If you love a steaming hot cup of chai tea, you will also love this delicious chai oatmeal recipe. This yummy recipe is flavored with vanilla chai spice and extra cinnamon. It takes just 5 minutes on the stovetop!
Post originally published November 2016; Updated February 2023.
I am a huge coffee drinker, but when I was pregnant with my son – coffee was the last thing that I wanted. So, I started drinking lots of chai tea as a replacement for my morning coffee. All the wonderful flavors in chai like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger also work really well in oatmeal.
I love trying new flavors in my morning bowl of oats so that is how this chai spiced oatmeal recipe was born! You can infuse your oats with chai flavor in two ways – one is by steeping your oatmeal cooking liquid (milk/water) in tea first and then making your oats OR you can add a chai spice blend. This recipe uses a spice mix since it saves the extra step!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
All the delicious spices that you love in your cup of chai tea are infused into this bowl of oats.
A healthy way to start your day! This oatmeal is full of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
This recipe is vegan, gluten free, egg free, and dairy free.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Old Fashioned Oats: I like the texture of old fashioned rolled oats for oatmeal the best, but you can also use quick-cooking/instant oats – just reduce the cooking time. To make it with steel cut oats, you’ll need to cook it much longer. Use gluten free oats to make this recipe gluten free.
Soy Milk: I prefer unsweetened soy milk for oatmeal since it is higher in protein than other plant milks, but you can also use almond milk or oat milk.
Maple Syrup: My favorite way to sweeten my morning oats is with a little maple syrup. You could also use agave, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
Chia Seeds: These are optional, but an easy way to add some more fiber and heart healthy plant-based omega 3 fat to your oats.
Chai Spices & Cinnamon: Use a powdered chai spice blend and some ground cinnamon to infuse these oats with lots of chai tea flavors. My favorite blend is the vanilla infused chai spice blend from Spice House. (Affiliate – Use code DIETITIANDEBBIE for 10% off your order from The Spice House!)
Topping Suggestions
Fruit: I love adding some fresh blueberries and banana to this oatmeal (as pictured). However, you could also add other berries, pomegranate, or even stewed apple or pear. Frozen fruit can also be a great addition! I just stir it in after the oatmeal is finished cooking and the hot oats defrost the fruit.
Nut Butter: Almond butter is my go-to nut butter for these oats. You could also use a cinnamon almond butter – yum!
Nuts & Seeds: Add some texture/crunch to your oats by topping them with some nuts or seeds. I really like pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, and pistachios for this recipe.
Coconut: Add a little texture with some coconut flakes on top of this oatmeal.
Step by Step
MICROWAVE: You can make it in the microwave if you prefer. Simply add all of your oatmeal ingredients to a large microwave safe bowl and heat for up to 5 minutes in the microwave. (Oats can swell in the microwave so use a bigger bowl than you think you need! I like to use a small mixing bowl.) Stir oats occasionally while they cook in the microwave. Carefully remove from microwave when oats have thickened to your liking.
STOVETOP:
Step One: Add all of your ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gently simmer and stir frequently.
Step Two: Simmer until oats have reached desired consistency and remove from the heat.
Expert Tips
Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to add more or less sweetener to these oats. The chai spice blend I like from Spice House is sweetened, so I used less maple syrup than you might prefer for your oats. Just taste and adjust to your preference!
Make your own chai spice blend: If you can’t find a chia spice blend, you can make your own. I like this chai spice blend recipe from The Spruce Eats.
Make this with a chai tea bag: If you want to make this with a chai tea bag instead, add your milk and water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add 2 chai tea bags (for 1 serving) and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook until oatmeal is thickened.
Recipe FAQs
What is chai spice made of?
Chai originated in India and the combination of spices varies from family to family, but generally includes cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, and cloves.
Can you save oatmeal?
Yes, you can save leftover oatmeal to eat later. Just transfer cooled oatmeal to an airtight container and store in the fridge. Oatmeal gets thicker after chilling, so you’ll want to stir in a little milk to thin it out again. When you are ready to reheat it, add to a bowl with a splash of milk and reheat in the microwave.
How do I thicken oatmeal?
Oatmeal too runny? There are a couple of ways to fix it: 1) cook it a little longer so that some of the extra liquid cooks off, 2) add chia seeds or ground flaxseeds which will help soak up the extra liquid, or 3) add some mashed banana.
More Oatmeal Recipes You’ll Love
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Chai Spiced Oatmeal
Created by: Deborah Murphy
If you love a steaming hot cup of chai tea, you will also love this delicious chai oatmeal recipe. This delicious recipe is flavored with vanilla chai spice and extra cinnamon.
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Instructions
Add all of your ingredients to a small saucepan of medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to add more or less sweetener to these oats. The chai spice blend I like from Spice House is sweetened, so I used less maple syrup than you might prefer for your oats. Just taste and adjust to your preference!
Make your own chai spice blend: If you can’t find a chai spice blend, you can make your own. I like this chai spice blend recipe from The Spruce Eats.
Make this with chai tea bags: If you want to make this with a chai tea bag instead, add your milk and water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add 2 chai tea bags (for 1 serving) and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook until oatmeal is thickened.
