Calming Vanilla Honey Chamomile Iced Tea

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (about 4 tall glasses)
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (includes chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) mild honey
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped)
• 4 cups (960 ml) just-boiled water
• 4 chamomile tea bags (or 4 tablespoons loose dried chamomile flowers)
• Ice cubes, to serve
• Optional garnishes: lemon slices or wedges, fresh chamomile flowers or mint

Do This

• 1. In a small saucepan, gently heat honey and 1/4 cup water over low heat until the honey dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
• 2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour over chamomile tea bags (or loose chamomile in a heatproof jug). Cover and steep for 5–7 minutes.
• 3. Remove tea bags (or strain out flowers). While the tea is still warm, stir in the vanilla-honey syrup. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
• 4. Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature, about 20–30 minutes.
• 5. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1–2 hours.
• 6. To serve, fill glasses with ice, pour over the chilled vanilla-honey chamomile tea, and garnish with lemon and herbs if you like.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deeply calming and caffeine-free, perfect for winding down on warm evenings.
• Lightly sweetened with vanilla-infused honey for a fragrant, naturally floral flavor.
• Easy to prep ahead, so a chilled pitcher is ready whenever you are.
• Simple ingredients, but feels like a spa-level drink you can make at home.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 lemon (for serving), fresh mint or chamomile flowers (optional garnish)
• Dairy: None (recipe is naturally dairy-free)
• Pantry: Mild honey, pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean, chamomile tea bags or loose chamomile flowers, ice, filtered water

Full Ingredients

For the Vanilla-Honey Syrup

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) mild honey (clover, wildflower, or other light honey)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

For the Chamomile Tea

• 4 cups (960 ml) filtered water
• 4 chamomile tea bags or 4 tablespoons loose dried chamomile flowers

To Serve

• Ice cubes (about 2–3 cups, depending on glass size)
• Lemon slices or wedges, optional
• Fresh chamomile flowers or mint sprigs, optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the vanilla-honey syrup

Add the honey and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water to a small saucepan. Set over low heat and warm gently, stirring occasionally, just until the honey fully dissolves into the water. Do not let it boil hard; you want to preserve the delicate aroma of the honey.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, or add the scraped vanilla bean seeds plus the pod. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 10–15 minutes. If you used a vanilla bean pod, you can leave it in the syrup while it cools to infuse extra flavor, then remove it before using.

Step 2: Brew the chamomile tea

While the syrup cools, bring 4 cups (960 ml) of filtered water to a boil. Place the chamomile tea bags or loose chamomile flowers in a heatproof jug or teapot that holds at least 5 cups.

Pour the just-boiled water over the chamomile. Cover the jug with a lid or small plate to trap the steam and aromatics, then let the tea steep for 5–7 minutes. For a stronger, more intense flavor, you can steep up to 10 minutes, but be aware that it may become slightly more herbal and grassy.

Step 3: Sweeten the tea with the vanilla-honey syrup

Remove the tea bags, pressing them gently against the side of the jug to extract any remaining liquid, then discard. If you used loose chamomile, strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean heatproof pitcher or jug.

While the tea is still warm, pour in all of the cooled vanilla-honey syrup and stir well to combine. Taste carefully (it will be warm) and adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding a bit more honey if desired, stirring until dissolved.

Step 4: Cool the tea to room temperature

Let the sweetened chamomile tea sit at room temperature until it is no longer warm to the touch, about 20–30 minutes. This step helps prevent condensation from flooding the fridge and keeps flavors bright instead of diluted.

If you are in a hurry, you can set the pitcher in a shallow basin of cool water to speed up the cooling, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator

Once the tea has cooled to room temperature, cover the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 1–2 hours, or until very cold. The colder the tea, the more refreshing it will taste when poured over ice.

The flavors will continue to meld as it chills, and the vanilla and honey notes will become more pronounced and rounded.

Step 6: Serve over ice with garnishes

When you are ready to serve, fill tall glasses about three-quarters full with ice cubes. Give the chilled tea a quick stir, then pour it over the ice.

Garnish each glass with a slice or wedge of lemon if you like a hint of brightness, and add a sprig of fresh mint or a few fresh chamomile flowers for a pretty finishing touch. Sip slowly and enjoy the calming, floral vanilla-honey flavor.

Pro Tips

• Do not overheat the honey: Warm it just enough to dissolve. A gentle heat keeps the flavor soft and floral rather than cooked or caramelized.
• Cover while steeping: Keeping the tea covered traps aromatic steam so more chamomile flavor infuses into the water instead of escaping.
• Adjust strength to taste: If you prefer a bolder tea, use 5–6 tea bags or up to 6 tablespoons loose chamomile, but keep the steep time similar so it does not get too bitter.
• Chill completely: Truly cold tea is key. If you pour lukewarm tea over ice, it will melt the ice quickly and taste watered down.
• Pre-chill your glasses: For an extra-refreshing presentation, pop your serving glasses in the fridge or freezer for 10–15 minutes before pouring.

Variations

• Sparkling Vanilla-Chamomile Cooler: Fill each glass halfway with the chilled tea, then top with chilled sparkling water. Garnish with a lemon twist. Slightly reduce the water during brewing (use 3 cups instead of 4) for a more concentrated base.
• Citrus Twist: Add 2–3 thin slices of lemon or orange to the hot tea while it steeps for a subtle citrus layer. Remove the slices before chilling to keep the flavor balanced.
• Lightly Creamy: For a soft, rounded mouthfeel, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of unsweetened oat milk, almond milk, or regular milk into the chilled tea right before serving. It will turn a dreamy, pale golden color.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the finished vanilla-honey chamomile tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving, as flavors can settle. Keep the tea chilled and add ice only to individual glasses to prevent dilution.

The vanilla-honey syrup can be made ahead and stored separately in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If it thickens in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes or warm it very gently to loosen before stirring into warm tea.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 4 servings (without optional garnishes): about 85–95 calories; 0 g protein; 0 g fat; 22–24 g carbohydrates; 21–23 g sugars; 0 g fiber; 0–10 mg sodium. Actual values will vary depending on the type of honey and exact quantities used.