This spiced tea was always in our house at Christmas when I was growing up. Add a container of it to a holiday cookie tray for a gift that's always welcome!
You'll find more warm and cozy feels in this caramel brulee latte recipe!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Warm and cozy!
Russian tea mix is a retro recipe from the 1960s that deserves a comeback! Tang, instant tea, and spices give you a steaming cup of goodness that will warm you to your soul.
Plus - it makes great hostess gifts.
🧾 Ingredients
Use sweetened or unsweetened instant tea with or without lemon. You can also add a packet of unsweetened Koolaid for more lemon flavor.
🔪 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.
- Use 3 teaspoons per cup of boiling water - or to taste.
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🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
💭 Tips for success
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 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 Christmas tea into a cocktail with an ounce or two of bourbon.
👩🏻🍳 Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
The 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 1950s and 1960s!
🥫 Storage
Russian spice tea mix keeps indefinitely in an airtight container in the pantry. Shake before using.
📚 Related recipes
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. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Russian Tea Mix
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 cups Tang
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ½ cup 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.
Debra McKinney
I didn't know you could still buy Tang?
Marye
I didn't either but I found it at my local grocery store. Walmart also has it and so does Amazon!
Judi
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
This sounds so good right now. It would be a perfect warm beverage to get me over the hump, lovely!
Marye
Wish I could bring you some.