Festive Hot Tea Cocktail Recipes

It's wintertime. It's the holiday season. This all means getting all comfy and cozy with soft sweaters, warm socks, and hot cocktails. Make it more festive for gathering with friends. Go beyond the classic hot toddy recipe with these delicious hot tea cocktails that will warm you from the inside out.

 

Chamomile Hot Toddy

Courtesy of Simplyrecipes

A delicious nightcap made with chamomile tea, honey, and whiskey. Also tasty with rum or brandy. Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 oz whiskey, bourbon, brandy, or dark rum
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 T honey
• 1/4 c chamomile tea prepared to your taste
• Lemon wheel, for garnish (optional)

Combine the liquor, lemon juice, and honey in a small mug. Add to brewed tea and stir until the honey dissolves. Garnish with fresh lemon.

 

English Sunrise

Courtesy of Unilever

English breakfast tea with Chambord and Grand Marnier for a delicious sunrise.

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Chambord
• 1 oz Grand Marnier
• 6oz English Breakfast tea, prepared

Add prepared English Breakfast Tea, Chambord, and Grand Marnier to a small pan. Cover, heat, and let simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Hot Rum & Ginger Tea

Courtesy of CookinCanuck

For an extra dose of warmth this winter.

Makes 2 servings 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c brewed blood orange tea
• 3 oz dark rum
• 2 tsp agave nectar or honey
• 2 slices orange
• 2 thick slices of fresh ginger (peeled)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Cinnamon stick

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the tea, rum, agave nectar (or honey), orange slices, ginger slices, and nutmeg. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes.

Remove the orange and ginger slices, and pour into 2 mugs and serve, each garnished with a piece of the orange.

Stir with a cinnamon stick, and serve immediately.

 

Irish Tea

Courtesy of Food.com

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz brandy (orange)
• 5 oz hot chai tea
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• whipped cream
• 1 orange rind (large, strip)

Pour brandy into an 8 oz. mug. Add tea, sugar, and stir. Top with a swirl of whipped cream. Twist orange peel and drop it into your mug. Enjoy!

 

Long Island (Hot) Tea Cocktail

Courtesy of Food52

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Gin
• 1/2 oz Cointreau (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
• 1/2 ounce Tequila
• 1/2 ounce light rum
• 2 cups English Breakfast tea (use strong brewed hot tea)
• honey to taste
• lemon juice to taste
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Heat water and prepare tea.

While tea is steeping in hot water, blend liquors together making about 2-3 ounces total. Divide between 2 cups of tea. Add honey and lemon to taste. Serve with a cinnamon stick.

 

Earl Grey Martini 

Courtesy of Olivia's Cuisine

Makes 2 servings

• 1 1/2 fl ounce strong earl grey creme tea, chilled (recipe follows)
•  3/4 fl ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
•  1/2 fl ounce simple syrup
•  1 1/2 fl ounces gin
•  1 egg white
•  Ice
•  Lemon wedge or twist, to garnish
•  Sugar to rim the martini glass

Steep Earl Grey Creme Tea for 5 minutes to yield 3 ounces of tea. Chill the tea by putting it in the freezer (or ice bath) for a few minutes. Do not add ice, or it will water it down.

Combine the chilled tea, lemon juice, simple syrup, gin, and egg white in a cocktail shaker. "Dry shake" for 10 seconds. Then, add ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.

Double strain (with both a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer) into a chilled martini glass rimmed with sugar, garnish with a lemon wedge (or twist) and serve.

 

Peppermint Rum Chai-da!

Makes 1 serving 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Spiced Rum
• 1 dash Peppermint Schnapps
• 4 oz hot chai tea
• 1 tsp honey

Stir everything together in a mug and serve hot. Garnish with a peppermint stick.

 

Christmas Tea Cocktail

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3 T your favorite herbal tea
• 1.5 oz Spiced Rum
• 2 tsp honey

Brew 3T tea in 1 c of hot water. Steep according to tea variety. Add rum and syrup or honey, stir and serve.

 

 

Green Tea Cosmo Cocktail

Courtesy of yummly.com

This twist on a cosmo adds a dash of green tea that enhances the taste and energy. 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Green tea, prepared
• 1 oz Vodka
• ½ oz Orange liqueur
• ½ oz Lime juice
• ½ oz Cranberry juice cocktail
• Lime peel
• Ice

Add the first five ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a cold martini glass. Garnish with a lime peel.

 

Matcha Green Tea Cocktail

Courtesy of yummly.com

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 sugar cubes (or 2 tsp sugar)
• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder
• 2 large basil leaves
• 1 egg white
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (1/2 oz)
• 1/2 oz Cointreau or triple sec
• 2 oz Gin 

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled glass and top with club soda. 

Dust with matcha powder and garnish with two basil leaves

 

Suggested Pairings for Spirits and Tea:

Be creative! Create your own holiday tea concoctions with these simple pairing suggestions.

Black Tea + Rum - especially a classic English breakfast tea

Green Tea + Whisky

Mint Tea + Rum or Bourbon

Chamomile Tea + Gin or Vodka

Chai Tea + Rye Whiskey or Irish Cream

Earl Grey Tea + Bourbon

 

And as always...please drink responsibly.