Vanilla Simmer Pot with Chai

Last Updated on March 29, 2025 by becky

A vanilla simmer pot recipe with black tea and chai-inspired whole spices. Heated in a pot on the stovetop, this cinnamon vanilla simmer pot offers a natural alternative to air fresheners, candles, and potpourri.

Why Make This Vanilla Simmer Pot?

If living in England taught me one thing, it’s how to make dreary weather a bit more bearable. Brightly colored furnishings, mood lamps, lots of vitamin C…you quickly learn to do anything you can to combat the constant grey.

To make relentlessly miserable weather a bit more bearable, I also turn to simmer pots. Made by filling a stock pot with water and adding natural ingredients like fruit, herbs, and whole spices, these homemade stovetop potpourris really do brighten up any bleak day.

I always keep big bags of dried spices in my pantry, and love blending them to create new simmer pot scents. (Some of my favorites this citrus simmer pot recipe, and this star anise and orange simmer pot.) For my latest blend, I drew inspiration from chai, an Indian beverage comprised of black tea, milk, spices (such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper) and sweetener.

This vanilla simmer pot blends black tea with classic chai spices like cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves for a warm, inviting fragrance that lasts for hours and smells exactly like a hot mug of vanilla chai.

Ingredients for Making a Chai Simmer Pot

To make this vanilla simmer pot with chai spices, start by gathering the following ingredients:

• Cinnamon Sticks – I always keep cinnamon sticks in the kitchen cabinet. (In addition to simmer pots, they’re a must for making Indian cuisine.) I recommend purchasing bulk cinnamon sticks on Amazon, or in the international section at most supermarkets.
• Black Tea – For drinking, I prefer a good British black tea like Yorkshire. (The M&S own brand is also very good!) But since you won’t be drinking your simmer pot, you can use any black tea. In fact, this recipe offers a nice way to use up older tea bags, or less flavorful brands that don’t make the best cuppa. You can also use chai tea bags.
• Vanilla Pod – You’ll need 1 vanilla pod, sliced lengthwise to release the speckly beans. (For ways to use up the rest of the pods, see my ideas below.) I recommend a real vanilla pod for the strongest vanilla scent, but a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste will work in a pinch.
• Cardamom Pods – If you like to make Indian food like I do, you probably already have a jar of whole cardamom pods in the cabinet. If not, they’re a great addition to your spice collection. In addition to Indian dishes, I add cardamom pods for many of my simmer pot recipes. I also use them for making mulled wine and cardamom tea.

• Fresh Ginger – You’ll need about 40 grams  (approximately a 2-inch piece) of fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch slices. No need to peel! And don’t worry about being perfectly precise; feel free to throw in some extra ginger if you’d like.
• Whole Cloves – Whole cloves give this vanilla simmer pot its warm, spicy scent. Like cardamom pods, I always have whole cloves in my spice cabinet for making Indian dishes and mulled wine.
  
• Black Peppercorns – Whole black peppercorns add the “peppery” notes so recognizable in a cup of chai tea. Grind the leftover peppercorns for cooking, or save them to make my jalapeño cheddar bread!

Buying and Using Real Vanilla Beans

Whole vanilla beans (also called vanilla pods) come packaged in a jar, bag, or bundle; you’ll almost certainly find yourself buying more than the single vanilla pod required for this simmer pot recipe.

With the extras, you can make other simmer pots, like my gingerbread simmer pot. (I think they’d be a nice addition to this rose simmer pot potpourri, too!) If you have plenty of time and patience, can also make your own vanilla extract.

Or, use the scrapings for vanilla-forward recipes, in lieu of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Try them in: Orange vanilla Creamsicle truffles, vanilla peach granita, or brandy butter, or for something as simple as vanilla whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice cream, or a batch of vanilla bean French macaron shells.

Storing and Re-Using This Cinnamon Vanilla Simmer Pot

You can save this vanilla simmer pot and use it again the next day.

To save, remove the pot from the stovetop.  Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the tea bags (they will disintegrate if left in water overnight) and dispose. Cover pot with a lid.

When ready to reuse, remove the lid and add clean water to “top up” the pot, along with new tea bags. For a stronger scent, I also like to throw in a fresh handful of cloves or cardamom pods, or a new cinnamon stick—whatever you have left over from making the first pot will do.

How to Safely Enjoy a Homemade Simmer Pot

Never leave a simmering pot unattended, and add more water as needed. Do not allow the pot to run dry.

While this simmer pot recipe contains edible ingredients, it is not meant to be eaten. When you’re all done simmering, allow the contents to cool then pass everything through a colander or fine mesh strainer to drain the liquid. Dispose of the waterlogged spices in the food waste or compost bin, or with regular househould waste.

Other simmer pot recipes you might enjoy:

Star Anise and Orange Simmer Pot Recipe
Citrus Simmer Pot Recipe
Spring Simmer Pot Recipe
Rose Simmer Pot Recipe

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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