Dandelion Tea Recipe: A Simple Brew From Fresh Spring Flowers

There’s usually a warm day sometime in April or May when I look out at the yard full of dandelions and think — it’s time. Not to wage war, but to pick a bowlful and make something. Dandelion tea is one of the first things I reach for, mostly because I’m ready for iced tea and the flowers are right there.

It’s a simple, lightly sweet tea made from the fresh petals. Mild enough to drink plain, good enough to sweeten with a little honey. Best made with fresh flowers while the spring flush is on, which makes it a true seasonal thing — here for a few weeks and then gone until next year.

Health Benefits of Dandelion Tea

You might be asking just what is dandelion tea good for? Dandelion is a nourishing spring tonic. The plant itself is full of vitamins and minerals that nourish and refresh our bodies.

The flowers have a slightly bitter quality that stimulates digestion making it ideal for soothing upset stomachs or overly full bellies.

Dandelion is also a diuretic meaning it helps flush the liver and kidneys. This can help detoxify the body slightly.

How to Make Dandelion Tea

For the most flavorful drink, use just the petals of the dandelion flower.

The green bits of the flower head are not poisonous by any means just bitter and less palatable overall.

This means cutting the entire head from the plant. Bring those flower heads inside and cut or pull the petals from the green base.

Be sure to rinse those petals in cool water to remove any dirt or insects.

You want about 1/2 cup, loosely packed, of dandelion petals for every cup of dandelion tea.

Place your petals into a tea ball and put in a heat proof cup.

Pour 8 ounces of boiling water over the tea ball and let steep for about 10 minutes. Sweeten, if desired and enjoy.

Make a large batch by infusing 2 cups of dandelion petals in a quart of boiling water. Let steep about 20 minutes and strain.

Refrigerate the dandelion tea and drink as desired. Use up within 3 days.

The larger batch method is a great way to have it on hand daily without having to harvest and clean petals each day.

Dandelion petals are notoriously hard to dry. They often go to seed before actually drying. Those dried bits tend to be on the bitter side. It is for these reasons that dandelion flower tea should be made with fresh flowers only.

Mild Flavor

Dandelion flower tea has a mild, lightly sweet flavor. You can add honey, sugar, stevia, maple syrup, etc. to sweeten it as desired.

Dandelion root infused honey is a great way to sweeten the tea and increase some of the health benefits.

For added flavor add some lemon or lime juice or zest.

Add other herbs for flavor and additional healing qualities. Simply steep some fresh or dried herb leaves with the dandelion petals.

Consider adding mint or chamomile for more digestive benefits.

Raspberry leaf will add a slight berry flavor and is great for PMS and uterine health.

Anise Hyssop will provide some black licorice / anise flavoring while also helping with mucus and coughs.

Lemon balm provides some citrus flavor alongside some herbal stress relief.

There’s absolutely no reason why you couldn’t make a mixed tea by using some green or black tea alongside the dandelion for a bit of caffeine in your cup.

Truly the herb and flavor combinations are endless, use your favorites.

Want to make your dandelion tea hot toddy style? Add a shot of dandelion infused brandy.