Tea Time: Insights and Recipes for This Ultra-Trendy Ingredient

Taylor Swift's Chai Cookies are a top trend every December - tea-infused desserts are not new. And now, 2025 is seeing a marked increase in the popularity of tea, tea-inspired and infused treats, and related products.

Just looking at tea as a beverage, the tea market in North America is projected to grow by 13.42% between 2024 and 2029, resulting in a market volume of USD 1.22 billion by 2029 (statista.com). Many consumers are attracted to tea's proposed health benefits, and more consumers than ever are seeking an alternative to alcoholic beverages. Tea also offers a wide range of flavor possibilities while giving us a glimpse into other cultures.

Whole Foods listed tea among their top ten food trends for 2025, saying, "there's talk of tea everywhere you turn - both in flavor popularity for food like desserts and granola...and a wave of new hot products like plant-based milk teas and sparkling teas." The Institute of Culinary Education noted, "tea is poised to become a staple ingredient for chefs in both sweet and savory dishes. "

Working with Tea

Tea Infusions: Some Like it Hot

Cold brew coffee has been a part of many people's daily rituals for many years; cold brew tea is right behind it.

A cold infusion, whether tea or coffee, takes longer - often overnight - but the resultant brew offers a different flavor profile, which many find cleaner and less acidic. Moreover, delicate flavors that would be destroyed by heat are actually preserved during the cold brew process.

Infusing tea, coffee, herbs, citrus peel, and other flavorful elements in hot liquid is standard procedure for most recipes, and it's easy to see why. The process is quick and produces an intense flavor.

The method you choose will depend on the tea you are working with and how you wish to apply it. For example, the delicate flavor of a cold-brewed tea, may be lost when used in a dark chocolate ganache, but it can shine in a sorbet, granita, mousse, or gel. A subtle tea may benefit from a hot infusion to help intensify its flavors.