Spiced Tea

With its bright, warm flavors, this spiced tea recipe is perfect for sipping during the cooler months. We use premade drink mixes to speed up the process, but the Variations section also includes an option for making the recipe from scratch.

There are several ways to enjoy this instant spiced tea. It tastes great hot or poured over ice. You can also add whiskey to create an easy hot toddy.

Ingredients for Spiced Tea

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• Orange breakfast drink mix: Most of these powders combine sugar and citric acid to create a sweet, citrusy drink. There are many brands to choose from (including the popular Tang brand). Some have more added ingredients than others, so check out the ingredients list before leaving the store.
• Instant tea: Unsweetened instant tea is usually made from black tea, a great variety for hot or iced tea recipes.
• Lemonade drink mix: This spiced tea recipe gets its citrusy flavor from the orange breakfast drink mix and sweetened lemonade drink mix. Using two types of citrus gives the tea more depth of flavor.
• Sugar: We add 2 tablespoons of sugar to give the tea a sweet finish. However, you may find that the added sugar in the prepared mixes is sufficient. To know for sure, you can first try this recipe without sugar and only add it if necessary.
• Cinnamon: Soothing and warm, cinnamon is like snuggling up next to a fire. It also blends wonderfully with citrus flavors, so it’s an excellent choice for this spiced tea recipe.
• Cloves: A little clove goes a long way! (I learned that during a disastrous mulled wine experiment.) That said, this ground spice adds a lovely flavor and aroma when used in the right dose.

Directions

Step 1: Make the instant tea mix

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In a large bowl, combine the orange breakfast drink mix, unsweetened instant tea, sweetened lemonade drink mix, sugar, ground cinnamon and ground cloves. Store in an airtight container.

Step 2: Prepare a cup of tea

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To make one serving, pour 1 cup of boiling water into a mug. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the instant tea mix until dissolved.

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Spiced Tea Variations

• Make it from scratch: Making this spiced tea recipe from scratch will take more effort, but you may love the results. Use dehydrated orange and lemon peel (or candied orange slices for a real treat). Then, replace the black tea mix with loose-leaf tea. If you go this route, make sure to use a filter so you can steep and strain your tea before enjoying it. Finally, adjust the sugar to taste.
• Switch up the spices: Feel free to experiment with different warming spices in this recipe. Try powdered ginger, cardamom, allspice or star anise. Really, just about any citrus and spice combo is great.

How to Store Spiced Tea

To store this instant spiced tea mix, choose an airtight container that’s not made from metal. Sugar and citrus can react with metal, changing the tea’s flavor and potentially making it less safe to drink.

How long does homemade spiced tea last?

This drink mix can last up to a year when stored in a cool, dry place. However, its shelf life really depends on the ingredients used. Some brands add preservatives, which will greatly extend their product’s shelf life. Check the manufacturer’s best-by date on each drink mix for more details.

Spiced Tea Tips

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How is instant tea powder made?

Instant tea is made by extracting the liquor from tea leaves, which is then dehydrated so the powder can be dissolved into liquid without requiring steeping. Some brands also add sugar and preservatives. If you want to avoid these additives, make sure to check out the ingredient list.

What is spiced tea made of?

This spiced tea recipe is just one variation of spiced tea, so you may encounter other blends depending on where you go. This spiced tea recipe is similar to Russian spiced tea, but other regions use different additions. For example, Indian masala chai combines warming spices with black tea and milk.

What spices can be added to tea?

You can add many different spices to tea. Possible flavor combinations include chocolate and puerh, lavender and mint, or lemon thyme green tea. If you can think of a spice or herb, it’s likely been infused into tea at some point.