This easy homemade cranberry tea is made with fresh or frozen cranberries, water, and warming spices. Add a splash of bourbon for a winter cocktail!
Who else is excited for cranberry season?
My guess is, everyone. Right?
These pretty bright red berries are one of my favorite fall fruits. Not only do I love the color, but I also think they're pretty delicious.
I love cranberry tarts, cranberry baked Brie, cranberry pear sauce, bourbon cranberry sauce (and Instant Pot cranberry sauce!).
Recently though, as I was sipping some homemade cranberry juice, I realized something. I should make cranberry tea!
If you follow my Instagram stories, you might've seen me excitedly making this tea.
Cranberry tea is a refreshing drink that's perfect for fall and winter. Serve it hot or cold, and you can even turn it into a cocktail.
Looking for more homemade teas (or tisanes)? Try making homemade ginger tea, mint tea, pine needle tea, thyme tea, and catnip tea, and then check out this guide to herbal tea.
What Does Cranberry Tea Taste Like?
Cranberries, of course!
But it also reminds me a little bit of a red zinger tea.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Berries?
Either will work perfectly!
I usually buy a bunch of fresh berries and then store them in the freezer to use all year long.
Can I Use Dried Cranberries?
No.
We're using the liquid from inside the cranberries, and dried cranberries don't have any liquid to extract.
How to Make Cranberry Tea
Add cranberries, water, and a cinnamon stick to a large pot.
Bring the water to a boil.
When you see the berries beginning to burst, use a potato masher (I use this potato masher) to crush them more.
This will help release the juice in the berries.
Keep boiling the berries for about five more minutes, and then pour the cranberry tea through a mesh strainer.
Taste the tea and sweeten if desired. To turn this into a cranberry tea cocktail, add a splash of bourbon!
Drink your tea warm, and refrigerate the rest for later. It's also delicious as a chilled iced tea!
Cranberry Tea
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cinnamon stick (Optional)
- ¼ cup sugar, honey, or other preferred sweetener (Optional)
Instructions
- Add water, cranberries, and the cinnamon stick (if using) to a large pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.
- When cranberries begin to burst, use a potato masher to crush the berries. Boil for about 5 more minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or strain through cheesecloth.Tip: Cheesecloth will yield the clearest juice without sediment, but a fine mesh sieve will catch most of the sediment.If desired, sweeten the cranberry tea.
- Serve warm.Store the strained cranberry tea in the fridge and use within a week or freeze and use within a year. Reheat before serving or drink cold.
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