5 Minute Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Mix

Name: 5 Minute Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Mix
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup instant black tea powder; 2 cups orange flavored drink mix; 2 cups sweetened lemonade drink mix; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground cloves

By Adam Harris on November 7, 2025

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

I absolutely love this Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix because it’s the answer to those days when you need a comforting, warm hug in a mug, but you absolutely cannot wait for anything complicated to steep or boil away. Seriously, this whole thing comes together in about five minutes flat! When I was first learning to cook—and I mean *really* learning, not just microwaving leftovers—mixing things felt intimidating.

Table of Contents

This tea mix was one of the very first things I nailed, and it gave me such a boost of confidence. It proves you don’t need complicated techniques to create something delicious and thoughtful. Plus, it makes a huge batch, which means you have instant tea ready for yourself all week, or you can portion it out into cute little jars for gifts. That’s why I trust this recipe implicitly; it’s simple, reliable, and tastes incredibly nostalgic. It’s the perfect entry point for anyone new to spice blending or just needing a quick win in the kitchen! Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix - detail 1

Gathering Your Components for the Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

Before we start whipping up this amazing blend, we need to make sure everything is ready to go. This recipe for the Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix is so easy because it relies on shelf-stable ingredients you might already have. The key here is precision, especially with the powdered mixes and spices. Don’t substitute the instant tea powder for regular brewed tea—that’s the whole magic trick for the “instant” part!

Precise Ingredients List for the Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

When you gather these components, double-check those measurements. We need exactly one cup of that instant black tea powder, and two full cups each of the orange flavored drink mix and the sweetened lemonade drink mix. Trust me, too much of one and it throws the whole citrus balance off. For the spices, we’re using two teaspoons of ground cinnamon and just one teaspoon of ground cloves. Make absolutely sure those cloves are ground finely; we don’t want any chunks floating in your mug later!

Essential Equipment List for Mixing

You won’t need any fancy machinery for this, thankfully! Grab the biggest mixing bowl you comfortably own. You need room to stir everything without making a huge mess—and trust me, those powders fly everywhere if you rush it! A sturdy whisk or even a large wooden spoon works perfectly for blending. Finally, you absolutely must have a clean, dry, airtight container ready to hold the finished mix. A big mason jar is my go-to choice.

Step-by-Step Assembly: Creating Your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

Okay, now for the fun part—actually putting this wonderful Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix together! It’s so straightforward, but the technique of mixing is what makes sure every cup tastes exactly the same. We are building layers of flavor here, even though it’s all dry ingredients. Remember, we are moving fast, but we aren’t rushing the blend!

Combining the Dry Components

Take that big bowl you prepared and start adding everything in. I like to put the biggest volume items in first, so the instant tea powder, the orange mix, and the lemonade mix go in first. Then, sprinkle the ground cinnamon and the ground cloves right over the top. Don’t just dump them in one spot; try to spread them out a little bit so you don’t end up with a pocket of pure clove later on. This is the base layer of our instant spiced tea! Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix - detail 2

Achieving Perfect Uniformity in Your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

This is where the elbow grease comes in! You need to stir this until you absolutely cannot see any streaks of just one color or spice. I usually use a big whisk for the first minute to lift and turn everything over, especially the heavy powders on the bottom. Then, I switch to a large spoon and gently fold it all together. You want the finished Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix to look like one unified, pale orange-tan powder. If you see dark spots of spice, keep stirring! It might take three or four minutes of dedicated mixing, but it’s worth it for that perfect flavor consistency.

Safe Storage of Your Instant Spiced Tea Mix

Once you’re happy that everything is perfectly blended, it’s time to transfer it. Carefully scoop the entire batch into your airtight container—that big mason jar is ideal. Screw the lid on tight! You need to keep this mix away from any moisture or humidity, so find a cupboard or pantry shelf that stays cool and dark. If moisture gets in, those drink mixes will start clumping up, and that ruins the “instant” factor we worked so hard for.

Preparing a Single Serving of Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

Making a cup of this tea once you have your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix ready is honestly faster than brewing a teabag! You only need one tablespoon of the mix per mug. That’s it! Go ahead and spoon that tablespoon right into your favorite cup. Now, the water temperature is important here because we aren’t steeping anything; we need it hot enough to dissolve all those powders quickly.

Pour about six to eight ounces of hot water over that tablespoon. Be gentle when you pour, especially if you’re using a delicate mug. Stir it well until you see that uniform color and you can’t see any gritty bits stuck to the bottom. It should dissolve almost instantly! If it’s too hot, it can sometimes mute the citrus flavor, so I usually let my kettle sit for about 30 seconds after it boils before pouring. Enjoy that wonderful spiced aroma! If you are looking for other quick recipes, check out this chocolate chia pudding.

Adjusting Flavor Strength in Your Prepared Tea

This is my favorite part about using a homemade mix: total control! The recipe calls for one tablespoon, but you know your own preferences better than anyone. If you like a really robust, punchy tea that wakes you up, go ahead and use a heaping tablespoon and a half. If you prefer a milder, sweeter sip—maybe for an evening treat—dial it back to just a slightly rounded teaspoon.

This adjustment also lets you manage the sweetness level. If you find the mix a little too sweet for your taste after trying the standard serving, just use less mix overall. Conversely, if you want that spicy kick to really shine through, use the standard amount but drop the water volume down to six ounces instead of eight. Experimenting with the ratio of mix to water is the best way to personalize your perfect mug of Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix.

Tips for Success with Your Instant Spiced Tea Mix

Even though this is a simple mixing job, there are still a few little things that can trip you up if you aren’t careful. The biggest issue people run into is clumping, which usually comes from humidity sneaking into your storage jar. Make sure that lid is sealed up tight every single time you put it away! If you notice the powder starting to stick together in little hard balls, that means moisture got in, and you might need to spread the mix out on a baking sheet and let it air dry for an hour before remixing.

Another quality control check is tasting your components before you blend them. Seriously! If your orange drink mix is older or stale, it won’t give you that bright citrus lift we need. If you taste a tiny bit of the final mix on your finger and it tastes flat, that’s usually a sign that your spices—especially the ground cloves—aren’t fresh. Cloves lose their punch fast. For other simple, reliable recipes, you might enjoy this easy no-knead peasant bread.

When stirring, don’t use a high-speed electric mixer! I know, I know, it seems faster, but those powders are so fine they will just puff up and coat your entire kitchen in a fine layer of sweet, spicy dust. A good old-fashioned wooden spoon or whisk used slowly and deliberately will keep your workspace clean and ensure the heavier spices actually incorporate properly into the lighter drink mixes.

Variations for Your Spiced Tea Gift Mix

Now that you’ve mastered the base Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix, you can have some fun customizing it, especially if you’re packaging this up as a thoughtful gift! The beauty of this recipe is how easily you can tweak the spice profile to suit different tastes. If you know someone who loves a little extra warmth, try boosting the cinnamon slightly—maybe go up to three teaspoons instead of two.

For a really bright, sophisticated flavor, I highly recommend adding some dehydrated citrus zest powder. If you can find powdered lemon or grapefruit peel, add about a quarter cup to the mix. It really amplifies that sunny flavor from the orange and lemonade mixes! It adds another layer of complexity without messing with the “instant” dissolving quality.

Another neat trick for gifting your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix is to modify the sweetness slightly. If you want it less sweet overall, reduce the sweetened lemonade mix by half a cup and substitute that missing volume with an equal amount of unsweetened powdered black tea. Just be sure to stir extra thoroughly if you do this, as unsweetened powders can sometimes be heavier! You can see how we use spices in other recipes, like this cinnamon swirl banana bread with vanilla icing.

Storing and Maintaining Your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix

Once you’ve finished making your wonderful batch of Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix, keeping it fresh is super simple, but you have to be diligent about sealing it up. The number one enemy here is moisture; those powdered drink mixes will turn into a solid brick if they get damp! Always use a container with a tight-fitting lid—a good seal is non-negotiable.

Keep the sealed jar in a cool, dark pantry. Avoid putting it near the stove or dishwasher, even if that spot looks convenient, because the temperature fluctuations can encourage condensation inside the jar. Stored properly, this mix stays reliably fresh for months. I’ve kept mine for over six months, and it still dissolves perfectly in hot water without any issues! If you want to see more tips on simple food preparation, follow us on Facebook.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Instant Tea Mix

I always get questions about this recipe because people are worried about messing up the powdered blends. Here are the most common things folks ask me when they first try making this instant tea blend!

Q1. Can I use regular granulated sugar instead of the sweetened lemonade mix?

You certainly can try, but I strongly advise against it for your first batch! The sweetened lemonade mix isn’t just sugar; it has citric acid and flavorings that give the tea its signature tang. If you substitute, you’ll need to add about two cups of regular sugar, but then you must also add a teaspoon or two of citric acid powder and maybe some powdered orange flavoring to get close to the original taste. It just makes things complicated!

Q2. How long does this mix actually last if I store it right?

If you keep it sealed tight in a cool, dry place, this mix is good for at least six months, maybe even longer. The only real giveaway that it’s starting to go stale is if the spices stop smelling as fragrant when you open the jar. Since there’s no liquid in this recipe, spoilage isn’t the issue; it’s just the flavor fading over time. For visual inspiration on recipes, check out our Pinterest page.

Q3. I don’t like cloves. Can I leave them out entirely?

You can definitely leave them out! Cloves have a very strong, assertive flavor, so if you aren’t a fan, just skip that teaspoon entirely. However, I highly recommend replacing that missing warmth by adding an extra half teaspoon of cinnamon and maybe a quarter teaspoon of ground allspice if you have some handy. That way, you still get that cozy, spiced feeling without the strong clove note.

Q4. Why do I have to use *instant* black tea powder and not regular instant tea powder?

This is a great point! Regular instant tea powder is usually just dried, brewed tea, which tastes very bitter and flat when mixed with all that sweet drink powder. The instant *black tea powder*—the kind often used in powdered iced tea mixes—is specially processed to dissolve instantly and has a milder flavor base that lets the cinnamon and citrus shine through without tasting overly bitter.

Sharing Your Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix Creations

Now that you have a big jar of this wonderful, comforting Old Fashioned Friendship Tea Instant Spiced Mix, I really want to know what you think! Did you try adding a pinch of nutmeg? Did you make a batch for a neighbor as a thank you gift? Please don’t keep those successes to yourself! You can read more about our culinary adventures on Medium.

Head down to the comments section below and leave me a star rating—it really helps other folks who are nervous about trying a new mix. Tell me about your favorite way to serve it. Do you drink it piping hot, or do you let it cool down a bit and add ice for a quick summer treat? I love seeing photos of the little jars you package up. Hearing from you about how much your family enjoys this simple, nostalgic recipe honestly makes my whole day!