How to Make Mulled Tea That Smells Like Autumn Should

Some drinks are polite.
This one walks in, fills your kitchen with spice, and reminds you why fall exists.

Mulled tea is black tea simmered with cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, and ginger. It’s warm, fragrant, and a little dramatic in the best way. It doesn’t need milk. It doesn’t need froth art. It just needs twenty minutes and a bit of patience.

If you’ve ever wanted a drink that makes you feel like you live in an old novel without actually moving to the countryside, this is it.

Recipe Highlights

• Flavor: Warm, spicy, citrusy, with a soft black tea base
• Texture: Smooth and light, no milk needed
• Mood: Comforting, calm, slightly smug that you made it yourself
• Time: Ready in 20 minutes
• Best For: Slow mornings, chilly evenings, or pretending you live in a cabin

Mulled Tea Ingredient Notes

You don’t need a pantry that looks like a spice museum. A few basics do the trick:

• Black tea: Strong and straightforward. Any kind works.
• Cinnamon stick: Brings the warmth. Ground cinnamon is fine, but a stick looks like you know what you’re doing.
• Cloves: Sharp and fragrant this is the secret behind that deep autumn smell.
• Orange peel: Adds brightness so the tea doesn’t taste too heavy.
• Ginger: Optional, but gives a gentle burn that feels alive.
• Honey or brown sugar: Sweetness that fits, not the kind that hides flavor.

Mulled Tea Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Fill a small pot with water. Add your cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel, and ginger. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat. Let it simmer for 10–15 minutes while the scent does its thing.
2. Toss in your tea bags or loose leaves. Let them steep for about 3–5 minutes. Taste halfway through, you want it to be deep and full, not bitter.
3. Strain the tea into mugs. Add honey or brown sugar while it’s still hot. Stir, taste, adjust. Don’t overthink it.
4. Wrap both hands around the mug. Take a sip. The spices should hit first, then the citrus, then the calm of the tea itself. That’s the moment you keep coming back for.

Expert Tips & Notes

• Apple twist: Replace half the water with apple juice. You’ll get a sweeter, cider-style version.
• Caffeine-free: Use rooibos or chamomile instead of black tea.
• Icy version: Cool it down, add ice cubes, and pretend summer never ended.
• Orange peel: Fresh or dried both work. If using fresh, avoid the white pith or it turns bitter.
• Tea strength: Two tea bags make a strong brew; adjust for lighter teas like Darjeeling.

Storing Mulled Tea

Room Temperature: Keep it covered and drink within 4–6 hours.

Refrigerator: Store in a sealed glass jar or bottle for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stove, not in the microwave — it preserves the spice aroma.

Make-Ahead Trick: Simmer the spiced base (without tea) and store it. When ready, just heat and add fresh tea for a perfect brew every time.

Interesting Facts

1. It started as a survival drink.

Mulling wasn’t about being fancy, it was practical. In cold European winters, people heated old wine or cider with spices to make it last longer and taste better. Tea joined the party much later but fit right in.

2. The word “mull” literally means “to warm gently.”

So when you’re mulling tea, you’re not just steeping, you’re coaxing flavor out slowly. It’s cooking’s quiet cousin.

3. Spices were once worth more than gold.

In the 1600s, a handful of cloves could buy a cow. So if you’re adding cloves to your tea today, you’re technically drinking luxury.

4. Every country has its version.

In India, spiced chai carries the same warmth. In Scandinavia, there’s glögg. In Germany, Glühwein. The idea’s the same: heat, spice, comfort. Tea just makes it easier to drink before noon.

5. Mulled tea smells like happiness chemistry.

Cinnamon and orange both release compounds that actually lift mood and reduce stress. So yes — science agrees, it’s comfort in a cup.

6. It was once seen as medicine.

Old apothecaries sold mulled drinks for digestion and colds. The ginger and cloves really do help clear the head and throat.

7. You can mull almost anything.

Tea, coffee, juice, even milk. The trick is the simmer, once you’ve learned the rhythm, you can invent your own blends.

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• How to Make Apple Cinnamon Tea within 15 Mins!
• Chai Hot Chocolate

Mulled Tea

Recipe by Tania Faysal

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Spiced, citrusy, and quietly powerful. This mulled tea recipe transforms ordinary black tea into the ultimate fall ritual. Easy steps, deep flavor, zero effort.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water

• 2 black tea bags (or 2 tsp loose-leaf)

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3–4 whole cloves

• Peel from 1 small orange

• 2 slices fresh ginger (optional but great)

• 1–2 tsp honey or brown sugar

Directions

• Combine water, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel, and ginger in a small pot.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer 10–15 minutes.
• Add tea and steep 3–5 minutes.
• Strain, sweeten, and serve warm.

Notes

• Simmer longer for a stronger spice hit.
• Add a splash of apple juice or slice of pear for depth.
• Rooibos or green tea both work beautifully for lighter versions.
• Store extra in a thermos; it stays good all day.