Stir the sugars and water together in a pot, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the chai spice and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and allow to cool.
Strain in a fine mesh strainer (or mesh bag) over a bowl.
Pour into a jar or bottle and keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
Do not add the spices to the simple syrup until the mixture is dissolved. The chai spice can cook too long and become bitter if left in.
Make sure the syrup cools enough to handle as hot sugar syrup can cause serious burns when handled.
A sanitized jar or container is best to hold homemade syrup to prevent any bacteria growth For a lighter-colored chai syrup, you may need to strain the mixture twice to remove any leftover spice particles.
Change up the flavor of the syrup by using a maple or almond extract instead of vanilla.
You can use two chai tea bags to flavor the syrup if you don’t have the ingredients for a homemade spice blend.
If you enjoy a particular flavor or spice and want it to be stronger, feel free to add more of it to customize to your tastes.
For a deeper caramel chai syrup, use only light brown sugar or dark brown sugar in the mix.