If you’re looking to make a comforting hot beverage, I highly recommend star anise tea. A simple drink with subtle flavors of star anise and cinnamon, perfect for cold winter evenings or holiday gatherings.
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I love hot beverages, and have previously shared some of my favorites, like my hot lemon and ginger drink and spiced orange juice recipes.
This star anise tea is made using pantry staples you might already have available, and is just such a lovely, warming drink that’s perfect for winter and around the holiday season.
It’s also healthy, low calorie, and as it’s vegan, keto, dairy free, gluten free, nut free and soy free, it should be suitable for most dietary requirements.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need water, star anise, cinnamon sticks, tea bags, and optionally a little honey or agave nectar to sweeten it.
You can make star anise tea using either green tea or black tea bags, so pick whichever is your favorite! I prefer to use green tea bags in this drink.
Star anise
Star anise is a spice commonly used in Chinese and other Asian cuisines. It’s called star anise because it’s shaped like a star, and it has a very distinct flavor.
In Western cuisines, star anise is mostly used in holiday dishes, such as mulled wine, desserts or cookies.
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil, either using an electric kettle, or in a pot on the stove top.
Pour the water into a suitable container, like a tea pot, mixing bowl or measuring cup. Add the tea bags, cinnamon sticks, star anise and optionally honey.
Stir the tea, and leave it to steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags, add any extra sweetener if you want, then serve!
Top tips
Here are my best tips to help you succeed with this star anise tea recipe:
- Use black or green tea bags, whichever is your preference.
- The star anise and cinnamon stick should not be substituted with ground spices.
- I like to leave the star anise and cinnamon sticks in the tea pot or cups when I serve them, as they look really nice. You can remove them if you prefer.
Serving suggestions
This beverage can be served anytime you want to enjoy a warm, comforting drink. Serve it with your breakfast, make a pot of star anise tea to keep with you at work, prepare a big batch before a family gathering for the holidays, or enjoy a cup before bedtime.
If you wish to serve your cup of tea along with something else, here are some of my favorite suggestions:
- Blueberry Overnight Oats – A great option for breakfast.
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies – Perfect as a snack alternative.
- Date Walnut Balls – A healthy, but delicious sweet treat.
- Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins – These easy, but tasty muffins are perfect as a dessert.
Leftovers
The tea can be stored in a tea pot or other jug. Certain tea pots are better at keeping the beverage warm than others, but most should be able to keep the drink hot for at least a few hours.
You can also store it in a refrigerator for up to 3 days and enjoy it as iced tea if you wish!
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Star anise tea is completely safe to drink, and quite common in various Asian cuisines.
Star anise and anise have a very similar flavor, but are made from two different plants. You can sometimes substitute one for the other in recipes, but in different amounts.
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Recipe
Star Anise Tea
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 tea bags (black tea or green tea)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 star anise
- 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil, either using an electric kettle, or in a pot on the stove top.
- Pour the water into a suitable container, like a tea pot, mixing bowl or measuring cup.
- Add the tea bags, cinnamon sticks, star anise and optionally honey to the boiled water.
- Stir the tea, and leave it to steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags, add any extra sweetener if you want, then serve!
Notes
- Use black or green tea bags, whichever is your preference.
- The star anise and cinnamon stick should not be substituted with ground spices.
- I like to leave the star anise and cinnamon sticks in the tea pot or cups when I serve them, as they look really nice. You can remove them if you prefer.
- The tea can be stored in a tea pot or other jug. Certain tea pots are better at keeping the beverage warm than others, but most should be able to keep the drink hot for at least a few hours.
Mohammed
Just wanna tell you that this is very good.
Tonje
Happy you liked it!
Nikoletta
Delicious!! I’ve made this a few times now, I absolutely love it.
Anna
Love this drink!