Hello everyone! 🌞 Thank you for visiting!
I have another delightful drink recipe to share with you from the celebrated cookbook In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen: Iced Rooibos Tea with Orange, Cloves, and Cinnamon This cookbook, a James Beard Award winner, welcomes you into the kitchens of grandmothers from eight Eastern African countries. It’s packed with flavorful recipes, rich stories of family, love, and tradition.
Today, let’s talk about Iced Rooibos Tea with Orange, Cloves, and Cinnamon. Rooibos (“ROY-boss”), which translates to “red bush,” is a plant indigenous to South Africa used to make herbal tea. The tea has a unique rusty hue and tastes like a mix of earthy yerba mate tea and flowery hibiscus tea. I’ve been enjoying this delicious tea lately and decided to try this iced version from the South Africa section of the cookbook. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
Here’s why this Rooibos Iced Tea with Orange, Cloves and Cinnamon is amazing:
- Caffeine-Free: Perfect for any time of year, day or night.
- Packed with Antioxidants: A healthy choice that’s good for you.
- Refreshing and Flavorful: The addition of cloves and cinnamon gives it a complex, punchy flavor, and the orange juice adds a refreshing twist.
- Simple to Make: Rooibos tea bags are widely available, especially in health food stores and online. You might already have the spices needed!
I love this cookbook for its stews, drinks, and exotic spices, and this iced rooibos tea is no exception. To make this delicious rooibos iced tea drink, you just boil sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and water, steep with rooibos tea bags, cool it down, strain, mix in orange juice, and serve over ice with orange slices. Super easy and incredibly refreshing!
Speaking of refreshing drinks, I’ve previously shared the immunity boosting Ginger-Lemon Spritz from the Madagascar section, which is also super refreshing and delicious. And for those who enjoy hearty meals, I highly recommend the Chicken Stew with Yogurt and Coconut (Digaag Qumbe) from this same cookbook. It’s a flavor-packed dish that’s become a favorite in my kitchen!
Watch the step-by-step instructions in this video!
Iced Rooibos Tea with Orange, Cloves & Cinnamon
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and let the mixture steep as it cools to room temperature.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher, discarding the solids. Stir in the orange juice until well combined. Fill four glasses with ice and orange slices, then pour the drink evenly into each glass. Serve immediately.
Notes
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Hungry For More Delicious Recipes
- Caramelized Orange Cake
- Whole Orange Almond Cake: A James Beard-Inspired Favorite
- Ginger-Lemon Spritz: A Year-Round Drink Inspired by In Bibi’s Kitchen
- Ginger-Cinnamon Punch (Sujeonggwa)
- In Bibi’s Kitchen: Digaag Qumbe (Chicken Stew with Yogurt and Coconut)
- Carrot and Clementine Cake
James T: “That smells so good! I love those little Clementines you call Halos! Any left for me?”
I chuckled, holding up the perfectly peeled fruit.
Me: “Of course, James T. I wouldn’t forget one for you!”
His tail thumped against the chair leg as I placed the whole, glistening Halo in front of him—just the way he liked it.
If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube, X, and Instagram! Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you 🙂 And if you made this recipe, how did it go for you?
16 responses to “Refreshing Iced Rooibos Tea with Orange, Cloves, and Cinnamon: A Taste of South Africa”
This looks and sounds amazing!
–Scott
Thank you, Scott!
I know it’s still winter for many folks, but here in sunny Orlando, spring is already in the air! Wherever you are, I hope this refreshing iced tea brings a little taste of warmer days ahead.
Iced Rooibos tea is my go-to drink in our hot summer months! We find so many different flavours for sale in stores here in South Africa, but it’s much more fun to make your own (you throw in all the right ingredients to make it a very authentic iced Rooibos tea). I was in Clanwilliam in high school – where Rooibos Tea is grown in the Cederberg region – and that’s where my love for Rooibos Tea comes from (hot or cold).
Thank you for your kind remarks! I loved hearing your feedback. Rooibos tea is extremely delicious and being caffeine-free is great!
Great post and photos, I never realized that you were form South Africa as well. ♥
This recipe is from In Bibi’s Kitchen. Bibi means grandmother. The cookbook highlights African grandmother recipes along the eastern coast of Africa.
Sounds and looks so refreshing.
This looks amazing!
It really is! Thank you for your kind comment, Paul. Have a wonderful week!
This sounds like a refreshing beverage. I’ve never had Rooibos tea and this would be a good reason to try it. Thanks, Robin. 🙂
The color alone makes my mouth water!
The tea develops into a sumptuous, deep crimson shade, creating an exquisite treat when blended with the other ingredients. Happy sipping, Tanja!
Thank you, Robin. It sounds amazing.
👂😋
Java Bean: “Ayyy, a drink with a stick in it! Who knew!”