Warm Cinnamon Orange Tea for Winter
Cinnamon orange tea steeps whole cinnamon sticks, orange peel, and fresh mint for a warming winter drink that tastes bright, not syrupy.
Read MoreHerbal Teas
Herbal tea recipes and tisane blends with precise steeping times, temperatures, and botanical pairings for every season.
22 recipes
All Herbal Teas Recipes
Masala Chai Recipe with Whole Spices
Masala chai recipe with whole spices uses fresh ginger, crushed cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick simmered in water, then steeped with strong black …
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Ginger Lemon Honey Tea for Cold Nights
Learn how to make ginger honey and lemon tea by simmering fresh ginger root until the water turns golden, then stirring in lemon juice and honey.
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10 Gifts for Tea Lovers This Christmas
Good gifts for tea drinkers solve real problems: airtight tins that keep leaves fresh, gooseneck kettles for controlled pouring, or samplers that …
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Maple Chai Latte
Maple chai latte steeped in hot milk instead of water, then sweetened with a tablespoon of pure maple syrup and dusted with cinnamon. Five minutes.
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London Fog Latte
London fog latte with Earl Grey tea, half a teaspoon of culinary lavender, vanilla and steamed milk. Both the hot and iced methods, ready in five …
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Mullein Tea Side Effects: Throat Irritation, Safety, and Who Should Avoid It
Mullein tea side effects, gordolobo tea safety, throat irritation from leaf hairs, pregnancy and kids notes, and how to strain mullein tea safely.
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Iced Butterfly Pea Flower Latte (Blue Latte Recipe)
Iced butterfly pea flower latte with oat milk and vanilla. A caffeine-free blue latte recipe with a layered blue-over-white look that turns purple …
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Magnesium Drink Recipe: Herbal Iced Tea
Magnesium drink recipe using nettle, oatstraw, and red raspberry leaf cold-infused overnight. The classic mineral-rich herbs, no heat, no bitterness, …
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Cortisol Lowering Tea Recipe: Tulsi Ashwagandha Iced Tea
Cortisol lowering tea recipe: a tulsi (holy basil) and ashwagandha tea with coconut water, lemon and a pinch of salt, served warm for fall or chilled …
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Mallow Tea Recipe: Marshmallow Root, Chamomile and Fennel
A mallow tea recipe with marshmallow root, chamomile, fennel and meadowsweet. Steep 10-15 minutes in a jar or French press for a silky, gentle, …
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How to Make Mullein Tea for Cough and Mucus
Mullein tea is the classic mild respiratory herb. Steep dried leaves 10-15 min, strain through a coffee filter. Recipe + side effects from an …
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Lucid Dream Tea Recipe: Mugwort, Blue Lotus, Passionflower & Ginkgo
A lucid dream tea recipe with mugwort, blue lotus, passionflower, ginkgo and orange peel. Mix the blend once, steep 1 teaspoon per cup for 5 minutes, …
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DIY Loose Leaf Tea Blends: 5 Easy Herbal Recipes
5 loose leaf tea blend recipes with rose, mint, chamomile, rooibos, and hibiscus. Exact spoon measures, water amounts, and steeping times for each …
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Headache Tea Recipe: Peppermint and Feverfew Herbal Blend
Headache tea recipe with peppermint, feverfew, chamomile, and lemon balm. A cooling, slightly bitter herbal blend that steeps in 5 to 7 minutes.
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Spring Allergy Relief Tea Recipe: Nettle and Peppermint Blend
Spring allergy relief tea with nettle and peppermint, the herbs people reach for in pollen season. Caffeine-free and steeps in 10 minutes.
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Herbal Tea Recipes for Glowing Skin: Homemade Glow Tea with Nettle, Rose and Calendula
Homemade tea for glowing skin with dried nettle, spearmint, rose petals and calendula. Mix a jar of this glow tea once, steep a rounded tablespoon per …
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Herbal Tea Recipe for Cold and Flu Season: Elderberry, Ginger and Thyme Tea
Herbal tea for cold and flu season with dried elderberries, ginger, thyme and rosemary. A dark, fragrant mug to hold on chilly fall days, ready in …
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Herbal Tea Recipes for Energy
Herbal tea for energy without caffeine: a warming ginger eleuthero lemon tea, a rhodiola lemon tea and an iced ginger mint tea. Easy recipes for …
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Herbal Tea Recipe for Sore Throat: Ginger Thyme Tea with Honey and Lemon
Herbal tea recipe for a sore throat: fresh ginger simmered with thyme, lemon and a spoonful of honey. Warm, savory and soothing, made in 15 minutes …
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Herbal Tea Recipe for Sleep: Chamomile, Lavender and Passionflower Blend
Herbal tea recipe for sleep with chamomile, lavender, passionflower and valerian root. Mix a jar of the dry blend, steep a tablespoon covered for 5 …
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Herbal Tea Recipe for Menstrual Cramps: Ginger Mint Tea
A soothing herbal tea recipe for menstrual cramps days: fresh ginger simmered with a mint tea bag and honey. Ready in about 15 minutes.
Read MoreHerbal tea is the oldest form of plant medicine, and also the simplest. One plant, hot water, time. But simplicity rewards precision. The difference between a flat cup of chamomile and one that actually tastes like sun-warmed apple blossoms comes down to water temperature (200 degrees, not boiling), steeping time (5 minutes, not 3), and using enough herb (a full tablespoon, not a pinch).
These recipes cover single-herb tisanes, complex blends, cold brews, and decoctions for tougher roots and barks. Each includes the specific temperatures and times that bring out the best in every botanical.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between tea and tisane?
True tea comes from one plant: Camellia sinensis. That includes black, green, white, and oolong. Everything else, from chamomile to rooibos to peppermint, is technically a tisane, meaning an herbal infusion. In practice, most people use “herbal tea” and “tisane” interchangeably, and so do we.
Does water temperature really matter for herbal teas?
It matters enormously. Boiling water (212 degrees F) extracts bitter tannins from delicate flowers and leaves. Most floral herbs like chamomile and lavender taste best at 200 to 205 degrees. Roots, bark, and seeds can handle a full boil and often need it. Every recipe here specifies the ideal temperature.
How much loose herb should I use per cup?
The general rule is one tablespoon of dried herb or two tablespoons of fresh herb per 8 ounces of water. But this varies by plant density. Light, fluffy herbs like chamomile flowers need a heaping tablespoon. Dense roots like valerian need a level teaspoon. Each recipe specifies exact amounts.
Can I cold-brew herbal teas?
Cold brewing works beautifully for many herbs. Use the same herb-to-water ratio but steep in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours. Cold water extracts sweetness and delicate aromatics while leaving behind most bitterness and tannins. Hibiscus, peppermint, and lemon balm are particularly good cold-brewed.
How should I store dried herbs for tea?
Keep dried herbs in airtight glass jars, away from light and heat. A cool, dark cupboard is ideal. Whole dried herbs retain potency for 12 to 18 months. Pre-crushed herbs fade faster, within 6 to 9 months. Label every jar with the date and give it a sniff before using. If the aroma is faint, double the quantity or replace the herb.