Best Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Modifications: Iced & Hot

Here's a list of popular Starbucks chai tea latte modifications. See all the ways to customize chai tea at Starbucks with a variety of flavored syrups, types of milk and toppings like vanilla sweet cream cold foam.

Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Modifications

One of the most popular Starbucks chai tea latte modifications is to top an iced chai with a fluffy layer of vanilla sweet cream foam. Flavoring a chai latte with vanilla or pumpkin spice syrup also tops the list of customer favorites.

In fact, the number of ways to customize a chai tea latte at Starbucks is practically limitless.

This is because all the flavors in Starbucks chai black tea concentrate (cinnamon, ginger and cardamom) are easily complemented by many other Starbucks ingredients.

Now, the Starbucks menu only list two chai latte options—hot or iced. Plus, there’s also a chai tea bag for making a tasty cup of Starbucks hot brewed tea.

But customizing your drink is the name of the game at Starbucks. So here’s a look at some of the best ways to modify Starbucks hot and iced chai tea lattes.

Just keep in mind, not all modifications can be ordered via the Starbucks app, so you may need to place your order at the drive-thru or in-person.

Additionally, make note, most modifications will add to the overall price of the drink.

Ways to Customize a Chai Tea Latte

Here are all the ways to modify a chai drink at Starbucks.

Note: The cost for each type of customization indicated below is approximate. These prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

Mix the drink with flavored syrup. Popular syrup flavors to combine with chai are vanilla, sugar-free vanilla, cinnamon dolce and brown sugar.

Adding in syrup is about .80 cents.

Combine chai with a flavored sauce. Customer favorites include white mocha sauce and pumpkin spice sauce during the fall season.

Adding in sauce is approximately an extra .80 cents.

Select another type of milk. Starbucks chai tea lattes are made with 2% reduced fat milk, but you can select any type of milk—dairy or non-dairy.

Non-dairy options include almondmilk, coconutmilk, oatmilk and soy.

Switching the milk to half & half, heavy cream or non-dairy adds about .70 cents to the drink’s price.

Top an iced chai latte with sweet cream cold foam. Vanilla flavored sweet cream cold foam is by far the most requested topping on iced chai tea lattes.

However, the cream can be modified with any flavor syrup like cinnamon dolce or even pumpkin spice.

A topping of sweet cream cold foam costs about $1.25.

Add a drizzle on top or lining the cup. Caramel drizzle is the most commonly ordered, but sometimes people order strawberry drizzle (puree), as well.

Drizzle is about .60 cents extra.

Sprinkle on a topping. Ask for a dusting of cinnamon powder or seasonally available toppings like cinnamon dolce sprinkles or pumpkin spice topping.

Cinnamon powder is free but specialty toppings like sprinkles are about .50 cents.

Combine the chai tea latte with another drink. Order a dirty chai with a shot of espresso or even combine chai with scoops of Starbucks matcha powder.

Each espresso shot costs about .90 cents. Matcha powder is an additional .90 for any number of scoops.

A Starbucks iced chai latte with sticker showing how drink was customized with toppings. — Starbucks chai tea lattes can be modified with syrup, milk, toppings and drizzles.

21 Popular Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Drink Modifications

Now that you know all the possible ways to customize chai drinks, here’s a look at the best chai tea latte modifications at Starbucks for both iced and hot drinks.

Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Latte customized with topping of vanilla sweet cream cold foam. — One of the most popular Starbucks chai tea latte modifications is an Iced Chai with vanilla sweet cream cold foam.

1. Iced Chai Tea Latte with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

One of the most popular Starbucks chai latte modifications is an Iced Chai Tea Latte with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam.

And it’s easy to see (or taste) why. Simply put, this chai latte is delicious. Each sip is the perfect blend of warm and spicy chai and sweet vanilla-flavored cream.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

2. Iced Chai Tea Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam

Starbucks pumpkin cream cold foam is normally served on cold brew coffee.

But dare I say, it’s even more delicious on top of an iced chai tea latte?

In fact, I’m surprised Starbucks doesn’t elevate this “secret drink” to regular fall menu status. Afterall, pumpkin and chai are like fall in a cup.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam.

3. Pumpkin Chai Latte

Starbucks tea drinkers enjoy chai lattes year-round. But when the fall season arrives, chai tea lattes seem even more warm and cozy.

To enjoy all the flavors of fall, why not add a few pumps of pumpkin spice sauce to a chai latte?

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Pumpkin Spice Sauce

RELATED RECIPE: Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte Recipe

4. Pumpkin Oatmilk Chai Tea Latte

This Starbucks chai latte drink, has two customizations.

First the milk is swapped out for oatmilk. To me, the oat flavor and chai combination are reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie.

Secondly, pumpkin spice sauce is combined with the chai tea.

Make note, however, this is not a dairy-free drink since the pumpkin sauce contains milk.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Pumpkin Spice Sauce. Substitute milk with oatmilk.

5. Iced Chai with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam & Spiced Apple Drizzle

Looking for a new fall-flavored chai tea latte?

It didn’t take long for Starbucks chai tea drinkers to discover the new spiced apple drizzle topping. And it’s a winner.

This apple pie-flavored drizzle perfectly complements all the warm spiciness of chai along with sweet vanilla cream.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Spiced Apple Drizzle Topping

Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Latte with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and spiced apple drizzle on top. — Customize an Iced Chai Tea Latte with sweet cream cold foam and spiced apple drizzle for fall flavors.

6. Iced Chai with Cinnamon Dolce Cold Foam

Here’s an easy way to add a creamy, cinnamon-flavored sip to an iced chai tea latte.

Simply add-on a topping of sweet cream cold foam blended with cinnamon dolce syrup.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Cinnamon Dolce Sweet Cream Cold Foam

7. Iced Cinnabon Chai Tea Latte

This over-the-top Tik-Tok style chai drink has it all—cinnamon syrup, buttery caramel drizzle, a creamy vanilla topping, finished with cinnamon dolce sprinkles.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Cinnamon Dolce Syrup + Caramel Drizzle in the Cup + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkles

8. Cinnamon Oatmilk Chai Tea Latte

Cinnamon, oats and chai. If this drink sounds like comfort in a cup, that’s because it is. It’s also dairy-free.

Here’s a few ways to create this delicious flavor trio.

How to order this drink: There are a few ways to order this latte, hot or iced since you can add-in cinnamon with cinnamon dolce syrup and/or cinnamon powder on top. Order a hot or iced chai tea latte with oatmilk and add-in cinnamon dolce syrup if desired and/or top the latte with cinnamon powder. For the iced version you may want to add a topping of vanilla cold foam dusted with cinnamon powder.

9. Vanilla Chai Latte

Here’s a simple way to customize a chai latte with a touch of vanilla and even more sweetness.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Syrup (or Sugar-free Vanilla Syrup)

10. Iced Vanilla Chai with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam & Caramel Drizzle

This Iced Vanilla Chai Latte is a little bit creamy and perhaps a touch decadent. With a topping of vanilla cold foam and buttery caramel, each sip of this chai latte is a sweet treat.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Syrup (or Sugar-free Vanilla Syrup) + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Caramel Drizzle (in cup or on top)

11. Iced French Vanilla Chai Tea Latte

This chai latte takes on the subtle flavor of “french vanilla” with the addition of hazelnut syrup whipped into the vanilla sweet cream.

And when it’s available, salted brown sugar topping is the finishing touch. Caramel drizzle is another option.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Syrup (or Sugar-free Vanilla Syrup) + Hazelnut Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Salted Brown Sugar Topping

12. Iced Chai with Strawberry Cream Cold Foam

A chai tea latte topped with a lightly pink-hued strawberry cream may not be the first chai modification that comes to mind, but it works.

Perhaps this fruity chai combination is one you have to sample before ordering.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Strawberry Sweet Cream Cold Foam

13. Iced Chai with Strawberry Cream Cold Foam & Strawberry Drizzle

Here’s another chai and strawberry cream duo. This version has a sweet layer of Starbucks strawberry puree sandwiched between the chai and strawberry-flavored cold foam.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Strawberry Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Strawberry Drizzle (between chai and cream layers or on top)

14. Dirty Chai Latte

All Starbucks chai drinks contain caffeine. But if you want to take the caffeine up a notch, go for it with a shot of espresso. Starbucks toasty signature espresso and chai make great companions.

Want even more caffeine and espresso: order a Double Dirty Chai made with two extra shots of espresso.

For the record, each espresso shot is contains about 75mg of caffeine.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Espresso Shots (specify number of shots)

15. Chai Matcha Latte

Chai tea lovers and matcha lovers unite.

I’ll admit this isn’t my favorite way to switch up a normal chai latte, but some people really love this drink.

In addition to a little matcha flavor, each scoop of this sweet powdered green tea also adds more caffeine.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Matcha Powder (specify number of scoops)

16. Iced Matcha Latte with Chai and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

Here’s another way to enjoy a creamy sip of vanilla, chai and matcha.

For this drink modification, I suggest ordering an iced chai tea latte and adding matcha to it (as opposed to order a matcha latte and adding in chai syrup).

This is because chai tea lattes are shaken by the barista. This helps combine and dissolve the matcha. Typically, matcha lattes aren’t shaken.

This drink is finished with a topping of vanilla sweet cream cold foam.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Matcha Powder + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

RELATED: Best Starbucks Matcha Drinks

This chai tea latte modification takes on the flavor of a traditional sugar cookie and is definitely decadent.

In fact, this Tik-Tok famous drink has it all—chai, vanilla, white chocolatemocha sauce, cinnamon and lots of cream.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Vanilla Syrup (or Sugar-free Vanilla Syrup) + White Mocha Sauce + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam + Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkles. Substitute milk with Breve (Half & Half).

If you’ve got a weakness for butter cookies, you’ve got to give this chai latte a try.

Some people swear this simple combination of chai, brown sugar and oatmilk tastes just like Trader Joe’s butter cookies.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte + Brown Sugar Syrup. Substitute milk with Oatmilk.

19. Iced Caramel Brulée Chai

Starbucks holiday caramel brulée syrup lends a bit of smokey, caramelized flavor to this latte. Both the chai and syrup are perfectly balanced with a topping of vanilla cream.

How to order this drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte + Caramel Brulée Syrup + Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

20. Eggnog Chai

Want to enjoy a fun holiday Starbucks chai latte? Rich and creamy eggnog takes a regular chai latte over-the-top.

Make note, this Starbucks chai modification is only available at locations that stock eggnog during the holiday season.

How to order this drink: Hot or Iced Chai Tea Latte. Substitute milk with Eggnog.

21. Chai Tea Latte made with Organic Chai Tea Bag

This Starbucks chai tea latte modification is ideal if you want to enjoy all the goodness of chai with a lot less sugar and calories.

While this customization is not a completely sugar-free Starbucks drink, the chai tea brewed from tea bags is both sugar-free and calorie-free.

But it does take a few minutes to make so the tea can steep.

How to order this drink: Ask the barista for either a hot or iced Royal English Tea Latte but ask for it to be made with chai tea bags instead. If you want it to be flavored with vanilla as well, then get a hot or iced London Fog Tea Latte made with chai tea bags.