6 Cozy Fall Tea Recipes: Homemade Loose-Leaf Blends for Gift Giving
6 Cozy Fall Tea Recipes: Homemade Loose-Leaf Blends for Gift Giving. Homemade fall tea blends filled with apples, warming spices, herbs and flowers, perfect for sipping on cool mornings or packaging into thoughtful handmade gifts.
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There is something about the first hint of fall that makes me start looking at everything growing in the garden a little differently. By the end of summer, the garden isn't quite as pretty as it was in the spring. Some plants are tired, some herbs are trying desperately to flower, and I'm usually trying to decide what needs to be harvested before the season changes again. But I don't necessarily see that as the end of the garden...
I see jars. I see dried herbs hanging in the kitchen, homemade seasonings tucked into the pantry, ingredients for simmer pots, and all sorts of little things that can be saved and used long after summer is gone.
And this year, I started thinking about tea. Not just a cup of tea, but beautiful homemade loose-leaf tea blends that could capture some of those flavors we start craving as the weather cools down: apple, orange, cinnamon, cardamom, mint, lavender and warming spices.
Better yet, they can become some of the prettiest handmade gifts of the season.
So, I put together a little Fig Hollow Farm Fall Tea Collection, six cozy tea blends that can be made individually or packaged together as a homemade fall tea sampler.
A Homemade Gift That Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
I think sometimes we make homemade gift giving harder than it needs to be. A thoughtful gift doesn't have to take three days to make or require a craft room full of supplies.
Sometimes it can be a pretty little jar filled with something you mixed together in your own kitchen.
Tea is particularly nice for this because you can make several blends at one time, package them in small jars, tins or resealable tea bags, and have gifts ready for hostesses, teachers, neighbors, friends or those little "I was thinking about you" moments.
You could give one blend with a pretty mug and tea infuser or make all six and create an entire fall tea sampler. And unlike many seasonal decorations, this is a gift that eventually disappears. They drink it, enjoy it and don't have to find somewhere to store it until next year.
That is my kind of gift.
The Fig Hollow Farm Fall Tea Collection
These recipes make small batches so you can try them before committing to a large quantity. Once you find your favorites, simply multiply the recipe to make enough for your gift jars or bags.
Whenever you're creating tea blends, make sure that all dried fruits, herbs and flowers are completely dry before combining them and packaging them.
1. Apple Orchard Tea
This is the blend that feels the most like early fall to me.
It's simple, warm and fruity without needing to taste like a pumpkin spice candle. Dried apple brings a gentle natural sweetness, rooibos gives it a smooth base, and cinnamon and orange make the whole thing feel like something you should be drinking while sitting outside on the first morning that actually requires a sweater.
Apple Orchard Tea Blend
Ingredients
1/2 cup rooibos tea
1/4 cup finely chopped dried apple
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
1 tablespoon broken cinnamon chips or crushed cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon dried ginger pieces
To brew: Use approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons of tea blend per 8 ounces of hot water. Steep for about 5 to 7 minutes or adjust the amount and steeping time to your taste. This one would also be wonderful with a little honey.
Gift idea: Package Apple Orchard Tea with a small jar of local honey and a wooden honey dipper.
2. Autumn Porch Tea
If Apple Orchard is an early fall morning, Autumn Porch is late afternoon.
This blend starts with black tea, so it does contain caffeine. Orange, cinnamon, cardamom and clove give it a deeper, spicier flavor that reminds me of those first cooler evenings when sitting outside suddenly becomes comfortable again.
Autumn Porch Tea Blend
Ingredients
1/2 cup loose black tea
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
1 tablespoon cinnamon chips
2 teaspoons lightly crushed cardamom pods
1 teaspoon dried ginger pieces
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves, lightly crushed
To brew: Use approximately 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of hot water and steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. Black tea can become bitter when steeped too long, so start on the shorter side and adjust from there.
Add a little honey or a splash of milk if you like.
Gift idea: Pair it with a vintage-style mug, tea strainer and a little handwritten card that says, "Best enjoyed on the porch."
3. Harvest Moon Herbal Tea
This may be the prettiest blend in the collection.
Rooibos creates the base, while dried apple, rose hips and hibiscus bring beautiful fall colors to the jar. Cinnamon warms everything up without overpowering the fruit.
Harvest Moon Herbal Tea Blend
Ingredients
1/2 cup rooibos tea
1/4 cup chopped dried apple
2 tablespoons dried rose hips
1 tablespoon dried hibiscus
1 tablespoon cinnamon chips
1 teaspoon dried orange peel
To brew: Use approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons per 8 ounces of hot water and steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
Hibiscus has a naturally tart flavor, so if you prefer a softer tea, use a little less hibiscus or add honey after brewing.
Gift idea: This is the blend I would put into a clear glass jar because the ingredients are too pretty to hide.
4. Minted Apple Garden Tea
This is where a little bit of the summer herb garden follows us into fall.
Apple and cinnamon make it seasonal, while mint keeps the blend fresh and light. If you've been drying mint from the garden all summer, this is a lovely way to actually use some of it rather than letting another jar of dried mint disappear into the back of the cabinet.
Minted Apple Garden Tea Blend
Ingredients
1/2 cup rooibos tea
1/4 cup chopped dried apple
2 tablespoons dried mint
1 tablespoon dried lemon balm
1 tablespoon cinnamon chips
1 teaspoon dried orange peel
To brew: Use approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons per 8 ounces of hot water. Steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
If you don't have lemon balm, simply leave it out and add another tablespoon of mint or a little additional dried apple.
Gift idea: If you're making this with herbs from your own garden, mention it on the gift tag. "Made with mint from my garden" turns a simple package of tea into something much more personal.
5. Lavender Earl Grey Autumn Tea
I wanted one blend in this collection that felt a little more special.
Earl Grey already has that wonderful citrusy bergamot flavor, and a very small amount of culinary lavender makes it feel almost luxurious. Orange peel carries the citrus flavor a little further, while a touch of cinnamon brings it into fall.
The important thing with lavender is restraint. You want to notice it, not feel like you're drinking perfume.
Lavender Earl Grey Autumn Tea Blend
Ingredients
1/2 cup loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
1 teaspoon culinary lavender
1 teaspoon cinnamon chips
To brew: Use approximately 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of hot water and steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
Try this one with a splash of milk and a little honey.
Gift idea: Package it in a small tea tin and pair it with a pretty teacup or mug for an easy hostess gift.
6. Golden Harvest Tea
This blend is a little different from the others in our Fall Tea Collection, and that's exactly why I wanted to include it.
Golden Harvest Tea is earthy, warmly spiced and just a little unexpected. Turmeric root and ginger create the foundation, while cinnamon bark adds that familiar fall warmth. Dried apple and orange peel soften the earthier ingredients and bring a touch of the orchard into the blend.
Licorice root adds a subtle natural sweetness, while just a little black pepper and bay leaf give the tea a deeper, more complex finish.
It's a beautiful blend in the jar, too. The golden pieces of turmeric mixed with cinnamon bark, dried fruit and herbs give it the rustic, gathered-from-the-pantry appearance that I love in a homemade tea.
Golden Harvest Tea Blend
Ingredients
3 tablespoons cinnamon bark pieces
3 tablespoons dried turmeric root pieces
2 tablespoons dried ginger root pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped dried apple
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
1 tablespoon licorice root
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly cracked
2 dried bay leaves, crumbled
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Transfer the blend to a clean, completely dry airtight jar or tea tin.
To Brew
Because this blend contains roots, bark and spices rather than delicate tea leaves, I like to give it a little more time in the water.
Use approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons of the blend per 8 ounces of water. Steep in very hot water for about 7 to 10 minutes, then strain. A coffee press works brilliant for steeping loose-leaf teas. For an even stronger cup, gently simmer the blend in water for several minutes before straining.
Taste it first on its own, then add honey if you'd like a little more sweetness.
Gift Idea
Golden Harvest Tea would be beautiful packaged in a clear glass jar with a simple kraft label and wooden tea scoop. Pair it with a tea infuser, honey dipper and small jar of honey for an easy fall gift.
If you're creating the complete Fig Hollow Farm Fall Tea Collection, this is a nice blend to include because it gives the sampler something completely different from the apple, mint, floral and traditional black tea blends.
A little note for gifting: Because this blend contains licorice root and several botanicals, include the complete ingredient list on your package. Licorice root may not be appropriate for everyone and can interact with certain medications and health conditions. Homemade botanical teas are best given with their ingredients clearly identified so the recipient can decide whether the blend is appropriate for them.
Turn the Six Blends Into a Fall Tea Sampler
This is probably my favorite way to gift these. Instead of making one large jar of tea, divide the blends into smaller packages and create a Fig Hollow Farm Fall Tea Sampler.
You could include:
Apple Orchard Tea, Autumn Porch Tea, Harvest Moon Herbal Tea, Minted Apple Garden Tea, Lavender Earl Grey Autumn Tea, and the Golden Harvest Tea.
Use small glass jars, tea tins or kraft resealable pouches and label each one with the name of the blend and brewing instructions. Arrange them inside a kraft gift box or small basket with shredded paper. Then you can start adding the fun extras.
A tea infuser, honey dipper, pretty teaspoon, linen tea towel, small jar of honey or a beautiful mug can turn five inexpensive homemade tea blends into a really lovely fall gift basket.
You certainly don't need all of those things. Even one or two can make the finished gift feel special.
Create a Make-Your-Own Fall Tea Bar
Here's another idea if you're making several gifts at once.
Set up a Fall Tea Bar on your kitchen table.
Put your ingredients into individual jars or bowls: dried apples, orange peel, cinnamon chips, cardamom, mint, lemon balm, lavender, rose hips, hibiscus, rooibos, black tea and Earl Grey.
Add measuring spoons, a small kitchen scale, funnels, empty tea jars or pouches, labels and your recipes.
Then assemble all of your fall tea gifts at once. This would also be a fun project to do with friends or family. Everyone could make their own blends and take them home.
If you grow herbs, dry fruit or preserve ingredients from your garden, a tea-making afternoon is another way to use some of what you've spent all summer growing.
Drying Your Own Apples and Orange Peel
You don't have to dry your own ingredients to make these teas. There are plenty of dried tea ingredients available to purchase.
But if you already own a dehydrator, fall tea blends are a great excuse to use it.
For apples, wash and thinly slice the fruit, remove the core and dehydrate according to your dehydrator's instructions until the pieces are thoroughly dried. Once dry, chop them into smaller pieces that will distribute easily throughout your tea.
Orange peel can also be dried and cut into small pieces. If you're using home-dried ingredients in gifts, don't rush the drying process. Any moisture left in fruit or herbs can shorten the storage life of the entire blend.
I would much rather let something dry a little longer than package it too soon.
What You'll Need to Make Fall Tea Gifts
One of the nice things about this project is that you can make it as simple or elaborate as you'd like.
If you're starting from scratch, these are some of the supplies that can make the process easier:
You don't need to buy everything on the list. Use what you already have first. An assortment of jars collected throughout the year can look every bit as charming as matching containers.
A Note About Herbs, Flowers and Tea Ingredients
When making anything that will be eaten or brewed, make sure you're using ingredients intended for culinary use.
That is especially important with flowers and dried botanicals. Decorative flowers from a craft store or florist are not necessarily suitable for food.
If you're using herbs from your own garden, be certain of the plant's identity and that it hasn't been treated with something you wouldn't want in your cup. It's also a good idea to include a complete ingredient list with anything you're giving away. That way the recipient knows exactly what's inside.
If you're giving tea to someone who is pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition, let them decide whether the individual ingredients are appropriate for them rather than making wellness or medicinal claims about the blend.
These recipes are meant simply to make a good cup of tea.
From the Summer Garden to the Fall Pantry, these 6 Cozy Fall Tea Recipes from Homemade Loose-Leaf Blends are Perfect for Gift Giving.
Fall doesn't have to mean that everything we've been growing and tending to all summer suddenly comes to an end. I think that's what I like most about projects like this.
Some of it gets dried. Some gets tucked into jars. Some ends up in the pantry. And sometimes a little bit of the summer garden ends up in a cup of tea on a cool fall morning.
There is something satisfying about taking a handful of simple ingredients and turning them into something beautiful enough to give away. No complicated craft supplies, no perfect wrapping required. Just good ingredients, a pretty jar and a little time spent making something for someone else.
Make one blend for your own kitchen, make several for friends, or put all five together and create your own Fall Tea Collection.
And while you're at it, make an extra jar for yourself.
After spending all summer working in the garden, I think we've earned a cup.
As always, happy creating!!
Jennifer
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