Foraged Pine Needle Tea: Benefits, Safety, and How to Make It
Pine needle tea is easy to prepare and has a light, citrusy flavor. It can be enjoyed plain or mixed with other fruits and spices.
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Servings: 2 Servings
Calories: 2kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup Spruce or Douglas Fir needles (chopped)
- 2 cups water
- 2 slices citrus
- honey, or sweetener of choice (optional)
Optional Add-Ins
- 3 cardamom pods
- 3 whole cloves
- ¼ inch cinnamon stick
- 3 juniper berries
- 1 slice ginger
Instructions
- Wash and then chop spruce branches (or other edible pine needles) to measure ½ cup. Add the needles and a few orange slices to a teapot. Pour two cups of boiling water into the teapot.
- Cover and steep the tea for 10-15 minutes to extract the flavor and beneficial properties of the pine branches.
- Strain the tea into a teacup and sweeten it with honey, brown sugar, or the sweetener of your choice. Enjoy!
- Optional Step: Try adding mulling spices or your favorite spices to the teapot for an even more delicious cup of pine tea!
Notes
- Don't include twigs or thicker branches. Instead, strip or cut the needles off the branch using kitchen shears.
- Chop the needles to release their flavor.
- Avoid boiling the needles; doing so can destroy vitamin C.
- Use fresh needles for the brightest flavor.
- If your tea tastes overly bitter or harsh, it may have steeped too long.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 2kcal
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