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Iced Rooibos Chai Latte with Oat Milk

By • Updated August 2026
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This iced rooibos chai latte is the answer to August afternoons when you crave the warming spice of masala chai but need to keep your sleep on track. By swapping traditional black tea for South African rooibos, you get all the ginger, cinnamon and cardamom comfort with zero caffeine—perfect for late-afternoon sipping or serving to kids. A good electric milk frother is the secret here: it transforms chilled oat milk into a café-level foam that sits beautifully atop the spiced tea and holds its texture even as the ice melts.

The method is straightforward—steep your whole spices with rooibos, chill quickly, then froth cold oat milk until thick and pour it over ice and chai concentrate. The result is creamy, lightly sweet, and deeply spiced without the honey-like sweetness of plain rooibos. It's a drink that feels indulgent but comes together in under 15 minutes, and it's endlessly adaptable: dial the spice up or down, swap maple for honey, or serve it as a batch recipe for summer garden gatherings.

Iced Rooibos Chai Latte with Oat Milk
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Servings1 Large Latte
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 250 ml water
  • 2 tbsp loose rooibos tea (or 2 tea bags)
  • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 thin slices fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey, to taste)
  • 150 ml oat milk, chilled
  • Generous handful of ice cubes
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 95
Fat: 2g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 1g

Instructions

1
Simmer spices: Bring 250 ml water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. Add the crushed cardamom, cinnamon stick and ginger slices. Simmer for 3 minutes to bloom the aromatics, then add the rooibos tea and remove from the heat. Steep for 4–5 minutes.
2
Strain & sweeten: Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug, pressing the spices to extract maximum flavour. Stir in the maple syrup while still warm. Let the chai cool to room temperature, or speed things up by placing the jug in a shallow ice bath for 3–4 minutes. (For batch prep, see our guide on flash-chilling without dilution.)
3
Froth oat milk: Pour the chilled oat milk into your electric milk frother and run it on the cold-foam setting until thick and airy—usually 60–90 seconds. A good frother will create stable microfoam that won't collapse when it hits the ice. If your frother only has a hot setting, chill the milk well beforehand and froth in short bursts.
4
Assemble: Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour the cooled rooibos chai over the ice, leaving about 3 cm of headroom.
5
Top & serve: Gently pour the frothed oat milk over the chai, allowing it to cascade and layer naturally. If you like, dust the foam with a pinch of cinnamon or grated nutmeg. Serve immediately with a reusable straw.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

An electric milk frother is essential for creating the thick, stable cold foam that gives this iced latte its café texture. Unlike manual whisking or shaking, a good frother aerates chilled oat milk into silky microfoam in under two minutes, and the foam holds its structure even as the ice melts—so your drink looks (and tastes) impressive right to the last sip.

See our electric milk frother picks →

Expert Tip: Boost the Spice

For a bolder chai flavour, toast the cardamom and cinnamon in the dry pan for 30 seconds before adding water. This releases essential oils and deepens the warmth without adding heat. You can also add a crack of black pepper or a star anise for a swicy edge.

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