Chamomile Tea: Health Benefits And How To Brew Properly

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How to Make Chamomile Tea Properly

By Jee Choe

Updated Apr 09, 2025

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Chamomile tea is a popular caffeine-free drink made from dried chamomile flowers. See how to make chamomile tea properly, step-by-step, from a certified Tea Sommelier.

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Table of Contents

• Chamomile Tea
• Note from Jee
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Tea Sommelier’s Tips
• Related
• Chamomile Tea Recipe

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is an herbal drink made by steeping dried chamomile flowers in water. It can be made both hot and iced. It’s naturally caffeine-free.

Chamomile is a flowering plant with white petals and a mustard-yellow center that looks like a daisy. There are a few varieties of chamomile and only two types are used for tea, the German chamomile and Roman Chamomile.

There are two ways to pronounce chamomile and both are correct. The “h” is silent so it’s pronounced as either KAM-MAH-MEEL or KAM-MUH-MILE.

Note from Jee

Chamomile tea has a slightly earthy taste with floral and apple notes. If it’s steeped for too long it has a medicinal taste that I’m not a fan of.

I like to steep herbals in a glass teapot or a French press so I can see the pretty herbals in the water. For other types of tea, I stick with ceramic teapots, which retain heat better. Herbals aren’t as fickle to brew, so I stick with the glass teapots.

RELATED: Chamomile Tea Latte

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil water. Boiling water for tea is easy when you use an electric kettle with temperature setting. Boil extra water to warm the teapot.

Step 2: Warm up the teapot. Pour some hot water into the teapot and swirl it around a bit. Discard the water.

All tea professionals make sure to warm the teapot before the steep so that the water stays nice and hot.

Step 3: Put chamomile tea into the teapot and add hot water. Cover teapot and steep. Keep the teapot covered while tea is steeping to make sure the water temperature stays consistent.

Step 4: Strain chamomile solids and pour hot tea into a teacup.

My Chamomile Pick

Photo Credit: Harney.com

Flavorful Egyptian chamomile flowers from Egypt. BUY ON HARNEY.COM

Tea Sommelier’s Tips

Loose tea is higher quality tea.The more intact the chamomile flowers, the higher the quality, so go for loose tea. If you open up chamomile tea in tea bags, you’ll find crushed tiny bits of chamomile flowers which makes a lower quality tea.

Use good quality water.I recommend using filtered water for a better tasting tea.

Chamomile tea can be steeped for a long time.Herbal teas like chamomile can be steeped for a long time without getting bitter at all. For a medicinal-quality chamomile, steep it for longer. (An herbalist will steep for 30-45 minutes on the stovetop, with the heat on low.)

Store it properly.Chamomile tea can be brewed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered or airtight glass container or pitcher.

Related

• Chamomile & Peach Iced Tea
• Rooibos Tea
• Peppermint Tea
• Chrysanthemum Tea
• Tips To Make A Better Cup Of Tea

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Chamomile Tea

By: Jee Choe How to make chamomile tea properly. Prep Time: 2 minutes minutesTotal Time: 7 minutes minutesYield: 1 serving

Ingredients 1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup water, + more to warm teapot
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chamomile tea

Instructions

• Boil water.If using an electric kettle with temperature setting, set it to 208°F. Boil a little more water than needed so that it can be used to warm up the teapot. Filtered water is best.
• Warm up teapot.Pour hot water into a teapot halfway and swirl it around a bit. Discard the water.Warming up the teapot is an extra step that all tea professionals take the time to do, so that when the tea steeps, the water temperature won't drop drastically.
• Put chamomile tea into the teapot and add hot water. Cover teapot and steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain chamomile flowers and pour hot tea into a teacup.

Notes

• The more intact the chamomile flowers, the higher the quality, so go for loose tea. If you open up chamomile tea in tea bags, you’ll find crushed tiny bits of chamomile flowers which makes a lower quality tea.
• Keep the teapot covered while tea is steeping to make sure the water temperature stays consistent.
• Use a glass teapot or a glass French press to make herbal tea so you can see the pretty herbals in water.
• Herbal teas like chamomile can be steeped for a long time without getting bitter at all. For a medicinal-quality chamomile, steep it for longer. (An herbalist will steep for 30-45 minutes on the stovetop, with the heat on low.)
• Chamomile tea can be brewed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered or airtight glass container or pitcher.

Nutrition

Calories: 1Carbohydrates: 1gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 5mgCalcium: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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