A cup of this hot spiced tea was always available in our house at Christmas when I was growing up. My mom used to give jars of the mix as gifts to family and friends.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This vintage recipe will warm you to your very soul! There's just something about it that's so delicious - and it makes great gifts.
- Perfect hot beverage for evenings during the cold winter months when a cup of coffee would keep you awake.
- You can make it in the summer months, too. It's really refreshing when iced.
Warm and cozy!
Russian tea mix is a retro recipe from the early 60s that deserves a comeback! Tang, instant tea, and spices give you a steaming cup of goodness that will warm you to your soul on a cold winter day.
I love it with a slice of old fashioned fruit cake.
Plus - it makes great hostess gifts - tuck small Mason jars of the dry mix into gift baskets.
You'll find more warm and cozy feels in this caramel brulee latte recipe!
🧾 Ingredients
📖 Variations
There aren't many variations on the Russian tea recipe but here are a few.
- Add a packet of unsweetened lemon Koolade
- Sometimes I add a pinch of cayenne to spice it up
- I like the Red Hots whole in the jar because they're pretty but you can grind them up in the blender so that they mix in well.
- Some people don't add Red Hots at all. :::shrugs:::
- You could try another orange drink mix but Tang has always worked best for me.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- Add the Tang, sugar, tea, and spices to a bowl.
- Mix until blended.
- Add the cinnamon candies to the dry mixture.
- Use 3 teaspoons per cup of hot water - or to taste. Drop thin orange slices into the cups if you like
🍴 Equipment
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- cute storage jars with airtight lids
- cute label (you can print this one if you like)
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store Russian tea
Russian spice tea mix keeps indefinitely in an airtight container or covered glass jars in the pantry.
Shake before using.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Make this sugar free by using sugar free Tang, sugar free iced tea powder, unsweetened Koolaid, and your favorite cup for cup sugar substitute. Be sure to leave the candies out!
- Put the mix in Mason jars or other pretty jars and add a cute label. You can print this one that I've made if you like.
- If you want the candies to dissolve better just give them a whirl in your blender until they are all chopped up before stirring them in the tea mixture. I like to leave them whole because I like how they look.
- I like to garnish the cups with fresh orange slices.
- You can simmer this in a
slow cooker for a hot, holiday punch. Add some whole cloves and stick cinnamon. - Make this Christmas tea into a cocktail with an ounce or two of bourbon.
Add a container of it to a holiday cookie tray for a gift that's always welcome!
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
This 1960's mixture is a combination of Tang, sugar, instant iced tea powder (with or without lemon), unsweetened lemon Koolaid (optional) cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Nope. It was made popular in the south during the 1950's and 1960's! It is the perfect warm drink, though!
📚 Related recipes
Here are more of my favorite beverages. There's something for every season!
- Bourbon Peach Tea: Perfect Summer Cocktail in a Pitcher
- Classic Long Island Tea: Cocktail Recipe with a Kick
- Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
📞 The last word
In our house, this was always called Russian tea but a friend of my mother's called it her special "Friendship tea recipe". I kind of like Friendship tea better - it makes me think of a cozy afternoon in front of the fire catching up with a dear friend.
Either way, this is my favorite hot drink for watching the cold rain from the comfort of my warm couch in the middle of winter! So soothing and comforting on a sore throat, too.
I bet it's in 90% of the church cookbooks from the 1960s!
It's the perfect gift at Christmas time - so easy to make. Almost everyone smiles and tells me they remember their mom making it!
And... try this (trust me) cranberry bliss bar alongside your Russian tea... delish!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Russian Tea Mix
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups Tang orange drink mix
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened instant tea with lemon, sweet or unsweet - see notes
- 1 packet unsweetened lemon Koolaid, optional for more lemon flavor
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup cinnamon candies
Instructions
- Add the Tang, sugar, instant tea mix, Koolaid packet if using, and spices together in a large bowl.
- Stir until well mixed.
- Blend in the cinnamon candies.
- Store in an airtight container in the pantry.
- To make tea: Use 3 teaspoons of mix to 1 cup of boiling water.
Notes
- Put the mix in Mason jars or other pretty jars and add a cute label. You can print this one that I've made if you like.
- If you want the candies to dissolve better just give them a whirl in your blender until they are all chopped up before stirring them in the tea mixture. I like to leave them whole because I like how they look.
- I like to garnish the cups with a slice of fresh orange.
- You can simmer this in a slow cooker for a hot, holiday punch. Add some whole cloves and stick cinnamon.
- Make this into a cocktail with an ounce or two of bourbon.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published December 7, 2020. Last updated December 8, 2023 for better information and readability.
Anna S says
I am originally from Russia. And never heard about this kind of tea. Something new to try! We love to brew black loose tea and then add lemon and sugar.
Marye says
That's funny! So It was just a 1960s name for it. I have no idea how it got started.
Debra McKinney says
I didn't know you could still buy Tang?
Marye says
I didn't either but I found it at my local grocery store. Walmart also has it and so does Amazon!
Judi says
Oh my gosh, Marye!!! Thank you so much fire sharing this recipe, I had a friend in middle school whose mom would make this for us on “snow days”, it brings back such fond memories! I may just whip up a batch for Christmas and share with my family!
Deb Clark says
This sounds so good right now. It would be a perfect warm beverage to get me over the hump, lovely!
Marye says
Wish I could bring you some.