Step 1

Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2

Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.

Step 5

Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.

Step 6

Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.

Step 7

Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.

Step 8

Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.