Spiced Tea with Lemon (Print Version)

A cozy blend of aromatic spices and bright lemon in a soothing warm beverage.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Spices

01 - 2 cinnamon sticks
02 - 4 whole cloves
03 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
04 - 1 small piece fresh ginger (about 0.8 inch), thinly sliced

→ Tea

05 - 4 cups water
06 - 2 black tea bags or 2 teaspoons loose-leaf black tea

→ Flavorings

07 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)
08 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and sliced ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
02 - Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to extract flavors from the spices.
03 - Add the tea bags or loose-leaf tea, remove the pan from heat, and let steep for 3 to 4 minutes according to preferred strength.
04 - Strain the infusion through a fine-mesh strainer into a teapot or heatproof pitcher, discarding the solids.
05 - Stir in honey or maple syrup if desired. Pour into cups and garnish each serving with a slice of lemon.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes but tastes like you've been planning it all day.
  • The warm spices naturally soothe without needing anything fancy or complicated.
  • One batch easily serves four, so you can share the coziness with whoever's nearby.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pre-boil simmer with just the spices—it's what turns ordinary water into something aromatic and special.
  • Oversteeping the tea will make it bitter, so set a timer for your 3–4 minutes and don't wander off.
  • Fresh ginger sliced thin rather than minced makes a noticeable difference in both flavor and texture.
03 -
  • Lightly toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding water if you want an even deeper flavor—it's a small step that changes everything.
  • Use filtered water if you have it; it lets the subtle spice notes come through without any mineral interference.

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