Stay warm and cozy with a winter tea! You’ll find a recipe for Chai Latte, a DIY Tea Cozy and recipe for Almond Sugar Dove Cookies that take flight from flavorful almond extract, a layer of sweet almond buttercream and sliced almonds to mimic feathers.
Happy Tuesday!
Welcome to the January edition of Tea on Tuesdays,
a celebration of all things tea on the third Tuesday of the month.
Pam and I are excited to welcome back
Shannon at Belle Bleu Interiors,
as a special guest joining us for tea today. ☕
We’re glad you’re here too, pour yourself a cuppa and join us!
You can find Pam and Shannon’s invitation to tea at the bottom of this post.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Join me at the table by the tree for a little cozy winter nesting!
We’re doing our best to embrace winter {brrrrr 🥶} and stay cozy by our Winter Nesting Tree,
decorated to extend the *twinkle* season into the months of January and February.
It makes the house cheerier and brighter and an antidote
for the winter blues when it’s cold and gray outside!
Sparkling snowflakes, icy branches, pine cones, bird ornaments and glittery bird nests
add winter nesting details on the tree. You can see more of the tree, HERE.
A faux fur throw provides a warm foundation for our table, while a pair of plates, bowls and mugs by 222 Fifth ‘Adelaide’ came home to roost from HomeGoods. They’re layered on favorite white chargers and velvet placemats from Crown Linen Designs.
Twig flatware adds a woodland note and nesting detail, along with bird napkin rings, marrying a pair of napkins, a gray damask and white with pearl trim.
Like most of the U.S. we’re experiencing the Polar vortex driven Arctic blast this week!
My DIY Tea Cozy, is fun hack and easy no-sew craft project
with a hands on time of less than 30 minutes!
It serves to keep my teapot insulated and tea warm, when the house is cold. ☕❄️
I’m sipping on Chai Latte to keep warm!
If you’re not familiar with Chai, it’s a black tea, infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, star anise and other warming spices and combined with steamed / frothed milk.
There are multiple ways to make a Chai Latte. Some methods call for steeping loose black tea with toasted spices, for stronger Chai flavor; straining the tea and spices and then adding warm milk. I made mine with teabags for a shortcut, steeped in a little water first, then adding warm milk. Alternatively, you can steep your Chai directly in milk.
Whole milk is considered the best choice for frothing, due to its a higher fat content which creates a richer, creamier foam, but feel free to experiment if you need a non-dairy milk alternative, like soy, oat or almond milk.
I used my milk frother that was a gift from my blogging and Tea on Tuesday friend, Kitty at Kitty’s Kozy Kitchen! It whips up a foam in seconds, perfect for a latte, cappuccino or hot chocolate!
Thank you again Kitty ☕❤️
I used Stash Double Spice Chai Black Tea for my Chai Latte:
2 Double Spice Chai black tea bags, for maximum Chai flavor
1/4 cup boiling water (adjust quantity for a larger mug or cup)
3/4 cup whole milk
Honey or sugar, to taste
Cinnamon or nutmeg, to sprinkle on top
Steep Chai bags in the hot water for 3 to 5 minutes. Warm milk in a pan, then whisk with a frother. Combine milk and chai tea; add honey or sugar to taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
If you’re in the market for a milk frother, Zulay’s Kitchen Milk Frother has 4.4 out of 5 stars with over 224,000 global ratings. I highly recommend it and it would also be handy for making quick whipped cream, blending a protein shake or whisking up a salad dressing too!
Help yourself to an Almond Sugar Dove to go with your Chai Latte!
These sugar cookies take flight from almond extract and are topped with a layer of almond buttercream.
Sliced almonds, along with finely chopped walnuts, mimic feathers.
I love my Rolling Pin with Adjustable Thickness Rings
that allows you to roll your piecrust, cookie dough or air dry clay for DIY Mason Jar Flower Frogs
in an even thickness!
The stainless steel tube is easy to clean and gives your dough for a smooth, even surface.
Bonus: it also comes with a pastry mat.
Almond Sugar Dove Cookies
Makes approximately (19) 4-inch cookies rolled to 1/4 inch thickness
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or make your own homemade vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Almond Buttercream, 1/2 recipe or frosting of choice
10 oz. bag sliced almonds
Mini chocolate chips for eyes
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (crumb size)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F; line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar on medium speed of mixer 1-2 minutes, or until butter mixture is pale yellow, light and fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the side of the bowl once or twice while mixing.
Add egg and extracts, mixing to combine.
Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
Dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling onto a floured surface.
Roll on a floured surface to 1/4″ thick and cut into bird shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Freeze cut out cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges turn slightly golden.
Let sit a few minutes on baking sheet, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
When cookies are cool add layer of frosting to cover birds. I used half a recipe of almond buttercream.
If you want to use a shortcut, you can add a 1/2 teaspoon of good quality almond extract to store-bought vanilla frosting.
You can find Taste of Home’s test kitchen’s best store-bought frostings, HERE.
Arrange sliced almonds for feathers, filling in body with finely chopped walnuts, pressing down to adhere to frosting. Place mini chocolate chip for eyes.
Allow frosting to set on cookies, then store in airtight container until ready to serve.
Details:
Bird Dishes & Mugs / 222 Fifth Adelaide Black, HomeGoods
Bird Pitcher / Grace Teaware, HomeGoods, several years ago
Placemats / Crown Linen Designs
Napkins / Pier1 & HomeGoods
Twig Flatware / Pier 1
Bird Napkin Rings / Pottery Barn, several years ago
Bird Cookie Cutters available Amazon below:
Peace Dove Cookie Cutter 4″, Made in USA
Peace Dove Cookie Cutter 4.5″ Made in USA
Dove Cookie Cutter 4.25 Inch, Made in USA
Almond Sugar Dove Cookies
Equipment
- mixer
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- Almond Buttercream or frosting of choice
- 10 oz. bag sliced almonds
- Mini chocolate chips for eyes 1 per cookie
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts crumb size
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Combine the flour and baking powder; set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar on medium speed of mixer 1-2 minutes, or until butter mixture is pale yellow, light and fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the side of the bowl once or twice while mixing.
- Add egg and extracts, mixing to combine.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
- Dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling onto a floured surface.
- Roll on a floured surface to 1/4" thick and cut into bird shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Freeze cut out cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges turn slightly golden.
- Let sit a few minutes on baking sheet, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
- When cookies are cool add layer of frosting to cover birds.
- Arrange sliced almonds for feathers, filling in body with finely chopped walnuts, pressing down to adhere to frosting. Place mini chocolate chip for eyes.
- Allow frosting to set on cookies, then store in airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- I used half a recipe of *Almond Buttercream.
- Use the frosting of your choice or doctor a can of store-bought vanilla frosting by mixing in 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract.
- 1½ cups unsalted butter softened
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream
- In a large bowl, beat butter with a mixer at medium speed until creamy.
- Add salt; gradually add confectioners’ sugar and almond extract, beating until smooth.
- Add 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
You’re invited to join Pam and Shannon for tea:
Pam at Everyday Living
Shannon at Belle Bleu Interiors
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
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Beautiful post, Mary! Love the Adelaide pattern, which you have styled so beautifully with the knitted tea cozy and delicious looking bird cookies. You have so much imagination and attention to detail! Lovely.
I’ve been eyeing up the Moss Green version of Adelaide. 😊
Good morning, Mary. Your tea table is beautiful with the nesting tree in the background. A warm and cozy faux fur throw is ideal for this very cold day across most of our country. I can’t believe South Alabama will have snow, but none for us. ‘Adelaide’ is so stunning paired with the winter whites and the twig flatware. I have always loved the CLD velvet placemats. Such loveliness is the damask napkin paired with the pearl-trimmed white! A fur topped tea cozy is charming and perfect to keep your teapot insulated. I would enjoy a chai latte this morning and an almond sugar dove. Wow, the cookies are just gorgeous and almost too pretty to eat.
As always I enjoy sharing our Tea on Tuesdays! Stay warm and cozy, Mary 🤍☕️
Mary, such a great idea for this freezing 18 degree morning! The cookies look too pretty to eat and I think I can almost taste the chai tea!
You have a beautiful tea table this morning with lots of tips that I really can use.
I need the rolling pin and the milk frother so I’m headed to Amazon!
Thank you for sharing!
Mary, My mother was a chai tea lover. Every Sunday when she visited we sipped on this.
Thank you for the beautiful memory !
Wow, Mary, those dove cookies are stunning! What’s nice is you make the recipes so easy for those of us who don’t normally decorate cookies. I will definitely make these! I can always count on you to share inspiring projects, crafts or creative recipes. Thanks, Mary.
Such a delightful winter tea party by your winter nesting tree Mary! Please pass the Almond Sugar Doves, they sound really delicious! The frother looks very handy, and the Chai Latte sounds like the perfect thing to sip on to stay cozy on these cold winter days. We are in the teens this morning, I need all the cozy comfort of your winter tea party!
Jenna
Everything is just so adorable from the twinkly tree to the table to the cookies to the teapot warmer! a you’re quite the gal❤️
Your tea party looks like the place to be on this freezing cold day.
The dishes are so pretty. Your cookies are adorable and sound delicious. I love an almond flavor in my sugar cookies. They are almost too cute to eat :). I am going to make the tea for sure. It looks yummy. Thank you for sharing your recipes, Mary and stay warm.
Mary, a welcome sight on this Tuesday morning. As always your winter nesting tree looks so pretty in the background. I love chai tea. Especially with cream and a sweetener. Your almond sugar doves are adorable, almost too pretty to eat. Adelaide Black looks fabulous with Grace’s white teaware. A beanie tea cozy is the sweetest. Stay cozy.
Good morning, Mary! I hope you are staying warm on this frigid winter’s day. Your tea setting is beautiful with the sweet bird dinnerware and pretty white florals. The fur throw adds a perfect layer of warmth to your setting. I love a good chai latte and those pretty cookies look and sound scrumptious. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I always admire your bird nesting tree. It adds such a gorgeous glow to your room. It has been such a treat to join Pam and you for tea. Have a wonderful day and stay warm, sweet friend!
Mary, you never fail to impress. The cookies look amazing for hot tea. I love the winter tree.
Thank you for advocating for Samaritan’s Purse for months. I keep putting it out there day after day. Help is on the way.
Mary, I LOVE your new bird dishes!! So perfect for entertaining next to your Winter Nesting Tree! Also love your precious tea cozy! There’s nothing you can’t think of! I loved everything about this precious and cozy table setting!! Stay warm. Here in South Louisiana we’re getting lots of snow today! Such a rare occurrence for us!!! It’s beautiful.
Sheryl
I so enjoy china, dishes, and table accessories! i would appreciate if you would share some of your organization and storing secrets! My husband gets overwhelmed!
Everything looks so beautiful and tasty. I’ll have a chai latte and almond cookie, please!
Oh Mary, your new dishes from Home Goods are beautiful and so pretty on the white chargers and faux throw. I’m sipping a latte right now and trying to warm up. I’m happy you like the frother. The dove cookies look professionally decorated and would be the perfect treat for me right now. I’ll have to try your chai latte tea recipe. Thank you for sharing. Happy sipping! ♥️
This winter’s tea post is exactly what I needed today. It brings me such warmth (this morning I awoke to negative 4) and beauty. Thank you, Mary. Your latte recipe and cookies looks SO good. And I put the frother (isn’t Kitty just the best person?) and rolling pin and one of the bird cookie cutters in my cart.
Good Afternoon, Mary. Your tea table looks so cozy with your nesting tree close by. I love your homemade tea cozy! You are so creative. Speaking of creativity, your cookies are fabulous.
I am a chai latte girl as well! I enjoy one in the afternoon often. When I am at a coffee shop I always order a dirty chai latte where they add a shot of espresso. It’s so good!
How kind of Kitty to gift you the frother. How fun for you!
Happy Tuesday dear friend. Stay warm!
Mary, I’m sitting by a cozy fire with hot tea wishing one of those almond doves would fly onto my plate. They are delightful! I’ve saved the recipe. Thank you! We got a light snow during the night. It’s sunny now and so things are melting away. More deep freeze tonight, but I don’t think moisture is part of it. Love the tea cozy! I’m tempted to make one. Easy, you say? Stay warm and cozy!
Love the cookies, only wish you could do a visual of the decorating them. So nice to see it done.
How gorgeous! I love the new dishes and the winter whites on the table. Those cookies would be a top choice for me, given the flavor combination, and they are beautiful. Your chai tea sounds perfect, made with two bags for a stronger flavor. Great tools, always great inspiration. Thanks, Mary. Our sunshine outside is a mean contradiction to the temperature on the gauge and snow and ice on the ground. This teatime would definitely warm me up.
Oh how I love Winter White! And oh how I love your Winter Nesting Tea theme! You are so so clever! I always learn so much from you! I ordered the milk frother and will most likely invest in the adjustable rolling pin too. I somehow missed your post on the DIY flower frogs which is so dog gone clever and fun too! Which took me to the adorable Bee rolling pin. It’s like going down the most delightful fun rabbit hole with new discoveries along the way…lol. Love!
Loved everything, Mary! Especially those cookies! And that tea cozy is such a cleaver idea!
Mary, This is a beautiful winter tea table. The cookies are not only artistic but are tasty I’m certain. The tea cozy is so cute. Thanks for the recipe and tutorial. Clara ❤️
What a lovely winter nesting table Mary! Those dove sugar cookies look so delicious and are perfect with your new plates and the beautiful nesting tree in the background. Love the throw as tablecloth and your DIY tea cozy is adorable. I do hope that your weather improves soon and happy Thursday to you!
I love having my Christmas tree up all year to welcome in the different holidays throughout the years! I haven’t done a bird theme yet. I guess I’ll be on the lookout for bird ornaments now. Where did you find the little owl inside the ornament? So cute!
Hi Connie, I found at Hobby Lobby. 🦉 Thank you for your visit!