• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Restless Chipotle

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plan
    • Meal Plan Help
  • Newsletter
  • Video
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plan
    • Meal Plan Help
  • Newsletter
  • Video
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plan
    • Meal Plan Help
  • Newsletter
  • Video
×
Home » Recipes » Beverages

1960's Russian Tea Mix

Published: Dec 6, 2021 Last Updated: Oct 31, 2022 by Marye 966 words. | About 5 minutes to read this article.

5 minutes mins
Russian tea mix is a spice tea that became popular in the 1960's. You may also know it as Friendship Tea. It's makes a fantastic homemade holiday gift! Make your own labels or use the download I've provided!
Jump to Recipe
Side view of cup of tea with the mix in the background and text overlay for Pinterest.
Overhead view of cup of tea and container with mix. Text overlay for Pinterest.

A cup of this hot spiced tea was always available in our house at Christmas when I was growing up.

Cup of Russian tea with the mix in the background and text overlay.
Jump to:
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🎥  Video
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

  • Perfect hot beverage for evenings during the cold winter months when a cup of coffee would keep you awake.
  • In the summer months it's really refreshing when iced.
  • The spiced orange flavor just makes you smile and it makes the house smell amazing!

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

Labeled ingredients for this recipe.

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

Step by step images for making this recipe.
  1. Add the Tang, sugar, tea, and spices to a bowl.
  2. Mix until blended.
  3. Add the cinnamon candies to the dry mixture.
  4. Use 3 teaspoons per cup of hot water - or to taste. Drop thin orange slices into the cups if you like

🎥  Video

Click on the image to watch the full video on YouTube.

Cover of the Russian Tea video. Clickable image goes to YouTube.
Click here to watch the full video on YouTube.

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!

Overhead view of tea mix and prepared tea in a cup.

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

What is Russian tea made of?

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.

Is it really Russian?

Nope. It was made popular in the south during the 1950's and 1960's! It is the perfect warm drink, though!

🥫 Storage

Russian spice tea mix keeps indefinitely in an airtight container or covered glass jars in the pantry.

Shake before using.

Adding water to spiced tea mix.

📚 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
  • 10 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers {& Tea Lovers}
  • Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
  • Closeup of two lattes in glass coffee cups.
    Salted Caramel Latte
  • A glass of sangria for the feature image of this post.
    Apple Cider Sangria
  • Closeup of a glass of pineapple sangria.
    Tropical Pineapple Sangria
  • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
    Sex in the Driveway: Bright Blue Cocktail

📞 The last word

In our house this was always called Russian tea but a friend of my mother's called it her, "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. 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 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Boiling water being poured into tea mix.
4.60 from 37 votes

Russian Tea Mix

Print Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Russian tea mix is a spice tea that became popular in the 1960's. You may also know it as Friendship Tea. It's makes a fantastic homemade holiday gift! Make your own labels or use the download I've provided!
Course Beverage
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings:24
Calories:109
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Mason jars

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

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

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

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 into a cocktail with an ounce or two of bourbon.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!

    We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.

    First published December 7, 2020. Last updated December 6, 2021 for better information and readability.

    More Cocktails, Beverages, Drinks, Punches, and Libations of All Kinds

    • Closeup of a bright red cocktail in a clear glass.
      Alabama Slammer Cocktail
    • Key lime pie margarita on a table.
      Key Lime Pie Margarita
    • Creamy iced coffee cocktail in a glass with a coffee dust rim.
      Creamy Brazilian Iced Coffee Cocktail Recipe with Rum
    • Square feature image of a glass of this lemonade.
      Hibiscus Lemonade Recipe (Add Vodka for a Cocktail)

    Love it? Share it!

    2.2K shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Love it? Give it 5 stars!




    1. Anna S

      May 03, 2023 at 10:14 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Marye

        May 04, 2023 at 7:37 pm

        That's funny! So It was just a 1960s name for it. I have no idea how it got started.

        Reply
    2. Debra McKinney

      December 09, 2020 at 7:22 pm

      I didn't know you could still buy Tang?

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 09, 2020 at 7:38 pm

        I didn't either but I found it at my local grocery store. Walmart also has it and so does Amazon!

        Reply
    3. Judi

      December 09, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      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!

      Reply
    4. Deb Clark

      December 07, 2020 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      This sounds so good right now. It would be a perfect warm beverage to get me over the hump, lovely!

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 07, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        Wish I could bring you some.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

    Hey Y'all, I'm Marye.

    NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies.

    More about me →

    🎃 Pumpkin Spice

    • A stack of pumpkin bars on a plate showing the layers of spice cake and pumpkin.
      Pumpkin Gooey Bars
    • A close up of a square of the bread pudding showing the texture.
      Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding
    • Baked pumpkin scones glazed with icing.
      Classic Pumpkin Scones
    • A serving of pumpkin cake with a bite taken out of it.
      Pumpkin Spice Cake
    • Closeup view of the whole top of the pie for the feature image.
      Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
    • Slice of pumpkin cheesecake covered with caramel sauce and sprinkled with pecans.
      Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Get 14 Days FREE

    Clickable image of the meal planning app.

    👑 Reader Favorites

    • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
      Crockpot Angel Chicken
    • Close up of the sauce showing the creamy texture.
      Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe
    • Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.
      How to Make Crispy Fried Potatoes
    • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
      Sex in the Driveway: Bright Blue Cocktail
    • A sliced loaf of english muffin bread.
      English Muffin Bread Recipe
    • Two finished loaves of Amish white bread cooling on a table.
      No-Fail Amish White Bread

    🥣 Best Soups for Fall

    12 Best Fall Soup Recipes

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Marye Audet-White
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Become a Sponsor
    • Contact
    MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

    Featured In:

    Places Restless Chipotle has been featured

    Copyright ©2006 - 2023 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC