Turkish Apple Tea (Elma Çayı)
A fragrant, naturally sweet Turkish-style apple tea made by steeping dried apple pieces with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Cozy, caffeine-free, and ready in about 20 minutes.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- About 4 cups (1 liter)
Steps
Before you start
- Use unsweetened dried apple pieces or rings; very sugary candied apples will make the tea cloying.
- Use whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, not ground, so the tea stays clear and is easy to strain.
- Have a fine-mesh strainer and heatproof glasses or mugs ready before you begin.
Combine the ingredients
- Add the 4½ cups (1065 ml) cold water, chopped dried apple, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 6 whole cloves to a 2-quart (2 L) saucepan.
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Ready when: All the apple pieces are submerged or floating in the water.
Tip: Starting with cold water extracts flavor more gently and evenly.
Bring to a boil
- Set the pan over medium-high heat, uncovered, and bring just to a boil, about 5 minutes.
- Watch it so it doesn't boil over.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break steadily across the surface and the water starts to turn pale gold.
Simmer gently
- Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- The apple pieces will soften and plump and the kitchen will smell of cinnamon and baked apple.
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Ready when: The liquid is a clear amber color and the apple pieces are soft and swollen.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil can make the cloves taste bitter.
Steep off the heat
- Turn off the heat, keep the pan covered, and let the tea steep for 10 minutes for a rounder, deeper flavor.
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Ready when: The tea is deep golden-amber and tastes lightly sweet and spiced.
Tip: Steep up to 15 minutes if you want a stronger clove and cinnamon flavor.
Strain and serve
- Pour the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into 4 heatproof glasses or mugs.
- Stir in sugar or honey to taste (about 1 teaspoon per cup), if using, and float a thin lemon slice in each glass.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: The tea is clear with no cloves or apple bits in the glass.
Tip: Taste before sweetening; dried apple often gives enough natural sweetness.
Good to know
Tips
- Use whole spices only; ground spices make the tea cloudy and gritty.
- Don't skip the covered steep; it gives the tea its full body.
- The leftover softened apple pieces are edible and tasty as a snack or stirred into oatmeal.
- Serve in small clear glasses for a traditional Turkish presentation.
Make ahead
Brew through step 4, strain, and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in a covered jar. Freezer: not recommended. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until steaming, or serve over ice.
Substitutions
- unsweetened dried apple → 1 fresh apple, thinly sliced, plus 1 extra minute of simmering. Flavor will be lighter and less concentrated than dried apple.
- granulated sugar or honey → honey or maple syrup. Stir in after straining once the tea has cooled slightly to preserve flavor.
- whole cloves → 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed. Gives a more floral, less pungent spice note.
- lemon → orange slices. Milder and sweeter citrus note.