Festive Spiced Hot Tea Beverages

Tea is a tasty, comforting beverage that is wonderful to enjoy on a cold winter day. You can easily use traditional hot tea as the base for delicious, spiced fruity beverages. These spiced teas are great to enjoy on any chilly evening, and they are also perfect served as a party punch straight from a slow cooker.

Spiced Orange Tea

Ingredients:

• 5 tea bags
• 1 can orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 gallon of water
• 1 cup Splenda or sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• Dash ground cloves

Directions:

Place all ingredients in your slow cooker. Simmer on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Remove teabags before serving. Serve hot.

Alternate instructions: You can prepare this spiced tea on your stovetop in a Dutch oven or stock pot. Simply bring to a boil, turn off heat, and allow to steep.

Apple Cinnamon Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1/2 cup instant tea mix (unsweetened)
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Dash ground cloves

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker. Simmer on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve hot and enjoy.

Alternate instructions: You don't have to use a slow cooker. Instead, simply place all ingredients in a Dutch oven or stock pot, bring to a boil, turn off heat, and allow to steep.

Citrus Spiced Tea

• 10 orange pekoe tea bags
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons allspice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups Splenda or Sugar
• 1 quart water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Simmer on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve hot and enjoy.

Alternate instructions: If you would prefer to prepare this beverage on your stove top, just place all ingredients in a Dutch oven or stock pot, bring to a boil, turn off heat, and allow to steep.

Rich Chai Tea

Ingredients

• 10 cups of water
• 5 tea bags
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups milk

Directions:

Bring all ingredients except milk to a boil in a Dutch oven or stock pot and allow to steep for a minimum of 20 minutes. When ready to serve, remove tea bags and cinnamon stick. Add milk and serve in mugs or tea cups. Individuals may want to add additional sugar or honey, to taste.

Variation: If you want to prepare this beverage for a party, you can simmer all ingredients in a slow cooker. Simply have milk available so that guests can add the chai mix to milk in their own cups.

Adult beverage variation: Try adding dark rum or bourbon for a delicious hot toddy!