Day 3!
Today’s flavor is Raspberry Almond Cookie Honeybush. Right away I notice the fragrant raspberry scent and see the vibrant color pop of dried raspberries in the dry leaf.
This is an herbal blend that reminds me a bit of those thumbprint jam cookies that pop up on cookie plates during this time of year. This blend is a bit more marzipan than butter cookie, but the almond nuttiness still pairs well with the natural caramelly, woodsy flavors of the honeybush.
I think this blend is best when brewed hot and strong for maximum flavor from the honeybush. Play up the dessert name by serving it as a foamy latte. Perfect for a before bed brew while putting out the cookie plate for Santa.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description:
When it comes to my tea flavors, there is usually some sort of inspiration behind it. Quite often, it was a flavor conceived during an afternoon of browsing through Pinterest. (I do like Pinterest!) I don’t really recall where I got the idea for a Raspberry Almond Cookie tea – but if I were to place a bet, my bet would be that I found it during a Pinterest browse.
I’ve never had a raspberry almond cookie. But when I think of “Raspberry Almond Cookie” – my mind evokes a thought of one of those little thumbprint type of cookies, you know, the cookies with a little indentation in the center where you could put a dollop of jam or marmalade? So, imagine that – if you would. A delicate almond shortbread that engulfs a little mound of raspberry jam.
And that’s exactly what this tastes like. I taste a good amount of raspberry and almond flavor and even a hint of buttery cookie. This is a naturally caffeine free treat – so it would make for a perfect dessert-y drink that you can enjoy before bedtime without worry that it’ll keep you up past your bedtime!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Cookie from Fox Tea Club
This is my first tea from the Fox Tea Club, and it has such an enticing name: Orange Cookie!
This black tea is blended with cardamom, cinnamon, and big beautiful slices of dried orange. In the dry leaf, the tea smelled like a sweeter chai, with lots of bright citrus and cozy cinnamon. Brewed, this scent continued, making this tea seem like the halfway point between bright, citrusy breakfast black teas and warm, spicy, chai teas.
Brewed, the black tea base really comes to the forefront with orange and spices lingering at the back of each sip, and in the scent. The black tea is earthy and robust, with a smooth mouthfeel that reminds me of a pu erh tea.
Maybe I just have a sweet tooth, but I’m not getting the cookie flavors in this tea. I think it would pair very well with some cookies, but on its own it is much more traditional and subdued. To make it more cookie-like, I would brew it with more sweetener and milk next time. If you’re not into dessert teas, don’t let this name discourage you, this might just be the well-balanced orange and spice black tea that you’re looking for!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fox Tea Club
Description:
Dried orange rind and aromatic spices will surely make this tea a favorite black tea to sip with good friends by the fire on a snowy winter evening. Hints of cinnamon and cloves balance the richness of the black tea. A spiced orange pomander in a cup!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Almond Cookie from The NecessiTeas . . .
Despite the eventual turn of the season towards something warm, there are still plenty of cold, grey days. On those days, it’s time to brew up something comforting and sweet like Almond Cookie tea from the NecessiTeas. Opening up the bag of tea, the blend has a very forward amaretto-like scent, sweet and fragrant and strong, like baked goods with almond extract. This smooth and silky flavor carries over into the smell of the brewed tea and its taste.
Just beneath all the sweet marzipan is something more creamy and buttery, clearly the “cookie” part of this Almond Cookie blend. This butteriness almost reminds me of coconut, though it’s not so tropical. NecessiTeas had a great idea combining almond and cookie together. A marzipan-driven tea can be a but too overwhelming on its own, so the nutty, butter-cookie taste is the perfect pairing against the almond flavors.
Writing this review I almost thought I had talked about this tea before. Last time I reviewed Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas, which is similar though it has a green tea base and stronger coconut tones. If you liked that blend, definitely try this Almond Cookie blend as well. My mug is almost empty and there are still clouds in the sky, so it’s time to brew another cup!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description: This bakery-style blend of black tea, sweet almond and creamy coconut is sure to satisfy your inner “cookie monster”.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
It is Macaroon Season: Try Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas
I feel like I’ve see a lot of macaroon-themed teas popping up this spring so it felt like time to try a tea I was saving in my collection, Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas.
It’s a little known fact that I like coconut in my baked goods and sweets. Almond Joy bars or Coconut Cluster Girl Scout cookies are the way to go! And don’t even get me started on Hostess Sno-Balls…
The dry leaf of this blend smelled strongly of almond, almost like amaretto liqueur or almond extract. Almond was definitely the dominant tone, but there was some coconut cream hiding beneath the marzipan fragrance. This tea has a green tea base, so I kept the water temperatures a little lower and let it steep. I could hardly keep my nose out of the mug while I waited. The brew smelled so delicious, sweet and nutty, with much more coconut coming forward as time went on.
This tea is true to its name: coconut macaroon. There’s the smooth, almond-cookie, sweet chocolate, and plenty of buttery coconut. Using green tea beneath all these flavors was a great choice by The Necessiteas. The coconut is toasted and warm, and almost makes the green tea taste like a roasted hojicha. The green tea also makes this blend light enough that the coconut and chocolate don’t need to compete for prominence, and it allows the cookie flavors to really shine. After a long day, this was the perfect dessert tea to brew up as a treat!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description:
The perfect blend for Macaroon lovers. The aroma of slightly toasted almonds will greet you at first sip followed by the creamy, sweetness of coconut. This is our guilt-free version of the bake sale classic.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Holiday Tea Alert! Snickerdoodle from Simpson and Vail
Snickerdoodle from Simpson & Vail was a sweet, simple blend, perfect as the weather gets cooler. The tea has true cinnamon-stick flavor– not at all like cinnamon candy– definitely the cinnamon flavor of baked goods. The warm, spice flavor goes well with the gentle dry grass and honey notes of the green rooibos. Let me put the emphasis on “green” rooibos. Unlike red rooibos, which can have a tendency to get a little medicine-like, or cloying, the green rooibos always stays smooth, sweet, and mellow, so feel free to brew this gentle decaf cinnamon blend as long as you like.
In fact, I had to brew a much stronger cup to get beyond the simple, warm cinnamon notes and find more nutty, vanilla-cookie flavors. Don’t skimp on the leaf amount or brew time with this blend: steep it strong for the best Snickerdoodle flavors.
It’s no secret that I love teas with lots of bold spices like ginger and cloves, but I do realize these are not everyone’s favorite flavors. If you want something comforting and festive, but without all the overdone pomp and circumstance of a holiday chai, Snickerdoodle might just be the perfect tea for you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal/Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description:
When we were kids Jim came home from elementary school with some recipes his teacher had given him (perhaps for an upcoming bake sale). I’ll never forget the day our Mom made a batch of Snickerdoodle cookies. They were an instant favorite in our house! The recipe was lost for awhile and we would continually ask Mom for “those lovely cinnamon cookies”. You never saw four happier kids than when she found the recipe again.
If you are a cinnamon lover then this Rooibos blend is for you! When you open the bag, the aroma of cinnamon cookie happily greets you. The brewed cup is amber colored with the taste of fresh baked snickerdoodle cookies. The sweet cinnamon taste lingers deliciously on the tongue.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!