36 steeped recipes

Traditional Russian tea steeped with whole cloves and sweet apple cider. Strain, sweeten with honey or strawberry jam, and serve hot for a spiced, warming drink.

Roasted garlic whole grain mustard steeps yellow and black mustard seeds in apple cider vinegar overnight, then blends with a head of mellow roasted garlic and maple syrup. A homemade condiment worth jarring as a gift.

Homemade cinnamon liqueur steeped with cloves, coriander, vodka, and brandy. Three weeks from jar to glass, and it makes a gorgeous homemade gift.

Homemade peppermint liqueur with just vodka, mint extract, and sugar syrup. Steep for two weeks for a smooth, minty after-dinner drink or cocktail mixer.

Strong coffee steeped with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice, then topped with sweetened whipped cream. A warming Viennese-style spiced coffee for chilly evenings.

Homemade vanilla bean extract with just two ingredients: chopped vanilla beans steeped in brandy for two weeks. Richer than store-bought and endlessly refillable.

Iced lemongrass tea steeped from fresh or dried lemongrass and sweetened to taste. A caffeine-free Vietnamese herbal iced tea with a bright citrus flavor.

Fresh herb salad dressing with dill, tarragon, chervil, chives, and marjoram steeped in olive oil. A French-inspired vinaigrette that improves the longer it sits.

Homemade hot barbecue sauce with tomato juice, brown sugar, chili powder, and cider vinegar. Aromatics steep in the sauce then get removed for a clean finish.

Homemade spiced herbal liqueur infused with cardamom, star anise, angelica root, cinnamon, and mace in vodka. Steep for one week, strain, and sweeten with sugar syrup.

A Victorian-era Irish lobster recipe from novelist Thackeray: tender lobster stewed in butter with mustard, vinegar, ketchup, and cayenne. Rich, briny, and steeped in literary history.

Hard-boiled eggs steeped overnight in a fragrant brew of black tea, star anise, cinnamon, soy sauce, and tangerine peel. Beautiful marbled shells reveal deeply seasoned, silky eggs.

Homemade ginger liqueur made by steeping crystallized ginger in vodka with sugar syrup for two weeks. Just 3 ingredients for a spicy, warming spirit with real ginger kick.

Raspberry-rose geranium vinegar with fresh raspberries and scented geranium leaves steeped in red wine vinegar for two weeks. A fragrant, floral infused vinegar for salads and gifts.

Spicy tomato cocktail with grated cucumber, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and lemon juice steeped in tomato juice. A virgin Bloody Mary base that chills overnight for bold flavor.

Homemade red chile oil with dried piquin or cayenne peppers steeped in hot vegetable oil for 12 to 24 hours. Just 2 ingredients. The longer it sits, the spicier it gets.