Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (2024)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Instant Russian Tea recipe with Tang is an old holiday favorite that’s the perfect inexpensive hot drink for the holidays!

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (1)

The slightly sweet smell of an evergreen tree. Christmas tree lights twinkling in a dimly lit room.

Strains of beautiful music from Point of Grace A Christmas Story CD.

Sound perfect? I think so! The one day that stands out in all our family traditionsis Thanksgiving Day.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (2)

Since our children were little the day began with me putting the burly turkey in the oven before anyone opened their eyes.

Everyone awakened to the smell of turkey wafting through the house and the countdown to Thanksgiving Day parades.

From our family meal of turkey and all the fixin’s to hunting down the perfect tree at the Christmas tree lot, this day is one to cherish for all of us.

Instant Russian Tea is a tasty part of this tradition as well. This hot beverage is one our familyalwaysenjoys on Thanksgiving night as we decorate the Christmas tree.

We love to drink the tea all winter but the first batch gets made just before Thanksgiving.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (3)

Why is it called Russian Tea?

Russian Tea has very little to do with Russia and a lot to do with Southern creativity. The tea takes its name from the black tea with lemon and sugar that was the preferred beverage of upper-class Russians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Eventually it became a Southern staple, handed down in church cookbooks over the years.

What is Russian Tea made with?

A 1966 edition of theStatesville (North Carolina) Record and Landmarkincluded a recipe that swapped loose black tea for instant and the oranges for the recently invented powdered orange drink, Tang, along with sugar and spice. Tang eventually printed its own recipe for the drink.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (4)

What kind of tea is used in Russian Tea?

For my recipe you can use any kind of tea powder but I use instant tea with or without sugar. If you like it sweet go with the type with sugar. If not go sugar free!

Is Tang still available?

Some readers have asked if Tang is still available. The answer is yes but if you can’t find it at your favorite store you can order it here on Amazon.

I have used some generic orange drink mixes but each store varied and I learned I prefer the original Tang.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (5)

Substitutions

  • Note of caution: Do not try and use whole cloves to save money by crushing them yourselves. Picking bits of cloves out of your tea is not fun. Not that I would know about that ~eye roll~
  • If you don’t have Kool-Aid try using the single lemonade drink mixes.
  • If you use sweetened iced tea add less sugar to the Russian tea mix.
  • The tea hardens in the container over time but I love to drink it through the cold winters!
  • You can try substituting a generic store brand orange drink mix but I’ve had mixed results with this.
  • Try adding a teaspoon ground allspice to the instant beverage mix.

How to store Instant Russian Tea.

Sometimes if I’m lazy I just pour as much of the dry mix as I can back into the Tang container. I also have a specific glass Christmas jar that I’ve used through the years. An airtight container is preferred for this spiced tea mix.

Giving this recipe to friends and family.

This tea makes a great gift idea for teachers at school and church as well as for a special friendship. A mason jar is a good choice, wrapped in a pretty ribbon or used with these Christmas mason jar labels or with this merry and bright label. If you don’t have a mason jar use any large jar and maybe even add some cinnamon sticks with a ribbon for the perfect treats.

Ingredients:

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (6)

(I’ve included some affiliate links for your convenience.Click here to read myfulldisclosure policy.)

Instant orange drink (Tang)
Unsweetened lemonade-flavor drink powder
Unsweetened instant tea mix
White sugar
Ground cloves
Ground cinnamon

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions:

Pour Tang into large bowl.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (7)

Add lemonade mix to bowl.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (8)

Add instant tea.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (9)

Pour in white sugar.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (10)

Add teaspoon ground cloves.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (11)

Add two teaspoon ground cinnamon to the tea mixture.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (12)

Mix everything together.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (13)

When ready to serve stir as many teaspoons as you’d like into a mug of boiling water.

It’s totally up to your preference but I like the drink to be thick and not so watery.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (14)

When ready to serve pour boiling water over mixture in your favorite mug.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (15)

Feel free to let the tea steep as long as you want and enjoy your Christmas time treat!

More Entertaining Tips

SEE ALL TIPS

All the best and tips and tricks for learning how to enjoy entertaining and opening your home to others.

DIY Cinco de Mayo Party Decorations

How to Make a Donut Wall and Matching Banner

Fall Table Decor + No Sew Runner

Homemade Potpourri with all Natural Ingredients

Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Dollar Store Fall Table Decorations

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (22)

Print Pin

4.80 from 5 votes

Russian Tea Recipe with Tang

Instant Russian Tea recipe with Tang is an old holiday favorite that's the perfect inexpensive hot drink for the holidays!

Course Beverage

Keyword Instant Russian Tea

Author Marty’s Musings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. jar instant orange drink Tang
  • 1 pkg. unsweetened lemonade Kool-Aid
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened instant tea
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients well and store in tightly closed container.

  • Add to hot water as many teaspoons as desired to taste.

Video

Notes

I used sweetened instant tea and cut back on the amount of sugar added to compensate. I also used 4 single instant lemonade packets instead of kool-aid.

Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (23)
Russian Tea Recipe - Marty's Musings (2024)

FAQs

What makes Russian tea different? ›

Since no one can compete with a classic glass of sweet tea, though, in the South, Russian Tea became synonymous with a hot drink flavored with oranges or lemons and spiced with vanilla, rum, cinnamon, and sometimes preserved cherries.

What is zavarka? ›

What is Zavarka? Zavarka is a semiproduct produced in the bakeries by mixing boiling water with different flours, up to the gelling point. Along this process dextrines and other simple sugars are released, and these sugars play an important role in keeping the bread fresh, with moist and juicy crumb.

Does Russian tea have caffeine in it? ›

Like other black teas, Russian Caravan tends to be high in caffeine, containing about half as much caffeine per cup as coffee.

What are the flavors of Russian tea? ›

"Russian Tea" in other countries

Recipes vary, but the most common ingredients are loose black tea, orange juice (or orange peel), cinnamon, and cloves; some recipes use instant tea powder. Other juices such as lemon and pineapple are sometimes called for. Cream may also be added when serving.

Why is it called Russian Tea in USA? ›

Place of Origin

American recipes for the drink date back to the late 19th century, when according to Garden & Gun, well-to-do Yanks adopted the Russian style of serving tea with lemon and sugar. As the blog Yesterdish notes, the name Russian Tea initially referred to a simple iced brew with lemon.

Do Russians have milk in their tea? ›

A typical style of drinking tea in Russia is brewing tea using traditional tea thing "Samovar", and add jam in their tea. Adding milk in the tea is not very popular, however, there is one region in Russia where people add butter and milk in their tea.

Why do Russians put jam in their tea? ›

If you have a fever, raspberry jam mixed in with tea is believed to bring the temperature down! (We bet you don't want to argue with a Russian grandma (бабушка) about this 'fact'!). Russians also like adding herbs into their tea. Some of them, they also preserve during summer - dry mint, lemon balm and rosebay berries.

What is Smoky Russian tea? ›

Smokey Russian is our twist on traditional Russian Caravan Tea! Our in house blend of Darjeeling, Ceylon, Keemun, and Lapsang Souchong tea gives a dark brown infusion with a well-balanced, slightly sweet flavour and smokey after taste.

What is in Russian Caravan tea? ›

Russian Caravan is a blend of oolong, keemun, and lapsang souchong teas. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty, and smoky taste. Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, and thus have a less smoky flavor, while others include assam tea.

Do Russians put jam in tea? ›

"If you want to try something uniquely Russian, try a cup of nice, black tea with a spoonful of fruit jam stirred in. Tea is the national drink of Russia, while the jam is a happy bonus."

What brand of tea do Russians drink? ›

Zavarka's Preparation. Tea as it's traditionally made in Russia lives and dies by the samovar, a heated metal container with a spigot used to boil and dispense water, and often an attachment that holds the tea concentrate.

What are the benefits of Russian Tea? ›

Feeling a little stuffy? This warm tea will loosen mucus in your sinuses and it contains antioxidants that may even help to shorten your cold too!

What is Russian Earl GREY tea? ›

The russian earl grey organic tea is a very aromatic blend that is composed of the best black teas from India (Assam). This tea also hasnatural flavors such as grapefruit, lemon and bergamot. Finally, it is sprinkled with marigold and cornflower flowers. €9.90.

Do Russians put cherries in tea? ›

The Russian immigrants I grew up around would make and enjoy this Cherry Syrup made with whole pie cherries in their hot tea. They used this syrup in place of sugar to sweeten their tea.

What is special about Russian Tea? ›

As you can probably guess, this drink originated in Russia dating all the way back to the early 1800s. It was traditionally composed of black tea with lemon and sugar, orange and pineapple juices, cinnamon, clove, honey, and lemon or orange wedges for garnish.

What is the difference between English tea and Russian Tea? ›

Unlike English tea culture, in Russia, tea is usually taken black and sweet. Despite the rising popularity of green tea in the nation, black tea is still the most common. Often a sugar cube is placed between the teeth and then the tea is sipped through it.

What is the Russian Tea making thing? ›

samovar, metal urn, often of brass, with a spigot near its base, widely used in Russia to boil water for tea. In traditional samovars water is heated by means of a vertical tube, containing burning charcoal, running up the middle of the urn. A filled teapot is set atop the chimney to steep.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 6152

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.