Russian Tea Recipe with Tang
This post may contain affiliate links which won't change your price but will share some commission.Instant Russian Tea recipe with Tang is an old holiday favorite that’s the perfect inexpensive hot drink for the holidays!
The slightly sweet smell of an evergreen tree. Christmas tree lights twinkling in a dimly lit room.
Strains of beautiful music from Point of Grace A Christmas Story CD.
Sound perfect? I think so! The one day that stands out in all our family traditions is Thanksgiving Day.
Since our children were little the day began with me putting the burly turkey in the oven before anyone opened their eyes.
Everyone awakened to the smell of turkey wafting through the house and the countdown to Thanksgiving Day parades.
From our family meal of turkey and all the fixin’s to hunting down the perfect tree at the Christmas tree lot, this day is one to cherish for all of us.
Instant Russian Tea is a tasty part of this tradition as well. This hot beverage is one our family always enjoys on Thanksgiving night as we decorate the Christmas tree.
We love to drink the tea all winter but the first batch gets made just before Thanksgiving.
Why is it called Russian Tea?
Russian Tea has very little to do with Russia and a lot to do with Southern creativity. The tea takes its name from the black tea with lemon and sugar that was the preferred beverage of upper-class Russians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Eventually it became a Southern staple, handed down in church cookbooks over the years.
What is Russian Tea made with?
A 1966 edition of the Statesville (North Carolina) Record and Landmark included a recipe that swapped loose black tea for instant and the oranges for the recently invented powdered orange drink, Tang, along with sugar and spice. Tang eventually printed its own recipe for the drink.
What kind of tea is used in Russian Tea?
For my recipe you can use any kind of tea powder but I use instant tea with or without sugar. If you like it sweet go with the type with sugar. If not go sugar free!
Is Tang still available?
Some readers have asked if Tang is still available. The answer is yes but if you can’t find it at your favorite store you can order it here on Amazon.
I have used some generic orange drink mixes but each store varied and I learned I prefer the original Tang.
Substitutions
- Note of caution: Do not try and use whole cloves to save money by crushing them yourselves. Picking bits of cloves out of your tea is not fun. Not that I would know about that ~eye roll~
- If you don’t have Kool-Aid try using the single lemonade drink mixes.
- If you use sweetened iced tea add less sugar to the Russian tea mix.
- The tea hardens in the container over time but I love to drink it through the cold winters!
- You can try substituting a generic store brand orange drink mix but I’ve had mixed results with this.
- Try adding a teaspoon ground allspice to the instant beverage mix.
How to store Instant Russian Tea.
Sometimes if I’m lazy I just pour as much of the dry mix as I can back into the Tang container. I also have a specific glass Christmas jar that I’ve used through the years. An airtight container is preferred for this spiced tea mix.
Giving this recipe to friends and family.
This tea makes a great gift idea for teachers at school and church as well as for a special friendship. A mason jar is a good choice, wrapped in a pretty ribbon or used with these Christmas mason jar labels or with this merry and bright label. If you don’t have a mason jar use any large jar and maybe even add some cinnamon sticks with a ribbon for the perfect treats.
Instant Russian Tea Printable Recipe + Video
(I’ve included some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
Ingredients:
Instant orange drink (Tang)
Unsweetened lemonade-flavor drink powder
Unsweetened instant tea mix
White sugar
Ground cloves
Ground cinnamon
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions:
Pour Tang into large bowl.
Add lemonade mix to bowl.
Add instant tea.
Pour in white sugar.
Add teaspoon ground cloves.
Add two teaspoon ground cinnamon to the tea mixture.
Mix everything together.
When ready to serve stir as many teaspoons as you’d like into a mug of boiling water. It’s totally up to your preference but I like the drink to be thick and not so watery.
When ready to serve pour boiling water over mixture in your favorite mug.
Instant Russian Tea
Ingredients
- 1 lb. jar instant orange drink Tang
- 1 pkg. unsweetened lemonade Kool-Aid
- 3/4 cup unsweetened instant tea
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients well and store in tightly closed container.
- Add to hot water as many teaspoons as desired to taste.
Video
Notes
More Holiday Inspiration:
- Best Frozen Punch
- Blue Frozen Punch
- Homemade Potpourri
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
- Dried Beef Cheese Ball
- Christmas Tree Appetizer
- Wonton Cup Appetizer
- Seven Layer Dip
Thanks, Marty. I had this recipe (or a similar one made with Tang) about 25 years ago and loved giving it as a gift in a glass jar. But I lost it many years ago. Thanks for helping me “find” it. Bless you, Gail
Hi, Gail. Thanks for visiting Marty’s Musings. I’m glad you found the Russian Tea Recipe. It is a big tradition at our house! Hope you are having a blessed holiday season.
My mom used to make this when we were growing up. Thanks for sharing. I think I’ll make this for my kids this week.
Hi, Jenny! Thanks for visiting Marty’s Musings! I’m glad you enjoyed the Instant Russian Tea recipe and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!
I am glad you posted this! My best friend served me some of this years ago, and I could never remember what it was called! I knew it had tang in it! Thank you so much for posting this recipe! YAY!
Amy
http://www.amystebbins.com
I love this – we drank it during the holidays when I was a kid. I’d love for you to share this at Tuesday’s Table for the Holidays – http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/2012/11/tuesdays-table-holiday-ideas.html
This looks great. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! I would love for you to visit me and see the centerpiece at my Thanksgiving table I am visiting you from Savvy Southern Style!
This sounds wonderful. Do you prepare it like you would packets of hot chocolate? How much do you recommend adding to a mug of hot water? Thanks for sharing! Linda @www.paperseedlings.com
Hey, Lisa! I couldn’t remember whether I sent you a message on my Russian Tea but I wanted to let you know you really just use enough for your taste. Heat some hot water (microwave is fine) and add the mix and you’re done! Thanks for visiting Marty’s Musings.
This sounds super delicious!
I remember making this many, many years ago. It was so good! I’m definitely going to make it this year! So glad you shared it!
Oh yum, this sounds good! Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!
Just wanted to let you know I featured this today on my blog! You can check it out and grab a Featured button here: http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/11/the-fun-in-functional-link-party-27/
This is similar to a tea recipe from my grandmother… and I love having this every winter. Thanks for bringing up great memories! And thank you for linking up at I Gotta Create!
<3 Christina
Yum!! Would love it if you linked up on my blog hop http://www.w-t-fab.com/search/label/bloghop. Also let me know if you’d like to follow each other!
That looks so good, Marty!
Thanks for linking up this week!
Stacey of Embracing Change
This used to be my favorite cold weather drink and I haven’t seen the recipe in years. I’m looking forward to making it again. I know it will bring back lots of good memories.
Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Ah, an old favorite! Long ago lost the recipe for this – glad to have found it! 🙂
Hey, Lisa! I’m glad you found my Russian Tea recipe. It is always a huge hit on our home!
[email protected]’s Musings
Where does this recipe come from, and why is it called Russian Tea? Like many of your other readers, we still drink this today and enjoyed it all through my childhood. As kids though, I guess “Russian” was too hard to say, so we called it Tang Tea as much as we called it Russian Tea.
I too have had this years ago. My church choir always had it on hand before a performance. It is great for the throat and sinuses. Ai love it. Unfortunetly due to moves and time I had lost the recipe. Thanks for sharing it.
Maren
Hi, Maren. I’m so glad you found my recipe! It’s such a memorable part of our holidays! Have a blessed day!