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. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients in Cranberry Tea
• How to Make Cranberry Tea
• Substitutions in Spiced Cranberry Tea
• Variations in Cranberry Tea
• What's Needed to Make Cranberry Tea
• How to Store Freshly Made Tea
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related
• 📖 Recipe

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.