HOT! SPICED! SPIKED! CRANBERRY ORANGE TEA PUNCH

For years I have been making a quick hot toddy with Good Earth's original Sweet and Spicy orange spiced tea and a splash of Grand Marnier, whiskey or rum. Whether I came home chilled or just needed a comforting drink on a cold day it was an easy way to warm both my hands and my core temperature.

When our Tucson weather finally decided to head to winter this year it did it fast and furious so out came my Good Earth and some rum. I was sipping away when it dawned on me that my little toddy might make a great hot holiday punch if I dressed it up a bit.
I decided to add a few extra touches to the mix, experimented a few times (I was nice and warmed up after that) then finally settled on the apple and cranberry additions below. If you're looking for a new take on your traditional Christmas Wassail Bowl, give this recipe a try. It's also lovely for a winter tea party.
You might also like the little cookie sandwiches I whipped up to enjoy with my tea toddies (recipe below). Dunking is suggested.

HOT, SPICED SPIKED TEA PUNCH
INGREDIENTS 1 Bag Good Earth Original Sweet and Spicy Tea 3 Oz. Water 1/2 Oz. Cranberry Juice 1/2 Oz. Dark Rum 1 Oz. Hard Apple Cider 1 Tsp. Honey Ridge Honey Créme Spiced
Garnish: Dried Orange or Apple Slice, Fresh Mint Leaf, Dried Cranberry
Tools: Saucepan, Strainer
Glass: Punch Cup
DIRECTIONS Bring the cranberry juice and water to a boil. Lower to simmer, add the apple cider and heat for another minute. Remove from heat, add the tea bag and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. While this steeps add the spiced honey and dark rum to a punch cup. Strain the steeped tea and cider mixture over the rum and honey. Stir well, garnish and serve hot with a couple of my Hot Buttered Rum Gingerbread Men Sandwich Cookies (recipe below).
HOW TO BATCH FOR A PARTY in a CROCK POT
Multiply the ingredients times the number of cups required. 16 cups filled my crock pot.
Garnish: 1 cup of fresh cranberries, 1 orange sliced into half wheels
Tools: Crook Pot, Ladle
DIRECTIONS Brew the tea, toss the bags, add tea to the crock pot. Add the cider, rum, cranberry juice and spiced honey and stir well. Cover and heat on high for 1 hour. Add the fresh cranberries and orange wheel halves to the mixture. Reduce to warm or low for serving.
And now for those cookies. Did I tell you they were stuffed with rum butter? 
BUTTERED RUM GINGERBREAD MAN SANDWICH COOKIES
Rum Butter Ingredients: 1 Stick Salted Butter 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 1 Ounce Dark Rum Optional: Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Rum Butter Directions: Cream the ingredients together with a mixer until smooth. Refrigerate until required.
For the cookies simply spread the inside of one cookie with some rum butter, add the second cookie then refrigerate until serving time. I used some cute store bought gingerbread men but regular gingersnaps or shortbread cookies would be nice as well.
P.S. The Rum Butter makes a really nice hostess gift!

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY