Ginger, Cinnamon, and Clove Tea – Hot or Cold

Craving a cozy sip packed with flavor and antioxidants? Try this homemade ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea! This tea is perfect for soothing sore throats, warming up, or enjoying a tasty pick-me-up.

The best part: Spices and herbs boast antioxidant activity ten times higher than fruits and vegetables, making this tea a tasty boost for your health.

This past fall and winter seasons, I sipped this tea daily while others around me seemed to succumb to the sniffles. While I can’t say for sure it was the sole savior, I haven’t changed anything else in my routine, making me a firm believer in its immune-supporting powers.

Brew ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea hot or chill it over ice for a refreshing summer quencher. No matter how you serve it, this tea is sure to become a new favorite. Your body will thank you for it!

Ingredients and Benefits

Ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea is completely customizable. Tailor your tea to your taste buds. Experiment with ingredient amounts to discover your ideal flavor balance.

Ginger

Ginger brings a different kind of spicy. While it certainly packs a punch, it’s a warming, almost peppery zing without the burning sensation of hotter spices.

Boasting a long history of medicinal use, ginger comes from the underground rhizome (stem) of the ginger plant. Ginger packs tiny powerhouses called “active compounds” that act like tiny shields, fighting inflammation, helping digestion, and even battling microbes like bacteria.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon offers a sweet warmth and a hint of spice and a woody flavor.

Used in traditional medicine worldwide, cinnamon comes from the bark of various cinnamon trees, primarily found in Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and even parts of North America.

While early research suggests positive effects on blood sugar management, consult your doctor and prioritize a balanced diet before relying solely on this spice.

Still, health experts and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourage experimenting with spices like cinnamon to help reduce salt, sugar, and fat in the diet for overall health.

Clove

Tiny but mighty, cloves pack a powerful punch. These dried flower buds originate from the clove tree, which is indigenous to Indonesia, and have been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

Cloves boast a staggering antioxidant value, topping an antioxidant content study that included 425 spices and herbs. They have a distinct pungent, bittersweet, and astringent flavor.

Steps to Make Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove Tea – Hot

Follow these steps for hot ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea.

1. Heat the water: In a pot or kettle, bring the water to a boil.
2. Chop the ginger: Chop the ginger while the water heats up. Skip peeling for speed! Simply chop the ginger into small pieces – the more surface area, the stronger the flavor infusion.
3. Add the spices: Once boiling, add the ginger, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on desired strength.
4. Steep and cool: Remove the pot from heat and cover it to steep for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Serve hot: Use a small strainer to strain and pour the tea into mugs. Adjust the sweetness to your taste with a little honey, maple syrup, or another sweetener. Add an optional lemon or orange slice for a citrusy twist.

Steps to Make Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove Tea – Cold

Here’s how to make cold ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea.

1. Prepare the spices: Chop the ginger, skipping the peeling for speed. Combine chopped ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a pitcher or large drinking container.
2. Steep in cold water: Pour cold drinking water over the spices and stir gently. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours for a stronger flavor.
3. Strain and serve: Strain the tea into a clean pitcher or serving container. Discard the used spices.
4. Adjust flavors and serve: Adjust the sweetness to your taste with honey, maple syrup, or another sweetener. Add an optional lemon or orange slice for a citrusy twist.
5. Serve over ice: Pour the tea over ice-filled glasses and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove Tea – Hot or Cold

Johna Burdeos, RD CIEC

Craving comfort in a cup? This ginger, cinnamon, and clove tea delivers! Packed with antioxidants and easily customizable, it's perfect hot or cold for soothing sore throats, warming chilly days, or simply enjoying a delicious and healthy boost.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 kettle or large pot
• 1 chopping board
• 1 knife
• 1 strainer
• 2 pitchers or drinking containers (for cold tea)

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups water
• 1 to 2 inches ginger root, chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 to 7 whole cloves

Optional: Honey, maple syrup, or other sweetener, lemon or orange slices

Instructions

 

For Hot Tea

• Fill the kettle or pot with the water and bring to a boil.
• Once the water starts boiling, add the chopped ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes depending on the desired strength.
• After the tea has simmered, remove from heat and cover. Allow tea to steep for another 10-15 minutes.
• Use a small strainer to strain and pour the tea into four 8-ounce mugs. Add optional ingredients as desired.

For Cold Tea

• Add chopped ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a pitcher or large drinking container.
• Pour the water over the spices and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours for a stronger flavor.
• Strain the tea into a clean pitcher or container. Discard the used spices.
• Pour the tea over ice-filled glasses and add optional ingredients as desired.

Keyword cinnamon, clove, ginger, tea

Tried this recipe? What variations or adaptations did you make? Share in the comments.

Johna is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, and health writer with over 20 years of experience. Her work is rooted in the principles of Intuitive Eating and self-compassion. She specializes in evidence-based content that inspires healthy habits and offers virtual nutrition counseling to help clients improve their relationship with food and their body.

Johna Burdeos, RD CIEC