How to Make Chamomile Tea: Steep Time, Taste, and Tips for a Better Cup
A good cup of chamomile tea is mostly a matter of technique. The flowers are gentle and forgiving, but a few small choices, the water temperature, how long you steep, and how much chamomile you use, make the difference between a pale, watery cup and a fragrant, softly sweet one. This guide covers how to brew chamomile from dried or fresh flowers, what it tastes like, and how to coax the best flavour out of it.
Chamomile is a caffeine-free herbal tea, so you can drink it at any time of day, though many people reach for it in the evening. If the calming side is what draws you, our guide to chamomile tea for anxiety, stress, and calm goes into that in depth. Here we are focused on the cup itself.
What Does Chamomile Tea Taste Like?
Chamomile has a mild, gentle flavour with a soft floral sweetness and a distinct apple-like note. That apple character is no accident; the name chamomile comes from Greek words meaning "earth apple." Alongside the sweetness there is a light, hay-like, earthy quality that gives the cup a little more depth than a simple floral tea.
Because the flavour is delicate, chamomile is easy to drink on its own and takes well to a touch of honey or a squeeze of lemon. It is naturally free of the astringency and bitterness of black or green tea, unless it is over-steeped, which is the one thing that can turn it bitter.
How to Make Chamomile Tea, Step by Step
For a single cup, use about one to two teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers, or one heaped tablespoon for a fuller, more aromatic cup. Bring fresh water to just off the boil, around 93°C, and pour it over the flowers. Cover the cup or pot while it steeps; chamomile's aroma is carried by volatile oils, and covering it keeps those flavours in the cup rather than letting them escape with the steam.
Steep for about five minutes for a gentle, sweet cup. If you like it stronger, you can go up to ten minutes, but be aware that longer steeping draws out more of the bitter compounds, so there is a point of diminishing returns. Strain out the flowers, and it is ready. Whether you use a teapot, an infuser, or simply let the flowers float and strain at the end, the method is the same.
Loose-Leaf Flowers vs Tea Bags
Whole loose flowers generally make a better cup than tea bags. Tea bags often contain crushed or powdered chamomile, which loses aroma faster and can taste flatter, whereas whole dried flowers hold their volatile oils until you brew them. Loose flowers also let you see exactly what you are drinking, which matters for quality.
The small trade-off is convenience, since loose flowers need an infuser or a strainer. It is a minor one. A simple mesh infuser or a teapot with a built-in strainer is all it takes. Our farm-dried Organic chamomile is sold as whole flowers for exactly this reason.
Fresh vs Dried Chamomile
You can brew chamomile from fresh flowers as well as dried. Because fresh flowers hold water, you need more of them, roughly three times as much fresh as you would use dried, to get a comparable strength. Give fresh flowers a gentle rinse first, then steep them the same way.
Dried flowers are the everyday standard because they store well and their flavour is concentrated and consistent through the year. Fresh chamomile is a lovely seasonal treat if you grow your own. If you would like to, our guide to growing chamomile covers everything from seed to harvest.
Ways to Make Chamomile Tea Taste Better
Chamomile takes well to gentle additions. A little honey rounds out its natural sweetness, and a slice of lemon brightens it and lifts the floral notes. Both are classic for a reason. A small piece of fresh ginger or a few mint leaves can add warmth or freshness without overpowering the chamomile.
Chamomile also blends beautifully with other calming herbs. It pairs naturally with lavender or lemon balm, and it is a common base in bedtime blends. If a restful evening cup is what you are after, see our guide to a sleepy time tea. The main thing is to keep additions light so the chamomile still leads.
How Much Chamomile Tea Is Too Much?
For most people, a few cups of chamomile tea a day is perfectly reasonable, and it is a gentle enough herb to enjoy daily. As with anything, moderation is sensible, and very strong or very frequent brews are more than most people need.
A note on safety: chamomile is in the daisy family, so anyone allergic to ragweed, daisies, or related plants should be cautious, and those who are pregnant or nursing or taking medication such as blood thinners should check with a healthcare provider before drinking it regularly. Enjoyed sensibly, chamomile is one of the gentlest teas there is.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you steep chamomile tea?
About five minutes makes a gentle, sweet cup. You can steep up to ten minutes for a stronger brew, but longer than that tends to draw out bitterness. Keep the cup covered while it steeps to hold in the aroma.
What temperature should the water be for chamomile tea?
Use water just off the boil, around 93°C. It should be hot enough to extract the flavour from the flowers without needing to be at a full rolling boil.
How much chamomile do you use per cup?
Use one to two teaspoons of dried flowers for a standard cup, or a heaped tablespoon for a fuller one. If using fresh flowers, use about three times as much.
Does chamomile tea have caffeine?
No. Chamomile is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea, which is why it is a popular choice in the evening.
Why is my chamomile tea bitter?
Bitterness usually comes from over-steeping. Chamomile is mild and sweet when steeped for about five minutes; leaving it much longer pulls out bitter compounds. Steep for less time or use slightly cooler water.
Can you make chamomile tea from fresh flowers?
Yes. Rinse the fresh flowers, use about three times the amount you would use dried, and steep as usual. Fresh chamomile makes a lovely seasonal cup if you grow your own.
Want to learn more? Check out our other guides on chamomile:
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