5 Easy Tea Recipes You Can Make at Home (Hot & Iced Drinks)

Making a great tea drink at home doesn't require fancy equipment or a long list of ingredients. Start with a well-brewed tea, add a few flavors that complement it, and you can make everything from a creamy Earl Grey latte to a refreshing iced matcha drink.

These five easy tea recipes use black, green, and herbal teas to create drinks for different tastes and occasions. Whether you're craving something warm and comforting or cool and refreshing, there's something here worth trying.

The key is choosing the right tea for the drink. A bold black tea holds up beautifully to milk, while green tea brings a lighter, fresher character to iced drinks and smoothies. Herbal tea offers another way to experiment with flavor.

5 Easy Tea Recipes to Try

Here are five tea drinks you can make at home:

1. Earl Grey Lavender Latte: A creamy, citrusy black tea latte with a delicate floral finish.

2. Matcha Mint Mojito: A refreshing iced matcha mocktail with fresh mint, lime, and sparkling water.

3. Spiced Chai Hot Chocolate: A rich combination of warming chai spices, cocoa, and steamed milk.

4. Jasmine Green Tea Smoothie: A cool, fruity smoothie with jasmine tea, mango, and banana.

5. Rooibos Vanilla Affogato: A tea-inspired dessert combining aromatic rooibos with vanilla ice cream.

Each recipe makes one serving and can be adjusted to your taste.

Earl Grey Lavender Latte

Earl Grey makes a beautiful tea latte because its distinctive bergamot flavor cuts through the richness of milk. Add a little lavender, and you get a smooth, aromatic drink with a subtle floral finish.

The trick is using just enough lavender to complement the tea without overpowering it.

Prep time: 5–7 minutes
Servings: 1
Serve: Hot

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Weaver's Earl Grey Tea

• ½ cup hot water

• ½ cup milk or preferred milk alternative

• ¼ teaspoon culinary lavender buds

• Honey or preferred sweetener, optional

How to Make an Earl Grey Lavender Latte

1. Heat the water to a boil and pour it over the Earl Grey tea bag and culinary lavender.

2. Steep for 3–5 minutes, depending on how strong you prefer your tea.

3. Remove the tea bag and strain out the lavender buds.

4. Warm the milk and froth it using a milk frother or whisk.

5. Pour the milk into the brewed tea, holding back the foam until the end.

6. Sweeten to taste and finish with a spoonful of milk foam.

Barista Tip: Lavender can quickly take over a drink. Start with a small amount and let the bergamot in the Earl Grey remain the main flavor.

Matcha Mint Mojito

This alcohol-free matcha mojito is bright, refreshing, and easy to make. Matcha brings a distinctive green tea flavor, while fresh mint and lime add a crisp finish.

Sparkling water gives the drink a little lift without covering up the matcha.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Serve: Iced

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Weaver's Matcha Green Tea

• ¼ cup warm water, approximately 175°F

• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1–2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup

• ½ cup sparkling water

• Ice

How to Make a Matcha Mint Mojito

1. Add the matcha powder to a small bowl.

2. Pour in the warm water and whisk until the matcha is smooth and free of lumps.

3. In a tall glass, gently muddle the mint leaves with the lime juice and sweetener.

4. Fill the glass with ice.

5. Pour the prepared matcha over the ice.

6. Top with sparkling water and stir gently.

Barista Tip: Don't use boiling water for matcha. Water around 175°F helps keep the flavor smoother and prevents excessive bitterness.

For more ways to prepare matcha, explore our Matcha Drink Recipes.

Spiced Chai Hot Chocolate

If you enjoy chai lattes and hot chocolate, this recipe brings the best of both together.

Chai spices add warmth and complexity to chocolate, while milk creates a smooth, rich texture. It's an especially good choice when you want something comforting without making a complicated drink.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
Serve: Hot

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Weaver's Masala Chai Tea

• ½ cup hot water

• ½ cup milk or preferred milk alternative

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1–2 teaspoons sugar or preferred sweetener

• Pinch of cinnamon

• Pinch of nutmeg, optional

How to Make Spiced Chai Hot Chocolate

1. Steep the chai tea bag in hot water for 3–5 minutes, then remove the bag.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa powder, sweetener, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Add a small amount of the brewed chai and whisk until the cocoa forms a smooth paste.

4. Gradually add the remaining chai and milk, whisking to combine.

5. Heat gently over medium-low heat until hot, without bringing the milk to a boil.

6. Pour into a mug and serve.

Barista Tip: Always mix cocoa powder with a little warm liquid before adding the rest. This prevents dry cocoa lumps and gives your hot chocolate a smoother texture.

Looking for more ways to enjoy chai? Visit our Chai Tea Recipes guide.

Jasmine Green Tea Smoothie

Jasmine green tea adds a delicate floral note to this fruit smoothie without making it overly sweet.

Mango and banana provide natural sweetness and a creamy texture, while yogurt adds a little richness. The jasmine tea gives the smoothie a lighter finish than a typical fruit-only blend.

Active prep time: 5 minutes, plus tea brewing and cooling
Servings: 1
Serve: Cold

Ingredients

• 1 cup brewed Weaver's Jade Pearl Jasmine Green Tea, completely cooled

• 1 frozen banana

• ½ cup plain yogurt

• ½ cup frozen mango

• Honey, optional

• Ice, optional

How to Make a Jasmine Green Tea Smoothie

1. Brew the jasmine green tea according to the tea's recommended brewing instructions.

2. Allow the tea to cool completely. Refrigerate it if preparing ahead.

3. Add the cooled tea, frozen banana, yogurt, and mango to a blender.

4. Blend until smooth and creamy.

5. Taste and add a little honey if needed.

6. Add ice for a thicker, colder smoothie, or reduce the amount of tea slightly for a richer texture.

Barista Tip: Use frozen fruit instead of relying on lots of ice. You'll get a thicker smoothie without watering down the jasmine tea flavor.

Rooibos Vanilla Affogato

A traditional Italian affogato combines espresso with vanilla ice cream. This tea-inspired version replaces the espresso with strongly brewed rooibos herbal tea.

The warm tea gently melts the ice cream, creating a creamy dessert with a smooth, aromatic finish.

It's an easy way to turn a simple cup of herbal tea into something special.

Prep time: 5–7 minutes
Servings: 1
Serve: Immediately

Ingredients

• ½ cup strongly brewed Weaver's Rooibos Mandarin Herbal Tea

• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream

• Pinch of cinnamon, optional

How to Make a Rooibos Vanilla Affogato

1. Brew the rooibos tea using a slightly stronger concentration than you would for a regular cup.

2. Place one scoop of vanilla ice cream in a small, heatproof serving glass or dessert bowl.

3. Pour 2–3 tablespoons of the hot rooibos tea directly over the ice cream.

4. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

5. Serve immediately while the ice cream is beginning to melt.

Barista Tip: Don't pour the entire half cup of tea over the ice cream at once. Start with a few tablespoons so the dessert stays creamy instead of becoming a bowl of melted ice cream.

Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, making this a good option when you want a tea-based dessert without caffeine.

How to Make Better Tea Drinks at Home

A good tea recipe starts with properly brewed tea. Whether you're making a latte, smoothie, or iced drink, a few small adjustments can make a noticeable difference.

Start With the Right Water Temperature

Different teas respond differently to heat.

Black tea generally handles hotter water, while green tea and matcha benefit from lower temperatures. Water that's too hot can make delicate teas taste unnecessarily bitter.

Follow the brewing recommendations for the tea you're using.

Brew Stronger Tea When Adding Milk or Ice

Milk, ice, and other ingredients dilute the flavor of brewed tea.

For tea lattes and iced drinks, you may want a slightly stronger tea base. Use a little more tea rather than dramatically extending the steeping time, which can introduce bitterness.

Balance Sweetness With the Tea

You don't need much sweetener when the other ingredients already contribute flavor.

Fruit adds natural sweetness to smoothies, while citrus can brighten an iced tea without additional sugar.

Taste your drink before adding more sweetener.

Let the Tea Be the Star

One of the easiest mistakes when making flavored tea drinks is adding too many competing ingredients.

Earl Grey already has a distinctive citrus character. Jasmine tea brings its own floral aroma. Chai contains warming spices.

Choose ingredients that work with those flavors rather than covering them up.

Tea Recipe FAQs

Can You Make Tea Recipes With Regular Tea Bags?

Yes. Tea bags work well for homemade tea lattes, iced drinks, and other easy tea recipes. When adding milk or ice, brew a slightly stronger tea base so the flavor remains noticeable. Avoid steeping excessively, especially with black and green teas, which can become bitter.

What Tea Works Best With Milk?

Black tea and chai are excellent choices for milk-based tea drinks because their stronger flavors hold up well to milk. Earl Grey makes a fragrant latte, while masala chai pairs naturally with warm milk and sweeteners. Green tea can also work with milk, but its more delicate flavor requires a lighter touch.

Explore More Tea Recipes

Once you've tried these five drinks, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy tea at home.

If you love refreshing drinks, explore our Easy Iced Tea Recipes for more ideas.

For drinks built around specific teas, visit our Matcha Drink Recipes and Chai Tea Recipes guides.

You can also browse our complete Tea Drink Recipes collection for more inspiration.

Whether you're making a creamy latte, a refreshing mocktail, or a simple cup of tea, start with a tea you enjoy and build from there.

Explore Weaver's Coffee & Tea Collection to find the teas featured in these recipes.