Refreshing Chilled Mint Tea Recipe with Honey

Make this chilled mint tea recipe with honey for a healthy summer drink. Cold herbal tea made with fresh mint leaves makes the perfect, refreshing summer drink the whole family can enjoy!

Mint is one of the best cooling herbs I grow in my gardens. It was one of the first things I put in when we moved to the countryside, and I make good use of our patch every year.

While we do grow and dry mint so we can make hot tea in the winter (mint has health benefits and can help with congestion), we also love making fresh mint tea in the summer.

After steeping a batch, I sweeten, chill and serve it in mason jars with ice cubes. 

I can't be the only one who thinks pint (500 ml) jars make great drinking glasses!

Chilled mint tea is a tradition on my side of the family. And every time I make it, it takes me back to the hot summer days of haying season and the old farmhouse kitchen.

My mom would make gallons of fresh peppermint tea on the stove that she would sweeten and chill for us. After we'd finish unloading several wagonloads of hay at the barn, we'd stop in for a drink of that cold, sweet tea.

The mint really did help cool our sweaty, overheated bodies so we could keep going. 

I'm telling you, this recipe is a keeper! And it's always best when made with fresh mint. 

That's why I'd highly recommend growing your own. Rejuvenating iced tea takes more than just a few sprigs of mint, and the cost can add up if you're buying bundles of mint from the grocery store or farmers market. 

Mint is quite easy to grow, and there are several varieties you can choose from. So before I give you the recipe, let me give you a quick overview on growing and harvesting fresh mint for tea. 

'Cause fresh is the best. 

Types of Mint You Can Grow for Tea

There are several different varieties of mint you can easily grow in your garden. I've listed the common ones below that are suitable for making fresh mint tea. 

• Chocolate mint
• Peppermint
• Spanish Mint
• Spearmint 

​Where to Find Mint for Your Garden

Mint can be started from seed. But there's an easier way.

This herb spreads rapidly (it can be invasive), so there's probably a gardener in your area who would be happy to give you a few starts (or a few hundred!). A few transplants will fill a small garden bed in 1-2 years.

Of course, if you can't find another mint-loving gardener, your local greenhouse center will likely carry starts.

You'll only need a few. 

How to Grow Your Own Mint

Mint should be planted in contained garden beds or even in planters. It spreads really fast through underground runners and it isn't something you want going wild in your garden!

I planted my 4 mint starts in the spring, in a 2x10 ft garden bed against the wall of our cottage kitchen. Even though I only put in 4 little plants, the entire bed was filled with fresh mint by the following summer!

Mint spreads really fast and will even come up through gravel pathways near your garden bed. So plant it where it won't get too out of hand! 

When to Harvest Fresh Mint

The best time to harvest fresh mint is in the morning, before sunshine warms the leaves and evaporates the plant's natural oils. 

Also be aware that mint does put out little purple flowers in the summer. If this happens, your mint may turn bitter. Regularly harvesting will help avoid the flowering period.

Helpful tip: need to store mint in the fridge? No worries! Add water to a jar and pop the mint into it, just like you would a bouquet of fresh flowers. Refrigerate for a week or more. 

How to Harvest Fresh Mint for Tea

Both mint leaves and stalks are good for tea. So when you harvest, don't be afraid to take some stem with your leaves!

I like to gather a handful and cut the mint stems below my hand with scissors, leaving 3-4 sets of leaves on the parent plant.

It's important to leave some plant life behind, because if you take too much, mint may not put out new shoots. Just a little something to keep in mind while you harvest! 

Tools You'll Need for Tea

• large stock pot with lid
• heatproof pitcher (or half gallon glass jar)
• wooden spoon
• kitchen scissors 
• small kitchen basket for collecting mint
• measuring cup

Ingredient List

• 2 large bunches fresh mint sprigs 
• 8 cups of water
• 1/2 cup honey 

Chilled Mint Tea Recipe with Honey

Step 1: Measure Water into a Large Stock Pot

Before you harvest fresh mint, it's a good idea to measure your water and get it warming on the stove. I like to use a quart (1 litre) mason jar instead of a measuring cup, because I can dump two jarfuls into a stock pot and know that it's approximately 8 cups water!

Step 2: Set the Water to Boil 

Add a lid to the stockpot and set it on your stove burner, under high heat. While it's coming to a boil, go harvest mint from your garden bed! 

Step 3: Harvest Your Fresh Mint 

It's best to harvest mint in the morning for full flavor. That said, it won't hurt to harvest mint in the middle of the day or even in the evening.

Grab a handful of the fragrant tops and cut the stems just below your hand with a pair of kitchen scissors. 

For this recipe, gather up two big handfuls. The more mint you have, the strong your chilled mint tea will be! 

I like to gather mine into a basket, colander or bowl.

Step 4: Rinse Mint at the Kitchen Sink

If you're worried about spiders, dirt or bugs, give your bunches of mint a quick rinse at the kitchen sink. 

I have a reoccurring problem in my mint bed with spit bugs. So I like to hang bunches of mint upside down at the kitchen sink and give them a quick rinse with cold water. 

If your mint bed is relatively clean, you can skip this step. 

Bugs can always be strained out later! 😉 

Step 5: Add Mint Sprigs to the Boiling Water

Once your water reaches a rolling boil. remove the lid. Stuff all the mint leaves into your pot. Yes, it will seem too full! But the leaves will flatten as they heat up and everything will be just fine. 

Step 6: Cover with a Lid and Let Tea Seep

With your mint added, return the pot's lid and turn off the heat.

Let your mint tea steep for 30-60 seconds, then quickly stir with a wooden spoon to make sure everything is submerged.

Recover the pot with it's lid and let the mint seep for 10-15 minutes in the hot water. 

Step 7: Separate Tea from the Mint Leaves 

Grab a large jar or pitcher, something that holds 2 quarts (2 litres) or half gallon of liquid. Lift the pot and carefully pour the warm mint tea into your container, leaving the mint leaves behind.

Step 8: Measure in Raw Honey 

Be sure to measure and add honey (or other natural sweeteners) while the tea is still warm, so it will properly dissolve. Stir your sweetener until it dissolves in the tea. 

Step 9: Chill Your Mint Tea

Fresh mint tea can be left on the counter to cool before refrigerating, or you can put it directly into the fridge. 

How to Serve Cold Mint Tea

This chilled mint tea recipe with honey is quite strong! I recommend serving it over ice. Or you can dilute it half and half with water before serving. 

Alternatively, you can also dilute the original batch before refrigerating it. If I have plenty of refrigerator space, I like to add about 6 cups of cold water to my 8 cups of mint tea and then I chill it, knowing it's ready to serve. 

With chilled mint tea, there are several different ways to serve it. Everything is up to your personal taste and preference!

Read More About Growing and Using Mint

How to Grow and Dry Mint Leaves for Winter Tea

Easy Freezer Mint Concentrate 

Your Questions Answered

Can I exchange honey for another natural sweetener? 

Of course! Add whatever your family usually uses in the kitchen! Maple syrup, agave nectar, monk fruit and date sugar are common choices for homemade, healthy recipes. 

I don't grow mint; can I just use peppermint tea bags? 

You can use tea bags, but I think there's something really special in the flavor of fresh mint! But if you must, go ahead and exchange the 2 bundles of fresh herbs with 6-8 peppermint mint tea bags.

Can I add other fresh herbs to my mint tea?

There are many other fresh herbs you can pair with this basic recipe. Here's a list of a few you may want to try. 

• Bee balm
• Chamomile
• Echinacea (flowers, root or leaves)
• Lavender
• Lemon balm
• Oregano (in small portions)

Why don't you add lemon to your iced mint tea recipe?

Lots of iced tea recipes call for lemon slices, fresh lemon juice or even a little bit of lemonade concentrate. But you know what? 

I don't care for lemon in this mint iced tea recipe! Generally, you see lemon flavor paired with black teas, not mint. Because mint is has enough flavor to stand on it's own two feet! 

Is chilled mint tea good for colds? 

Generally speaking, a hot cup of tea is best for colds!

Warm tea on its own isn't a cold buster and can't cure a runny nose or sore throat. In fact, mint tea has a drying effect, so you don't want to take it if you have a dry cough or a dry throat.

Though in some cases, it can help with a wet cough.

If you want to use it medicinally, you should do some researching and learning, so you can use it effectively!