Holiday Tea Recipes

December 19, 2024Countryside ContributorHoliday, Recipes

Don’t let the stress during this time of year ruin your holiday cheer. Sit back and enjoy a steaming cup or two of holiday tea recipes to help your mind and body reset.

by Kristi Cook

With the holiday season upon us, many of us find ourselves in the midst of extra stress as we go about visiting and entertaining family and friends. But don’t let the stress during this time of year ruin your holiday cheer. Take the time to sit back and enjoy a steaming cup or two of herbal tea to help your mind and body reset. These teas are super simple to make, take just a few minutes to prepare and boast delightful flavors and aromas. Even better, each of these blends offers that little bit of extra boost to the immune system to help keep you going this holiday season.

Immunity Boosting Masala Chai Recipe

With masala chai (“spices” and “tea” respectively, in Hindi), there are no hard and fast rules. Instead, the key is to select the herbs you find most appealing and then combine those flavors with your favorite black tea, the creaminess of your favorite milk, and enough sweetener to satisfy your tastebuds.

Below is a list of commonly used herbs in masala chai blends, but feel free to add other immunity boosting herbs such as astragalus root and ashwagandha to enjoy your very own freshly made cup of immunity boosting tea.

Common Spices:

Ginger, fresh is preferable
Cloves
Green cardamom pods
Nutmeg
Allspice
Star anise
Fennel
Black peppercorns

Mix and match to create your own special chai blend. If you don’t have whole spices, use ground spices instead.

The specific black tea used isn’t as important as is your taste preference and desired strength. The same goes for the sweetener and milk. The goal is to balance the milk and tea to create a creamy blend of spicy richness. Experiment to discover that perfect ratio just right for you.

Here is a basic masala chai blend for 3 cups of tea. Create your own unique chai blend from here:

2 cups water
1 cup milk
3 to 6 peppercorns, crushed
2 to 4 cardamom pods, crushed
2 to 4 cloves, ground or crushed
1 to 2 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 to 1 tablespoon black tea or 2 to 3 tea bags
Sweetener of choice

Bring water, black tea, and spices to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Remove tea bags and reduce heat to a simmer. If adding sweetener, it may be added now or at the end after straining. Add milk slowly to simmering pot of tea and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until milk tea begins to thicken and darkens in color. Remove from heat and stir well to ensure milk and tea are thoroughly blended. Strain into your favorite mug, sweeten with your favorite sweetener, and enjoy.

Soothing Chamomile Peppermint Tea Recipe

Known as an herb so gentle and soothing even little ones can enjoy its benefits, chamomile is a favorite go-to herb when the days get stressful. Coupled with the uplifting qualities of peppermint and orange peel, the subtle flavor of this gentle tea will help you ease into a relaxing evening during the busyness of the holidays.

Recipe for 2 cups:

2 teaspoons chamomile
2 teaspoons peppermint leaf
1 teaspoon passionflower
2 teaspoons lemon balm

Crush herbs gently and place in tea mug strainer. Bring one cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over herbs. Cover mug with a plate or other covering to prevent the volatile oils from escaping. Allow to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cover and carefully remove tea strainer. Add sweetener of choice, if desired. This tea may also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Cinnamon Spiced Tea Recipe

Here’s one of my favorite holiday blends that always brings fresh-baked pies and cinnamon rolls to mind. As with most tea blends, this recipe is a basic guide to all the countless possibilities. Like a little more cinnamon? Increase the ratio a bit to get it to your liking. Not a fan of chicory? No worries. Just leave it out and see what you think. I hope you enjoy this cup of tea as much as I do!

Recipe for 2 cups:

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon chicory
2 to 3 pink peppercorns
1 star anise
1 to 2 cloves

Kristi Cook lives in Arkansas where every year brings something new to her family’s journey for a more sustainable lifestyle. She keeps a flock of laying hens, dairy goats, a rapidly growing apiary, a large garden, and more. When she’s not busy with the critters and veggies, you can find her sharing sustainable living skills through her workshops and articles.

Originally published in the November/December 2024 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.