How to Make Spiced Tea

You can enjoy spiced tea as a powder or as a storable liquid.

Hot spiced tea is a popular drink to make in the winter time. The spices in the hot water help warm the body when the weather turns cold. You can make spiced tea in two different ways. You can choose to make an instant tea powder that you can store and add to hot water whenever you want to enjoy a cup of tea, or you can make it as a hot liquid.

Things You'll Need

• Instant powdered tea
• Tang powder or orange Kool-aid mix
• Powdered lemonade
• Nutmeg or cloves
• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• 4 or 5 Oranges
• 4 or 5 Lemons
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 4 or 5 Cinnamon sticks
• Allspice
• 8 to 10 tea bags

Instructions

Instant Powder

1. Measure sugar to taste in a large dry bowl. Put in at least a cup for a more bitter tea, and no more than three cups for sweeter tea.

2. Add two packets of orange Kool-aid mix or a small can of Tang powder into the large bowl. Stir well with a wire whisk or a dry fork.

3. Add powdered lemonade to taste. A cup of powdered lemonade will make for a more lemony tea, a few tablespoons will give you a less lemony taste.

4. Add a ½ cup of your favorite instant tea. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon depending upon taste. Add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg or cloves, or both if you so desire. Whisk with dry fork again until well mixed.

5. Place mixture into an airtight container until ready for use.

6. Add one to two tablespoons of dry mix in a mug of hot water, depending on how strong you like your tea. Stir to dissolve and serve hot.

Hot Liquid

1. Dissolve 2 cups of sugar into 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Use less sugar if you like your tea bitter, and more if you like it sweeter.

2. Add cinnamon sticks and a few cloves of whole allspice to the boiling water. Use up to 5 sticks or less if you prefer a lighter cinnamon taste. Once the sticks and cloves are added remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let the sticks infuse for approximately 15 minutes.

3. Boil 8 cups of water in a larger pot while the sticks are infusing. Add and let steep 8 to 10 tea bags to desired strength. Remove tea bags when ready.

4. Juice lemons and oranges. Use to taste 4 or 5 of each fruit. Reserve the juices in a small bowl. Add 1 cup of cranberry juice to the fresh squeezed juices.

5. Remove cinnamon sticks and allspice from sugar water.

6. Add cinnamon-sugar water to the lemon and orange juice to the tea. Stir and reheat the liquid to steaming but not boiling point.

7. Serve in mugs immediately. Store the rest in a pitcher or airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator.

References

• Hot Spiced Tea
• Taste of Home: Hot Spiced Tea Recipe
• All Recipes: Hot Spiced Tea Mix
• Hillbilly House Wife: Spiced Tea