How to Make Raspberry Leaf Tea: The Ratio, the Steep, and the Taste

By Suhail Rivera, JD, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

Raspberry leaf tea is made from the leaf of the raspberry plant, not the berry, and it does not taste like fruit at all. It brews into something closer to a light black tea without the caffeine: green, faintly grassy, slightly astringent. It is one of the simplest teas to make well, and one of the easiest to make badly by over steeping it. Here is the ratio, the timing, the taste, and how to serve it cold.

What you need

One teaspoon of dried cut and sifted raspberry leaf per eight ounces of water. That is the working ratio, and it scales cleanly: a quart of water takes about four teaspoons. You need boiling water, something to steep in, and a strainer. A glass infuser makes it easier to see the color develop, which is the honest way to judge when it is done.

How to make raspberry leaf tea

Bring the water to a full boil and take it off the heat. Pour it over the leaf, cover the cup or pot, and steep for five to ten minutes. Strain and drink. Covering matters more than people expect, because the aromatic compounds leave with the steam if you let them.

Five minutes gives a pale, light cup. Ten gives a deeper amber one with more grip on the tongue. Past fifteen minutes it turns properly bitter and tannic, and no amount of lemon will bring it back. If you want it stronger, add more leaf rather than more time. That single rule fixes most disappointing cups of herbal tea.

What does raspberry leaf tea taste like?

Green and leafy, with a dry, tea like finish. The comparison people land on most often is unsweetened black tea, because raspberry leaf carries tannins the way tea leaves do, and tannins are what make your mouth feel dry after a sip. There is no berry flavor and no sweetness. If you are expecting raspberry, you will be surprised; if you are expecting tea, you will feel right at home.

It takes well to a squeeze of lemon, a little honey, or a few mint leaves. Blending it with hibiscus flowers is a common move, since hibiscus brings the tartness and the red color that the leaf itself does not have.

Iced raspberry leaf tea

Brew it double strength, two teaspoons per eight ounces, steep the usual five to ten minutes, then pour it straight over a full glass of ice. The melt dilutes it back to normal. Making it at regular strength and chilling it gives you a watery drink, which is the most common iced tea mistake there is.

It also cold brews. Four teaspoons of leaf in a quart jar of cold water, refrigerated overnight, then strained, gives a smoother and noticeably less astringent result, because cold water pulls fewer tannins than boiling water does.

Raspberry leaf and red raspberry leaf: the same thing

You will see both names, and they refer to the same plant, Rubus idaeus. "Red raspberry leaf" is simply the fuller name of the species, and it is the phrasing more common in the United States. If a recipe calls for one and your bag says the other, you have the right ingredient. We wrote more about the naming and what to look for in red raspberry leaf versus raspberry leaf.

Where to get the leaf

We sell raspberry leaves, 4 oz, cut and sifted, one ingredient and nothing added, for tea. Cut and sifted means the leaf is broken into small pieces rather than powdered, which is what you want for steeping, since powder slips through most strainers. It is called hojas de frambuesa in Spanish. Whether you follow an alkaline lifestyle or just want a caffeine free cup in the evening, it is an easy herb to keep on the shelf.

Who should skip it

• If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, talk to your midwife or doctor before drinking raspberry leaf tea. It has a long traditional association with pregnancy, the research on it is thin and mixed, and this is not a decision to make from a blog post.
• If you are nursing, taking any medication, or managing a health condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist first.
• If you are sensitive to tannins or find black tea hard on your stomach, start with a short steep or try the cold brew, which is gentler.

Suhail Rivera, JD, is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop. She has spent years sourcing, handling, and selling the herbs she writes about, working directly with growers and third party testing labs. She holds a Juris Doctor. She is not a medical professional, and her articles are for general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any herb, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition. Read more about her and the store on the About page.