Chamomile Tea Recipe: 5 Easy Ways to Brew It Right

A good chamomile tea recipe doesn't require much — the right temperature, the right time, and the right ratio. What it does require is a little more precision than most people apply.

Whether you want a simple hot cup before bed, a cold brew for summer, or a spiced Indian-style variation to replace your evening chai, one of the five recipes below will fit. Each one is written with exact quantities and steps — no guesswork needed.

→ The Ultimate Guide to Chamomile Tea: 10 Science-Backed Benefits.

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The Non-Negotiable Brewing Rules (Read Before Any Recipe)

Every chamomile tea recipe in this guide follows the same three rules. Ignore any one of them and the flavour suffers.

Rule 1 — Water at 90–95°C, never boiling. Chamomile's floral volatile oils break down above 95°C. Let freshly boiled water rest for 60–90 seconds before pouring. This single step separates a bright, aromatic cup from a flat, slightly bitter one.

Rule 2 — Always cover while steeping. Place a saucer or lid over the cup immediately after pouring. Chamomile's aromatic compounds escape as steam in the first few minutes. Keeping them in the cup is the difference between a fragrant, flavorful brew and a faint, watery one.

Rule 3 — Remove the herb at 5–7 minutes. Over-steeping releases secondary bitter compounds. Set a timer — chamomile does not improve with extra time.

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Recipe 1: Classic Hot Chamomile Tea

The foundation. Everything else builds from this.

You'll need:

• 1.5–2 tsp loose-leaf chamomile flowers or 1 chamomile tea bag
• 240 ml filtered water at 90–95°C
• 1 tsp raw honey or jaggery, optional

Method:

1. Place chamomile in an infuser, teapot, or directly in the cup.
2. Pour hot water over the flowers. Cover with a saucer immediately.
3. Steep for 5–6 minutes.
4. Strain or remove the tea bag. Add honey or jaggery while still hot.
5. Drink as is, or add a thin slice of lemon for brightness.

Flavor note: Gently floral, mildly sweet, with a faint apple-like finish. This is chamomile at its most honest. → Chamomile Tea Taste: What Does It Actually Taste Like?.

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Recipe 2: Chamomile Honey Latte

For anyone who finds plain chamomile too light, this is the upgrade — creamy, warming, and genuinely satisfying.

You'll need:

• 1.5 tsp loose-leaf chamomile or 1 tea bag
• 180 ml filtered water at 90–95°C
• 60–80 ml whole milk or oat milk, warmed to 65–70°C
• 1 tsp raw honey
• Optional: pinch of cinnamon

Method:

1. Brew chamomile in the hot water, covered, for 6 minutes.
2. While steeping, warm milk separately in a small saucepan over low heat — do not boil.
3. Strain the chamomile into a mug. Pour the warm milk in slowly.
4. Stir in honey. Dust with cinnamon if using.

Ratio tip: Start with a 3:1 water-to-milk ratio. A 1:1 ratio will mask the chamomile almost entirely — keep milk as a supporting note, not the lead.

→ Chamomile Tea With Milk: How to Make It Perfectly. 

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Recipe 3: Spiced Chamomile Chai (Indian Style)

A caffeine-free evening alternative to masala chai — same ritual, same warmth, none of the sleep disruption.

You'll need:

• 1.5 tsp loose-leaf chamomile or 1 tea bag
• 2 green cardamom pods (elaichi), lightly crushed
• 1 small cinnamon stick (dalchini)
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger
• 200 ml water at 90–95°C
• 50 ml toned milk or oat milk, warmed
• 1 tsp jaggery

Method:

1. Add cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger to the water and let it steep for 2 minutes before it fully cools — they need slightly more time than chamomile.
2. Add chamomile to the spiced water. Cover and steep for 5–6 minutes more.
3. Strain into a cup. Add warm milk and jaggery. Stir well.

Why it works: Cardamom and chamomile share similar floral top notes — they amplify rather than compete. Ginger adds gentle heat without sharpness. Our Chamomile Rose Moringa (CamRoMo) brews particularly well in this recipe — the rose adds a second floral layer that deepens the spice profile beautifully.

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Recipe 4: Chamomile Mint Tea

A cooling, digestive-friendly brew that works especially well after meals.

You'll need:

• 1.5 tsp loose-leaf chamomile or 1 chamomile tea bag
• ½ tsp dried mint or 6–8 fresh mint leaves, lightly bruised
• 240 ml water at 90–95°C
• 1 tsp honey, optional
• Slice of lemon, optional

Method:

1. Combine chamomile and dried mint in an infuser (or place fresh mint leaves directly in the cup alongside a tea bag).
2. Pour hot water over both. Cover immediately.
3. Steep for exactly 5 minutes — mint turns bitter faster than chamomile, so don't push past this.
4. Strain, sweeten if desired, add lemon.

Ratio rule: Start with ½ tsp dried mint per cup — not 1 tsp. Mint is far more potent than it looks and will overpower chamomile's delicate flavor if over-measured.

→ How to Make Chamomile Mint Tea at Home.

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Recipe 5: Chamomile Cold Brew

Zero effort, maximum flavor. The cold brew method extracts chamomile's natural sweetness while softening any earthy undertones — it produces the gentlest, most floral version of chamomile tea you can make.

You'll need:

• 2 tsp loose-leaf chamomile or 2 chamomile tea bags
• 500 ml room-temperature filtered water
• Optional: 4–5 fresh mint leaves, a slice of lemon, or a few dried rose petals

Method:

1. Combine chamomile (and any optional additions) with the water in a covered jar or jug.
2. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours — overnight is ideal.
3. Strain and serve over ice. Sweeten with honey or a few drops of rose water if desired.

Summer note: This recipe is particularly well suited to Indian summers. Serve in a tall glass with ice and a sprig of fresh mint — it's as refreshing as it is calming. Browse our Iced Teas collection for ready-made cold brew-friendly chamomile blends.

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Quick Brewing Reference Chart

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Five Recipes. One Herb. Every Occasion.

Chamomile is one of the most versatile herbs in any tea collection — and these five chamomile tea recipes prove it. From a two-minute evening latte to an overnight cold brew, the method you choose shapes the flavor as much as the flower itself does.

Start with Recipe 1 if you're new to chamomile. Move through the others as your preference develops. Our Chamomile Rose Moringa (CamRoMo) was designed to work across all five — try it and see which version becomes your staple. Explore more options in our Wellness Teas and Herbal Teas collections.

For the full science behind what chamomile does for your body beyond the cup, start here → The Ultimate Guide to Chamomile Tea: 10 Science-Backed Benefits. If you're pregnant and wondering which recipes are safe, read this before brewing → Is Chamomile Tea Safe While Pregnant?.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make chamomile tea from scratch?

Use 1.5–2 tsp of dried chamomile flowers per 240 ml cup. Pour water heated to 90–95°C over the flowers, cover with a saucer, and steep for 5–6 minutes. Strain and drink as is, or add honey or jaggery to taste. Never use boiling water directly — it scorches the delicate floral compounds and flattens the flavor.

How long should you steep chamomile tea?

Five to six minutes is the ideal steeping time for chamomile. Less than four minutes produces a watery, under-flavoured brew. Beyond seven minutes, secondary bitter compounds begin to release and the flavour turns flat and grassy. Always remove loose-leaf chamomile or the tea bag promptly at the five-to-six-minute mark.

Can you make chamomile tea with cold water?

Yes — cold brewing works very well with chamomile. Use double the quantity of chamomile (2 tsp per 240 ml), combine with room-temperature filtered water, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Cold brewing extracts the natural sweetness and floral notes of chamomile without any bitterness, producing the gentlest version of the flavour.

Is loose-leaf or tea bag better for chamomile tea recipes?

Loose-leaf chamomile consistently produces a fuller, more aromatic cup because whole or partially whole flower heads hold more of the volatile essential oils that carry the flavour. Tea bags often contain finely milled flower dust with less aromatic complexity. That said, a good-quality chamomile tea bag will still produce a pleasant result — particularly for the basic hot brew recipe.