Homemade Chai Recipe – With Aphrodisiac Additions

It’s the Middle of Winter—Let’s Turn Up the Heat

Today, the snow has been falling off and on, and the last time I checked, it was 22°F outside. As we settle into mid-February—well into a long, cold winter—it’s the perfect time for something warming and comforting. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, why not make it something special?

Whether or not you're celebrating Valentine’s Day with a loved one, we still have more than a month until the first day of spring (March 20th, in the Northern Hemisphere), making this the ideal moment for a rich, spiced, and deeply nourishing and invigorating cup of masala chai.

Here, you'll find our best homemade chai recipe—a variation on the traditional masala chai enjoyed throughout northern India.

Following the recipe, we’ve included instructions for adding our Arrow of Eros Vital Fire Elixir Tincture to your tea, a guide to crafting a spiced aphrodisiac masala chai using whole herbs, and a simple way to prepare this recipe as a romantic, hand-made gift—the best kind.

Our Best Homemade Masala Chai Recipe

• 1 full star anise
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into thin rounds (or grated for a stronger infusion)
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 6 whole green cardamom pods
• 12 whole cloves
• 6 cups cold water
• 6 bags black tea (preferably Darjeeling) or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf Darjeeling tea
• 2 cups whole milk (or your preferred milk alternative)
• ½ cup brown sugar (or sweetener of choice, adjusted to taste)

Preparation

Before adding the tea, milk, or sweetener, start by making a strong decoction of the spices. In a suitably sized saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to fully develop.

Turn off the heat (or remove from heat) and add the tea. Let it steep for 5 minutes, then add your preferred milk and sweetener. Strain and serve warm.

Flavor Adaptations

Customize your chai with these optional additions:

• Vanilla Bean: Scrape the inside of one whole vanilla bean and add it after removing the tea from heat. Alternatively, stir in 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract once the heat is off.
• Cayenne Pepper: A pinch of cayenne can be added at any point for a subtle kick. Spicy is good, but too much can overpower—so go lightly.
• Allspice: Add six whole allspice berries along with the other spices for extra depth.

Aphrodisiac Adaptations

For an easy, effective, and enjoyable option—add 1 teaspoon of Arrow of Eros Vital Fire Elixir Tincture per serving of tea to help restore and enhance sexual energy. Simply add the tincture to the pot along with the tea (after simmering the spices and herbs).

Most of the alcohol in the tincture will dissipate, and its flavor will blend seamlessly into the chai.

Using Whole Herbs for an Aphrodisiac Chai

If you have the whole herbs—or if you're making a chai mix as a gift (which we highly recommend)—the following will offer a similar effect to the tincture:

• 1 tablespoon Kave Root(Piper methysticum)
• 1 tablespoon Damiana (Turnera diffusa)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (in addition to the ginger above)
• 1 teaspoon Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.)
• 1 teaspoon Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe)
• 1 teaspoon Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)
• 1 teaspoon Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
• 1 teaspoon Milky Oat Seed (Avena sativa)

Add these herbs at the beginning of the decoction, along with the other spices. Be sure to use whole or cut-and-sifted herbs so they can be easily strained out. Keep in mind that these ingredients will influence the flavor of the chai, so adjust as needed to suit your taste.

If you have these herbs as tinctures, simply add them alongside the tea—just as you would the Arrow of Eros Vital Fire Elixir Tincture—after the heat has been removed.

For a deeper exploration of the aphrodisiac ingredients and a step-by-step guide to this recipe, visit our Aphrodisiac Masala Chai Recipe and Guide.

Making a Chai Mix as a Gift

If you’re preparing this as a gift, it’s best to separate the spices and herbs from the tea, as boiling them together can make the tea bitter.

For vanilla bean, chop it into half-inch segments and include it with the loose-leaf tea. Package the flavoring and aphrodisiac ingredients (if using) in one canister and the tea in another. Be sure to include handwritten instructions and a list of ingredients.

This recipe has been adapted from Epicurious, Food Network, and several of our own past recipes and guides, including Aphrodi-Tea: The Elixir of Aphrodite and Aphro-Tea-siac or Aphro-Chai-siac? More Lovers' Tea.