Mabon Tea: Herbal Apple & Spice (Autumn Equinox)
This Mabon tea recipe is an Autumn Equinox herbal blend of apple, orange peel, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and a hint of rosemary, naturally caffeine-free and perfect for a simple kitchen-witch tea ritual. It’s a cosy and practical “tea spell” for balance and gratitude, easy to brew, deeply aromatic, and made with everyday autumn fruit and pantry spices.
Slice the apple crosswise for that pentacle-like star, add the warming spices, and let the steam do the storytelling while you stir sunwise for what you’d like to welcome in. This herbal Mabon tea suits dusk gatherings, altar offerings, or a quiet mug by the window.
If you are searching for autumn equinox tea, caffeine-free ritual tea, or a kitchen witch blend that tastes as good as it feels, then look no further, this is your go-to, simple and seasonal recipe to use year after year!
Learn to make it 3 ways: hot, iced, or with milk!
If you love teas with intention, you may also love my 👉 golden moon milk recipe
What Is Mabon for Autumn Equinox
Mabon is the modern Pagan/Wiccan celebration of the Autumn Equinox, the moment when day and night stand in near-perfect balance (around 21–23 September in the Northern Hemisphere). Often called the Second Harvest, Harvest Home, or Alban Elfed, it marks a pause between summer’s abundance and winter’s rest. It’s a beautiful time to brew a simple Mabon tea (also known as “fall equinox tea”).
This kitchen-witch “tea spell,” made with apple, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and rosemary, is used to honour balance, give thanks, and set calm intentions for the darker months ahead.
Themes of balance, gratitude & second harvest
🍂 Balance: Notice the equal light and dark. As you steep your herbal Mabon tea, stir clockwise to invite what you want more of (ease, focus, warmth) and counter-clockwise to release what you’re done with.
🍂 Gratitude: Count the small harvests; friendship, shared meals, quiet evenings. A star-cut apple slice in your autumn equinox tea symbolises wisdom and the gifts already gathered.
🍂 Second Harvest: Celebrate practical abundance: preserve fruit, bake spiced loaves, and blend a make-ahead jar of your Mabon tea recipe for gatherings or altar offerings.
Ingredients & Mabon Correspondences
Herbal base (apple, orange peel, rosehip)
🔸 Apple for wisdom, abundance, protection. Use star-cut slices or dried pieces for classic Mabon tea symbolism.
🔸 Orange peel for joy, solar warmth, optimism. Brightens this Autumn Equinox herbal blend.
🔸 Rosehip for heart-centred gratitude and gentle tartness. This adds a rosy hue and vitamin-rich body.
Spices for the season (cinnamon, clove, ginger, rosemary)
🔸 Cinnamon for prosperity and warmth; sweet, cozy backbone.
🔸 Clove for protection and clarity (use sparingly)
🔸 Ginger for energy and courage, brings lively heat.
🔸 Rosemary for remembrance and cleansing, woodsy, evergreen note that ties the blend to the turning year.
Quantities & Batch Preparation
Here’s your quick-scan guide to scale this Mabon tea for any occasion:
Use the table below to brew a single cosy mug or a big Autumn Equinox herbal blend for friends, then batch-prep the mix so it’s on hand all season. Simply combine the dry ingredients from the 4- or 6-serving column, tip into a clean, airtight jar, and you’ve got a ready-to-scoop spiced apple blend for the whole of autumn.
How to use the blend:
Scoop 1 heaped tbsp per 8-12fl oz of freshly boiled water and allow to steep for 5-7 minutes before straining and serving. Garnish with a star cut slice of apple.
Store the remaining herbal blend in an airtight container and store in a cupboard away from any direct sunlight. Aim to use within 4 weeks for optimal aroma.
Add an ingredient label and directions for use so that you can brew all season.
| Ingredient | 1 serving | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dried apple pieces | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 4 tbsp (¼ cup) | 6 tbsp (⅜ cup) |
| Dried orange peel | ½ tbsp (1½ tsp) | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 3 tbsp |
| Crushed rosehips | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 2 tsp | 3 tsp (1 tbsp) |
| Cinnamon | ½ small stick or ½ tsp chips | 1 small stick or 1 tsp chips | 2 small sticks or 2 tsp chips | 3 small sticks or 3 tsp chips |
| Whole cloves | 1 clove* | 1–2 cloves | 2–4 cloves | 3–6 cloves |
| Dried ginger pieces | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 2 tsp | 3 tsp (1 tbsp) |
| Dried rosemary | ¼ tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 1½ tsp |
| Water | 1¼ cups / 300 ml | 2½ cups / 600 ml | 5 cups / 1.2 L | 7½ cups / 1.8 L |
| Optional sweetener | ½–1 tbsp | 1–2 tbsp | 2–4 tbsp | 3–6 tbsp |
Using Fresh Ingredients
Here’s a short guide to using fresh ingredients in your Mabon tea (Autumn Equinox herbal blend). Fresh rosemary, apple, orange peel and ginger bring brighter aroma, gentle sweetness and a clean finish:
When switching from dried to fresh, use around 3× more fresh (by volume).
Roots and fruits such as ginger, apple, orange peel do best with a brief simmer first, then add delicate rosemary at the end.
Example (Serves 2):
1. Add ginger: 1 tsp dried → 3–4 thin fresh slices (6 g).
2. Add apple: 2 tbsp dried → 4–5 thin fresh slices.
3. Add orange peel: 1 tbsp dried → 2 wide fresh strips or 1–1½ tsp zest. Allow ginger, apple and orange peel to simmer for 4-6 minutes.
4. Add dried herbs (rosehip, cinnamon, clove): Allow tea to simmer for a further 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat.
5. Add rosemary: ½ tsp dried → 1 small fresh sprig (2–3g). Allow tea to steep for 2 minutes before straining the herbs and enjoying.
How to Make Mabon Tea (Three Easy Methods)
Brew this Mabon tea (Autumn Equinox herbal blend) three comforting ways, each suiting the moment and your mood; serve it hot, cold brew iced tea, or with milk.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 tbsp of dried apple pieces
1 tbsp of dried orange peel
1 tsp of Crushed rosehips
1 small cinnamon stick or 1 tsp of chips
1-2 whole cloves
1 tsp of dried ginger pieces
½ tsp of dried rosemary
2½ cups / 600 ml of water
1–2 tbsp honey, agave maple - to taste
Method
1. Making a hot cup of Mabon tea: Mix the dried herbs together in a small bowl and evenly divide between two cups or mugs. Top with freshly boiled water and allow to steep for 5-7 minutes before serving. Strain the herbs if you wish. Garnish with a star cut slice of apple in each cup.
To use a teapot, it’s a good idea to warm it first. Add freshly boiled water to your pot and swirl around for 30 seconds before discarding the water. Add your herbal mixture and top up with 2-3 cups of freshly boiled water. Allow to steep for 5-7 minutes before pouring your Mabon tea through a fine mesh strainer.
2. Making cold brew iced Mabon tea: Add blend to a jug or bottle and top with 2-3 cups of cold filtered water or sparkling water for a carbonated tea version. Place in the fridge and allow to steep for 4-24 hours. Pour into glasses through a strainer, sweeten with simple syrup to taste, and add sliced apple and orange peel to garnish. Top with pumpkin cold foam for extra indulgence.
3. Making Mabon milk tea: Strongly brew the herbal tea in half the freshly boiled water to make a tea concentrate, strain, and sweeten to taste. Heat and froth 1 cup of milk (dairy or plant-based). Divide the tea concentrate between two cups and top with your warm frothed milk. Dust with cinnamon and enjoy.
Safety Notes for Herbal Teas
If anything tastes too strong or causes discomfort, dilute or discontinue. Certain herbs and spices can interfere with medication. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Simple Autumn Equinox Tea Ritual (Kitchen-Witch Tea Spell)
Here’s a simple way to turn your Mabon tea into an Autumn Equinox moment. This two-minute kitchen-witch tea ritual is gentle, practical, and needs only your mug and a quiet breath. Set your space, your intention, and choose how to stir. Finish by reading this one-line blessing for balance:
Set your space & intention
Dim the lights and clear a small surface. Light a candle and place your mug of Mabon tea nearby. Take three slow breaths and choose a word such as ‘balance, gratitude, or ease.’ Hold this word in your mind as you inhale the aroma from your tea.
Stirring clockwise vs counter-clockwise
Counter-clockwise (widdershins): this is used to release. Give the tea 3 slow stirs, exhaling what you are ready to let go of (such as rush, worry, or clutter).
Clockwise (sunwise): this is used to invite. Give 3 slow stirs, naming what you welcome (such as warmth, focus, or kindness).
It’s common to repeat the process in sets of 3,6. or 9. This is known as the 369 manifestation method.
You may like to learn tasseography with my 👉 beginners guide to tea leaf reading
Blessing to speak
“Equal day and equal night, apple, spice, and gentle light; bring me balance, bring me grace.”
Best Bakes for Serving
Keep bakes modestly sweet so that the herbal and spicy notes in the tea stay front and centre. These bakes work perfectly with this Mabon tea recipe:
🔸 Pecan & sultana cake: nutty and gently sweet. Try baking my black tea, pecan, and sultana cake.
🔸 Spiced apple cake: echoes the apple notes in your Mabon tea.
🔸 Ginger biscuits: crisp spice to match ginger heat in the cup.
🔸 Pumpkin scones: autumn classic; serve warm for maximum cosy. Try baking my 👉 pumpkin scones with a chai tea drizzle.
🔸 Flapjacks: great for sharing; add chopped pecans or cranberries for a harvest vibe.
Discover more autumnal pumpkin spice recipes for fall:
Mabon Tea: Herbal Apple & Spice (Autumn Equinox)
Ingredients (Serves 2):
- 2 tbsp dried apple pieces
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel
- 1 tsp crushed rosehips
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1–2 whole cloves
- 1 tsp dried ginger pieces
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 2½ cups / 600 ml water
- 1–2 tbsp honey, agave, or maple (to taste)
Method
- Making a hot cup of Mabon tea: Mix the dried herbs together in a small bowl and evenly divide between two cups or mugs. Top with freshly boiled water and allow to steep for 5–7 minutes before serving. Strain the herbs if you wish. Garnish with a star-cut slice of apple in each cup. Teapot method: Warm the teapot first with hot water for ~30 seconds, then discard. Add your herbal mixture and top with 2–3 cups of freshly boiled water. Steep 5–7 minutes, then pour through a fine mesh strainer.
- Making cold brew iced Mabon tea: Add the blend to a jug or bottle and top with 2–3 cups of cold filtered water (or sparkling water for a carbonated version). Refrigerate 4–24 hours. Strain into glasses, sweeten with simple syrup to taste, and garnish with sliced apple and orange peel. Optional: top with pumpkin cold foam for extra indulgence.
- Making Mabon milk tea: Strongly brew the herbal tea in half the freshly boiled water to make a tea concentrate, strain, and sweeten to taste. Heat and froth 1 cup of milk (dairy or plant-based). Divide the tea concentrate between two cups and top with the warm frothed milk. Dust with cinnamon and enjoy.
FAQs for Mabon Tea
1. What is Mabon tea?
A seasonal Autumn Equinox herbal blend, typically apple, orange peel, rosehip, cinnamon, clove, ginger and rosemary, sipped as a simple kitchen-witch tea ritual for balance and gratitude.
2. Is Mabon tea caffeinated?
No. This recipe is caffeine-free and fully herbal. (If you want body without caffeine, rooibos works well as an addition)
3. How much tea blend per cup?
Use 1 heaped tbsp per 300 ml / 10 oz water. Adjust to taste.
4. How long should I steep it?
5–7 minutes just off the boil for a clear cup. For deeper spice, try the spice-first simmer: simmer spices 4–5 minutes, then steep herbs 2–3 minutes off heat.
5. Can I use fresh ingredients instead of dried?
Yes! Use about 3× more fresh (by volume) and steep 1–2 minutes longer. Briefly simmer fresh apple, orange peel and ginger for the best flavour.
6. How do I make cold brew iced Mabon tea?
Combine 3–4 tbsp blend per 1 litre cold water; refrigerate 8–12 hours, strain, serve over ice. Add rosemary in the last 2–3 hours for a cleaner taste.
7. Can I make a latte version?
Yes! Make a tea concentrate and then top with frothed milk (dairy or plant-based). Add a dusting of cinnamon or an apple star garnish.
8. Can I batch-prep the blend? How long does it keep?
Yes, mix the blend and keep in a dry jar, store airtight in a cool, dark cupboard. Use within 3–4 weeks for peak aroma.
9. Is Mabon tea safe in pregnancy or with medication?
Stick to culinary amounts. If pregnant/nursing or on medication, keep portions modest and always check with your clinician, especially for clove, ginger and rosemary.
10. How do I use Mabon tea in a ritual (“tea spell”)?
Light a candle, set an intention, stir counter-clockwise to release, clockwise to invite, then sip mindfully. A simple line: “Equal day and night—bring balance and grace.”
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