How to Make Flavored Tea Bags

Before I start this post I have to make a confession. I’m not much of a tea drinker. Given the choice between coffee or tea, I’ll usually sling back the coffee. But … I’ve been reading so many health benefits of tea drinking so I’m trying to add it to my diet on a regular basis. There are so many tea selections at the store, I decided “why not try to make my own?” After a bit of internet research, I learned how to make flavored tea bags. It’s pretty simple!

In my first foray with  this healthy concoction, I made 3 different flavored tea bags.

This project was a lot easier than I initially thought.

 

Supplies you’ll need are loose leaf tea, heat sealing tea bags which you can buy online at Save-on-Crafts, paper tags, embroidery floss or baker’s twine, and a variety of herbs (recipe options at end of post).

 

Top of my list was Vanilla Tea. Using a fresh vanilla bean pod, slice one side of the pod lengthwise to open it. Carefully scrape the seeds out and save them for a recipe. You’re going to use the pod itself for the tea. Dice the pod up so the pieces will fit inside the tea bag with the tea leaves.

 

Fill the bags with tea leaves and spices … generally 1-2 teaspoons of tea and 1/2 teaspoon of spice. Then carefully seal the 4th edge of the bag with the iron, after placing one knotted end of baker’s twine inside the bag. Once you iron it shut, the twine will be secured inside. You can leave the tea bag square or iron back the top edges like you see here in the photo.

 

Using a large needle threaded with the baker’s twine or embroidery floss, poke a hole through the top of a decorative paper tag (you can find these at a craft store or make your own) and then remove the needle and knot the end. The tea bag is now connected to the tag for easy dipping and steeping.

 

I decided if I was going to drink flavored tea, I needed some biscotti to go with it.

 

I chose a tea cup from my mother’s china set that she handed down to me years ago.

 

Add boiling water and let your tea bag steep for about 5 minutes.

 

And that’s pretty much how to make flavored tea bags. I made 4 kinds …

Plain, Lavender, Vanilla, and Vanilla Cinnamon (recipes at end of post).

 

For additional flavor, you can add a honey stick (these are great to enjoy without any tea!).

 

I was happy that I learned how to make flavored tea bags. These make great gifts!

Hubby is a big tea fan and my little bags are almost all used up now.

Here’s the recipes for making flavored tea bags (note, add more or less of herbs and spices if you want stronger flavor) …

Lavender Tea
1-2 teaspoons loose leaf tea
1/2 teaspoon lavender buds

Vanilla Tea
1-2 teaspoons loose leaf tea
1/2 teaspoon diced vanilla pod

Vanilla Cinnamon Tea
1-2 teaspoons loose leaf tea
1/2 teaspoon diced vanilla pod
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Plain Tea
1-2 teaspoons loose leaf tea