During dark nights, dreams come true. On the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, the light begins its return, and there is no better way to welcome it than with a full teapot and the people you love gathered close.
These three holiday tea recipes are built around The Ceremony of Solstice, our small-batch holiday collection composed by hand in Ojai, California. Each blend tastes like a treat you wait all year for: freshly baked gingerbread, a classic candy cane and a chocolate mint you will want to share. Below you will find a signature latte for each tea, a simple solstice ritual, and answers to the questions we hear most this time of year.
What Are the Best Teas for Holiday Gatherings?
The best holiday teas taste like dessert, steep easily for a crowd and suit different hours of the evening. The Ceremony of Solstice collection was composed with exactly that in mind: one blend for the bright afternoon, one for dusk and one for after dinner.
The Ceremony of Solstice at a Glance
| Blend | Tastes like | Caffeine | Best time to sip | Signature recipe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlight Spice | Freshly baked gingerbread | Caffeine-free | Dusk, by the fire | Gingerbread Chai Latte |
| Cosmic Crush | A classic candy cane | Moderate | Afternoon gatherings | Candy Cane Tea Latte |
| Moongazer Mint Cocoa | A chocolate mint treat | Low | After dinner | Moongazer Mint Hot Cocoa |
Why Loose Leaf Tea Makes Better Holiday Lattes
Whole spices, real cacao husks and rare leaf hold their flavor through frothed milk in a way that dusty tea bags cannot. Every Magic Hour tea is composed by hand and fresh to order, so the gingerbread tastes like gingerbread and the peppermint stays bright.
How Do You Make a Gingerbread Chai Latte?
A gingerbread chai latte is a strong-brewed spiced chai topped with frothed milk and a touch of sweetness. Starlight Spice does most of the work for you: smooth Cederberg rooibos, warming ginger, two cinnamons, cardamom and clove, finished with buttery gingersnap and vanilla. Because it is naturally caffeine-free, you can pour it for everyone at the table, late into the night.
Starlight Gingerbread Chai Latte
Freshly baked gingerbread, poured into a cup.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Starlight Spice loose leaf tea
- 4 oz water, just off the boil (200 to 212°F)
- 6 oz your favorite milk (oat milk froths beautifully)
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey, optional
- Ground cinnamon and a gingersnap, to serve
Method
- Steep Starlight Spice in the hot water for 5 minutes, then strain into a mug.
- Stir in the maple syrup or honey if you like it sweeter.
- Heat and froth the milk until velvety, then pour it over the tea.
- Dust with cinnamon and serve with a gingersnap on the side.
Brewing note: a longer 5 minute steep gives the concentrated, spice-forward base a latte needs. For a single cup on its own, steep 1 tsp per 8 oz for 3 to 5 minutes.
How Do You Make a Candy Cane Tea Latte?
A candy cane tea latte pairs peppermint and creamy white chocolate with a gently caffeinated tea base. Cosmic Crush is built on Yue Guang Bai, a rare moonlight white tea from Yunnan, with bold black tea, cool peppermint, creamy white chocolate, vanilla and a touch of apple. It is the one tea-leaf blend in the collection, which makes it the perfect afternoon pour.
Cosmic Crush Candy Cane Latte
The peppermint stripes of childhood, grown up and glowing.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Cosmic Crush loose leaf tea
- 4 oz water at 190°F
- 6 oz your favorite milk
- Whipped cream and crushed peppermint, to top
- A mini candy cane, to garnish
Method
- Steep Cosmic Crush in the 190°F water for 3 minutes, then strain.
- Heat and froth the milk until velvety, then pour it over the tea.
- Top with a swirl of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint.
- Hook a mini candy cane over the rim and serve.
Brewing note: keep this one at 190°F and 3 minutes. Delicate white tea turns bitter in boiling water or with a long steep.
Can You Make Hot Cocoa With Tea?
Yes. A cacao tea brewed strong and finished with frothed milk tastes like hot cocoa with a lighter, clearer finish. Moongazer Mint Cocoa steeps the fragrant shell of the cacao bean with organic Peruvian cocoa, cool peppermint, creamy white chocolate and vanilla, gently sweetened with monk fruit. It is low in caffeine, so it is a lovely after-dinner cup.
Moongazer Mint Hot Cocoa
Your favorite chocolate mint treat, steeped.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Moongazer Mint Cocoa loose leaf tea
- 4 oz water, just off the boil (200 to 212°F)
- 6 oz your favorite milk
- Cocoa powder and dark chocolate shavings, to top
- A fresh mint leaf, to garnish
Method
- Steep Moongazer Mint Cocoa in the hot water for 5 minutes, then strain.
- Heat and froth the milk until velvety, then pour it over the tea.
- Dust with cocoa powder and finish with a few shavings of dark chocolate.
- Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and pass it around the table.
Brewing note: Moongazer Mint Cocoa is low in caffeine rather than caffeine-free, because cacao husks naturally carry theobromine and a little caffeine.
How Do You Host a Solstice Tea Ceremony?
A solstice tea ceremony is simply a mindful gathering on the longest night of the year, marking the moment the light begins its return. You do not need anything elaborate, only a candle, a pot of tea and a few people you love.
A Simple Ritual for the Longest Night
- As the sun sets on the solstice, dim the lights and light a single candle at the center of the table.
- Steep a pot of Starlight Spice, the tea of the returning Sun, and pour a cup for everyone.
- Go around the circle and share one thing that warmed you this year.
- Pause together for a breath, the sacred pause, and welcome the light’s return.
- After dinner, pass around cups of Moongazer Mint Cocoa and let the conversation linger.
Setting the Holiday Tea Table
- A full teapot: brew Cosmic Crush for an afternoon gathering and Starlight Spice once the candles are lit.
- Frothed milk on hand: every blend in the collection turns into a latte in just a few minutes.
- Something sweet: gingersnaps, white chocolate or a slice of something homemade.
- Candlelight: the solstice is a festival of light, so let the room glow.
Which Holiday Tea Makes the Best Gift?
For the tea lover, the host or the person who has everything, the Ceremony of Solstice Gift Set brings all three blends together in a star-printed gift box with an Opalite Moon Strainer, in Traveler or Grande Apothecary jars, with the option to add a Black Tea Bowl. If you would rather keep it simple, any single blend makes a beautiful stocking stuffer.
Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If pregnant, nursing, or on medication, consult your physician before use.
Key Takeaways
- The Ceremony of Solstice collection includes three small-batch holiday teas: Starlight Spice (gingerbread chai), Cosmic Crush (candy cane white and black tea) and Moongazer Mint Cocoa (peppermint cocoa herbal tea).
- Each blend becomes a holiday latte in just a few minutes: steep 2 tsp in 4 oz of water, strain and top with 6 oz of frothed milk.
- Starlight Spice is caffeine-free, Moongazer Mint Cocoa is low in caffeine and Cosmic Crush contains moderate caffeine.
- A solstice tea ceremony needs only a candle, a full teapot and the people you love.
FAQs
What is the best tea for a gingerbread latte?
A rooibos chai with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and clove makes the most authentic gingerbread latte. Starlight Spice adds buttery gingersnap notes and vanilla, and it is naturally caffeine-free.
Is there a caffeine-free holiday tea?
Yes. Starlight Spice is naturally caffeine-free. Moongazer Mint Cocoa is an herbal blend that is low in caffeine, because cacao husks naturally contain theobromine and a little caffeine.
Can I make these holiday lattes dairy-free?
You can froth oat, almond or coconut milk for any of the three lattes. Note that Cosmic Crush and Moongazer Mint Cocoa contain white chocolate pieces made with milk and soy.
When is the winter solstice?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice falls on December 21 or 22 each year. It is the longest night of the year, after which the days begin to grow longer again.
How long should I steep tea for a latte?
Use twice the usual amount of tea in half the water and steep a little longer, about 5 minutes for Starlight Spice and Moongazer Mint Cocoa. Keep Cosmic Crush at 3 minutes in 190°F water so the white tea stays sweet.
Gather Close This Solstice
The Ceremony of Solstice was composed for the hours when no one is ready for the night to end. Fill the teapot, pour a cup for someone you love and linger a little longer. Join the Club and make every long night of the season a ritual worth gathering for. Explore The Ceremony of Solstice tea trio or shop the gift set with ritual accessories.
