Skip to main content

Orange Peel Chai

Image may contain Plant Bowl Food Fruit Citrus Fruit Spoon Cutlery Drink Beer Alcohol and Beverage
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Maggie Ruggiero, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

This tea combines warming spices with the bright, bitter flavor of orange peels. Perfect for sick days, the recipe is totally adaptable—add cloves or fennel seeds, or stir in ground spices (or ½ tsp. of a blend like chai masala or haldi doodh) at the end. And if you like your drinks on the savory side, try adding ¼ tsp. smoky black cardamom.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    2 Servings

Ingredients

2 clementines or 1 large orange
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 Tbsp. Burlap & Barrel cinnamon verum shavings
5 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 ¾" piece ginger, peeled, sliced
2 tsp. loose black or green tea or 2 tea bags
Lemon wedges and honey (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Remove peels from clementines, trying to leave as much white pith behind as possible; set clementines aside for another use (or snacking!). Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add clementine peels, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and ginger and cook 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let sit 5 minutes.

    Step 2

    Set mixture over high heat and return to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in tea. Let sit 2 minutes.

    Step 3

    Strain chai through a fine-mesh sieve into 2 glasses, dividing evenly. Squeeze in lemon juice and add honey to taste.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
This big-batch cocktail made with ginger beer, cranberry juice, fresh lime, and a spiced maple simple syrup makes the perfect low-alcohol holiday drink.
Pleasantly bitter Suze pairs with ginger syrup, sparkling wine, and a piece of candied ginger that fizzes and bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
This riff on the Laotian classic comes together in 20 minutes.
A festive, elegant gingerbread cake infused with orange and warm spices, and capped with a glossy dark chocolate ganache.
Call it an appletini if you wish, one thing's for certain: This Jolly-Rancher-hued drink, garnished with a candy-red cherry, is as striking as it is delicious.
Featuring a bright layer of sweet mango, these colorful chia puddings are worth waking up early for. Make them ahead of time for a quick breakfast treat.
The ultimate antidote to the winter blues.
This light and drinkable cocktail pairs the bittersweet flavor of grapefruit with botanical gin and sparkling sake for a bubbly finish.