If you can’t pick between chai and hot chocolate this season, this mug honestly solves the problem.

It starts like a proper masala chai – ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, strong black tea – and then gets poured straight over 55% dark Amul chocolate. The result is exactly what it sounds like: the spice and warmth of chai with the comfort and richness of hot chocolate.

It’s the best of both worlds in one mug.

What makes this chai hot chocolate special?

A few small choices make a big difference here:

A mix of teas:
I like using two kinds of tea – a nice loose-leaf chai for flavour, and a slightly “shitty” but high-colour CTC / bagged black tea for that deep caramel colour.
- The good tea gives you nuance: maltiness, body, aroma.
- The high-colour tea deepens the look without making the drink too harsh.
Fresh spices, not just “masala”:
- Ginger brings warmth and a slight bite.
- Cardamom gives that classic chai fragrance and a soft sweetness.
- Cloves add depth and a warm, almost medicinal edge (in a good way).
- Cinnamon rounds everything out with a cosy, familiar sweetness.
55% dark chocolate from Amul:
I used Amul 55% dark chocolate for this recipe. It’s dark enough to cut through the sweetness and spice, but not so intense that the drink becomes bitter or too “grown up” for the rest of the house. It melts beautifully and gives a lush, glossy finish.
The reheat trick:
Once you’ve strained your chai over the chopped chocolate and whisked it smooth, there’s one last step that really changes the texture:
Put the pan back on gentle heat for a minute and let the chai hot chocolate warm up again.
This extra minute helps the chocolate emulsify properly with the milk, makes the drink thicker, shinier, and just overall more “soul-warming” in the mug.

Recipe

Ingredients for Chai Hot Chocolate

Serves 1 big mug (or 2 small cups)

Milk – 1½ cups (about 360 ml), any milk you like
Fresh ginger – 3–4 thin slices
Green cardamom – 3–4 pods, lightly crushed
Cloves – 3
Small cinnamon stick – 1
Good loose-leaf tea – 1 tsp
Strong CTC / cheap black tea or 1 tea bag – 1 tsp equivalent
Sugar – 2–3 tbsp, to taste (you can also use jaggery)
55% dark chocolate (I used Amul) – about 50 g, finely chopped
Pinch of salt (optional but great for bringing out the chocolate)

Optional toppings:

Marshmallows
Whipped cream
Extra grated chocolate or a dusting of cocoa

How to make chai hot chocolate

1. Build your chai base

In a saucepan, add the milk. Drop in the ginger slices, crushed cardamom pods, cloves, and the cinnamon stick.

Add both teas – your nice loose-leaf tea and the high-colour black tea / tea bag.

Spoon in the sugar and give everything a good mix.

2. Let the spices and tea infuse

Place the pan on medium heat and bring the milk up to a gentle boil.

Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally so it doesn’t catch at the bottom. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes so the spices and tea have time to flavour the milk properly. This is where your kitchen starts smelling like winter.

3. Strain over chocolate

Place the chopped 55% Amul dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

Strain the hot spiced chai directly over the chocolate, catching all the whole spices and tea leaves.

Let it sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until the chocolate melts and the drink turns glossy and smooth. Add a pinch of salt if you like – it really lifts the chocolate.

4. The important reheat

Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and put it on low heat for about a minute, whisking gently.

You don’t want it to boil; just let it heat through and thicken slightly. This step makes the chai hot chocolate extra luscious and café-style.

5. Serve

Pour into your favourite mug. Top with marshmallows, whipped cream, or just a little extra grated chocolate if you’re feeling fancy.

Sip while it’s hot and cosy. It genuinely tastes like your evening masala chai ran away with a bar of dark chocolate.

Tips & Variations

Adjust the spice:
If you like it milder, reduce the cloves. If you love warmth, add more ginger.
Sweeter vs darker:
If you want it sweeter, you can either add a bit more sugar or switch to a slightly less dark chocolate.
Make it vegan:
Use plant-based milk and a vegan dark chocolate. The rest of the recipe stays the same.
Batch it:
You can double or triple the recipe and keep the chai base ready. When you want a mug, just reheat a portion with chocolate.

If you can never decide between making chai or hot chocolate in winter, this is your sign to stop choosing and just make both in one mug.

Share it with someone who’s permanently torn between the two – and as always, happy cooking.