Short Description
A sparkling, lightly sweetened chai lime drink featuring a homemade chai syrup topped with club soda, star anise, and lemon twists—refreshing and aromatic.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Intensely fragrant with chai spices and bright citrus
- Homemade syrup gives bold flavor with better control over sweetness
- Effervescent and refreshing thanks to club soda
- Elegant presentation with star anise and lemon twist garnish
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 8–12 oz club soda (about 2–3 oz per serving)
- 4 whole star anise pods (for garnish)
- 4 lemon twists (for garnish)
Directions
- Place the 2 chai tea bags into a small bowl or heatproof container and pour in 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 8–10 minutes to extract full chai flavor.
- Remove the tea bags, then stir in ½ cup sugar until it fully dissolves, creating a chai syrup.
- Allow the chai syrup to cool to room temperature.
- In a pitcher, combine the cooled chai syrup with ½ cup fresh lime juice; stir well.
- Fill four rocks glasses with ice, and pour about ¼ of the chai‑lime mixture into each glass.
- Top each glass with 2–3 oz club soda to create effervescence and a light finish.
- Garnish each drink with one star anise pod and a lemon twist for visual and aromatic flair.
- Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing, spiced fizz.
Servings And Timing
- Servings: Makes 4 drinks
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Steeping Time: 8–10 minutes
- Assembly Time: ~5 minutes
- Total Time: Approximately 20 minutes (including cooling)
Variations
- Vegan friendly: use cane sugar or coconut sugar (all ingredients are plant-based)
- Herbal twist: substitute lime juice with lemon or even grapefruit for citrus variation
- Spice enhancement: add crushed cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground ginger to steeping water for extra warmth
- Sweetness level: reduce sugar to ⅓ cup or use honey/agave to suit your taste
- Fruit infusion: add fresh mint leaves or a few cucumber slices to glasses before serving
Storage/Reheating
- Storing: keep the cooled chai syrup‑lime mixture in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 days
- Reheating: this beverage is best served cold; to serve warm, skip the soda, gently warm the syrup‑lime mixture on the stove, then serve with lemon twist and anise
FAQs
What Kind Of Chai Tea Bags Work Best?
Strong, spiced chai tea bags (e.g. masala chai) work best—they deliver bold flavor in a short steep.
Can I Use Loose‑Leaf Chai Instead Of Tea Bags?
Yes—use 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of loose‑leaf chai in a tea infuser, steeped in boiling water for 8–10 minutes, then remove.
Is That Sweet Enough Or Should I Adjust Sugar?
Start with ½ cup sugar. Taste after syrup is cooled and mixed with lime juice; adjust sweetness as desired.
Can I Use Honey Or Agave Instead Of Sugar?
Yes—dissolve honey or agave into hot chai infusion; these alternatives will add flavor and maintain sweetness.
How Fizzy Should The Drink Be?
About 2–3 oz of club soda per glass gives a gentle fizz; increase for a lighter, more effervescent profile.
What If I Don’t Have Star Anise?
You can omit it or substitute with a whole cinnamon stick or a few cloves for aromatic garnish.
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
Yes: Prepare the syrup and lime mix ahead and refrigerate (but hold off adding soda until just before serving).
Can I Make A Non‑Citrus Version?
Yes—try adding chilled brewed chai (unsweetened) topped with soda, or substitute lime juice with orange or grapefruit juice.
Is This Drink Caffeinated?
Yes—chai tea contains black tea, so this drink will contain caffeine depending on steeping strength and tea type.
Can I Double Or Triple The Recipe For A Crowd?
Definitely—just multiply ingredients proportionally and keep soda addition separate to maintain fizz. Use a larger pitcher for mixing.
Conclusion
Chai Blossom is a sophisticated, lightly sweetened chai-lime beverage—bright, fizzy, and aromatic. Perfect for entertaining or as a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up. With easy prep and elegant presentation using star anise and lemon twist garnishes, it’s as beautiful as it is flavorful.
Print
Chai Blossom
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 drinks
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A fizzy, aromatic chai lime drink featuring homemade chai syrup, fresh lime juice, and club soda, garnished with star anise and lemon twists—perfectly balanced between bold, citrusy, and refreshing.
Ingredients
2 chai tea bags
1 cup boiling water
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh lime juice
8–12 oz club soda (2–3 oz per serving)
4 whole star anise pods (for garnish)
4 lemon twists (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the chai tea bags into a heatproof container and pour in 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 8–10 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and stir in ½ cup sugar until dissolved to make chai syrup.
- Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- Combine the cooled chai syrup with ½ cup lime juice in a pitcher and stir well.
- Fill four glasses with ice and pour in about ¼ of the chai-lime mixture.
- Top each with 2–3 oz club soda for a fizzy finish.
- Garnish each drink with a star anise pod and lemon twist.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Use strong masala chai tea for the most flavor.
- Adjust sweetness by using less sugar or substituting with honey or agave.
- Prep syrup ahead and refrigerate; add soda just before serving to keep fizz.
- Enhance flavor with extra spices like cinnamon or ginger during steeping.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drink
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
