Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (2024)

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Comforting, warm, Russian Tea made in the slow cooker. This from scratch drink recipe is perfect for an evening drink after it simmers all day in the slow cooker.

Table of Contents
  1. Russian Tea From Scratch
  2. Ingredients Needed
  3. Does Russian Tea have caffeine?
  4. How do you make Russian Tea?
  5. Watch us Make Russian Tea
  6. How do you serve Russian Tea?
  7. Russian Tea Recipe
  8. Other Tea Recipes

Cool nights are coming and it’s getting dark earlier than ever! It’s evenings like this where I love to sip a warm drink before bedtime. Sometimes it is tea…other times it is coffee.

But when we’re feeling fancy, I make up this Russian Tea recipe (originally found in many of my old church cookbooks) and let it simmer all day. Not only will you love the taste of this comforting drink, but the house will smell amazing from all the spices, too.

Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (1)

Russian Tea From Scratch

Many Russian Tea recipes are made with Tang orange drink mix and lemonade mix which allows the recipe to be a dry mix “Instant” tea. Although we love that Instant tea for gift giving and busy mornings when we are short on time, this is a “from scratch” recipe that uses juice and strongly steeped tea.

The flavors simmer in the slow cooker (or Dutch oven) for as long as you’d like. You’ll need to plan ahead just a few hours for this, but it is so worth it.

Ingredients Needed

Our Russian Tea mix is made from strongly steeped tea (think 5 tea bags to 2 cups of hot water!), sugar, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. No powder mixes.

We use cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to add flavor like no other. It’s easy to keep these ingredients on hand so you’re ready to serve up warm tea any day you’d like.

Does Russian Tea have caffeine?

We normally make our Russian Tea with black tea which does contain caffeine. If you’d like you can use caffeine free tea bags for a treat that won’t keep you up all night.

Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (2)

How do you make Russian Tea?

We like to use our slow cooker to make Russian tea. You can also make it in a dutch oven on the stovetop.

  • Simply add the sugar and juices to the pot and mix well.
  • Steep the tea bags in hot water along with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Then drain off the tea into the juice mixture. Discard any cloves or cinnamon sticks.
  • Lastly, add 2 fresh cinnamon sticks to the tea mix. Cover and simmer.

That’s it! It will take a few hours to heat through depending on which method you use, but as soon as the beverage is heated through it’s ready to drink.

Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (3)

Watch us Make Russian Tea

How do you serve Russian Tea?

If you are having a dinner party that is more buffet style, it may be best to leave the tea in the slow cooker and allow people to serve themselves. If you choose this you can add cinnamon sticks and orange slices to the top of the tea for a pretty look.

If you are serving individual glasses of tea, slice oranges and cut them in quarters. Spear a whole clove into the orange slice and serve on top of each individual glass as shown below. It looks so pretty and adds just a hint more flavor.

Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (4)

Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (5)

Russian Tea

4.66 from 32 votes

Comforting, warm, Russian Tea made in the slow cooker. This from scratch drink recipe is perfect for an evening drink after it simmers all day in the slow cooker.

Servings 12

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 5 black tea bags
  • 12 whole cloves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks (divided)
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2-3 quarts hot water (to taste)

Optional Serving Ingredients:

  • 1 orange (sliced and quartered)
  • 12 whole cloves

Instructions

  • In a slow cooker, combine the sugar, pineapple juice, orange juice and lemon juice.

  • In a large measuring cup, place the tea bags, cloves and cinnamon sticks.

  • Pour the hot water over the tea bags and let it steep for 5 minutes.

  • Strain the tea into the sugar and juice mix. Discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves that you strained out.

  • Add 2-3 quarts of hot water, to taste. Add 2 quarts in immediately, then add more water until you get the taste you’d like.

  • Add the 2 remaining cinnamon sticks to the tea and cover the slow cooker. Cook on low until heated through.

  • To garnish, slice an orange into thin slices, then halve or quarter them if you’d like. Push a whole clove into the orange slice and place it in the cup on top of the tea.

  • You can also serve the tea from the slow cooker. You can decorate the top with orange slices and cinnamon sticks if you’d like.

Video

Notes

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 12 people, with 1 serving being 1 cup of hot tea. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 20.5mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Calories 161

Keyword hot drink, hot fruit drink, hot tea recipe, slow cooker tea

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Other Tea Recipes

  • Cranberry Pineapple Iced Tea
  • Lemon Ginger Iced Tea
Russian Tea Recipe {Slow Cooker Hot Drink} | Tastes of Lizzy T (2024)

FAQs

What makes Russian tea different? ›

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. It was typically afforded only by the elite at this time and enjoyed during the cold of winter as a way to warm up.

Does Russian tea have caffeine? ›

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

How to make and serve hot tea? ›

Add the boiling water to the teapot, put the lid on and cover the teapot with a tea cozy. Let the tea steep for three to five minutes. Pour the tea into each cup using a tea strainer. Offer guests sugar cubes (or honey) and a slice of lemon or a small serving of milk.

How do you drink Russian tea? ›

Zavarka Russian Tea Recipe (заварка)

Pour some tea concentrate into a cup, and fill the rest of the cup with boiling water. Adjust the tea, depending on the color and strength you prefer. Add milk and sugar, or a lemon slice if you prefer. Keep topping up the zavarka with hot water and enjoy drinking tea.

Do Russians put sugar in tea? ›

Sugar, lemon, honey, jam or milk can then be added freely. Sugar and other sweeteners are served in bowls; using the personal teaspoon to add them to the tea rather than the one in the bowl is considered impolite.

Why is it called Russian tea in the 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.

Is Russian Tea healthy? ›

So, yes, you can say Russian tea is healthy. Just don't have too many of them or that sugar will catch up to you.

What is the most caffeinated tea in the world? ›

In general, black and pu-erh teas have the highest amount of caffeine, followed by oolong teas, green teas, white teas, and purple teas.

What does Russian Tea smell like? ›

For the most part, Russian Tea is now primarily campfire smoke that has been rendered somewhat plush, creamy, and sweet from immortelle, at least “plush” as compared to what the scent was like in Act I.

Is drinking hot tea with honey good for you? ›

Final verdict. Honey does not just add sweetness to your tea but also to your health. It shoots antioxidants into your body to combat infections and diseases. Drinking tea becomes pleasurable when honey is in it; try some exotic, sweet, and unimaginable flavors to treat your taste buds!

What to put in tea to make it taste better? ›

11 things to add to your tea that will up your caffeine game
  1. Add ginger for some added benefits. ...
  2. Mint will make it extra lively. ...
  3. Basil can give you an earthy flavor. ...
  4. Lemon or lime will add a nice boost of citrus. ...
  5. A scoop of sorbet makes for a unique dessert. ...
  6. Cinnamon is a simple way to add sweetness.
Jul 19, 2018

Can you make tea with hot water instead of boiling? ›

If you don't use boiling water, there won't be enough structure from the leaves to carry the flavours in the tea and so you'll get a weak and insipid cup of tea. Swirl some hot water in your teaware to preheat it before adding your leaves. This will help to release the aroma of the tea.

How to make Russian Earl GREY tea? ›

Directions:
  1. Heat 8 ounces of water to boil, remove from heat, add Russian Earl Grey tea bag (or 1 heaping teaspoon of Russian Earl Grey tea) to hot water. Let steep for 5 minutes.
  2. After 5 minutes, remove tea bag (or strain loose tea) and put in refrigerator to cool. (Approximately 1 hour).

What is served with Russian tea? ›

Food Accompaniment

It is considered quite rude in Russia to serve tea “naked”, that is, without any food to accompany it. Typical tea-time foods are sweets, such as cookies, biscuits, candy, and pies; these will usually be brought out for guests.

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 difference between English 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.

Is Russian Tea strong? ›

Traditional tea preparation involves zavarka, very strong concentrated tea brewed in a tea pot, which is then diluted by boiled water to the desired strength. Children get weaker tea, adults get stronger tea. This is where the traditional Russian samovars came into play.

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.

Why is Russian Caravan tea smoky? ›

Traditionally the smoky character was considered to have been imparted to the tea by the close proximity of the camel caravans to countless camp fires en route across the Mongolian Steppes to Russia.

References

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