Russian Tea is a cozy citrus-tea mixture, enhanced with warm mulling spices. This dry mix last months on the shelf; when ready to serve, simply add hot water and stir. (Free gift printable included.)
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What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
As I get older, I find myself remembering more and more about the women in my mother’s circle who influenced my life. Remember Mrs. Houston? I've written about her a couple of times: she was my mother's super-talented, perpetually cranky friend who taught me to embroider and made my family Nuts-n-Bolts for Christmas every year.
Mrs Houston also introduced me to Russian Tea - a warm, cozy concoction that has ties to both the 1960's penchant for convenience foods and NASA’s space program.
Tang, the primary ingredient in Russian Tea mix, was known in my childhood as the drink “the astronauts took to the moon.” Tang first made its appearance in the late 1950’s, but didn’t sell well until it got a super-powered boost from NASA in the early 60’s when it was included in the food-stores of John Glenn’s Mercury spaceflight, and later on the Gemini missions. Mom was suspicious of anything unfamiliar to her Midwest Depression Era upbringing (i.e., yogurt, pizza, Swiss cheese, etc.); however, if it was good enough for John Glenn, it was good enough for her.
Do Russians really drink Russian Tea?
Doubtful. We have a family full of Eastern European in-laws, and none of them (to my knowledge) have ever even heard of Russian Tea.
Initially, I thought the name might have something to do the US-Russian Space Race and the Tang connection. However, after doing a little investigating, I learned that recipes for Russian Tea predate the dawn of Tang; appearing first in US post-World War II community cookbooks, as a mix of brewed black tea, orange juice, and warm spices.
Later, when Lipton developed the first instant iced tea formula in the late 1950's - just two years after the release of Tang - Russian Tea became increasingly popular, as it could be made ahead of time in bulk, making it appealing for parties, large gatherings, and gift giving.
Whatever its origins, Russian Tea is just about the coziest non-alcoholic beverage I know of. It tastes a lot like mulled cider, with a warm, citrusy kick.
What Goes into this Recipe
Use whatever products/brands are most familiar and accessible to you. We include the brands we use here for reference only.
★ Orange drink mix: Use a dry, sugar-added, orange-flavored drink mix. We use Tang when we can find it. (Costco often has it.)
★ Instant tea: Use a dry ice tea mix, with or without lemon added. We use Lipton Ice Tea Mix. Do not use Sweet Tea mix.
★ Lemonade mix: Use a dry, sugar-added plain lemonade mix. We most often use Country Time Lemonade Mix, but have used Wyler's in the past.
★ Sugar: Use plain white sugar.
★ Spices: In addition to the cinnamon and cloves, we often add a little fresh nutmeg to the mix.
How to Make this Recipe
Mix orange drink mix, instant tea, sugar, lemonade mix, and spices together. Store in an airtight container.
To make one cup of Russian Tea, add one heaping tablespoon of mix (or to taste) to a cup of hot water and stir.
Give the Gift of Russian Tea
Not only is Russian Tea is easy to put together and delicious to drink, but the dry mix makes a lovely housewarming, hostess, or holiday gift as well. We’ve included free printable gift tags just for this purpose!
Make yourself a cup of Russian Tea today and curl up with a good book. Nah zdarovhyeh!
That's (phonetic) Russian for Cheers!
More Warmly-spiced Recipes
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Russian Tea Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry orange drink mix i.e. Tang
- 1 cup instant tea
- 2 cups sugar
- 1.25 ounce package unsweetened package lemonade mix e.g. unsweetened Kool-Aid mix
- 2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
To make one cup of Russian Tea:
- Add one heaping tablespoon of mix (or to taste) to a cup of hot water and stir.
MOCK Russian Tea:
- If black tea is something you choose to avoid, you can make Mock Russian Tea by simply leaving out the instant tea. It still tastes warm and cozy.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Originally published October 8, 2014. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions to improve reader experience.
UPDATE: This post was first published on The Good Hearted Woman, November 23, 2015.
Bea says
The ingredients don't seem to mix well while dry. The tea and spices separate from the flavored drink mix. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?
Renée B. says
Great question! Due to the differently sized and textured ingredients - particularly the instant tea - separation is perfectly normal. In fact, when stored in a clear jar, the mixture creates an almost striated appearance through the glass. You just need to mix it up a bit as you spoon it out.
Rhonda says
Is the instant tea sweetened or sugar free
Renée says
Good question! (Back when this recipe originated, there wasn't a choice.)
Use plain, unsweetened instant tea.
Melissa C says
I grew up with this tea, my grandmother and mother made it all the time. They always used Tang and Wyler's lemonade mix, and Instant iced tea mix. I came here because I couldn't remember the exact measurements. I wonder who thought it up in the first place.
Renée says
Gosh, I had forgotten all about Wyler's! I usually use CountryTime. Glad you found us!