As a dietitian and chef, I've perfected this ginger lemon honey tea recipe to be both deeply soothing and flavorful. Unlike other versions, this one strikes the perfect balance of warming ginger spice, bright citrus, and smooth honey sweetness. It's perfect for comforting loved ones with a sore throat and stuffy nose, or simply enjoying as a cozy, nourishing drink on a cold winter day.
The heat from ginger warms you up from within, making this a comforting and practical go-to for gloomy days and cold weather season!
update notes: This recipe, originally published on January 14, 2019, was updated on April 2, 2025, to enhance clarity and ease of use. Updates include higher-quality photos, a labeled ingredient image, expanded details on flavor, and expert tips from Cindy as a chef and dietitian. edits were made to the recipe for clarity and to reduce the number of steps.
✨ why you'll love this recipe
- It's simple to make and the level of spice, tartness, and sweetness can be adjusted to your personal preference. But the ratio of ginger to lemon juice and honey in this recipe is by far the favorite combination I've tested.
- As a dietitian and chef, I created this ginger lemon honey tea to be both soothing and delicious.
- My recipe includes fresh lemon juice and ginger root for a hot drink that helps to support your immune system, making it perfect for cold weather flu season.
- This isn't a "tea" recipe in the traditional sense and does not use tea bags. The ginger tea part is actually hot water simmered with ginger slices… the result is a warming herbal tea with a ginger kick (without caffeine).
- And you get incredible mileage out of this recipe - You can keep simmering the ginger slices in more water for a second or third batch, adding more ginger slices as needed, and adjusting lemon and honey to your tastes.
I used to make this in large batches for the entire kitchen and front-of-house staff every winter and flu season for family meals (aka restaurant staff meals). It kept everyone feeling peppy. Plus, it tastes amazing.
This exact recipe was highly requested by the crew then, and now I still make it on the regular at home. I have a copy of the recipe handy to send to friends and family whenever I hear someone is under the weather.
serving suggestions
This tea would pair perfectly with a salad, soup, or snack that complements the flavors of ginger and lemon. Also try these cozy and nourishing soups: Taiwanese sesame oil chicken soup, daikon pork rib soup. Or see a curated list of Asian soup recipes. Sweet potato congee is another comforting dish for when you're under the weather.
🫚 what does it taste like?
Ginger is definitely the star of the show! The tea has just the right amount of gingery spice that's delightfully sharp and not overwhelming, thanks to a generous amount of tart lemon juice and sweet honey.
Together the blend of ginger, citrus, and honey has a perfect balance of bite and mellow sweetness. It's soothing and warms you up from within. The honey coats your throat nicely and leaves a pleasant aftertaste, similar to a not-too-sweet ginger-spiced lemonade.
📝 ingredient notes
You only need 4 ingredients for this simple recipe (including water for boiling).
- 1 large (4-inch) piece of fresh ginger - break off from a larger piece if needed.
- 2 lemons - use firm lemons with a slight give when you give them a gentle squeeze.
- 2 tablespoons of honey - the honey flavor complements this drink well, but feel free to use agave syrup or another sweetener you prefer.
It's important to use fresh lemon and ginger for this recipe! Bottled lemon juice or preserved ginger (pickled or dried) won't taste the same.
See the recipe card for quantities.
📖 variations
There are several ways you can change up this basic ginger tea recipe. Here are a few swaps or additions to consider:
- add tea - as I mentioned, this drink isn't really a tea in the traditional sense. But you can add actual tea if you like! Steep black tea, mint tea, or green tea leaves in your mug along with the infused ginger water. I like it with green tea sometimes for a bit of light caffeine and a nice earthy flavor.
- fruit toppings - for a pop of color and citrus fragrance, top each cup with a slice of lemon, blood orange, or meyer lemon. You can give it Taiwanese fruit tea vibes by adding your favorite seasonal fruit. I suggest using sturdier fruits, like fresh apple slices or starfruit, that don't have too strong of a flavor to compete with the ginger and honey.
- vegan option - use agave syrup in place of honey to make a soothing vegan-friendly ginger lemon tea. Agave doesn't have the same flavor as honey, but it will add the sweetness needed to balance out the flavors.
🔪 instructions
I'm going to go through each step in detail below, including step-by-step photos of how to make ginger water. In a hurry? You can jump straight to the printable recipe or video.
First, rinse the ginger and 2 lemons under cold water to wash. There's no need to peel the ginger.
Roughly slice a 4-inch piece of fresh ginger at an angle as shown.
Then, cut the lemons in half for juicing. Set aside for now.
Optional: Cut two thin slices of lemon to top each cup.
Heat 1 quart of water and the sliced ginger in a small pot over high heat until boiling, partially cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
Strain into a large mixing bowl and keep the ginger slices to reuse for another batch. I usually will continue to add water and boil more ginger water for extra servings or to use another day.
chef's pro tip
For easier juicing without a citrus juicer, you can use tongs. That's how we do it in professional kitchens if we don't have a juicer around. Just place one half of
Juice the lemons over the strainer into the mixing bowl filled with ginger water. A citrus juicer (*paid affiliate link) is useful, but you can also use tongs.
I usually juice one lemon first, then taste after mixing in honey before adding more lemon to taste.
You will use about 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice for 2 servings. After testing and making this recipe a hundred times over decades, it almost always ends up being about 1 ½ to 2 lemons.
Juicing over the strainer helps catch the lemon seeds.
Combine 2 tablespoons of honey with the ginger water and lemon juice, then stir to dissolve the honey.
Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or honey if needed based on your preference.
Divide into 2 cups and top each cup. Enjoy sipping it while it's hot.
Optional: you can top each cup with a thin slice of lemon purely for aesthetics and the added citrus aroma.
📖 dietitian's tip
Add the fresh lemon juice after you've made the ginger water to retain more vitamin C, since it's sensitive to heat and can be depleted with long cooking times.
ginger lemon honey tea benefits
It's a soothing, caffeine-free drink packed with functional benefits. Ginger provides warmth and digestive support, lemon adds a dose of vitamin C, and honey offers a mellow sweetness while helping to soothe the throat - making this my comforting go-to for cold weather and immune support.
🍵 equipment
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You don't need any special cooking equipment to make this homemade honey lemon ginger tea! You likely have all of these tools in your kitchen right now.
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- liquid measuring cup
- fine mesh strainer
- saucepan
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowls or pitcher
- citrus juicer - this is my favorite juicer (my current one has lasted 10 years of regular use), but you don't necessarily need a juicer to make this recipe! See my note in the Instructions section above for a pro tip.
❄️ storage
Any extra ginger water and freshly squeezed lemon juice can be stored separately in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Microwave the ginger water in a mug for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, varied by microwave. Once warm enough, mix in the honey and lemon juice for one portion.
To reheat a large batch: add the ginger water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, then portion out and mix in the other ingredients according to the recipe.
💭 Cindy's top expert tip
For the best-tasting ginger tea, slice your ginger at an angle. Angled slices expose more surface area, allowing the ginger to release its bold, aromatic flavors without making the tea overly cloudy or harsh.
This is how I grew up seeing my grandmother slice ginger for teas and soups. Now, it's the same technique I've used in professional kitchens to create a rich, yet delicate brew.
🍵 more cozy recipes
Here are some favorite lower-effort, cozy Taiwanese and East Asian recipes to try.
👨🍳 cooking with kids
What can kid chefs help with?
- picking out fresh ginger and lemons
- juicing lemons
- snacking on orange and other fruit slices, if using as an optional topping
This drink may not be a favorite with all kids, but I loved it when I was growing up. You can dilute the ginger water with some lukewarm drinking water to make this recipe less spicy and cool it down to a safe drinking temperature.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy cooking! ~ Cindy 周昀
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ginger lemon honey tea
watch it step-by-step: the sound of cooking® video
ingredients
- 4 inch piece fresh ginger, washed and roughly sliced
- 4 cups water, for boiling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (about 1 ½ to 2 lemons), optional: Cut 2 thin slices of lemon to top each cup before juicing.
- 2 tablespoons honey, substitute options: agave syrup
*The Instacart button above is an affiliate link, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission).
instructions
- Heat water and sliced ginger in a small pot over high heat until boiling, partially cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.4 inch piece fresh ginger, 4 cups water
- Strain and keep ginger slices to reuse for another batch if needed.
- While ginger water is heating, cut and juice lemons.3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Combine ginger water, honey, and lemon juice (*see note). Stir to dissolve the honey and taste. Adjust with more lemon juice or honey if needed.2 tablespoons honey
- Divide into 2 cups and serve hot or warm. Optional: Top each cup with a slice of lemon.
equipment and highlighted ingredients
notes
-
- add tea - as I mentioned, this drink isn't really a tea in the traditional sense. But you can add actual tea if you like! Steep black tea, mint tea, or green tea leaves in your mug along with the infused ginger water. I like it with green tea sometimes for a bit of light caffeine and a nice earthy flavor.
-
- fruit toppings - for a pop of color and citrus fragrance, top each cup with a slice of lemon, blood orange, or meyer lemon. You can give it Taiwanese fruit tea vibes by adding your favorite seasonal fruit. I suggest using sturdier fruits, like fresh apple slices or starfruit, that don't have too strong of a flavor to compete with the ginger and honey.
-
- vegan option - use agave syrup in place of honey to make a soothing vegan-friendly ginger lemon tea. Agave doesn't have the same flavor as honey, but it will add the sweetness needed to balance out the flavors.
💭 FAQs
Ginger tea will taste best when made with fresh ginger. This way, the spiciness is more mellow to create a more balanced flavor profile with the lemon juice and honey.
When cooled and stored properly, ginger tea can last up to 1 week in the fridge. It's best to store the ginger water separately from the lemon juice. That way, you can reheat the tea first, then mix in the lemon juice and sweetener to taste. Freshly squeezed lemon juice will last up to 6 days in the fridge, though I prefer to use it within 2-3 days at the latest.
🌡️ food safety
- Don't leave the tea or ingredients sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave boiling water unattended on the stove
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Paige says
This is a great little recipe to have for winter! I'm hanging on to this one!
cindy chou says
Thanks! Hope you like it.
Shelley says
Wow - this really is so very simple! Which is exactly the kind of recipe you need when you don't feel well (or when you're the mom in charge of taking care of other people who don't feel well lol!). Perfect to keep on hand for the next time sniffles strike - I'm totally pinning this to save!
cindy chou says
Thanks, Shelley! Glad to hear it'll be useful, but hope you won't need it anytime soon. It's also great as an easy drink on cold days 🙂
Amy Liu Dong says
I love lemon ginger tea so much and I am drinking this every morning and before I go to sleep.
cindy chou says
Awesome! Now I feel like I'm due for a large batch.
Eileen Kelly says
I just loved this tea. It was super easy to prepare. I now will be enjoying this every day.
cindy chou says
Hi Eileen! So happy to hear you loved this recipe!
Kushigalu says
Even we prepare this hot Lemon ginger drink for sore throat. It really helps alot. Great share.
cindy chou says
Thanks! Glad you like this drink as much as I do 🙂
Naiby says
I love ginger lemon honey tea. I call it a "grog" in my language (French). I always do it whenever I feel I'll be catching a cold or something. What a great idea to use tongs to juice a lemon. I never thought of that. I guess tongs will force the juice to come out more than using our hands.
cindy chou says
Hi Naiby, thanks for sharing! I love learning and wish I could speak French like you 🙂 Tongs really help when you don't have a citrus juicer. It's something I learned from other chefs when I cooked in restaurants.
Erin says
I love the section for what kids can do! My kid is coming down with a snotty nose right now, which means in a few hours he'll be waking up crying and sick. :/ I think I'll need to make this tomorrow already!
cindy chou says
Aw, I'm so sorry to hear. Being sick is no fun - wishing him a speedy recovery! I hope he's feeling all better!
Loreto and Nicoletta says
Such a soothing beverage, especially in the cold months. Love adding ginger to our teas!
cindy chou says
Ginger really warms you up 🙂 Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Jamie says
This is such a wonderful recipe and video! It's so relaxing to watch, I can almost imagine the taste of the tea right now. I'm planning on making this tomorrow for breakfast!
cindy chou says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and video - relaxing is definitely what I was going for!
Natalie says
I love ginger lemon tea. I always make it when I feel like I'm about to get sick. It really helps to soothe the symptoms. Lovely recipe.
cindy chou says
It really is comforting. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Kari Heron says
I make ginger tea with honey all the time but I love your surprising addition of blood orange. How delightful!
cindy chou says
Thanks! It's a fun twist to a simple recipe. So glad to hear you like it 🙂