Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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This Friendship Tea recipe is a homemade tea mix that combines instant tea, lemonade and Tang with some spices for a perfect warm drink. Make up a batch of this Friendship Tea to have on hand when guests drop in or to give as the perfect homemade gift with a plate of cookies.

Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (2)

Table of Contents

Friendship Tea Recipe

Have you ever heard of Friendship Tea? How about Russian Tea, or Russian Friendship Tea? It’s a homemade tea mix that you that you blend together, and give as gifts. It’s made with 5 simple ingredients, and the flavor is a delicious spiced orange. Is there anything better than a cup of hot spiced tea.

Barbara had a college roommate whose mom would make it for her and send it in a care package. She loved making it because it reminded her of home. The delicious aroma of a steaming cup of spiced tea gave off notes of citrus, cinnamon and cloves.

Barbara found this tang tea recipe in a 1980 version of our local Shelby County Extension Homemakers Book of Favorite Recipes. She tweaked it just a tad so that it uses an entire container of Tang. Not familiar with Tang? It’s a pre-made fruit-flavored fruit drink powder.

Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (4)

Ingredient List

  • Instant Unsweetened Tea
  • Instant Lemonade Powder
  • Tang Orange Drink Mix
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Ground Cloves

How to Make Old Fashioned Russian Tea Recipe

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Use a plastic resealable bag for the easiest method of blending the powder into a uniform mixture. Stir instant unsweetened tea, instant sweetened lemonade, Tang, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves until completely blended.
  2. Pour into glass mason jars and seal tight, or place in an airtight container. This recipe makes 3 pint-sized jars of Russian Friendship Tea.
  3. To serve, add 2 to 3 teaspoons to one cup of hot water. Don’t fill your mug to the top with water. The spiced tea mix will fizz as it hits the boiling water.

Full recipe for Russian Friendship Tea from scratch is at the bottom of this post.

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Great Gifts

This makes the perfect gift for friends, teachers and loved ones for the holidays or teacher appreciation week. Looking for more gift ideas? Try our Best Homemade Gift Ideas.

You can decorate the jars if desired.Barbara likes to put a little piece of fabric underneath the lids before tightening the seal. On top, be sure to label with the name and the instructions.

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Recipe FAQs

  • Russian Friendship Tea is an easy, homemade tea mix that features only 5 ingredients – instant tea, lemonade, Tang, cinnamon and clove.
  • This tang tea recipe is a perfect gift. Put it in jars, and seal up tight. When your friends and family drink it, they will think fondly of you.
  • To serve, add 2-3 teaspoons of the tang tea mix to boiling water.
  • Be sure to leave room at the top of the cup because this spiced tea mix will fizz up when you mix with boiling water.
  • Love warm beverages Try Hot Cranberry Punch and Hot Buttered Rum!

Linking up to Weekend Potluck.

Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (10)

Where can I buy Tang?

Tang is found in most supermarkets in the same aisle as pre-mixed lemonade. The container is orange, and it has a resealable lid. If you can’t find it, try purchasing online on Amazon.

Does Tang go bad?

No, it actually does not have an expiration date on the canister. Instead, you’ll find a date for when it is best used by. As long as it is sealed tight, and stored in a dry place, it should last for a long time.

What is Russian Tea?

Russian tea is black tea flavored with citrus notes such as lemon and orange. It is typically a sweeter tea containing sugar. Another version of Russian tea (also called Friendship Tea) contains pre-mixed lemonade and Tang with unsweetened instant tea. The lemonade and Tang mimic the traditional Russian tea flavors.

What can I make for homemade Christmas gifts?

The possibilities are endless when it comes to homemade Christmas gifts from your kitchen. Here’s some great suggestions:

  • Caramel Puff Corn
  • Grandma’s Chocolate Fantasy Fudge
  • Crock Pot Chili Nuts
  • Cinnamon Glazed Pecans
  • Poppy seed Bread
  • Homemade Martini Olives
  • Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
  • Iced Thumbprint Cookies
  • Hot Cocoa Recipe (Bulk)

Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (13)

Print Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes

Friendship Tea

This Friendship Tea recipe is a homemade tea mix that combines instant tea, lemonade and Tang with some spices for a perfect warm drink.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: friendship tea, russian friendship tea, russian tea, spiced tea mix, tea with tang

Servings: 96

Calories: 18kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 1 cup instant tea mix, unsweetened
  • 1 3/4 cups instant lemonade mix
  • 20 ounces Tang
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together in a zip lock bag until blended uniformly.

  • Pour into glass jars, and seal tight.

  • To serve, mix 2-3 teaspoons of tea mix with boiling water, to taste. Be sure to leave room at the top of the mug to account for fizzing.

Notes

  • Russian Friendship Tea is an easy, homemade tea mix that features only 5 ingredients—instant tea, lemonade, Tang, cinnamon and cloves.
  • This tang tea recipe is a perfect gift. Put it in jars, and seal up tight. When your friends and family drink it, they will think fondly of you.
  • To serve, add 2-3 teaspoons of the tang tea mix to boiling water.
  • Be sure to leave room at the top of the cup because this spiced tea mix will fizz up when you mix with boiling water.
  • Looking for more gift ideas? Try our Caramel Puff Corn, Grandma’s Chocolate Fantasy Fudge, Crock Pot Chili Nuts, or Cinnamon Glazed Pecans.
  • Love warm beverages Try Hot Cranberry Punch and Hot Buttered Rum!
  • The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (15)
Friendship Tea Recipe made with Tang - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What is the drink made from Tang? ›

"This powdered hot tea mix flavored with orange, cloves, and cinnamon has been a favorite of mine since childhood... and is now a favorite inexpensive gift for friends and family.

How do you make tea? ›

Sip mindfully and enjoy!
  1. Boil the kettle. Warm your cup or pot first by adding a splash of boiling water. Swill and discard, then fill with fresh water to brew. ...
  2. Place the teabag in the cup.
  3. Brew for the recommended time (see below).
  4. Remove the teabag. Add milk and sweetener if using. Sip mindfully and enjoy!

What are the disadvantages of drinking Tang? ›

  • High Sugar Content: Tang, like many powdered drink mixes, often contains a high amount of added sugars. ...
  • Lack of Nutrients: Tang primarily provides empty calories from sugar, offering very little nutritional value. ...
  • Empty Calories: Consuming sugary drinks like Tang can lead to increase.
Sep 5, 2019

Does Tang drink still exist? ›

Tang is sold in about thirty-five countries and is available in a variety of flavors depending on location. The top three markets for Tang around the world are Brazil, Argentina, and the Philippines. In the Middle East, more than half of Tang's annual sales occur in just six weeks around Ramadan.

How to make the best tea at home? ›

Instructions for Perfect Cup of Tea for One
  1. Add 1 cup/200 mL of freshly boiled water to your tea bag (in a mug)
  2. Allow the tea bag to brew for 2 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bag.
  4. Add 10 mL of milk.
  5. Wait 6 minutes before consumption for the cuppa to reach its optimum temperature of 140 F/60 C.

How to make your own tea at home? ›

When making herbal tea, use two to three teaspoonfuls of fresh or dried herbs for one cup of water. Bring the water to a boil and allow the herbs to steep for 10 to 15 minutes and then strain the herbs out of the tea before serving. Use a tea strainer or tea ball to contain the herbs if desired.

How to make tea for beginners? ›

Use 1 teaspoon for every 8 ounces of water and steep the leaves for 2 to 4 minutes. In traditional brewing methods, the leaves are rinsed once or twice with hot water. To do this, simply place the loose leaves in a tea infuser. Add the strainer to a cup and pour hot water over the leaves.

Is Tang good or bad for you? ›

Any drinks that are loaded with sugar (sucrose) including Tang and including real fruit juices that are loaded with fructose (fruit sugar) are bad for your health IF you drink them in excess.

Is the drink Tang good for you? ›

Despite the fact that it is fortified with nutrients, it does not satisfy the MyPyramid recommendations for consuming a minimum of 1.5 cups of fruits (or the equivalent) daily. Even 100-percent fruit juices are high in calories, carbohydrates and sugars and should be consumed in moderation, if at all.

Is Tang what the astronauts drink? ›

General Foods Corporation marketed Tang, a fruit flavored powdered drink, in 1959. Sales were poor until NASA selected it for use on John Glenn's 1962 Mercury flight and subsequent missions.

Is Tang the same as orange juice? ›

100% orange juice is better because it's a natural and minimally processed food and therefore a better source of vitamin C and other micronutrients. Tang is simply a vitamin supplement with water and sugar added.

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