Kat's Kitchen

There’s something special about cozying up with a warm, spiced drink that just tastes like fall in a cup. This Salted Caramel Apple Chai Latte is one of those recipes—it’s full of all the cozy flavors like cinnamon, caramel, and crisp apple notes that make you want to reach for your favorite blanket.

With a delicious homemade Apple Brown Sugar Syrup and a creamy salted caramel cold foam on top, this drink brings together all the flavors of autumn. It’s the perfect treat for crisp mornings, cozy afternoons, or really any time you need a little fall comfort!

Let’s dive into the recipe so you can make your own cozy Salted Caramel Apple Chai Latte at home!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

For the exact measurements of each ingredient, scroll to recipe card at the very bottom of this post!

• Apple Brown Sugar Syrup – I have a homemade Apple Brown Sugar Syrup that I love in this recipe, but you could also use the Starbucks Apple Brown Sugar Syrup or you could use equal parts Torani Apple Syrup and Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup! Feel free to use a sugar substitute in your at home recipe or use the sugar free Torani syrup options!

• Chai Concentrate – Use your favorite chai concentrate either from the store or homemade! Some of my favorites include the Trader Joes Spiced Chai Concentrate, Tazo Chai Concentrate, or Oregon Chai Concentrate. Note there are regular chai concentrates and super chai concentrates which require different ratios of concentrate to milk, so you may need to add more or less milk depending on which chai concentrate you choose.

• Milk – Any milk will work! Use whole milk for extra creaminess or oat milk and almond milk for a dairy-free option.
• Ice – For a refreshing, iced latte, you need ice! Use ice from an ice maker, your fridge, or from an ice cube tray!
• Salted Caramel Cold Foam – For this recipe I use the Favorite Day Salted Caramel Cold Foam. You can find this at Target in the whipped cream section, and it makes this drink super quick and easy to make. You can also absolutely make your own homemade Salted Caramel Cold Foam if you prefer! I share homemade options later in the recipe.
• Ground Cinnamon – A sprinkle of cinnamon on top adds a little extra warmth and coziness to the drink, but you could also top with apple pie spice, caramel sauce drizzle, or ground nutmeg!

How to Make an Apple Brown Sugar Chai Latte

1. To a cup, combine the Apple Brown Sugar Syrup, chai concentrate, milk, and ice. Give the iced chai latte a stir to combine all the flavors.
2. Top with Salted Caramel Cold Foam and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and enjoy.

How To Make a Hot Version

For a hot Salted Caramel Apple Chai Latte, simply steam or warm your milk before adding to your chai concentrate and syrup mixture, and then don’t add any ice! Keep everything else the exact same.

How To Lower the Sugar/Calories

To lower the sugar and overall calories in this Salted Caramel Apple Chai Latte:

• Use a sugar free substitute in your homemade Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
• If you prefer to go the store-bought syrup route, use the Torani Sugar Free Apple Syrup and the Torani Sugar Free Brown Sugar Syrup
• Use a sugar free or lower sugar chai concentrate or make your own chai concentrate using chai tea bags
• Use an unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk
• Skip the salted caramel cold foam or make your own lower calorie version using 1 tablespoon Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup and 2-3 tablespoons of half & half.

How To Make a Dairy Free Version

• Use any dairy free milk for the chai latte: almond milk, oat milk, etc
• For the cold foam, you have a few options:
  • 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons soy milk (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
  • 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons chilled coconut whipping cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
  • 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons plant based milk + 3 tablespoons dairy free heavy cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)

Can I Make This Using Chai Tea Bags?

Yes you can! Steep 2 chai tea bags in 4 ounces of hot water to create your own unsweetened chai concentrate at home. Steep for 30 minutes, and then squeeze out any extra liquid from the tea bags, and discard them. Combine the chai concentrate with 1-2 tablespoons of the Apple Brown Sugar Syrup, and 4-6 ounces of milk. Add ice, the salted caramel cold foam and ground cinnamon!

Note, I recommend 2 tea bags for every 4 ounces of water. For a larger chai latte, do 4 tea bags with 8 ounces of hot water, or 6 tea bags with 12 ounces of hot water, and so on!

Make it a Dirty Chai

If you’d like an extra caffeine kick, turn this drink into a Salted Caramel Apple Dirty Chai by adding espresso. See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home post for all the different espresso making methods at home. A shot or two of espresso blends beautifully with the spiced chai, apple, and caramel notes, that’s perfect for chilly fall mornings or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

• How to Add Espresso: Simply add 1-2 shots of espresso (about 1-2.5 ounces) to the chai concentrate and syrup before adding milk and ice. This added touch of coffee adds depth to the chai, making it a wonderful Dirty Chai with fall flavors!

Salted Caramel Cold Foam

For a super easy cold foam, you can buy a canister from the store. Target has flavored cold foams that you can squeeze overtop any drink for cold foam in seconds! I like the Salted Caramel Cold Foam in this recipe, but you can opt for whichever flavor you prefer.

If you’d rather make your own homemade Salted Caramel Cold Foam, you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Small cup
• Handheld milk frother

1. Combine the Salted Caramel Syrup, 2% milk, and heavy cream in a small cup.
2. Use a handheld milk frother to froth the mixture until thick and foamy (about 15-20 seconds) and then pour the cold foam over the iced chai latte.

For a lower sugar salted caramel cold foam, use a Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup.

For a dairy free salted caramel cold foam, you have a few options:

• 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons soy milk (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
• 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons barista style oat milk + 3 tablespoons chilled coconut whipping cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)
• 1 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup + 2 tablespoons plant based milk + 3 tablespoons dairy free heavy cream (froth together with a handheld milk frother until thick)

This chai latte is like a warm, comforting hug in a cup. The homemade Apple Brown Sugar Syrup brings in that perfect blend of tart and sweet, reminiscent of a freshly baked apple pie. Paired with the cozy spices from the chai and the creamy salted caramel cold foam, this latte is everything you crave in a fall drink.

So grab your favorite comfy blanket, make this Salted Caramel Apple Chai Latte, and enjoy a truly cozy fall moment!