the almond milk and protein powder used.
You’ve made me so happy. I love love love this drink and have turned 3 of my friends into it! Do you see anything wrong with having 1-2 of these daily? I’ve been drinking it as my breakfast with extra protein powder and often have another in the evening. Is that ok?
I’m glad you like it, Megan! Yes, as long as you have protein with it when drinking it on its own, that’s fine. Just make sure you’re getting plenty of “whole foods” into your diet as well – especially veggies!
Oh my goodness Briana, it is bed time and I want to make this right now! But I don’t have any chai tea! Well, tomorrow for sure.
Hi Briana!
Iced Vanilla Chai is my absolute favorite.. very excited to make this from scratch and especially that it’s a healthier alternative to Starbucks/Dunkins! Question.. think I could premake this so I can wake up and go? Thoughts on preparing the night before?
Yes, I bet you could just combine everything but the ice and refrigerate, then pour it over ice in the morning. 🙂
Briana,
Any suggestions for making this hot? Thanks!
If you want a hot chai drink, I would make this one: https://www.briana-thomas.com/bulletproof-chai/
I made the hot version and loved it! Used 2 tea bags for more flavor. Perfect for a rainy, cold January day here in Georgia. Thank you!
This is the most delicious thing I have ever put in my giant tumbler. It’s a giant tumbler of JOY right now. Yummy, scrumptious JOY!
This drink is great! Your recipes that I have tried have turned out wonderfully and have made it easier to start this THM journey. Thank you for your work!
If you used 2 tbsp half and half would this still be an FP? I know not an all day sipper, but an FP maybe?
Yes. 🙂
We tried the Iced Chai tonight for supper. I enjoyed it but what amazed me is that my husband and my boys (ages 5 and 7) liked it more than I did. They thought it tasted like Eggnog and didn’t even realize it didn’t have sugar in it. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
It looks perfect for summer! 😀 <3 My sister would love this.
This drink is do yummy!! It’s becoming my afternoon ice coffee replacement. Thank you for sharing it.
Any idea on the amount of calories?
I’m afraid not. I’m not much of a calorie counter. 🙂
Do you use this for a breakfast or snack? I’m into 3rd week of THM and not sure how to use everything. Thanks for all you do.
Hi Marcia! This is meant to be a drink to go with a meal or snack. It doesn’t contain enough protein to be used on its own as a meal or snack.
Briana, just wanted to say thank you! I’ve been eating many delicious treats that you came up with. You’re a blessing 🙂
You’re very welcome. 🙂
Thank you for this! Since dealing with adrenal fatigue I had to cut coffee out. Love ice coffee, but this is every bit as good!!
This was SO YUMMY!!! Thanks for posting!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it!
I have never tasted chai, but after reading this and seeing the yummy-looking pictures, I now want to try it!! Thanks for sharing and for introducing so many neat, new ideas here! 🙂 God bless you, Briana.
This looks so good and I would love to try but by any chance do you have the nutritional info. I am a diabetic and need to watch my carb intake. Thank you!
Hi Meg, I’m sorry but I don’t have the nutritional info. However, there aren’t really any carb sources in this. If you need to find exact amounts, I think MyFitnessPal has a nutrition calculator.