I don’t think I’ve ever really mentioned this before on the blog, but I am completely and totally addicted to…
Iced tea.
I’ve been like this ever since I could remember, always ordering a big ol’ glass of the stuff with lemon when I was out to eat, drinking nearly a gallon of it a day during my peak basketball and softball years, and reaching for a glass to pair with my never-ending bowl box of Cheez-its after school.
When my family and I went to San Francisco when I was younger, I enjoyed driving the Golden Gate Bridge, eating all the foods, and seeing the sites, but I distinctly remember how undeniably perfect the iced tea there was.
I wish I were joking. True confessions of an iced tea addict right here.
My gallon-a-day habit quickly came to a screeching halt through college – there were far more important things to spend money on like midnight pizza and wine -; however, my addiction to this liquid gold never quite went away.
So because a summer without iced tea is absolutely not OK in my book, there is no better time than the present to get back into this delicious and refreshing habit.
We’ve all heard of the whole “golden milk” trend that has become ridiculously popular recently, right? (psh…we’ve been doing that since early 2015) If not, it’s simply a mix of turmeric and some sort of milk – almond, cashew, coconut, what have you, and it’s touted for having all of these crazy health benefits. Well today, friends, we’re making GOLDEN ICED TEA!
Turmeric has been at the forefront of our morning routines for the past few weeks. Mark got really into the idea of turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties – so much so, he was ready to buy a 2 lb. bag of it off of Amazon the other day -, so he’s been mixing it into his tea/ coconut oil mixture and I’ve been mixing it along with my green tea and almond milk.
Then, one day, I decided to add a dash of cinnamon to the mix. Holy. Moly. Fun fact: years ago, my grandma always told me that if I were start a food blog, I should call it “Cinnamon-Covered Alexa” (a not-so subtle nod to the ever-popular Chocolate Covered Katie). I’ve always been completely head-over-heals in love with cinnamon’s warm-sweet-spicy bite. Here, it balances out turmeric’s earthy-bitter flavor so so well – perfection in a glass, I’m tellin’ ya!
Talk about a crazy-refreshing drink for summertime. And could it BE any more gorgeous?! I’m totally addicted to the sweet-earthiness this tea, and I can’t wait for you to give it a try this season!
Cheers to the perfect summer, friends!
PrintCinnamon Turmeric Iced Tea
- Yield: 2-3 glasses
Ingredients
- 1–2 Tbsp. black or green looseleaf tea* (I used half English Breakfast, half Ceylon. Oolong is fantastic, too!)
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp.+ maple syrup, honey, or sweetener of choice**
- lemon slices, optional
Instructions
- Add all tea, cinnamon, turmeric, and sweetener to the base of a french press.
- Add hot water half way and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes stirring once, then press. Allow to cool slightly, then remove the press and fill with ice cubes.
- Allow to come to room temperature, then press, pour into an ice-filled glass, and serve with a lemon slice.
Notes
*I very much fall into the camp that stronger iced tea is always better. 2 Tbsp. of tea here is really strong. Feel free to use less if desired.
**1 tsp. sweetener isn’t very sweet at all. I’m a huge fan of unsweetened tea, but a little bit here works really well with the cinnamon. Just a tip!
P.S. Let me know if you give this Cinnamon Turmeric Iced Tea (or any of my recipes!), and tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@fooduzzi) so I can see your beautiful creation!
Must try turmeric! The golden color is beautiful and iced tea sounds absolutely perfect right now. Cinnamon-Covered Alexa is too cute! :)
You’ll love it, Marina! Turmeric is a new fav in our house :)
I’m trying it with Green Tea it’s an awesome taste, thanks I really like it.
Yay! The perfect summer drink :)
I use it a lot in my cooking,etc. I will definitely try this another good iced tea recipe! Thank you Mary ?
I make a warm version of this with coconut milk as the base instead of tea but I love this cool, refreshing summer twist!
LOVE that idea! Coconut milk would be SO good with this!!
Alexa, this is a great recipe! I also am sooo addicted to iced tea. Green, black, mango, all forms. Is there a reason why you do not use fresh turmeric?
Thanks, Melanie! Great question – I didn’t use fresh turmeric simply because it’s a little tough for people to find. I see it only occasionally at the grocery store, so to reach a broader audience, I just went with the dried :) Feel free to try the fresh stuff – and if you do, be sure to let me know how it goes!
I put turmeric in so many things, this tea was made for me! I should definitely try this soon.
:) I hope you have the chance to try it, Kaylin!
About to try it but the only test I have are tea bags, can I steep the tea Instead? Sorry I’m not a tea person but trying to find creative ways to take in tumeric for its health benefits
Yep! Tea bags should work just fine.
Such a cool idea! I’m a HUGE tea person – iced or hot – I always have at least 8 boxes at one time. I’ve been really into turmeric lately so I’ll need to add this to my tea rotation!
SERIOUSLY. Same here. We have a designated “tea pantry” ;)
Omg!!! Made this this morning! I didn’t have a French press or loose leaf tea! My impromptu version was 2 black tea bags I used 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and a little lemon juice didn’t have any lemons! I added everything to the small pot stirred for a min let it boil then cook and I poured it into strainer and added ice and ??? best ever!!! Thanks so much!!!
Which french press to you use? I don’t have one .. yet. Shopping but overwhelmed. Glass v stainless? 3-4 cups v 8-9 cups? Single screen v double screen .. or more? Can’t wait to try !! Love turmeric .. Love Iced Tea .. WIN WIN !! thank you
Hi! Great question. I actually bought mine at IKEA (it was like $10)! It’s called UPPHETTA, and it’s a glass/stainless steel 34-oz container. It’s definitely not the best one you could possibly get, but it definitely works well. I use it for everything from this to making matcha lattes in the morning :) Let me know if you give this recipe a try!
Why a coffee press and not like a perfect tea maker or something?
Great question! I had a coffee press on hand :) I don’t know what a Perfect Tea Maker is, but it should work if it’s similar to a press!
It’s a great device if you’re big into making loose leaf tea(or iced teas)! It allows the leafs to expand without bruising and ruining the tea itself. And it strains through very small mesh holes.
I’m such a tea freak, so this sounds like my kind of device! I might have to put it on the good ol’ Christmas list this year ;)
Here’s the link, i don’t know where you live or where they ship to, but honestly this is the most amazing tea item I own!!!
http://www.teavana.com/us/en/teaware/teavana-perfectea-makers/lime-teavana-16-oz-perfectea-maker-011062449.html?&srule=Featured&start=0&sz=24&q=Perfect%20tea%20maker&navid=search
You are the BEST!! This looks amazing, and I love Teavana!
What Can I use in place of a French press I don’t have one and have paired down living as I’m retired don’t have a lot of extra space in my kitchen for non-essentials.
Good question! A fine-mesh strainer might do the trick. Or a clean tea towel (but one that you don’t mind staining yellow!)
You are very welcome! Thank you for the tea recipe, I think I am definitely going to try this tonight with the juju island green tea!
That sounds amazing! Green tea is my fave :) Let me know what you think!
Delicious actually, until you get to the bottom with the last dregs of spices. Those teamakers also come in different colors and 2 sizes
I’m so glad you liked it! :) I usually strain out those spices with the french press – I’ll add a clearer note to the recipe.
I don’t have a french press, is there anyway to make this without one?
Sure thing! You can mix it all up in a blender and strain it out with a fine-mesh strainer :)
I have read in several articles to receive the full nutritional benefit of turmeric, it should be taken with a fat like coconut oil and black pepper. I think it could still combine nicely with your concoction. Just an added health benefit!
LOVE this! Yep, I’ve read that too. I’ll be sure to update the recipe :) Thanks, Heather!
I m from India but i loved this recipe. We dont use coffee or tea brewers at home here. We typically boil tea in hot water on a gas stove. So would like to know if i can add cinnamon and tea powder to boiling water or just hot water.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! You can absolutely make it with hot water! It would be a delicious way to wake up in the morning :)
I may try tumeric in cinnamon tea from Harney and Sons. It is not loose. But bagged and is my current favorite tea. Should prove interesting!
That is my favorite tea EVER!!! We used to sell it at the coffee shop I used to work at, and I had at least a cup a night!
Hello,
how much water do you take in this recipe??
thank you
Babs
Great question! About 16 oz. :)
I like this idea on the French press but is there another way without using one for people who don’t have that.
Great question! Try using a fine-mesh strainer!
Hi Alexa, is this tea good for kids?
Oh man, I have no idea. I’d ask your doctor to make sure.
To get the full benefits of turmeric though…you need to combine it with black pepper, which boosts the absorption.
Add a quick pinch of pepper! :)
Can this be used with sun tea I don’t want a tea press or coffee press and the majority of the time I just put the tea and in a container and put some cold water and set it out in the sun so I’m curious to know if it can be used as sun tea thank you
I tried this iced tea tonight but used my Instant Pot with 2 quarts water, 12 decaffeinated Lipton tea bags, 1/4 cup granulated Stevia plus 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1/2 tablespoon tumeric in a twisty-tied coffee filter. Cooked for 4 minutes on high pressure then did a natural release. Filled a one gallon pitcher with 2 quarts ice then poured hot tea over ice. DELICIOUS!
Woah! Love that you used an Instant Pot! So cool. Thanks for reporting back :)
I cook with turmeric and use it on most everything. I have not tried it in drinks of any kind as of yet but you have me looking for the loose leaf tea. I am a coffee drinker like you are to tea so maybe something will work there as well. I am trying the tea with your setting as I like strong tasting beverages. Turmeric has many benefits as I have arthritis and using this herb helps me tremendously with the pain. SO one more way to benefit and THANKS ?
:) turmeric is great!
Tried this receipe today using a sweet green tea leaf. Really good flavor even for a guy who is a coffee lover
Yay! So happy to hear that :)
Live this tea! I make it with a blood orange mango tea. It is delicious!
Ummm that sounds amazing!!!
I had to try this! It’s wonderful! I like strong tea, too, and the addition of turmeric and cinnamon gives it a perk!
So glad to hear that, Bonnie!
also mix in a little coconut oil, black seed oil and sea moss, drank hot stack that immune system. will try it cold.
Do you have to use a French press? I don’t have one but I would love to make this tea!
I love this tea. When is the best time to take the tea?