14 Tea Recipes You Can Easily Brew Up at Home

Both Hot and Cold Options

By
Lizz Schumer
Lizz Schumer
Lizz Schumer
A journalist, writer, and author, Lizz Schumer has 10+ years of experience covering food and drink for a wide variety of well-known print and online publications.
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Updated on 08/13/21
Easy Mint Tea

The Spruce

Take a wander into the tea aisle at the grocery store and it's hard not to get overwhelmed. In addition to your basic black, green, and herbal teas, a wide array of options with added fruit and spices now crowd the shelves, many of which tout added health benefits. But some teas, especially specialty varieties, also carry a hefty price tag, not to mention an environmental impact if you drink a lot of it. Making your own tea at home mitigates both factors, and enables you to fully control the strength and flavor. Try some of these recipes to get started.

  • 01 of 14

    Sage Herbal Tea

    Sage tea recipe

    The Spruce

     

    Just breathing in the aroma of this simple sage tea may help you feel more relaxed, but wait until you sip it. Steeping sage leaves in boiling water will give you a basic sage brew, but adding a bit of sugar and lemon levels up the flavor.

  • 02 of 14

    Fresh Mint Tea

    Easy Mint Tea

    The Spruce

    If you grow mint in your garden, chances are you have a lot of it. Make the most of the invasive herb by brewing up your own mint herbal tea. Naturally caffeine-free, this easy herbal tea makes a lovely alternative to plain water, with a lovely menthol taste.

  • 03 of 14

    Lemongrass Ginger Iced Tea

    iced tea

    This iced tea recipe starts with black tea bags, but ups the ante with fresh ginger and lemongrass. If you have basic tea bags that you don't love on their own, try doctoring them up this way for a more exciting beverage. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

  • 04 of 14

    Hong Kong Iced Tea

    Hong Kong Milk Tea

    The Spruce

    Use either sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk for this decadent, full-bodied milk tea that originates in Hong Kong. The strength of the tea will depend on how long you brew your black tea leaves, so let it go longer for a more assertive flavor or for less time if you prefer a milder brew.

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  • 05 of 14

    Thai Iced Tea

    Thai Iced Tea

    The Spruce

    Lots of Thai iced teas get their flavor from a prepared syrup or powder, but this one uses real spices and high-quality black tea to give it that authentic flavor. Making it at home is both easier and more affordable than buying it by the glass, and you can adjust the taste by tweaking your spice blend.

  • 06 of 14

    Masala Chai Tea

    Bowl of Masala chai with almond milk on jute and wood
    Westend61 / Getty Images

    Masala Chai, or mixed-spice tea, originates in India and uses a blend of spices, black tea leaves, and milk to give it a warming, comforting flavor. Adjust the spice levels to fit your personal preference once you've mastered this simple recipe.

  • 07 of 14

    Orange Mint Tea

    orange-mint-tea-new.jpg
    Orange Mint Tea. YinYang / Getty Images

    Sweet and slightly sour orange juice balances out the mentholated zing of fresh mint leaves in this refreshing homemade iced tea. It makes a great way to use up extra mint and celebrate summer in a glass. Garnish your glass with a sprig of mint, for pretty presentation.

  • 08 of 14

    Turmeric Tea

    herbal tea with turmeric
    Photopips / Getty Images

    Many people tout turmeric for its health benefits, but it tastes delicious, especially in this simple and vibrantly colored turmeric tea. You may balk at putting oil in tea, but it gives this beverage a lovely aroma.

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  • 09 of 14

    Lemon-Ginger Green Tea

    Green Tea
    Lemon-Ginger Green Tea is a classic blend of tart, sweet, spicy and vegetal flavors. rustemgurler/Getty Images

    With its light, slightly grassy flavor, green tea makes a wonderfully relaxing beverage. Mixing in a lemon-ginger simple syrup gives it additional zest and citrus notes that tastes great either hot or iced.

  • 10 of 14

    Cucumber Mint Green Tea

    Close-Up Of Drink With Mint And Cucumber
    Tina Burdiashvili / EyeEm / Getty Images

    Give your green tea extra taste by adding cucumber and mint to the mix. Japanese green tea works well with the added fruit and herbs, since it already has fresh, cooling properties that gets enhanced by cucumber puree, lime juice, and lots of fresh mint.

  • 11 of 14

    Roasted Corn Tea

    A plate of corn and a glass of corn tea
    Feng Zhao / Getty Images

    Popular in Korean culture, this roasted corn tea is known as oksoosoo cha or oksusu cha in Korean. It makes a light, mild tea that tastes great with breakfast or brunch or as a refreshing tea-time beverage.

  • 12 of 14

    Yuzu Citron Tea

    Yuzu tea

     

    PicturePartners / Getty Images 

    Korean yuja cha, or yuza tea, is a traditional Korean tea made with citrus and honey, which has a lightly fruity flavor. Use either citron or yuzu or a mix of fruits for this homespun winter warmer.

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  • 13 of 14

    Roasted Barley Tea

    Korean barley tea recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

    Several Asian cultures enjoy this roasted barley tea, which lots of people drink throughout the day as a substitute for plain water. It's called bori cha or boricha in Korean, mugicha in Japan and dàmàichá or màichá in China. Whatever you call it, barley tea makes a simple, warming beverage.

  • 14 of 14

    Southern Fruit Tea

    southern fruit tea

    If you hail from the American South, you (or your grandmother) probably has strong feelings about iced tea. Here, we've got three types of fruit tea that will satisfy a crowd at your next backyard party, tailgate, or just to keep in your own fridge for awhile. Feel free to tweak to your own taste.