• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
LunaCafe

LunaCafe

Regional, seasonal food with original recipes by Susan S. Bradley

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Getting Started
    • About LunaCafe
    • About Susan S. Bradley
    • About James H. Bradley
  • Holiday
    • Christmas Cookies: Deck the Halls
    • Christmas Cookies: Silver Bells
    • Christmas Favorites: Silver Moon
    • Christmas Cookies: Starry Night
  • Fresh Primers
    • Apple Primer
    • Apple Cider Primer
    • Artichoke Primer
    • Blueberry Primer
    • Cherry Primer
    • Cranberry Primer
    • Lentil Primer
    • Pear Primer
    • Rhubarb Primer
    • Strawberry Primer
    • Winter Squash Primer
    • Cranberry Garnishes
    • Temperature Guide for Cooking
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Drinks/A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea

A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea

The tradition of infusing tea, cider, wine, and brandy with highly aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, and nutmeg, along with citrus peel, is centuries old and closely associated with the festivities of the Christmas season.

A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea | LunaCafeI can’t imagine a cold, wet, interminably grey Northwest winter without the comfort of hot tea with mulling spices. And when it snows, this daily ritual takes on an almost magical significance.

I love the smell of aromatic spices in the house. I love inhaling warm wafts of spicy goodness while cradling a cup of hot tea in both hands. Comfort is the word that comes to mind, but an elemental comfort that is hard to describe.

At these moments, I know in the deepest way that no matter what is appearing in my life, all is somehow, inexplicably, as it should be and thus perfect. This feeling sometimes runs counter to all logic, and yet there it is as I sip my spicy mulled tea.

A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea | LunaCafeThe tradition of infusing tea, cider, wine, and brandy with highly aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, and nutmeg, along with citrus peel, is centuries old and closely associated with the festivities of the Christmas season.

A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea | LunaCafe

When creating mulling spices for tea, it’s important to crush or even powder the spices to insure that their full flavor infuses into the boiling water in just 2-4 minutes, or the time it takes to brew the tea. Any longer and you will bring out the tannins in the tea, which result in that astringent, puckery feel in the mouth.

On the other hand, mulling spices can be left in larger pieces if they are intended for a drink that can be simmered considerably longer, such as mulled cider, wine or brandy.

A Cup of Spicy Christmas Tea | LunaCafe

Christmas Tea Mulling Spice

If you plan to invite a few friends over for tea and nibbles this holiday season, do infuse your favorite tea with this heady blend of spices. While you’re at it, have someone read aloud the heartwarming little story, A Cup of Christmas Tea. I guarantee you will all feel blessed by the Spirit of Christmas.

A ribbon-tied jar of mulling spices makes a lovely small gift or stocking stuffer.

2 ounces candied ginger, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 ounce Ceylon cinnamon stick, broken into ¼-inch pieces (one 4½-inch piece)
½ ounce whole allspice, crushed (about 2 tablespoons)
½ ounce cardamom pods, crushed lightly, outer shell discarded (about 2 tablespoons seeds)
¼ ounce star anise (about 2 tablespoons)
1/8 ounce cloves, slightly crushed (about 1 tablespoon)
finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
¼ teaspoon orange oil

  1. If presenting as a gift in a 1½-cup, glass jar, layer all ingredients in the airtight jar, and seal. Instruct the recipient to mix the spices well before using for the first time.
  2. Otherwise, mix the ingredients, put into an airtight container, and seal.
  3. Store in a cool, dry, dark location. Keeps for many months.

Makes 4½ ounces (about 1¼ cups).

Spicy Christmas Tea

2 tablespoons Christmas Tea Mulling Spice 
2 teaspoons favorite black tea
sweetener of your choice, optional
thin slices lemon, optional

  1. Bring a kettle of fresh, cold water just to a simmer. (Do not boil.)
  2. In the meanwhile, put Christmas Tea Mulling Spice and tea into a teapot strainer basket or large tea strainer.
  3. Pour4 cups of  just simmering water over the spices and tea into a teapot or other container with pouring spout.
  4. Let steep 2-4 minutes, then remove the spices and tea, and pour spiced tea into tea cups to serve. If desired, sweeten and serve with lemon.

Serves 2-4.

Copyright 2009-2015 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.

Written by:
Susan S. Bradley
Published on:
December 20, 2015

Categories: Drinks, HolidayTags: a cup of Christmas tea, Christmas, Christmas tea, holiday, mulled tea, mulling spices, noel, spiced tea

About Susan S. Bradley

Intrepid cook, food writer, culinary instructor, creator of the LunaCafe blog, author of Pacific Northwest Palate: Four Seasons of Great Cooking, and former director of the Northwest Culinary Academy.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margaret Clover

    November 28, 2016 at 12:32 am

    This post brings me back memories about a tradition my grandmother did when we were kids and now I do it for my kids. When the family puts up the tree the next morning a small elf figure appears on the tree along with a note that explains that it is one of Santa’s elf and they watch over the kids to make sure they are good. Every night if they are good when they go to bed the elf will move. If they aren’t good it stays on the tree. If the elf moves the kids have to try to find it. Once found they put it back onto the tree. I had one for each child, they liked having their own elf. When Christmas day is over, put elf on the tree when the kids go to bed, the next day when they wake up the elf goes back home to santa for another year. (try to remember where you put it as I forgot one year and had to buy new ones). Every year my kids will ask when will we put up the tree as they hope their elf come back. I miss my grandmother.

    Thanks for listening, Susan

    • Susan S. Bradley

      December 4, 2016 at 9:33 am

      Margaret, wonderful memory. I haven’t heard of this one. Our favorite-six-year-old would love it. Merry Christmas! 🙂

  2. Hofterzielbeek

    December 21, 2015 at 11:47 pm

    That’s great!! Much needed recipe of the season. It would be amazing to have a cup of such hot and spicy tea with your loved ones 🙂

  3. Penny Wolf

    December 11, 2012 at 8:09 am

    YummmY! I’m having mine with a Mexican wedding cookie made with black walnuts.
    I’m not a historian but still can’t help thinking of the spice trade and all that goes with it.
    Spices are a true gift. Thank you.

  4. Dana Zia

    January 23, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    Popped over for a visit and found this lovely tea recipe. I just posted a post on teas, so I was delighted to find this! I’m drinking tea as we speak. It is such a nurturing and fulfilling ritual isn’t it? Happy winter my dear, here’s to us!

    • sms bradley

      January 24, 2010 at 9:17 pm

      Ahhh… Dana, so nice to be sharing a lovely cup of tea with you on this rainy, windy, cold Portland night. Without hot tea, winter would not be nearly so nice. Looking forward to catching up on your latest posts! Best…Susan

  5. Sophie

    January 1, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    What a great & heart warming tea gift!! Haleluja!
    .-= Sophie´s last blog ..Chicken with a cranberry, port & orange sauce, served with sugared braised Belgian endives =-.

  6. mausi

    December 22, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Hi, I was searching a recipe for candied orange and lemon peel and came across your blog. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I mentioned your blog and linked your blog to my blog post so people can visit your blog for your recipes. I hope it is OK. Thanks again.

  7. Kate

    December 22, 2009 at 9:01 am

    A great idea and a delightful gift! Very satisfying on a cold day!
    .-= Kate´s last blog ..A Village Tour =-.

Primary Sidebar

Susan S. Bradley

Intrepid cook, food writer, culinary instructor, creator of the LunaCafe blog, author of Pacific Northwest Palate: Four Seasons of Great Cooking, and former director of the Northwest Culinary Academy. Read More…

Find Recipes By Category

Recent Adventures

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake is a simple, earthy cake in the Clafouti …

Continue Reading about Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

Mulled Apple Cider with Winter Spices

Mulled Apple Cider with Warm Winter Spices, Cayenne & Hibiscus

Have you ever wondered what “mulled” actually means? As in Mulled Apple Cider? I always assumed …

Continue Reading about Mulled Apple Cider with Warm Winter Spices, Cayenne & Hibiscus

Apple Pandowdy (Juicy Caramel, Upside-Down, Broken Crust Skillet Pie)

Apple Pandowdy (Juicy Caramel, Upside-Down, Broken Crust Skillet Pie)

Okay first things first. What's a pandowdy? Or is it pan dowdy? And does "dowdy" mean what I …

Continue Reading about Apple Pandowdy (Juicy Caramel, Upside-Down, Broken Crust Skillet Pie)

Blueberry Lavender Limeade

After I created Fresh Blueberry Lime Sauce earlier this summer, I devoted myself to spooning it over …

Continue Reading about Blueberry Lavender Limeade

Search our site

Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear about our latest adventures!

We won't sell your email or send you spam.

Explore more

Footer

The LunaCafe

Copyright 2014-2021 | Susan S. Bradley. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2023 · Navigation Pro by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

  • Block Examples