Make-Ahead Cold Relief Tea with Lemon, Orange, Ginger & Honey
This homemade Citrus Ginger Tea is an easy, make-ahead remedy to keep on hand during cold season. Fresh lemons, oranges, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and honey are blended together and frozen into convenient tea cubes. Simply drop one cube into hot water for a soothing, immune-supporting tea whenever you need it!
When cold season rolls around, I love having simple remedies already prepared and ready to go. That’s exactly why this citrus ginger tea cube recipe has become a staple in my freezer. Instead of scrambling to slice lemons and grate ginger when I’m already feeling under the weather, I blend everything together ahead of time and freeze the mixture into convenient little ice cubes.
Each cube is packed with Vitamin C-rich lemons and oranges and their fragrant zest, plus ginger, turmeric, and honey. Whenever you feel under the weather or are just craving a warm mug of tea, just drop a cube into a mug and pour hot water over it. It’s an easy, comforting drink that takes seconds to make and is perfect for soothing sore throats, supporting your immune system, or simply warming up on chilly days.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect to make ahead – Instead of needing to prepare tea from scratch every time, these cubes allow you to prep everything in advance and keep them in the freezer for weeks.
- Naturally immune-boosting – Lemon, orange, ginger, and turmeric are all commonly used ingredients for supporting immune health and soothing cold symptoms.
- Ready in seconds – Just add one frozen cube to hot water and your tea is instantly ready!
- Simple, wholesome ingredients – This recipe draws its natural benefits from fresh citrus, pantry spices, and honey. Just what you need to fight cold season!
Why this citrus ginger tea is great for cold season
This citrus ginger tea combines several ingredients commonly used in natural cold remedies, and there’s a reason why they work! Here are some of their benefits:
- Citrus fruits (lemon and orange): Lemons and oranges are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are commonly associated with immune support. The zest adds concentrated citrus oils that boost both the flavor and aroma of the tea.
- Fresh ginger: Ginger adds warmth and spice and is traditionally used to help soothe sore throats and support digestion.
- Turmeric and black pepper: Turmeric contains curcumin, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Black pepper helps the body absorb curcumin more effectively.
- Honey: Honey naturally sweetens the tea and can help soothe sore throats and coughs, especially when swallowing can be difficult.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor to the tea while contributing additional antioxidants.
Ingredients needed
- 3 lemons, zested, peeled, and sliced: The lemons add that bright citrus note and are packed with vitamin C, while the zest helps boost the aroma and flavor of the tea.
- 2 oranges, zested, peeled, and sliced: Oranges add natural sweetness and balance the tartness of the lemons. Their zest also adds even more citrus-y fragrance!
- Fresh ginger: Known for its warming and soothing properties, ginger helps create that classic comforting tea flavor.
- Turmeric: Adds earthy flavor to the tea along with anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Black pepper: Helps enhance the absorption of turmeric and adds a subtle hint of spice.
- Cinnamon: Complements the citrus and ginger flavor profile well.
- Honey: Naturally sweetens the tea and helps soothe sore throats.
How to make citrus ginger tea cubes
The steps to make citrus ginger tea cubes are super simple!
1. blend all ingredients
Add the lemon and orange slices, zest, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and honey to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth.
Note: The mixture will likely still have small chunks of citrus, ginger, and zest. That’s completely normal! When serving the tea, these bits will steep in the hot water and add an extra boost of citrus flavor.
2. Fill ice cube tray
Pour the blended mixture evenly into an ice cube tray, which should make about 12 ice cubes. Freeze until solid, about 4-6 hours or overnight.
3. Serve when ready!
To prepare the tea, place 1 cube in a mug and pour hot water over it. Stir well until dissolved, taste and add more honey if desired, and enjoy!
Citrus ginger tea variations
This tea is very flexible to make, so you can easily adjust the ingredients or prep to suit your taste and preferences! Here are some variations we recommend:
- Add garlic to the mixture. For an extra immune-kicking boost, add 1 small clove of garlic to the blender with the rest of the ingredients. The garlic flavor is subtle once diluted in hot water, and adds another traditional cold remedy ingredient to the tea. But we don’t recommend this variation if you’re serving the tea iced, as the garlic can taste too strong.
- Use agave instead of honey. For a vegan option, swap out the honey for agave syrup. Its mild, neutral sweetness blends smoothly into the tea and lets the citrus, ginger, and spices shine.
- Add fresh mint. A few fresh mint leaves blended into the mixture can add a refreshing herbal note that pairs nicely with the citrus and ginger. It’s perfect for both hot and iced versions!
- Make larger tea cubes. You can use larger silicone molds instead of standard ice cube trays if you want a stronger cup of tea with fewer cubes.
How to make iced citrus ginger tea
This tea is just as refreshing served cold as it is hot. Since the mixture is already frozen into cubes, it’s easy to turn it into an iced drink! To make it iced:
- Place 1 tea cube into a glass and add a small splash of hot water (about 2-3 tablespoons) to help the cube melt and release its flavor. *You can also add another cube if you prefer a stronger flavor.
- Stir well until partially dissolved, then fill the glass with cold water and ice.
- Stir again to incorporate, adding more honey or agave if desired.
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Make-Ahead Cold Relief Tea
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 ice cubes 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
This homemade Citrus Ginger Tea is an easy, make-ahead remedy to keep on hand during cold season. Fresh lemons, oranges, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and honey are blended together and frozen into convenient tea cubes. Simply drop one cube into hot water for a soothing, immune-supporting tea whenever you need it!
Ingredients
- 3 lemons, zested, peeled and sliced
- 2 oranges, zested, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender, including the zest, and blend until combined and the lemon and orange are reduced to small chunks. Pour into an ice cube tray to freeze overnight.
- For hot tea: Place 1 ice cube into a double-walled glass or mug and pour hot water over it. Mix with a spoon to incorporate, add 1 more tablespoon of honey if desired, and enjoy!
- For iced tea: Place 1 ice cube into a glass and add a small splash of hot water (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) to melt the cube. Stir well until partially dissolved, then fill the glass with cold water and ice. Stir again before serving.
Notes
Zest the lemons and oranges before peeling them, as it’s much easier to remove the zest while the peel is still intact.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Drinks
Healthy and delicious
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