20 Tea-Infused Recipes That Will Perk You Right Up

We love to call a trend when we see one, and we see one: All things tea. Tea options have all but elbowed out the coffee selections at a certain global coffee chain. There are myriad options if you want your home, body or even dog to smell like tea, from perfumes, washes, mists and sachets abounding with the scents of white tea, Earl Grey, matcha, and more. Naturally, we're also eating it. Matcha cookies, Earl Grey brownies, you name it — but we're talking savories too, with protein dusted in tea powder or glazed in sweet tea. It makes sense; just as cooking with red wine lends a tannic complexity to a dish, so, too does tea, and you add another layer if you're going for a milky tea profile, too. There's a lot of fun to be had with tea as a flavor, rather than a cuppa, so choose your favorite brew and start cooking!

"Tea cake" is a name typically given to a not-too-sweet cake that goes well with tea, and/or, will be served at tea time. These little cakes take their name literally, with a swoop of Earl Grey-infused seven-minute frosting. That marshmallowy cloud really complements the bittersweet cakes beneath.

Brining is always a great idea for meats, infusing them with a moist juiciness that won't go away even if you overcook a smidge. This chicken uses Southern sweet tea for the brine, which in addition lends a gorgeous color and some sugars that will char up irresistibly while cooking. Peaches, too, underline the Southern aura of the dish.

We're all in for the most simple homemade ice cream you can possibly make. Just whip together sweetened condensed milk with matcha and whipped cream, and freeze it. That's it. No stirring it up necessary — just freeze for 3 hours and then scoop away.

These delicate cookies have a wonderful texture, crisp and buttery, that will be a welcome addition to any cookie plate. They incorporate actual tea leaves into the dough, that gives the thins a pretty speckle and deep Earl Grey flavor. Sure, you can eat them with a cup of tea, but they also pair bewitchingly with hot cocoa.

Here, chef Marcus Samuelsson makes a simple syrup with his signature tea blend to brush onto grilled salmon. You can replicate this even if you don't have this particular tea (which blends jasmine, oolong, black tea, and the smoky notes of Lapsang Souchong and the bergamot of Earl Grey). Brushing the fish with any kind of tea simple syrup will lend those tannic and sweet elements.

Who knew? Not only do the grassy notes of matcha and heady perfume of almond go beautifully together, but they yield a gorgeous subtle green hue to the cake, too. This is a real breakfast/lunch/snack cake; bake one up if you have company coming and it will come in so handy.

Truffles might be the most special thing that you can make yourself. If you haven't tried it, you'll be surprised at how easyit is, given their fancy air when purchased from a shop. Here, the cream is steeped in Earl Grey, giving the finished rich bite a very appealing je ne sais quoi.

It's not just black tea in the brine for this chicken, but so many tasty things like habaneros, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Your reward for that brine time is a near effortless, practically set-it-and-forget-it roast chicken of your dreams, with juicy, delicious meat and a burnished skin. It's roasted at a high heat for a relatively quick time, too (an hour and 20) so you'll have time to shower and slip into something more comfortable for dinner.

Candied kumquats are a real wink-wink touch atop an Earl Grey cake, as their bittersweet citrusy flavor calls to mind the bergamot of the tea. A whipped cream topping melds the cake and candied fruit together (and brings the milk element into play, too). This cake just begs to be included at a garden party, particularly if you scatter edible flowers among the kumquat slices for serving.

When you need a tea break but it's 95 degrees outside, here's another option. Using sweetened condensed milk brings a rich texture and flavor without the need for additional sugar. A nip of vanilla goes very well with the chai.

A brine makes excellent insurance against a pork chop — a cut with so much meaty, delicious potential — from drying out on the grill, a disappointing occasional outcome. This one uses sweet tea in the brine, and then goes a step further to pair the chops with a quick homemade pepper relish. You won't believe how juicy and perfect the result will be.

Once you arm yourself with a spritz press, you'll be hot on the trail for fun recipes to use it for. Here's one! These spritz cookies are infused with chai, which exists like the perfect ready-made spice blend for cookies. Milk powder in the creamy filling pulls it into "chai latte" territory.

Rather than just relying on brownies as your go-to baked good, why not try their unexpected and underrated sister, blondies? These are particularly sophisticated, their Earl Grey flavors enhanced by fresh lemon zest. White chocolate chips, too, are a moment of creaminess that carries the milky-tea sensation through.

These ribs and their sticky-sweet glaze taste like they've been on the barbecue all day, but they actually couldn't be simpler to make, just in your own oven. Black tea and brown sugar create a very straightforward barbecue glaze that bakes right on the ribs. A lemony potato salad brings out the subtle orange zest in the meat's sauce.

Earl Grey seems to have come into existence to infuse its flavors into a creme brulee — and not least of all because you can make it in a teacup. This recipe uses the hack of a creme brulee kit; you're welcome that now, you, too, know that that is a thing. You will need a blowtorch if you want to go the teacup route; if all you have is a broiler, opt for ramekins instead.

A lot of tea bags go into the brine of this roast turkey, but the result is surprisingly delicate. Bourbon and spices, too, make the bird aromatic and savory. Serving on a bed of fresh sliced oranges will bring out the orangey flavor from the brine.

We don't know why custard isn't the most popular dessert around, since it's so satisfying to make and eat. Think of it as a sort of pudding that uses the thickening properties of eggs to gain its appealing smooth creaminess, rather than flour or cornstarch. The result is deep, rich, and so full of flavor. Here, since they're baked in individual little jars, they're also, frankly, adorable and no one has to share, which has its own appeal.

Take the idea of duck a l'orange, then transpose it onto an all-American feast like a turkey dinner. The orange notes really work here, but then, so does the bourbon and two kinds of mustard, to keep things zesty. We promise that the task of brining the bird is really worth it; this turkey will be legendarily moist and flavorful, even before the gravy comes into play.

We probably have that one Christmas carol to thank for the fact that anyone ever uses the word "wassail" anymore, but in any case, it generally refers to a hot spiced drink to warm the carolers. These cookies take that spirit and those spices and infuse each chewy bite with the essence of chai. Some dried cranberries and golden raisins complete the holiday vibe.