12 Holiday Tea Recipes – Easy to Make & Great to Drink During Chilly Weather!

What is on my wish list this holiday season?  Ahhh, to slowly sip a steaming mug of holiday tea while warming my toes next to the fireplace. A great book in hand, along with a spicy herbal peace soothing me from deep within.  When the weather outside is frightful, I find great joy in staying inside and brewing a cup of tea that is warming and delightful!  Here are 10 easy holiday tea recipes.

Holiday Tea Recipe #1: Ginger Tea

Ginger Tea – aids the digestive system, reduces inflammation, help circulation, and has a warming effect.

Easy Ginger Tea Recipe Ingredients

1 Tbsp of minced ginger, 1 tsp of crushed cloves, 2 cups of boiling water

Easy Ginger Tea Recipe Instructions

Pour hot water over the spices.  Then, steep 10 minutes.  Strain and drink.

Click here for some scientific research articles related to ginger tea:  Ginger Tea Research

Holiday Tea Recipe #2: Cinnamon Tea

Cinnamon Tea – not only can it help heat you up, but research has shown beneficial antimicrobial activities to cinnamon.  Further, it may help with blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  In addition,  cinnamon tea tastes great!  More human studies are needed. Click here to read some research about cinnamon:  Cinnamon Research.

Easy Cinnamon Tea Recipe Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick, 2 cups of boiling water, and honey to taste

Cinnamon Tea Instructions

Pour boiling water over the cinnamon stick.  Then, steep for 10 minutes.  Finally, add honey to taste.  Stir with the cinnamon stick.

Healthy adults: do not exceed 2 cups a day.

Ingesting more than normal spice quantity amounts can interfere with certain medications and health conditions.  Avoid large quantities of cinnamon during pregnancy as it is a possible uterine stimulant.  In addition, avoid with young children under 3 years of age.

Holiday Tea Recipe #3: Matcha Green Tea Late

Matcha is a powerful antioxidant with a brilliantly green hugh.  Click here to read more benefits and some research to drinking matcha green tea:  Matcha Green Tea Research.

How to make a Matcha Green Tea Late

• 2 cups of sweetened coconut or soy milk (non-GMO)
• 1 Tbsp of hot water
• 2 tsp of matcha green tea powder
• 1 tsp of honey
• 1/2 tsp of ginger powder or cinnamon – optional

First, heat the milk in a pan.  Be careful that it does not boil over.  Meanwhile, mix hot water with matcha powder and honey in a large mug.  Pour hot milk into the same mug and stir.  Optional, also stir in ginger powder or cinnamon.

Holiday Tea Recipe #4: Easy Bay Leaf Tea

Do you have a holiday headache?  Bay is good for improving concentration, calming a cough, and reducing headache. Dried bay leaves are strongly aromatic and impart a spicy flavor.

Avoid in excess during pregnancy, lactation, and with small children.  Avoid eating the actual bay leaf, which has sharp edges.

Easy Bay Tea Recipe Ingredients

• 3 bay leaves
• 2-3 cups of water
• 3 Tbsp of honey
• Wedge of lemon as garnish

Easy Bay Tea Recipe Instructions

Add all into a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Remove bay leaves, add honey, garnish with lemon, and drink.

Click here to read more about bay:  Bay Monograph and Research.

Holiday Tea Recipe #5: Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea may help with congestion, indigestion, and to improve cognition.

Avoid in excess during pregnancy, lactation, and with small children.

Easy Peppermint Tea Recipe Ingredients

2 Tbsp of fresh or 1 Tbsp of dried peppermint leaves, 2 cups of hot water

Easy Peppermint Tea Recipe Instructions

Pour the hot water over the leaves.  Steep about 6 minutes.  Strain.  Add honey to taste.  Inhale the aroma while drinking to clear the head.

Click here to read some research related to peppermint tea:  Peppermint Tea & Research.

Holiday Tea Recipe #6: Yogi Chai Tea

This Yogi Tea Recipe will make your whole house smell great while it is brewing.  Plus, it creates enough tea to enjoy a few cups a day for a week!  It is a blend of spices slow cooked.  Then, you can make chai by adding milk and honey for a spicy delicious drink that can be served hot or cold.

Yogi Tea Ingredients

• 2 quarts of water
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cardamom seeds, crushed
• 7 whole cloves (of clove)
• 8 black peppercorns
• 7 thin slices of fresh ginger root
• 8 pieces of star anise
• 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 2 black tea bags
• milk (dairy, almond, coconut, soy, etc.)
• honey

Yogi Tea Instructions

• Boil all of the ingredients except for the tea bags for 30 minutes, then simmer for 2 hours.  In the last 5-10 minutes of simmering, add the tea bags.
• Strain and cool.  Then, keep the liquid tea in the refrigerator.
• Reheat smaller quantities as needed along with milk and honey to taste.  When I make this tea, I like to do 50% liquid tea, 50% non-dairy milk, and 1 Tbsp of honey per 8 ounces of liquid – delicious!

To learn more about the spices in this recipe, click on these links:

• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Clove
• Black pepper
• Ginger
• Anise
• Nutmeg

Holiday Tea Recipe #7: Rosemary Tea

Rosemary Tea Recipe can be a circulatory tonic, stimulant, respiratory aid, and sipped to improve concentration.

Avoid in excess during pregnancy, lactation, and with small children.  Do not drink in excess.

Easy Rosemary Tea Recipe Ingredients

1 Tbsp of fresh or 1/2 Tbsp of dried rosemary, 2 cups of hot water, and 1 Tbsp of honey

Easy Rosemary Tea Recipe Instructions

Instructions.   Pour hot water over the rosemary and steep about 7 minutes.  Add honey to taste.

Click here to sea some scientific research related to rosemary:  Rosemary Tea Research.

Holiday Tea Recipe #8: Juniper Berry Tea

Juniper berries are antimicrobial and have a diuretic action.  They have also been used as a folk remedy for cough and congestion.

Avoid during pregnancy, lactation, and with kidney stones or other kidney disorders.

Juniper Berry Tea Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp of dried juniper berries (Juniperus communis)
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 tsp of honey

Juniper Berry Tea Instructions

Pour boiling water over juniper berries.  Then, steep for 10 minutes.  Add honey to taste.  Finally, strain and drink.

Click here to read more about juniper berries:  Juniper Berry Monograph.

Holiday Tea Recipe #9: Thyme Tea

If you’ve got the time, try this tea!  Thyme tea tastes strongly herbaceous, and I prefer to sweeten mine with honey.  It is good for when you have congestion, cough, or the common cold.

Avoid during pregnancy and with small children; do not drink in excess.

Easy Thyme Tea Recipe Ingredients

1/2 tsp of dried thyme, 2 cups of hot water, wedge of lemon, and honey to taste

Easy Thyme Tea Recipe Instructions

Pour hot water over the thyme and steep 7 minutes.  Strain, and add lemon and honey, and drink.

Click here to read more about thyme:  Thyme Tea Research.

Holiday Tea Recipe #10: Hops Tea

On a cold day, a hot drink may be preferred over a chilled beer.  Try this hops tea.  Studies suggest it might help with insomnia.  Click here for some research:  Hops Tea Research.

Hops Tea Recipe

• 1 tsp of dried hops, 8 ounces of hot water, and honey to taste

Steep about 7 minutes. While you are waiting, dim the lights, get your pajamas on, and take a few slow deep breathes to calm your mind.

Then, strain and drink your tea.

Avoid with the use of heavy machinery (because you may be too drowsy) and hormone related health conditions such as breast cancer and pregnancy.

Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities will always be the favorite beverage of the intellectual.

– Thomas de Quincey

Blog Post by: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, RA (ARC), Professional NAHA and AIA Member, LMT

Posted: 12/4/18