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Home » Recipes » Tea & Chai

Posted by Mariam Sodawater on Dec 5, 2020 (Updated Oct 9, 2024)

Orange Peel Tea

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4.73 from 59 votes

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Orange peel pin imange with overlay text.

Turn those useless orange peels into tea in just 10 minutes. And get a boost of vitamin C from this citrus fruit. You can make the simple orange tea into a tea of your choice by adding green or black tea, or make iced tea.

Four types of orange peel in cups on the blue background.
Left to right: orange black tea, orange milk tea, orange green tea, orange tea

You might have wondered can I drink boiled orange peels? Well, orange peel water will obviously not taste good. But if you turn it into a hot orange peel tea or orange ice tea, you can certainly drink it and enjoy the benefits too.

We all know that the flavors and nutrients of oranges are more in the peel than in the juice. Then? Does it make sense to throw all those vitamins in the garbage? Of course not.

Jump to:
  • Benefits
  • Ingredients
  • How to make it?
  • Variations:
  • FAQ
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Orange tea is a warm tea made with orange peels and orange juice that tastes perfect on a chilly day. You can add spices and other teas like black or green tea or even rooibos tea to boost the natural flavors of this tea.

It can make to change your mood and boost immunity. The tangy flavors of the tea will burst in your mouth long after having it.

A cup of orange with orange peel around it and a kettle with tea in the background.

Benefits

 Here are a few health benefits that Netmeds also recognizes.

  • Relieves respiratory problems like cold, flu, and asthma by expelling congestion.
  • Helps weight loss by reducing appetite
  • anti-inflammatory
  • Polyphenols, a powerful anti-oxidant is abundant is orange peels.
  • Flavonoids help fight cancer.
  • Good for oral health as it removes bad breath and whitens teeth.
  • Helps boost overall body immunity by increasing vitamin C intake.

Side effect: It has practically no side effects if consumed in moderation. Increased use can cause diarrhea or vomiting.

Try my other popular herbal teas like ginger green tea, pink tea, cinnamon tea and chocolate tea.

Ingredients

The main ingredients of orange tea are oranges and honey. The spices and the other teas are just a variation to make it more flavorful and tasty.

Ingredients

Orange peel: Choose the brightest orange to make the tea. Try to use organic fruit so you don't have to worry about pesticides. Make sure the fruit is thoroughly washed. Peel the orange simply with hands. It the peel are too firm, use a vegetable peeler.

Orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice is best. In case you are using dried peels and bottled orange juice can do that.

Sweetener: I used honey, any sweetener of choice like brown sugar, maple syrup or agave nectar will work. As the orange juice is sweet itself, you can skip the sweetener.

Spices: I like to add the crushed cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks combo best to enhance the flavor of this tea. You can add whole clove, crushed ginger and other spices too then it will taste like masala chai and it is good for sore throat.

Tea: Honestly, plain orange tea is delicious. In case, you want some caffeine hit, add green or black tea as well. For a herbal experience, rooibos tea is a good choice.

How to make it?

Let's learn how you can turn boiled orange peel water into an amazing drink in easy steps with basic ingredients. Choose a shiny orange with a thin peel, and slice the peels.

Steps to make orange tea.
  1. Boil water. Add orange peels and spices. ( I used cinnamon and cardamom.)
  2. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes until the color of the hot water changes. Then remove from heat.
  3. Cover and let the tea steep for 2 minutes. Then add orange juice.
  4. Add honey or any other sweetener. Reheat if needed.
  5. Strain, and serve. Your classic orange tea is ready.  If you want orange iced tea then chill it in the fridge and add a few ice cubes as well. Serve in tall glasses with straw.

You don't need to add any yellow coloring, the tea is naturally yellow in color.

Orange tea being poured in the cup.

Variations:

There is no rocket science in making orange tea. What makes it amazing is YOU! When you say orange tea, it means tea with an orange flavor. You can enhance flavor further with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.

You can also lemon juice to it if your oranges were more on the sweeter side and lack tartiness. You can actually add other fruit juices as well like grapefruit or apple juice.

This tea is caffeine-free. If you want some caffeine add more tea variations to it. You can add any tea of your choice like green tea or black. You might also like Calendula tea, orange jam, and orange ice cream.

Orange peel green tea in a cup.

For Orange green tea: Add the green tea after boiling the orange peels for 2 minutes. Then steep as usual. Strain and serve.

Orange peel black tea.

For Orange Black Tea: Add the black tea after boiling the orange peels for 2 minutes. Then steep as usual. Strain and serve.

So here my quest or craze to try all types of orange tea ends.

FAQ

How to store orange peels?

You can sun-dry orange peels. You can also oven dry on the lowest setting till the edges of the peel are slightly dry.
The easiest way is to slice orange peels and leave them on the counter to dry naturally.
Always store fresh orange peel uncovered at room temperature.

How to store orange tea?

The classic orange tea, which is boiled orange peel water with spices can be stored in a fridge for two days. After adding green tea or black tea, it should be consumed quickly.

When to drink orange tea?

The tea has a refreshing taste and can be enjoyed at any time of day as it is caffeine free when made without green or black tea.

What is orange tea good for?

Orange peel has different types of flavonoids and various types of phytonutrients. Apart from being rich in vitamins, minerals, pectin, and fibers. Historically, Chinese people have used Orange tea (Chenpi) for medicinal purposes for a long time.

Love your tea? Me too, check these!

  • Ginger Green Tea Recipe
  • Chocolate Tea (Chocolate Chai)
  • Lemon Ginger Turmeric Tea
  • Kashmiri Chai Recipe (Pink Tea)

If you try this orange peel tea recipe, I'd LOVE to hear your feedback in the comments. Your 5-ratings motivate me to do my best. Stay connected for more recipes and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.

📖 Recipe

Four types of orange peel in cups on the blue background.

Orange Peel Tea

Try the classic version first without any add-in spices or teas. It tastes so good simple and easy!
4.73 from 59 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep: 6 minutes minutes
Cook: 2 minutes minutes
Steeping time: 2 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings : 2
Calories: 106kcal

Ingredients

Classic Orange Peel Tea

  • ½ peel of an orange
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 green cardamom, sub with cardamom powder
  • 2 inch cinnamon, sub with cinnamon powder
  • ½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoon honey , or any sweetener of your choice

Optional add in ( use any 1 tea)

  • 1½ teaspoon green tea
  • 1 teaspoon black tea

Optional spices (Use only if you have sore throat)

  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 cloves

Instructions

  • Choose brightest, freshest orange for peel. Remove any spot or marked areas.
  • Thinly slice the peel.
  • Bring water to a boil and add all spices and sliced orange peel. Simmer for 2 minutes until the color of the water changes.

Steep

  • Turn off the heat and cover. Let the tea sit for 5 minutes. (Add any optional tea before steeping.)
  • Add honey or sweetener of your choice and orange juice.
  • Reheat if needed, strain, and serve.

Orange Ice Tea

  • Plain orange tea can be chilled and served as iced tea. Start with less water and add ice cubes to chill. Black orange iced tea also tastes great.

Notes

Orange peel: Use organic fruit, if possible. Make sure the fruit is thoroughly washed before peeling.
Orange juice: If using bottled orange juice, skip the sweetener.
Sweetener: I used honey, any sweetener can do. As orange juice is naturally sweet, you can skip the sweetener.
Cinnamon: You can substitute with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
Cardamom: You can substitute with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
Spices: You can add cloves, ginger, and other warm spices too. It is good for sore throat but not very good in taste.
Tea: Honestly, classic orange tea is delicious. In case, you want some caffeine hit, add green or black tea as well. 
Storage: The classic orange tea, (which is boiled orange peel water with spices) should be strained first and stored in the fridge for up to two days. After adding green tea or black tea, it should be consumed quickly.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup ,Calories: 106kcal ,Carbohydrates: 27g ,Protein: 1g ,Fat: 0.3g ,Saturated Fat: 0.05g ,Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g ,Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g ,Sodium: 15mg ,Potassium: 172mg ,Fiber: 2g ,Sugar: 22g ,Vitamin A: 140IU ,Vitamin C: 36mg ,Calcium: 39mg ,Iron: 1mg
Author : Mariam Sodawater

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December 5, 2020 by Mariam Sodawater 4 Comments Filed Under: Tea & Chai

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Comments

    4.73 from 59 votes (58 ratings without comment)

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    If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating along with your comment. Not only your reviews motivate me to do my best, but they also help others find me online. Thank you! Mariam




  1. Isabella says

    April 25, 2021 at 2:48 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! The perfect steeping time for me was 40 minutes.

    Reply
    • Recipe 52 says

      April 25, 2021 at 5:33 am

      Thanks a lot for leaving lovely feedback. I'm so happy you love it.

      Reply
  2. Patrick says

    January 19, 2021 at 12:52 pm

    Can’t wait to try this! We go through a lot of oranges.

    Reply
    • Recipe 52 says

      January 19, 2021 at 4:39 pm

      Hope your like this! You might like my orange jam without pectin and peel. Do have a look. 😊

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Mariam Sodawater, a passionate home chef dedicated to sharing authentic South Asian taste with simple recipes and easy-to-find ingredients. My motto is EASY, HEALTHY, and FRUGAL food. Home cooking can be fun and therapeutic!

About Mariam

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