Apple and cinnamon is such a classic flavour combination, yet a lot of teas I’ve tried have got it wrong. The apple gets too sweet and the cinnamon is often backed by a silly amount of anise-flavoured spices. But I’d heard good things about Tim Hortons tea and I’ve even had the pleasure of feasting on donuts in one of the UK’s only Tim Hortons stores in Warrington.
I managed to get my hands on a box of Apple Cinnamon teabags from a past writer at Immortal Wordsmith who moved to Canada and this is my full review of the experience!
Apple Cinnamon Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Cinnamon and apple with a mix of tart herbal ingredients and winter spices
- Flavour: Sweet, tart and mulled apple cider with light spices
A very good apple cinnamon tea with a good strong tartness. The cinnamon could be stronger but overall this was a very tasty, genuine apple tea that’s perfect for the autumn/winter months.
Full Review – Tim Hortons Apple and Cinnamon Tea
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabag
- Ingredients: Cinnamon, chicory root, apple flakes, rosehips, hibiscus, natural flavour, nutmeg, allspice, citric acid
- Health Benefits: Reduce bad cholesterol, reduce blood pressure
- Flavour Notes: Sweet, tart, concentrated apple juice, hibiscus, earthy, warming, light cinnamon, spices
- Aroma: Dried apple, apple cider, tart, cinnamon
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
Ripping open the plastic-lined paper wrapper, you’re met with strong apple notes. Dried apple – or maybe apple cider – fills the room with strong, tart and acidic notes. There’s also a touch of cinnamon in a subtle whirl of spices.
It brews into a bright red-orange tea that’s very slightly cloudy like apple juice. The picture of tea on the front of the box is accurate if you brew in a glass cup.
The aroma sweetens considerably once the tea has brewed. I’m detecting more cinnamon and earthy ginger too amongst the sweet apples.
And then we get to the flavour. Instant sweetness touches your tongue on the first sip, followed by a strong tartness from a concentrated apple juice flavour. The way the sweet acidity tastes stewed and the warm spices mix with it, I’m reminded of mulled wine or cider. It’s delicious and warming – I’m thoroughly impressed with the depth and complexity of this tea.
How to Brew Apple Cinnamon Tea
Instructions are to brew in boiled water for 3 to 5 minutes. I stopped at exactly 3 minutes and was impressed with the strength! If you like your tea extra-strong, keep on brewing for 5 full minutes.
It doesn’t need milk or lemon, but you could add some honey if you have a very sweet tooth.
Tim Hortons Apple Cinnamon fog tea is a popular recipe you can make with these teabags. First, brew the tea super strong – 2 teabags per large mug. Then heat your milk on the stove or microwave. Either pour it straight into your tea with a good dose of honey or use a milk frothing wand to get it all foamy before pouring in like a latte. Yuuuuuuuum.
Why Tim Hortons Tea UK?
The Tim Hortons Apple Cinnamon tea ingredients are quite impressive. While there is some natural flavouring, there are also many tart ingredients in the mix, including hibiscus and rosehip. I like that Tim Hortons isn’t shying away from the natural tartness you get from apple. It’s refreshing and more authentic. You might have noticed citric acid included too – this will preserve the ingredients for longer and I also assume that it adds a little sharp acidity to the apple notes.
Although there are no organic/natural certifications that I can see, the box the teabags come in is made with 100% recycled content paperboard.
Now let’s talk about calories – according to Nutrition Charts, Tim Horton teas contain around 100 calories per 16oz. I find that hard to believe unless that’s with sugar and milk added after brewing. Simple black teas without milk are only going to contain a calorie or two. Herbal teas like Tim Hortons Cinnamon Apple contain sugary fruits – but will that add up to 100 calories? 1 whole apple is 95 calories according to USDA, so I fail to see how 1 small teaspoon of tea, diluted in a whole mug of water, will add up to 100 calories.
If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about calorie intake. I would guess you can count the calories in this tea on one hand.
Summary
A very tasty, versatile tea that’s good to have in the cupboard. Tim Hortons Apple Cinnamon makes a nice alternative to the black-tea-heavy spiced chai we’ve all been drinking! Pick up a box by finding it on Amazon.
Tea Recommendation
Huddling under a pile of blankets while you read this? I have some great teas to warm up your toes! Take a look at my Adagio Honeybush Pumpkin Chai review for another caffeine-free warmer tea with light honey and pumpkin spice notes.