Yaupon & Thanksgiving Pairings to Celebrate the Season

By Abianne Falla Nov 19, 2025

Can tea bring people closer during the holidays? At CatSpring Yaupon, we believe it can — especially when that tea is yaupon, North America's only naturally caffeinated plant.

What Makes Yaupon Special for Thanksgiving?

Yaupon isn’t just a tea — it’s a story. Harvested sustainably from yaupon holly shrubs native to the American South, it’s been enjoyed for centuries for its grounding energy and antioxidant properties. Traditionally shared in gatherings by Indigenous communities, yaupon was used to bring people together in moments of connection and reflection.

This season, whether you're preparing side dishes and desserts or hosting family gatherings, we're sharing our favorite Thanksgiving pairings with our signature yaupon blends. Let these combinations inspire warmth, connection, and comfort around your table.

Pedernales Green Yaupon

This lightly roasted yaupon holly blend is bright, green, and slightly grassy—reminiscent of a classic green tea but with a smoother finish.

Perfect Pairings:

Caramel apples – A crisp-and-sweet bite that complements the tea’s earthy freshness.
Pear galette – The delicate, honeyed fruit and buttery crust play beautifully against Pedernales’ citrusy lift.
Herbed goat cheese tartlets – For a savory twist, these highlight the tea’s green clarity and make an elegant Thanksgiving appetizer.

Lost Maples Medium Roast

Smoky, roasted, and deeply comforting, Lost Maples is our nod to Texas fall foliage and the feeling of fireside chats.

Perfect Pairings:

Apple fritters – Ideal for Thanksgiving brunch, echoing the roasted notes in the tea.
Spiced cupcakes – Warm with cinnamon or clove, they heighten the yaupon’s natural depth.
Sweet potato pie – A traditional dessert whose creamy, spiced filling harmonizes with Lost Maples' smoky body.

Marfa Dark Roast

Our boldest blend, Marfa, is deeply roasted with a flavor that stands up to rich desserts and strong personalities alike.

Perfect Pairings:

Dark chocolate squares – The cocoa richness mirrors the tea’s boldness and balance.
Espresso shortbread cookies – A buttery, bitter-sweet match made for post-dinner indulgence.
Chocolate pecan pie – A decadent Southern favorite that plays up Marfa’s depth and smoky finish.

Rooted in Tradition, Shared with Intention

Just as Thanksgiving history & traditions remind us to gather, reflect, and give thanks, yaupon reminds us of our roots—both in the land and in community. At CatSpring Yaupon, we’re honored to steward a plant that brings nourishment, connection, and integrity to your holiday table.

So this season, whether you're prepping your Thanksgiving dinner recipes or planning side dishes and desserts, consider pouring a cup of yaupon.

It’s our way of saying — you’re always welcome at the table.

Back to Yaupon

FAQs

Yaupon (pronounced yō-pon) is a naturally caffeinated herbal tea made from the Yaupon Holly—the only plant in North America that offers a native source of caffeine. Rooted in centuries of Indigenous tradition, it’s known for its smooth, welcoming flavor and gentle, steady lift.

Here’s what people love about it:

Grows wild in Texas’ sandy-loam soil
Hand-harvested and gently roasted for smooth flavor
Naturally sweet and always smooth, never bitter

In Summary, Yaupon tea is a uniquely American, naturally energizing brew that’s smooth and enjoyable to drink.

Yaupon is naturally tannin-free, so it never becomes bitter—a key difference from green or black tea. It delivers the antioxidant benefits people look for in tea, but with a smoother, naturally sweet flavor and none of the astringency.

What sets it apart:

Combines the benefits of green and black tea while avoiding the downsides of each (bitterness, jitters, & sustainability concerns)
Yaupon is rich in antioxidants that combat oxidative stress and promote overall health & longevity
Powered by a rare trifecta of caffeine, theobromine & theacrine for a joyful, steady energy you won’t find in other teas

In Summary, Yaupon offers the benefits of tea with a smoother taste and cleaner energy, without bitterness or environmental strain.

Yes, Yaupon naturally contains caffeine—about 25 mg per 8–14 ounce cup—alongside theobromine and theacrine, a rare trio of naturally occurring compounds that create a joyful, steady lift.

What makes it special:

Naturally occurring caffeine
A smooth, steady upward feeling
No spike-and-crash pattern
Supports focus, clarity, and presence

In Summary, Yaupon provides a smooth, steady energy unlike anything found in traditional teas.

Modern research is beginning to affirm what Indigenous communities have known for generations—this is a plant that gently nourishes, sip by sip.

Why people feel good drinking it:

Naturally rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and beneficial alkaloids
Tannin-free, making it smooth and easy on the stomach
Offers joyful, gentle caffeine without the spike or discomfort
Supports clear focus, balanced mood, and grounded energy

In Summary, Yaupon is a naturally giving plant, trusted for generations to offer clarity, steadiness, and gentle nourishment.

Learn More Here

Our Yaupon is wild-harvested across native Texas lands, where it thrives in sandy-loam soil without irrigation or chemicals. Each harvest reflects careful stewardship of the land and the long Indigenous traditions of gathering Yaupon in the American South.

Where it begins:

Transparent, traceable sourcing from leaf to label
Partnering with local ranchers and land owners to gather only what nature allows—by hand, respectfully, and sustainably
A People First Employment Initiative process that supports rural Texans

In Summary, our Yaupon comes straight from wild Texas landscapes where every cup reflects connection—to land, community, and nature.

Yaupon carries a smooth, naturally sweet flavor that reflects the Texas landscapes where it grows.

How each roast shows up in the cup:

Pedernales Green — crisp + bright
Clean and refreshing with delicate grassy notes, subtle savoriness, and a bright, earthy finish. A calming, green-hued cup inspired by the quiet limestone banks of the Pedernales River.
Lost Maples Medium Roast — golden + mellow
Smooth and warm with caramel, raisin, and toasted nut undertones. A mellow, comforting cup echoing the golden colors of Texas’ iconic Lost Maples in autumn.
Marfa Dark Roast — rich + toasty
Elegant and deeply roasted with warm, nutty sweetness and a subtle, earthy complexity. A sophisticated cup honoring the creative spirit of Marfa’s high-desert landscape.

In Summary, every cup of Yaupon reflects the Texas landscape—crisp, warm, or richly toasty, yet always smooth.

See What Customers Are Saying

Some teas demand precision—Yaupon isn’t one of them. Hot or iced, quick or slow, Yaupon simply meets you where you are.

What makes it so easy:

Stays smooth and clear, no matter the steeping time
Never becomes bitter or astringent
Consistent and clean whether served hot or iced

In Summary, Yaupon is effortlessly easy to brew—always smooth, always steady, and impossible to over-steeped.

Yaupon Tea Brewing Guide

Yaupon thrives in the wild without the need for irrigation, fertilizers, or pesticides, making it inherently sustainable. Through responsible wild-harvesting and Regenerative Organic Certified practices, Yaupon helps restore soil health and support native ecosystems.

What makes it regenerative:

Harvested from existing native ecosystems, not farmed fields
Leaves plants rooted and ecosystems intact through hand-harvesting
Supports healthy soil, carbon capture, and clean water cycles

In Summary, Yaupon isn’t just sustainably grown—it actively supports the revival of native Texas grasslands, helping the land flourish for generations to come.

Learn more about our sustainability practices here.

CatSpring Yaupon is gathered where it grows naturally—on native Texas land—rather than farmed or cultivated. We keep each plant rooted, harvest by hand, craft our roasts in small batches, and center our work on regenerative land care and meaningful rural employment.

What sets us apart: