A holiday spruce tea is a soothing, aromatic drink that captures the scent and warmth of the season. With its forest-fresh flavour and gentle citrusy brightness, it’s the perfect way to cozy up on a chilly day. Serve it in your favourite Christmas mug, wrap yourself in a blanket, and enjoy the essence of a winter forest right at home.
Hey, folks – I hope you all are doing well.
Today, I’m excited to share this Holiday Spruce Tea – a simple yet delightful recipe that turns foraged spruce tips (or fir or pine needles) into a comforting winter infusion. It’s a cup full of nature’s fragrance, evoking snowy woods, twinkling lights, and the quiet calm of the holiday season.
But wait… Did you know you can use spruce tips to make a hearty and healthy drink?
Spruce Tips: Health Benefits and Side Effects
Spruce tips are perfectly safe to consume and even offer some health benefits. They’re rich in vitamin C, which may help boost immunity and ease cold symptoms. This soothing tea can also help relieve sore throats and mild congestion. However, if you’re allergic to conifers, it’s best to avoid it – and if you’re new to spruce or pine teas, start with small amounts to see how your body reacts.
Holiday Spruce Tea – Cozy Winter Drink
Tea made from spruce tips has a refreshing, bright, citrus-like flavour profile that immediately evokes the scent of a winter forest. It’s light yet aromatic, with subtle herbal undertones – something between rosemary and cardamom – that make it truly unique. There’s also a delicate natural sweetness that feels comforting and soothing, pairing beautifully with honey, lemon, orange, or a hint of cinnamon. When served warm, this holiday spruce tea fills your kitchen with the uplifting aroma of evergreens and citrus – cozy, festive, and wonderfully relaxing on a cold winter day.
How to Harvest Spruce
Ideally, spruce tips are best harvested in spring, when they’re young, tender, and especially fragrant. That’s when their flavour is at its most delicate and citrusy. However, you can enjoy this tea year-round – just choose the smallest and freshest tips available. Mature tips are perfectly safe and still delicious; they simply have a stronger, more resinous flavour with less citrus brightness. You can also make this tea with fir or pine needles, which bring their own unique aroma and charm.
How to Make Holiday Spruce Tea
The process couldn’t be easier: rinse the tips thoroughly, then pour freshly boiled water over them and let steep for several minutes. Sweeten to taste and enhance with slices of orange or lemon, a touch of honey, or even a splash of triple sec or brandy for a festive twist. Then, simply sit back and enjoy a cozy cup of forest-inspired comfort.
And if you are looking for something warm to enjoy around the holidays, be sure to check Mulled Orange Brandy (Hot Christmas Brandy), too.
I’d love for you to try this Holiday Spruce Tea – Cozy Winter Drink. If you give the recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!
Cheers!
Holiday Spruce Tea – Cozy Winter Drink
2-3
servings40
minutesCozy holiday spruce tea with bright citrus notes, honey, cinnamon, and orange – soothing, aromatic, and perfect for winter.
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Ingredients
a handful (20-30 gr.) of spruce (also pine or fir) tips, preferably young, light-green colour – rinsed
2 cups water
1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
few orange slices (optional)
honey, to taste (optional)
Directions
- Bring fresh water to a boil.
- Add the rinsed spruce tips and cinnamon (if using) to a pot, cover, and let stay to steep for about 15 minutes.
- Try and dilute with more boiled water, if the taste is too strong. Pour through a tea strainer and discard the tips.
- Add the orange and honey, if desired and to taste – and enjoy!
Thanks for sharing a useful blog on Spruce Tea. You mentioned the ingredients and instructions, which will help to prepare it at home easily. I have been suffering from a cold for some days, and I am using various herbal treatments, but they do not work. I shall try to drink your tea as advised. I like your blog and also prefer organic products.
Spruce Tea, with its vibrant citrus-like flavor and hints of rosemary and cardamom, is not only a festive choice for the holiday season but also a healthful one. Rich in vitamin C, it’s an excellent beverage to boost the immune system and soothe sore throats during the cold months. Adding natural sweeteners and spices like honey, cinnamon, and orange not only enhances the flavor but also complements the tea’s health benefits, making it a delightful and beneficial winter drink.
Well knock me over with a feather, as the saying goes. I would have never imagined you could make tea from spruce needles. Now I’m going to hunt for a nearby tree…
I’ve been battling a cold for about 3 weeks now, and this tea sounds amazing! Perfect timing, Ben…and it’s so festive for the holiday season, too!
I’m tempted to go get a clipping from my Christmas 🎄, but there’s no way to know how natural it is. Best I’m sure to get a clipping from a wild tree. Sounds delicious 😋!
What an interesting drink! I would love to try one :-)
Ooooh I’ve never had spruce tea but now I’m intrigued! What a fantastic way to boost immune system, especially during this time of year (cough, cough!)
I love how nature can heal!