Instant Russian Tea Recipe with Tang (Easy 6-Ingredient Mix)
This post may contain affiliate links which won't change your price but will share some commission. Read more here.This Instant Russian Tea recipe with Tang is a nostalgic, budget-friendly holiday drink mix that’s been passed down through Southern families for generations. Made with just six pantry staples — Tang, unsweetened lemonade mix, instant tea, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves — it stirs together in minutes, keeps all winter in an airtight jar, and makes a warm, citrusy, spiced cup of tea perfect for Thanksgiving night, Christmas mornings, or gifting to teachers and friends.
Quick Look:
- What it is: A warm, spiced orange tea mix made with Tang, instant tea, cinnamon, and cloves — no real Russian tea leaves involved, just a beloved Southern tradition
- Prep time: 5 minutes to mix
- Yield: About 24 mugs of tea per batch
- Storage: Keeps all winter in an airtight jar
- Best for: Thanksgiving night, Christmas mornings, cold winter days, and gifting to teachers and friends
- Why we love it: It’s been our family’s Thanksgiving-night tradition for years — mixed up while we decorate the Christmas tree
Edited: Christmas 2026 I’m not sure about you but I love a sweet story of a family’s favorite Christmas traditions. This was ours. Unfortunately life is full of twists and turns and the true story I’m sharing below no longer exists.
For years I wrote about all things home and family, the good, the ugly and everything in between. However in June of 2021 I was diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. There’s so much more to the story but I was faithful during 35 years of marriage and my husband was not. The only answer for my health and emotional well being was divorce. (You can check out my YouTube channel if you’re curious.)
This was never the story I wanted but in God’s timing He redeemed my story in Dennis. You can read all the details of our love story in Part 1 (Surprise! I’m Getting Married!) and Part 2 (Love in our 60’s). After 10 months of long distance dating we were married on August 31, 2024. Three weeks later I moved to VA where I now share our Craftsman style home and God’s goodness in our redemption story.
Enjoy the sweet memory below as you enjoy every precious moment with your family this Christmas.
The slightly sweet smell of an evergreen tree. Christmas tree lights twinkling in a dimly lit room.
Strains of beautiful music from Point of Grace A Christmas Story CD.
Sound perfect? I think so! The one day that stands out in all our family traditions is Thanksgiving Day.
Since our children were little the day began with me putting the burly turkey in the oven before anyone opened their eyes.
Everyone awakened to the smell of turkey wafting through the house and the countdown to Thanksgiving Day parades.
From our family meal of turkey and all the fixin’s to hunting down the perfect tree at the Christmas tree lot, this day is one to cherish for all of us.
Instant Russian Tea is a tasty part of this tradition as well. This hot beverage is one our family always enjoys on Thanksgiving night as we decorate the Christmas tree.
We love to drink the tea all winter but the first batch gets made just before Thanksgiving.
Why is it called Russian Tea?
Russian Tea has very little to do with Russia and a lot to do with Southern creativity. The tea takes its name from the black tea with lemon and sugar that was the preferred beverage of upper-class Russians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Eventually it became a Southern staple, handed down in church cookbooks over the years.
What is Russian Tea made with?
A 1966 edition of the Statesville (North Carolina) Record and Landmark included a recipe that swapped loose black tea for instant and the oranges for the recently invented powdered orange drink, Tang, along with sugar and spice. Tang eventually printed its own recipe for the drink.
What kind of tea is used in Russian Tea?
For my recipe you can use any kind of tea powder but I use instant tea with or without sugar. If you like it sweet go with the type with sugar. If not go sugar free!
Is Tang still available?
Some readers have asked if Tang is still available. The answer is yes but if you can’t find it at your favorite store you can order it here on Amazon.
I have used some generic orange drink mixes but each store varied and I learned I prefer the original Tang.
Substitutions for Vintage Russian Tea Recipe
- Note of caution: Do not try and use whole cloves to save money by crushing them yourselves. Picking bits of cloves out of your tea is not fun. Not that I would know about that ~eye roll~
- If you don’t have Kool-Aid try using the single lemonade drink mixes. I use 4 single instant lemonade packets instead of 1 Kool-Aid packet
- If you use sweetened iced tea add less sugar to the Russian tea mix.
- The tea hardens in the container over time but I love to drink it through the cold winters!
- You can try substituting a generic store brand orange drink mix but I’ve had mixed results with this.
- Try adding a teaspoon ground allspice to the instant beverage mix.
FAQs about Instant Russian Tea
One batch (the full jar of Tang plus lemonade mix, tea, sugar, and spices) makes roughly 3 cups of dry mix — enough for about 24 mugs of tea, depending on how strong you like it.
Yes. Use sugar-free Tang or a generic orange drink mix, unsweetened instant tea, and a sugar substitute in place of the 2 cups of sugar. Several of my longtime readers with type 2 diabetes have made this swap successfully.
It’s not a medical remedy, but the hot liquid, citrus, and warming spices (cinnamon and cloves) make it a comforting drink many families reach for when someone’s feeling under the weather. Several of my readers commented it was a cold-weather tradition for that reason.
Stored in an airtight container (a mason jar or the original Tang jar works well), the dry mix keeps well through an entire winter. It naturally hardens slightly over time in humid conditions, but that doesn’t affect flavor — just break it up with a spoon before using.
Yes — if you swap in sweetened instant tea or a sweetened lemonade packet, just cut back on the added sugar to avoid an overly sweet mix.
How to store Instant Russian Tea.
Sometimes if I’m lazy I just pour as much of the dry mix as I can back into the Tang container. I also have a specific glass Christmas jar that I’ve used through the years. An airtight container is preferred for this spiced tea mix.
Giving this recipe to friends and family.
This tea makes a great gift idea for teachers at school and church as well as for a special friendship. A mason jar is a good choice, wrapped in a pretty ribbon or used with these Christmas mason jar labels or with this merry and bright label. If you don’t have a mason jar use any large jar and maybe even add some cinnamon sticks with a ribbon for the perfect treats.
One batch fills approximately 3 to 3½ pint jars
A few practical notes for gifting:
- Leave a little headspace when filling (don’t pack all the way to the rim) so the lid seals well and the recipient has room to stir/scoop.
- If you want each jar to look fuller for gifting, quart jars (4 cups each) would only make 1½–2 jars per batch — better if you’re making one big “presentation” jar rather than several smaller ones.
- For teacher/friend gifts in smaller portions, you could also use half-pint (8 oz) jars, which would yield about 7–8 jars per batch — a nice option if you’re gifting to a larger group.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. jar instant orange drink (Tang)
- 1 pkg unsweetened lemonade-flavor drink powder
- 3/4 cup unsweetened instant tea mix
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Tip:
For this Orange Spiced Tea use 1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid lemonade mix = about 1 tablespoon of powder. If using single-serve lemonade drink mix packets instead, plan on using about 4 packets to match.
Instructions for Spiced Tea Mix:
Pour Tang into large bowl.
Add lemonade mix to bowl.
Add instant tea.
Pour in white sugar.
Add teaspoon ground cloves.
Add two teaspoon ground cinnamon to the tea mixture.
Mix everything together.
When ready to serve stir as many teaspoons as you’d like into a mug of boiling water.
It’s totally up to your preference but I like the drink to be thick and not so watery.
When ready to serve pour boiling water over mixture in your favorite mug.
Feel free to let the tea steep as long as you want and enjoy your Christmas time treat!
My favorite Christmas treats to make and serve with this Vintage Russian Tea Recipe!
- Easy Molasses Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Bars
- Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Rice Krispies Treats Ornaments
- Easy Pumpkin Muffins
- Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
More Entertaining Tips
All the best and tips and tricks for learning how to enjoy entertaining and opening your home to others.
Russian Tea Recipe with Tang
Ingredients
- 1 lb. jar instant orange drink Tang
- 1 pkg unsweetened lemonade Kool-Aid
- 3/4 cup unsweetened instant tea
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients well and store in tightly closed container.
- Add to hot water as many teaspoons as desired to taste.
Video
Notes
What part of Russia is this from?
I make this every Christmas and winter to help with sickness and sore throats! Its a great tea to drink when not feeling well!
Great idea, Cricket!
What is the yield?
I’m from Statesville NC! When I saw this I felt proud 😂 we gave the south and tang something good apparently
Yay! I got married last year and moved to VA but NC will always have my heart!
I used to make this all the time and loved it. It is so yummy and warming. Since I’m now type 2 I have to go sugar free. I’ll look into that. You jarred my memory.
I still love it, but lowering the sugar content is great!
I use orange strawberry tang crystal light lemonade cinnamon & instant tea with a touch of cloves. My family loves!
I’ve not seen orange strawberry tang but it all sounds delicious! Merry Christmas!
We always put hot cinnamon candies in each cup.
That’s a great idea. Merry Christmas!
Yummy! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to see this recipe!!! My mom made for us when we were young…..long time ago.
I am happily sharing with my grandchildren now!
So glad you love this recipe as much as my family does!
My grandmother used to make this for thier Bible study nights. It was do delicious. That was back in the 80s. I never knew the recipe, but hope this is it. Gonna try it for Christmas. Thanks for sharing
Hi, Janice. This Russian Tea has always been a family favorite. Hope it’s like the one you had years ago!
I have not made in years and one my favorite recipes my mom would make during the holidays and colder months to keep us healthy. Making it this weekend to help my family overcome feeling under the weather!
So glad you found this recipe! What great memories of your mom and a great way to take care of your own familY!
I made this for years. It is yummy now it is too much sugar. I need to revisit this sugar free. Thank you for showing an old favorite. We lived on a milary base in MO maybe MI when I was first introduced to this. In the late 70s or early 80s.
Yes, this is an oldie but goodie! I know you can get sugar free tea but not sure about the Tang. Let me know what you find out, Dawna!
I didn’t add any sugar just the kool aid tang and unsweetened tea! It was good but then again I don’t use sugar in my iced tea or coffee
Mom and I made this Russian Tea for years…we used Lipton Instant Ice Tea mix with lemon instead of the packets or koolaid…..not sure if lipton makes that instant tea with lemon anymore…as this was back in the late 60’s and 70’s
Hi, Sandra. We use generic instant iced tea with lemon as well when we can find it. Not sure if Lipton makes it anymore either. I’m sure you have great memories from those years as do I!
Lipton Lipton lemon iced tea (sweetened) is what my grandmother used as well and they still sell it in Minnesota year round.
Hi, Stephanie. This is one of our family’s favorite holiday recipes! I try to be a little bit more health conscious but we do love this!
Oh its interesting! How is it Russian though?
I’ve made this before and shared a canister with a friend who was ill – he said it got him through the flu! A lovely addition to Throwback Thursday!
Wow this sounds so yummy! I think I have all of the ingredients to make this! I will have to try this! Thank you for sharing!