How to Make Lavender Tea

To make lavender tea, steep 1 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender buds in 250 ml (1 cup) of just-boiled water for 5 to 7 minutes, with the cup covered. Strain, sweeten with a little honey if you like, and sip slowly. That is all it takes to brew one of the most calming cups in the world: lavender's linalool and linalyl acetate calm the nervous system, and in a clinical trial, lavender tea twice a day reduced anxiety and low mood.* [1] [2]

The details matter, though. Too much lavender or too long a steep and your tea tastes like soap. Here is the method that gets it right every time, plus five delicious variations.

What You Need

•             1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds (Lavandula angustifolia), or 1 tablespoon fresh buds

•             250 ml (1 cup) fresh water

•             A cup with a lid or saucer

•             A strainer or tea infuser

•             Optional: honey, lemon, or a few mint leaves

Use culinary lavender only. Choose English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) sold for cooking or tea. Avoid florist or garden lavender that may have been sprayed, and never add lavender essential oil to tea. Essential oils are highly concentrated and not meant to be swallowed.

Step by Step: How to Make Lavender Tea

1.          Boil fresh water and let it rest for about 30 seconds, so it is just off the boil (about 95°C / 200°F).

2.          Add 1 teaspoon of dried lavender buds to your infuser or cup.

3.          Pour the water over the buds and immediately cover the cup. Lavender's calming oils are volatile: leave the cup open and they float away in the steam.

4.          Steep for 5 minutes. Taste. For a stronger cup, go to 7 minutes, but no longer.

5.          Strain, lift the lid, breathe in the floral steam, and sip.

The One Mistake Everyone Makes

Using too much lavender, or steeping it too long. Lavender is powerful. Past about 7 minutes, or with more than a teaspoon per cup, its oils turn bitter and soapy. Start small. You can always add more next time.

Why covering matters: lavender's main calming compounds, linalool and linalyl acetate, are part of its aromatic oil. [1] Covering the cup keeps them in your tea, and the burst of fragrance when you lift the lid is part of the calming effect: lavender works through scent as well as sip.* [1]

How to Make Lavender Tea From Fresh Lavender

Use about 1 tablespoon of fresh buds per cup, roughly three times the dried amount, because fresh flowers hold more water. Rinse gently, strip the buds from the stems, and steep covered for 5 to 7 minutes. Fresh lavender gives a lighter, greener flavour; dried is sweeter and more intense. Harvest from unsprayed English lavender only.

Five Calming Lavender Tea Variations

1. Lavender Honey Tea

Brew as above and stir in a teaspoon of raw honey once the tea cools slightly. Honey softens lavender's floral edge and turns it into a comforting bedtime cup.

2. Lavender Chamomile Tea

Combine 1 teaspoon dried chamomile with ½ teaspoon lavender. Two of the most researched calming flowers in one cup: in a clinical trial, both teas reduced anxiety and depression.* [3] Full recipe in Chamomile and Lavender Tea.

3. Lavender Latte

Steep 1 teaspoon lavender in 120 ml of water for 7 minutes. Strain, add honey, and top with 120 ml of frothed warm milk (oat milk is lovely). A café treat with no caffeine.

4. Iced Lavender Lemonade

Brew 2 teaspoons of lavender in 250 ml of water for 7 minutes. Strain, chill, and mix with the juice of one lemon, a little honey and cold water or sparkling water over ice. It turns a pretty pink-lilac when the lemon hits.

5. Lavender Mint Tea

Add a few fresh peppermint or spearmint leaves to your lavender. Mint's menthol adds a cool lift and settles the stomach.*

The Easiest Lavender Tea: Quiet Mind

Want lavender tea already perfectly balanced? Quiet Mind Tea blends lavender with a smooth, caffeine-free rooibos base, rose petals, rosehip, elderberry and blueberry, naturally sweetened with organic stevia leaf. The rooibos rounds out lavender so it never turns soapy, and the berries add a gentle fruity sweetness.

To brew Quiet Mind: 1 teaspoon per 250 ml of just-boiled water, covered, 5 to 7 minutes. Learn more on our lavender ingredient page and in Quiet Mind Tea: Your Questions Answered.

What Lavender Tea Does for You

Lavender tea is one of the most researched calming drinks you can make at home.*

•             Eases anxiety: older adults who drank lavender tea twice daily had significantly lower anxiety and depression scores.* [2]

•             Calms a racing mind: linalool acts on the nervous system to promote relaxation.* [1]

•             Supports new mothers: lavender tea reduced fatigue and low mood in sleep-disturbed postnatal women.* [4]

For the full picture, see Tea for Stress Relief and Anxiety.

When to Drink Lavender Tea

Two cups a day is the rhythm used in clinical research: one in the late morning or afternoon, one in the evening. [2] Lavender is caffeine-free and does not make most people drowsy in the daytime, so it is perfect for stressful afternoons, and lovely 45 minutes before bed.

The Avodah Moment: Let the Lavender Rise

Avodah means devotion and service. Lavender has been gathered, dried and steeped by caregivers for centuries: grandmothers, healers, mothers soothing their families. Today, steep it for yourself.

Put the kettle on. Drop the buds into your cup and cover it. While it steeps, close your eyes and breathe slowly. Then lift the lid and let the fragrance rise to meet you. Wrap both hands around the warm cup. Your to-do list will still be there in five minutes. For now, just breathe and sip.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is where you fill yours.

Shop Quiet Mind Tea

Good to Know

Lavender tea is well tolerated. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take sedatives, or have a lavender allergy, check with your healthcare provider first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much lavender do you use for tea?

1 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender buds, or 1 tablespoon of fresh buds, per 250 ml cup.

How long should you steep lavender tea?

5 minutes, up to 7 for a stronger cup. Any longer and lavender turns bitter and soapy. Keep the cup covered.

Can I use any lavender for tea?

Use culinary English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) only. Avoid sprayed garden or florist lavender, and never add lavender essential oil to tea.

Why does my lavender tea taste like soap?

You used too much lavender or steeped it too long. Use 1 teaspoon per cup and steep no more than 7 minutes.

Can you make lavender tea with fresh lavender?

Yes. Use about 1 tablespoon of fresh, unsprayed buds per cup and steep covered for 5 to 7 minutes.

Is lavender tea good for anxiety?

Yes. In a randomized clinical trial, lavender tea twice a day reduced anxiety and depression scores.*

Does lavender tea have caffeine?

No. Lavender is naturally caffeine-free.

References

1.          Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:681304.

2.          Bazrafshan MR, Jokar M, Shokrpour N, Delam H. The effect of lavender herbal tea on the anxiety and depression of the elderly: a randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2020;50:102393.

3.          Comparison of the effectiveness of lavender and chamomile herbal tea on anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Women's Health Bulletin. 2022;9(3):172-180. https://womenshealthbulletin.sums.ac.ir/article_48656.html

4.          Chen SL, Chen CH. Effects of lavender tea on fatigue, depression, and maternal-infant attachment in sleep-disturbed postnatal women. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2015;12(6):370-379.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. Avodah teas are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition, speak with your healthcare provider before adding a new herbal tea to your routine.