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Home » Recipes » Drinks » Hot Spiced Christmas Tea

Hot Spiced Christmas Tea

Posted December 19, 2020, Updated November 2, 2022 //  by Michele Peterson 9 Comments

We may earn income from links in this post. Please read this Disclosure for details.

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Christmas Afternoon Tea with text overlay for Pinterest.

If you’re looking for a festive drink infused with the sweet flavours of the holidays, look no further than this hot spiced Christmas Tea! 

It’s perfect to warm up a chilly morning or relax on a cozy afternoon and can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a Christmas Afternoon Tea or holiday brunch. 

Close-up of Spiced Christmas Tea
For a healthy drink option, why not enjoy some spiced tea for the holidays.

Reasons We Love This Spiced Christmas Tea Recipe

  • all-natural ingredients with no artificial flavours, 
  • brewed black tea has loads of health-promoting benefits, 
  • delicious served as part of a Christmas Afternoon Tea or Brunch, 
  • a lightly sweet, low calorie, non-alcoholic festive drink for adults,  
  • can be doubled or tripled and kept hot in a crockpot to easily serve a crowd. 

Is Homemade Christmas Tea Good for You?

Is homemade Christmas tea good for you? Yes!  Homemade tea is more economical and has more health-promoting properties  than holiday tea mixes you can buy in a store.

Tea brewed at home is fresher, contains only natural ingredients and no preservatives or additives. And, unless you’re making a Southern-style sweet holiday tea, no added sweeteners.  

According to Harvard researchers, tea is the most popular beverage in the world after water. Black tea is the most popular, followed by green, oolong, and white tea. The first recorded use of tea as a medicinal beverage dates back to 3rd century AD China. 

Cup of orange pekoe tea at Porto Formoso tea factory in the Azores.
A cup of black tea contains flavanoids such as catechins, theaflavins and thearubigins which have antioxidant effects in people.

Tea is also rich in polyphenols or flavonoids, the plant chemical compounds that act as antioxidants and control the damaging effects of free radicals in the body.

Antioxidants may help fight inflammation, boost heart health, reduce stress hormones and much more. 

In addition to the antioxidants in black tea, this Christmas tea also features fresh orange and apple slices which add a boost of vitamin C.  That could help you feel better if you’ve got a cold or are feeling under the weather. 

Hot Christmas Spiced Tea Ingredients

Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice, star anise and nutmeg on a wooden table.
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, star anise and nutmeg are the top choice of spices to use for Christmas tea.
  • Loose dried Orange Pekoe black tea (or tea bags)
  • Water (filtered, purified or distilled)
  • Fresh oranges
  • Fresh apples
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Whole cloves  
  • Nutmeg
  • Allspice 
  • Star anise

Optional: If you have dehydrated oranges or lemons, they make a beautiful garnish for tea and a wide variety of festive drinks.  They’re easy to make in a dehydrator or oven.

Sign up for our free newsletter and you’ll receive instructions on how to make them!


 
Slices of dehydrated oranges on a plate.
Slices of dehydrated oranges are also a great addition to holiday tea.

For equipment, you’ll need an infuser tea pot, a tea ball, a French Press Coffee maker or a pot and a fine-mesh strainer for the tea unless you’re using tea bags.

Whole cloves can be a choking hazard (much like bay leaves) if inadvertently swallowed. So it’s best to use an infuser for your Christmas spice blend. Or you can use a square of cheesecloth and kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni to hold the sweet spices in.

Inexpensive and reusable cotton spice bags with drawstrings are available online and are handy for creating holders for sachets, potpourri, tea and bouquet garni.   

What Type of  Tea is Best for Christmas Tea? 

This recipe calls for black tea as it holds up the best to the addition of fresh fruit and sweet spices. It also keeps its slightly astringent flavour for hours. I like to use loose tea in either a tea ball or infuser.

But you can also use tea bags if that’s what you have available. However, many commercial brands of tea bags contain tea dust and fannings (small particles) leftover from broken tea leaves. They contain less of the oils and aroma which contribute to the overall flavour of the tea. 

So if you do use tea bags try to choose a brand that contains whole-leaf tea. 

Dried black tea on a table with a white spoon.
Loose tea has more flavour and aroma than tea bags.

The best type of black tea for this spiced Christmas tea recipe is orange pekoe. While all tea (except for Assamica tea) comes from the camellia sinensis plant, black tea is aged longer and is more oxidized than green and white tea. Although it’s stronger, it’s still light bodied and naturally sweet. 

Fun Fact: Contrary to popular belief, the term orange pekoe doesn’t refer to its colour or the flavour orange! If you’ve ever had an orange flavoured tea, it was likely Earl Grey. It’s citrusy flavour comes from natural or synthetic bergamot oil added to the tea.

Other popular types of black tea include English Breakfast, with a robust flavour best served with milk and sugar, while Scottish tea is even stronger and has a malty flavour.

For this recipe, I used Orange Pekoe loose leaf black tea from the Porto Formoso Tea Factory on São Miguel island in the Azores archipelago of Portugal.

Founded by Amâncio Machado Faria e Maia in the 1920s, it produces organic tea free of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. 

A man's hand holding three sizes of tea leaves at Tea Porto Formoso in Azores.
Orange Pekoe black tea is produced in the island of São Miguel by Porto Formoso Tea Factory.

During the factory tour and tutoured tasting, I fell in love with the delicate scent and rich flavour of Porto Formoso tea and went overboard purchasing bags of it to take home .

Fortunately, dried tea keeps its flavour for up to two years (three years if it’s in an aluminum foil bag) if stored properly. So making a batch of Christmas tea is a great way to use up excess loose leaf tea you may have in your pantry. 

Step by Step Instructions

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the exact quantities of ingredients and full method.

1. Prepare your tea bags or loose tea. 

2. Bring filtered water to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and remove from the heat. Once the boiling has completely stopped and is at 100C or 212F, pour it over the dried tea (or tea bags). 

3. Let it steep for 3 minutes.

4. While it’s steeping create your Christmas spice blend. Combine the whole nutmeg, star anise, cloves and allspice within an infuser. Or use a cotton spice bag with a drawstring or a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine. 

Black tea steeping in a clear glass pot.
There are a variety of infusers that can be used to brew loose leaf teas.

5. If you’re not using an infuser and have added the loose tea directly to the pot, strain the tea with a fine-mesh strainer.

If you’ve used a tea pot with a built-in infuser, allow the tea to cool slightly so you don’t scald yourself with steam when transferring it to the serving container. 

Black tea with orange, apple slices, the spices within an infuser and a cinnamon stick in a pot.
Combine the sliced fruit and spices (within an infuser) in a metal pot or slow cooker.

6. Transfer the tea to a heat-proof pot.  This recipe calls for Orange Pekoe tea which is naturally sweet, but if you’d like to add honey or other sweetener do it now.

7. Cut the apples and oranges into thin slices. Add half the slices of orange and apples (reserve the other half for garnish), the spices (within the infuser) and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a low simmer and allow the mixture to simmer gently for a minimum of thirty minutes.  

Ladle of spiced holiday tea.
Use a ladle to serve your spiced holiday tea.

8. If you’re serving a crowd, transfer the tea mixture to a crockpot set to low after its simmered for 30 minutes. 

9. When ready to serve, remove the infuser of spices, fruit and the cinnamon stick, ladle the tea into mugs and garnish with a fresh apple and orange slice.

Overhead photo of two mugs of hot spiced afternoon ea with holiday greenery.
Garnish the hot spiced tea with fresh slices of orange and apple.

Use a fresh cinnamon stick as a stir stick. Enjoy immediately! 

Tips for Making Spiced Tea

Two mugs of Christmas tea with greenery.
Serve with slices of fresh apples and oranges.
  • Allow the tea to infuse naturally. Although it might be tempting to squeeze the teabags or swirl the infuser around in an attempt to extract more flavour or colour, don’t do it! The pressure will release bitterness into the tea.
  • If you’re using a tea infuser, fill it loosely. Tea leaves will expand in the hot boiling water so there should be some space available for them to do so. For large batches of Spiced Christmas Tea you should use two or more infusers.  
  • To prevent the delicate tea leaves from getting scorched and producing a bitter taste, wait for one minute before combining the tea with the boiling water.
  • Use filtered, purified or distilled water to avoid the taste of fluoride and other additives in tap water.
  • If your spices are more than two years old, you may need to use more spices to achieve the same flavour and aroma as with fresh spices. Feel free to adjust the spices according to your taste preference. The licorice-like flavour of star anise  can be quite strong so can be omitted if you’d prefer a mildly-spiced tea. 

How to Serve this Spiced Holiday Tea

Single mug of Christmas tea with garnish.
Single mug of Christmas tea with garnish.
  • This spiced Christmas tea should be served warm but not boiling hot. 
  • For a crowd, serve the simmered tea mixture in a crock pot set to low. It will stay fresh-tasting for up to three hours which makes it the perfect drink for holiday gatherings such as afternoon tea or brunch.  
  • Serve this festive tea with Chocolate Eggnog cookies, champurradas (Guatemalan sesame seed biscotti) or a cute mini dessert such as this Kiwi Coconut Chia Parfait popular at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto.   
  • This tea would also be delicious served with Apple Scones or Lavender Sugar Cookies with Earl Grey Tea Glaze.
  • Unlike herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint, black tea contains caffeine. According to the Garfield Medical Center, an 8 ounce serving of black tea contains between 40 and 70 milligrams of caffeine. So, although that’s less caffeine than coffee (95 to 200 milligrams), it might be enough to cause insomnia or nervousness in some people. I welcome a slight caffeine buzz on a busy day, but if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you might want to opt for decaffeinated tea in this recipe. 
  • This festive tea also goes beautifully with our Holiday Potato Soup. 

For More Hot Winter Drinks, You Might Enjoy These:  

  • Bourbon Hot Toddy  
  • Ponche de Frutas – Traditional Latin American Hot Fruit Punch 
Two mugs of Christmas tea with greenery.
Print
5 from 23 votes

Hot Spiced Christmas Tea

If you're looking for a festive drink infused with the sweet flavours of the holidays, look no further than this hot spiced Christmas Tea! It's perfect to warm up a chilly morning or relax on a cozy afternoon and can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a Christmas Afternoon Tea or holiday brunch. 
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American, Canadian, Latin American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 93kcal
Author: Michele Peterson
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Tea ball or infuser
  • Kettle
  • Knife
  • Spice bag

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon loose leaf tea or 1 black tea bag
  • 8 cups water filtered
  • 1 orange
  • 1 apple
  • 1/8 tsp allspice whole (around 5)
  • 1/8 tsp cloves whole (around 5)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Garnish

  • 1 orange
  • 1 apple
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Prepare your tea bags or loose tea. 
  • Bring the filtered water to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and remove from the heat. Once the boiling has completely stopped and is at 100C or 212 F, pour it over the dried tea or tea bags. 
  • Let it steep for 3 minutes. Then, remove the tea bag.
  • While it's steeping, create your Christmas spice blend. Combine the nutmeg, star anise, cloves and allspice within an infuser, a cotton spice bag with a drawstring or a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine.
  • Transfer the tea to a heat-proof pot and bring to a low simmer. If you’d like to add honey or other sweetener do it now.
  • Cut the apples and oranges into thin slices. Add half the slices of orange and apples (reserve the other half for garnish), the spices (within the infuser) and cinnamon sticks. Allow the mixture to simmer for a minimum of thirty minutes.
  • Once the tea, spices and fruit have simmered for 30 minutes, remove the infuser and cinnamon sticks and discard. If you're serving a crowd, transfer the tea to a crockpot set to low.
  • When ready to serve, ladle the tea into mugs and garnish with a fresh apple and orange slice. Use a fresh cinnamon stick as a stir stick. 

Notes

  • Allow the tea to infuse naturally. Although it might be tempting to squeeze the teabags or swirl the infuser around in an attempt to extract more flavour or colour, don’t do it! The pressure will release bitterness into the tea.
  • If you're using a tea infuser, fill it loosely. Tea leaves expand in hot water so there should be some space available for them to do so. For large batches of Spiced Christmas Tea you should use two or more infusers.  
  • To prevent the delicate tea leaves from getting scorched and producing a bitter taste, wait for one minute before combining the tea with the boiling water.
  • Use filtered, purified or distilled water to avoid the taste of fluoride and other additives in tap water.
  • If your spices are more than two years old, you may need to use more spices to achieve the same flavour and aroma as with fresh spices. Feel free to adjust the spices according to your taste preference. The licorice-like flavour of star anise  can be quite strong so can be omitted if you'd prefer a mildly-spiced tea. 
Nutritional information is created by online calculators and figures are only estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ATasteForTravel or tag #ATasteForTravel!
 Related: If you’re looking for a summer drink with a caffeine kick, check out our recipe for Vegan Iced Cafe Frappé! 

If You Liked This Festive Tea Recipe, You Need to Try These Holiday Drinks: 

  • Hot Holiday Fruit Punch – Guatemalan Ponche de Frutas – Ponche Navideño
  • Hot Bourbon Toddy

Save to Pinterest!  

Collage of festive tea with Pinterest text overlay.

Michele Peterson
Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

Read more about Michele Peterson.

« Chocolate Eggnog Cookies
Traditional Dominican Food: 15 Best Dishes to Try in Punta Cana »

About Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

Read more about Michele Peterson.

Previous Post: «A plate of cookies with eggnog glaze on a white plate with a mug of hot chocolate. Chocolate Eggnog Cookies
Next Post: Traditional Dominican Food: 15 Best Dishes to Try in Punta Cana Traditional mangu topped with fresh salsa in Punta Cana Dominican Republic»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nora

    December 23, 2021 at 12:47 pm

    Do you take the tea bag or tea diffuser out of the water after it has steeped 3 minutes?

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      December 27, 2021 at 9:33 am

      Yes, take the tea bag out of the diffuser or it will be too strong.

  2. Makhaya

    December 11, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this cozy drink recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      December 13, 2021 at 8:15 am

      Glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Chef Dennis

    December 22, 2020 at 4:41 am

    5 stars
    My wife will surely love this!

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      December 22, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      It is the perfect recipe for tea lovers…I hope she enjoys it.

  4. Rosario Arecco

    December 21, 2020 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    So good!

    Reply
  5. Sunrita

    December 21, 2020 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    A non alcoholic version of mulled wine. Perfect

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth

    December 20, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe!

    Reply

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Michele Peterson in Tuscany Italy Credit Insight Vacations.

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