Hot Orange Ginger Black Tea with Fresh Ginger

This hot orange ginger black tea is one of those recipes that feels like it’s doing a little bit of everything. It’s warming, lightly sweet, citrusy, and just spicy enough to wake up your senses. And the best part is that it’s incredibly simple to make with fresh ginger, orange zest, and some black tea.

I make this when I want a hot tea drink with a little kick to it!

The combination of bright orange, spicy ginger, and robust tea just works.

If I’m under the weather, I skip the tea entirely and turn it into a caffeine-free herbal version. If I want a little boost, black or green tea goes right in.

This is an easy, comforting cup with real ingredients and real flavor. Once you make it with fresh ginger, there’s no going back.

Why You’ll Love This Orange Ginger Tea

• Made with fresh ginger, not ground ginger or tea bags, for a bolder, spicier flavor
• The orange and ginger combo is bright, citrusy, and gently warming
• Naturally low in calories, with sweetness you control depending on how much honey or sugar you add
• Fresh ginger contains gingerol, a compound traditionally used to support digestion and immune health
• Easy to customize with black tea, green tea, or no tea at all
• Uses simple, whole ingredients you can find at any grocery store

Love orange + ginger together?
Try my Orange Ginger Shots for a concentrated, make-ahead option packed with antioxidants and vitamin C. They’re an easy daily wellness boost and perfect when you want the benefits without brewing tea.

Ingredients Needed

• Fresh ginger root
• Fresh orange
• Water
• Black tea leaves or tea bags
• Honey or sugar

Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips

Fresh Ginger

I always recommend whole fresh ginger root over ginger tea bags. The flavor is stronger, spicier, and more vibrant. Fresh ginger also contains gingerol, the compound that gives ginger its signature kick.

• Look for ginger that’s firm and plump
• Organic ginger can be washed and used with the peel on
• Non-organic ginger should be peeled

Fresh ginger really isn’t any harder to use than a tea bag. You just break off a small piece, wash it, and slice or grate.

Why I always choose fresh ginger:

• Stronger, spicier flavor
• Higher chance of getting more gingerol
• No less convenient than tea bags
• More cost-effective and no plastic concerns

Orange

Choose a bright orange orange that feels heavy for its size. That’s usually a good sign it’s juicy.

• Zest only the outer peel, not the white pith
• The pith is bitter and can ruin the tea
• You’ll use a small wedge for fresh juice and an optional slice for garnish

Tea

You can use loose leaf tea or tea bags.

• Black tea: Assam black tea is my top choice, but English Breakfast is a good choice too
• Green tea works well if that’s what you prefer
• Avoid flavored teas like Earl Grey

I typically use a plain organic English breakfast tea as my base since I always have it in my tea cabinet.

Sweetener

A small amount of honey or sugar balances the spice of the ginger and the strength of the tea. You don’t need much.

Feeling under the weather?
Skip the tea leaves or bags entirely and turn this into an herbal orange ginger infusion. For another soothing option, check out my Lemon Ginger Tea, a simple hot tea made with fresh ginger and honey.

How to Make Orange Ginger Tea

You can make this tea on the stove in a saucepan or using an electric kettle and small teapot with strainer. I use both methods, depending on the day.

Prep the Ingredients

• Wash the ginger. Peel it, if it’s not organic
• Slice, grate, or mince the ginger
• Scrub the orange and zest it carefully (just the surface, no white pith)
• Cut a small orange wedge for squeezing later
• Slice an extra round if you want it in the mug

Want a stronger ginger flavor?
Grate the ginger instead of slicing it. Smaller pieces release more flavor during steeping and make a noticeably spicier cup.

Stovetop Method (My Preferred Method)

Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.

1. Bring filtered water to a near boil. (This Brita water filter pitcher works great, if you need a way to filter water for drinks.)
2. Add the ginger and orange zest. Turn off the heat, cover, and steep for 3 minutes. (I like to steep these first to extract the maximum flavor before adding the tea.)
3. Return the water to a near boil, add the tea leaves or bags, and remove from heat. Cover and steep the tea for no more than 3 minutes.

This two-step method lets the ginger and orange steep fully without over-steeping the tea, which can make it bitter.

Strain into a mug, stir in honey or sugar, and finish with a squeeze of fresh orange juice.

Electric Kettle Method

1. Heat water to 208°F.
2. Add ginger, orange zest, and tea to a teapot.
3. Pour in the hot water, cover, and steep for no more than 4-5 minutes. (Black tea should never be steeped beyond 5 minutes. Here are all my tips for making the perfect cup of black tea.)
4. Strain into a mug, sweeten, and add orange juice to taste.

Recipe Notes & Variations

• Caffeine-free option: Skip the tea entirely for a soothing herbal infusion
• Green tea swap: Use green tea instead of black for a lighter taste, but make note, green tea is also caffeinated
• Make two smaller servings: Divide the brewed tea between two mugs
• Sweeter tea: Add more honey or sugar as desired

More Ginger & Turmeric Recipes To Try Next

• Orange Ginger Shots – A concentrated wellness shot packed with antioxidants and vitamin C
• Pineapple Ginger Smoothie – Bright, tropical, and naturally energizing
• Lemon Ginger Tea – A simple, caffeine-free hot tea with fresh ginger and honey
• Ginger Milk Tea – Creamy, cozy, and lightly spiced
• Lemon Turmeric Shots – Zesty and bold with fresh turmeric and citrus
• Golden Milk Turmeric Latte – Warm, creamy, and infused with fresh turmeric and ginger
• Homemade Turmeric Concentrate – A make-ahead base for lattes using fresh ginger

Continue to Content

Hot Orange Ginger Tea

Yield: 1 large mug (16 fluid ounces)

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

This hot orange ginger tea is cozy, citrusy, and gently spicy in the best way. It’s made with fresh ginger, real orange, and black tea, and it comes together quickly on the stove or in a teapot. Comforting, simple, and easy to adapt whether you want caffeine or not.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, sliced, minced or grated, (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 small orange wedge, plus optional slice for garnish
• 2 teaspoons black or green tea leaves, or 2 tea bags
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring water to a near boil.
2. Add ginger and orange zest, turn off heat, cover, and steep 3 minutes.
3. Return water to a near boil, add tea, remove from heat, and cover.
4. Steep tea for no more than 3 minutes.
5. Strain into a mug.
6. Stir in honey or sugar and squeeze in fresh orange juice.

Notes

• This recipe steeps the ginger first, then adds the black tea and steeps a few more minutes, in order to extract the maximum ginger flavor without oversteeping the black tea.
• Skip the tea for a caffeine-free version
• Green tea works well in place of black tea
• Grated ginger creates a spicier tea than sliced

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  2-in-1 Teapot and Kettle with Stainless Steel Filter Lid for Loose Tea, Borosilicate Glass
• 
  Cuisinart PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Electric Kettle, 6 Preset Temperatures
• 
  Brita Large Water Filter Pitcher for Tap and Drinking Water, 10-Cup Capacity

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 16 ounces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 24Sugar: 6g

Calories are approximate for 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice.

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