This easy Cranberry tea recipe is made with simple ingredients and has lots of flavor. This delightful beverage is made with green tea, cranberry juice, orange juice, and warm and cozy spices.
This iced cranberry tea is a great and easy recipe to serve during the winter and holiday season because of its cranberry flavor and cinnamon and clove spices.
Depending on how this cranberry tea is prepared, it's great for summertime or during the Christmas season. When served with warm spices, this drink is perfect to serve hot after a long day of being out in the cold.
This cranberry tea recipe was inspired by my Easy Homemade Lemonade recipe, a delicious refreshing summer drink.
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Ingredients in Cranberry Tea
- 6 cups purified water, divided
- 8 green regular-sized tea bags
- whole cloves
- cinnamon sticks
- granulated sugar
- cranberry juice
- orange juice
- lemon juice
How to Make Cranberry Tea
It's incredibly easy to make this cranberry tea and it only takes a matter of minutes.
The first step to making this cranberry tea with green tea bags is to combine four cups of water in a large pot on the stove top and add in the tea bags, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, cover and remove from the heat and allow the tea to steep for 3 minutes.
Discard the teabags and use a fine mesh sieve to drain the spices out of the tea.
Substitutions in Spiced Cranberry Tea
When making iced cranberry tea, there are various substitutions that can change the taste and sugar amounts in the tea.
If you need a replacement for white sugar, consider using honey. Honey adds a subtle floral sweetness and has many health benefits.
Frozen whole cranberries can be used in place of fresh cranberries.
A cranberry juice cocktail is used in this cranberry tea recipe but you can just cranberry orange juice in its place.
Flavors from the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves are steeped with the tea to add natural flavors and depending on your taste preference, nutmeg and star anise can be used in addition to or in their place.
Variations in Cranberry Tea
One popular variation is incorporating different fruits and spices to create a more complex flavor profile. For a fruitier twist, you can use an apple juice concentrate for added sweetness or use black tea in place of green tea. The cinnamon and clove flavors can also be easily adjusted or even omitted depending on taste preferences.
This recipe calls for granulated sugar, but you can easily swap it out for honey or your other sweeteners. Remember, the key is to adjust the sweetness to your liking.
If using black tea blends, the caffeine level will vary depending on the variety used.
For hot summer days, you can switch things up by serving cranberry tea without the addition of cinnamon and cloves and stir in some honey in its place to give a natural sweetness.
What's Needed to Make Cranberry Tea
To prepare a delicious iced cranberry tea, you'll need the following items:
- large pitcher
- measuring cup
- large pot
- sieve or mesh strainer
How to Store Freshly Made Tea
Storing this iced cranberry tea properly is essential to maintain its freshness and flavor.
If not serving and enjoying the tea right away, store the cranberry tea without the sliced oranges and cranberries in a glass, sealed container to protect it from elements that can alter the overall flavor and freshness.
When ready to serve, pour over ice and garnish with sliced oranges and whole cranberries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the health benefits of cranberry tea?
Cranberry tea has been known to offer various health benefits, thanks to its antioxidant properties. It is also rich in vitamins, and minerals, which contribute to overall well-being. To make this cranberry tea even healthier, opt for honey instead of granulated sugar to reduce the amount of sugar from the juices in this recipe. Alter the juice amounts depending on your taste buds and dietary needs.
How do I Make Hot Cranberry Tea?
To serve this cranberry tea hot, omit the ice in the pitcher and heat the remaining water, cranberry, orange, and lemon juice in the large pot on the stove after straining the spices and until heated through. Serve in a glass with sliced oranges and whole cranberries for garnish.
Related
Here are some other seasonal drinks that you may enjoy:
- Chai Tea Latte - This chai latte is made with black tea bags and warm spices.
- Orange Julius - This refreshing summertime drink is best enjoyed on hot days.
- Frosted Hot Chocolate - It may be frosted but it is perfect to enjoy during a Christmas movie.
- Gingerbread Dalgona Iced Latte - This latte is great for coffee lovers. It is made with whipped coffee, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla.
📖 Recipe
Iced Cranberry Tea with Green Tea
Ingredients
- 6 cups purified water
- 2 family size green tea bags - or black tea
- ½ teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- sliced oranges and cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- combine four cups of water in a large pot on the stovetop, add in the tea bags, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks, and bring to a boil.
- Cover and remove from the heat and allow the tea to steep for 3 minutes.
- Discard the teabags and use a fine mesh sieve to drain the spices out of the tea.
- Stir the granulated sugar into the hot water mixture until dissolved and stir in the remaining cold water.
- Fill a pitcher with some whole cranberries sliced oranges and ice.
- Pour in the cranberry juice, orange juice, and lemon juice and stir.
- Pour the cranberry tea into the pitcher.
- Serve with fresh orange slices and whole cranberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
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