Name: Cinnamon Clove Tea
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups water; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 whole cloves; 1 tbsp honey, to taste (optional)

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Cinnamon Clove Tea

TeaEasyPrep 3 minCook 12 minServes 2

Traditional preparation. This is not medical advice and nothing here promises a cure. Cinnamon sticks and cloves simmered in water make a warmly spiced cup traditionally enjoyed on cold afternoons.

Traditional preparation. This is not medical advice and nothing here promises a cure.

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1 tbsp honey, to taste (optional)

Steps

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain into two mugs.
Sweeten with honey if you like and serve warm.

Serve with: apple slices or a cinnamon cookie.

A little clove goes a long way: four cloves are enough for two cups, or the spice can overpower the cinnamon.

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Tips & mistakes

Simmer, don't boil hard — a gentle simmer extracts the spice without turning it bitter.
Four cloves are enough for two cups; clove is strong and can overpower the cinnamon completely.
Crack the cinnamon sticks in half to expose more surface and get more flavor from the same sticks.
Strain it well — a stray clove in the cup is unpleasant to bite into and ruins the last sip.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use ground cinnamon? Yes: use 1/2 teaspoon per cup, but strain the tea twice; ground spice stays cloudy. Whole sticks give a clearer, cleaner-tasting cup, so use them when you can.

Can I reuse the sticks? Once, for a weaker second cup; the flavor drops off fast after the first steep. The second cup is milder and needs a little more honey to taste right.

Can I make it ahead? Yes: refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat gently; add honey after reheating. Boiling it again to reheat would make it bitter, so warm it slowly.

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