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Chai Latte Cupcakes with Caramel Brulée Frosting. Autumn in a sweet cupcake, and so good! Extra sweet, chai-spiced cupcakes made with warming spices and brown sugar. Each cupcake is generously frosted with the most delicious creamy caramel-like frosting. Then finished off with a sprinkling of salted caramel brulée candy. Sooo much to love here! You can’t beat these cute little latte cupcakes.
It’s fall, it’s Friday, and I’m sharing my favorite cupcake of the season…well so far anyway! Look, I know I’ve been overly excited about fall this week, but today’s recipe is my favorite. The second I made these, I knew I was going to love them so much.
If a cupcake could scream fall, this cupcake would be screaming it loud and clear. I know, cheesy, but as I said, I’m excited, and well, I really love fall.
Every single fall there are a handful of things I truly crave and get excited over. A good bowl of broccoli cheddar soup, homemade soft pretzels, all the sweet apple desserts, and a warming, steaming latte.
Latte’s just say fall to me. And while everyone mostly thinks of pumpkin spice lattes, I love a good chai latte equally as much.
Last October I created a pumpkin latte cupcake, that was a big fall favorite. But this season I wanted a chai cupcake…with a slight twist…to make it even more exciting. Enter the caramel. It may be a little over the top, but I’m ok with it, these cupcakes are so good.
You need vanilla, chai teas, and a good amount of warming autumn spices. Plus butter…lots of butter, and well, sugar.
For the cupcakes, I knew I really wanted the chai flavor to shine. To achieve this, I used a mix of steeped chai milk and a whole lot of chai spice. The chai spice mix is key, it really brings the aromas of fall into the kitchen and into each cupcake.
Before you start the cupcake batter, make the chai spice mix. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and the tiniest bit of black pepper. You’ll be using half of the spice mix in the cupcake batter, and the remainder for the frosting.
Next, make the batter. Bring some milk to a gentle boil, then add a few chai tea bags and allow the tea to steep in the warm milk.
While the tea cools, mix up the batter, then stream the chai milk into the cupcake batter until just combined. Divide the batter up between the cupcake molds and bake.
The smells coming from the oven will have you so excited. It’s like fall in the air, with cozy scents of chai mixed with hints of sweet sugar wafting throughout your kitchen.
Each cupcake is so soft and perfectly sweetened.
This is the perfect frosting for these cupcakes. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and the rich, warming flavors of caramel pair so nicely with the chai.
The brown sugar melts down adding hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create an icing that’s perfectly rich and caramel-like. And when you add a touch of vanilla and sea salt? Well, it’s hard to say no to a second cupcake. I highly recommend slathering on more icing than you think your cupcake will need.
This last step is optional but so good…the caramel brulée candy. It’s going to get very hot, so just make sure to be careful when handling this. This is that extra special fall touch to these cupcakes. It’s very easy to make and requires just two ingredients, sugar, and flaky sea salt.
Simply melt granulated sugar on the stove until it turns deep caramel in color, then spread the caramel out over a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the caramel with sea salt and let sit for a few minutes. And then? In almost no time at all, the caramel has hardened. It can then be easily smashed into small shards for sprinkling over your latte cupcakes. Again, be sure you’re being careful when handling this!
Frost each cupcake and then sprinkle with the caramel brulée candy. I love adding a cinnamon stick for cuteness.
These cupcakes are delicious. Each bite is filled with sweet chai-spiced cupcake and light, fluffy frosting. Best kind of autumn weekend cupcake!
Looking for other chai and sweets? Here are a few ideas:
Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Chai Spiced Maple Sugar Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Chai Latte Cupcakes with Caramel Brûlée Frosting be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I’ve been looking for a chai cupcake recipe that does not taste like a muffin for years! This is perfect. Just rich enough with the butter and steeped milk not to be mistaken for a muffin. The friends that came for dinner also declared the caramel brulee frosting the best frosting they’d ever had. Thank you for another winner!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! ?
This cupcake was delicious- you could really taste the flavor of all the warming spices. I did cut back on the powdered sugar and added heavy cream to the icing recipe for a lighter texture. I also subbed with coconut sugar instead of cane sugar to cut down the sweetness in the cupcake batter given I can’t tolerate processed sugars well. I would say that this recipe is very complex in a beautiful way… the flavors from the cupcake and icing balanced each other so well! Thanks for sharing this recipe! Will be making again.
Made these today and oh my goodness were they good! Perfect fall cupcake— Light and not too heavy or rich. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! So glad to hear that it was enjoyed. xTieghan
These tasted good but I found I had a a lot of the chai seasonings left over. I wish I added more to the batter because I felt it didn’t have enough spice. The frosting was very runny and very sweet so I didn’t want to add more confectioners sugar to thicken. Mine was also dark color and yours looks more white. Besides this, it Al tastes great because they are cupcakes! But I felt I couldn’t present them to anyone
Wow made these today and they’re amazing. The icing is amazing. One of the best recipes I’ve ever had!
Hey Rydia,
Happy Sunday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
These were SO good! And made me look like a fancy amazing baker! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Cassie,
Happy Sunday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi! I made these and the cupcake came out delicious- the color was a bit pale and the icing is the exact same color ? also the icing is quite runny and very sweet so I don’t want to add more powdered sugar. Do you have any suggestions as far as something to help with the two exact same colors and runny texture?? Maybe cream cheese as I find the icing a bit too sweet?
Hey Chelsea,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Sure you could certainly add some cream cheese to the frosting, or just use less liquid next time. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
These cupcakes were the best! Great flavor and easy to make. Have made twice already!
Hey there,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
The cupcakes were nice and moist but the chai flavour was very subtle. I will try to double the chai spice in the batter for my next attempt!
Thanks for giving the recipe a try Liane!!
These were AMAZING! I wanted to make them as soon as I saw the recipe and they did not disappoint. So incredibly delicious they are a new favorite in my family. Kudos to you Tieghan!
Hey Dana,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for making it! xTieghan
Hi there, is it possible to make these with gluten-free flour, and if so would that change the proportions or bake time at all? Thanks!
Hi Evan,
I would use an equal amount of GF flour and then follow the recipe as is:) I hope these turn out amazing for you, please let me know if you give them a try! xTieghan
These are fall in a cupcake. SO yummy. My baking time was only 18 minutes but it was an easy adjustment. My husband and I each took half to work and they were a hit!
Hi Kim,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
If I were to make this exact recipe but make mini cupcakes, would the baking time and temperature be the same? I plan on making them this week! Thanks.
Hi Stephanie,
Yes, I would keep the temp the same, I would just reduce your baking time slightly. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These were really good! I served them at book club and they were a big hit! I had to add quite a bit more powdered sugar to the frosting to make it “pipeable” which might not be necessary if you weren’t going to pipe.
Hey Julie,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I made these yesterday for football Sunday + 1 year old’s birthday with some friends. They were a hit! And my first time making cupcakes from scratch on my own. I don’t have any fancy equipment (tiny apartment) so any time I bake cakes from scratch I usually do so with someone who has a stand/electric hand mixer. I’m happy to report that all I needed was a wood spoon, elbow grease, and a little patience :). They were so delicious and I was so pleased 🙂 <3
Hey Rika,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan