Warm Chai Spice Oatmeal (Printable version)
A cozy bowl of spiced oatmeal featuring chai flavors, sweetened and topped with nuts and fruit.
# What You'll Need:
→ Oatmeal Base
01 - 1 cup rolled oats
02 - 2 cups milk (dairy or plant-based)
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Chai Spice Blend
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
07 - 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Sweetener & Toppings
10 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts)
12 - 2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
13 - Optional: sliced banana or fresh fruit for serving
# How to Prepare:
01 - Combine milk and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
02 - Stir in rolled oats along with all chai spices. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and becomes creamy, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
03 - Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup or honey until fully combined.
04 - Portion oatmeal into bowls and garnish with chopped nuts, dried fruit, and optional fresh fruit. Serve warm.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It transforms ordinary oatmeal into something that tastes like you've been simmering spices all morning
- The whole recipe takes just 15 minutes but tastes like you've put in real effort
- It's naturally vegetarian and easily adapted for any dietary preference you might have
02 -
- The spices are where everything happens—don't skip them or cut back. That's what separates this from regular oatmeal. Add them all at once so they bloom together in the milk.
- Your first attempt might have the texture slightly off. That's fine. If it's too thick next time, use a touch more milk. Too thin? A few more minutes on the heat will fix it. It's actually hard to mess up once you know what creamy looks like.
- Grinding these spices fresh if you have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle makes an enormous difference compared to pre-ground. But honestly, pre-ground from a jar works fine too.
03 -
- Store your chai spices together in a small jar so you can make this on mornings when you need comfort but don't have energy to measure five different spice jars. I call mine my 'quick comfort blend.'
- The quality of your spices actually matters here more than in most recipes because the spices are the main event. If your spice drawer has been sitting untouched for two years, this is the moment to refresh it.
- Make a double batch and you'll have breakfast ready for those mornings when everything feels too overwhelming. Cold oatmeal never sounded appealing until you're eating something this good.