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    Home » Drinks » Turkish Apple Tea (Elma Cayi)

    Published: Dec 25, 2011 · Modified: May 24, 2025 by Zerrin & Yusuf

    Turkish Apple Tea (Elma Cayi)

    Jump to Recipe

    Today we will show you how to make Turkish Apple Tea. What we love most about this recipe is that you can use fresh or dried apples. All you need then are some cinnamon, cloves, lemon, and honey. This hearty tea is easy to make and perfect for kids too during cold autumn and winter months.

    Apple tea in a glass mug, apples, lemon slice and honey behind it.
    Jump to:
    • What Is Turkish Apple Tea?
    • Where To Buy, Famous Brands
    • Turkish Black Tea vs Apple Tea
    • About The Ingredients
    • How To Make This Tea
    • Serving
    • Variations
    • Storing
    • Is Apple Tea Good For You?
    • FAQs
    • More Turkish Hot Drinks
    • 📖 Recipe

    What Is Turkish Apple Tea?

    Turkish apple tea, also called "Elma Cayi," is a popular Turkish drink among tourists. It has recently been released on the international market and is sold in the form of instant powder and granules. You simply mix them with some hot water, and you have your tea!

    While Turks don’t drink it as often, this form of apple tea has become a thing among non-Turkish people visiting Turkey.

    Unfortunately, none of the ingredients listed in these products contains apples. They include things like sugar, a pinch of citric acid, citrate, food extract, and added vitamin C.

    So, new products came out that contain small pieces of dried apples in tea bags. They are easy to use and have a much better, more authentic, apple flavor. And it's a lot more natural!

    Another way this tea is often made in Turkey (in an authentic way) is by combining dried or fresh apple pieces, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and a little bit of lemon. Tourists aren’t as familiar with this version as the one mentioned above.

    Hands holding a cup of warm apple tea, apples and honey on the side.

    Where To Buy, Famous Brands

    There are a couple of forms you can buy apple tea from Turkey. The first is in a powdered form. It’s as simple as adding water and mixing it well. You can also drink it hot or cold.

    Most famous brands are HazerBaba and Turko Baba. You can easily find both of them online markets like Amazon.

    Then, you can also buy apple tea bags on Amazon. And the most famous brand is Dogadan. They are easy to use and you just have to place one bag in your mug and then fill it up with hot water. 

    And finally, you can buy dried apples from the online shop called Grand Turkish Bazaar! And, they are sold in many different sizes too!

    Turkish Black Tea vs Apple Tea

    These two teas are like day and night. First of all, Turkish black tea is a combination of black tea leaves and water. Apple infusion, as you will see, is made from real apples with spices.

    Black tea is very rich, contains caffeine, has a very earthy and strong flavor. On the other hand, Turkish apple tea tastes fruity (with apple flavors), sweeter, tangier and doesn't contain any caffeine.

    A collage of two pictures showing the ingredients of apple tea and how to slice apples.

    About The Ingredients

    Apple: For this hot cinnamon apple tea, you can use either fresh or dried apples. And, you can decide whether or not you want to peel them. We prefer leaving their peel on as they give the apple flavour better.

    If you choose a tangy type of apple varietals, you can leave the lemon out of the recipe. However, you can still add it to give the tea an extra tang.

    Cinnamon sticks: They pair exceptionally well with apple and helps give the tea a warm undertone. Not to mention that cinnamon is great for fighting flu symptoms too!

    Whole cloves: They pair well with cinnamon and only further adds to the hearty, warm flavor profile.

    Lemon slice (zest on): This is an optional add-in but adds a nice tangy flavor. Use either a lemon slice or lemon zest. 

    Honey: It is completely optional for this recipe and you can use other sweeteners as well. They can include anything from granulated sugar, sugar cubes, plant-based syrups (maple syrup or date syrup), and of course, artificial sweeteners (like Xylitol).

    The honey in this recipe is a sweetener and shouldn’t be cooked with the ingredients. It ruins the flavor and consistency. That’s why you should stir it into the hot tea after it has been removed from the heat.

    How To Make This Tea

    A collage of two pictures showing how to cook the apples and spices to make apple tea.
    1. Bring the ingredients to a boil. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the honey, in a saucepan. Bring them to a boil over medium heat.
    2. Simmer the tea. Once the tea starts boiling, reduce the heat. Leave it to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    Honey is being added into the apple tea in a glass teapot.
    1. Strain and serve the tea. Once the tea has simmered, strain it directly into a teapot, gently pressing on the apples to extract as much juice as you can.
    2. Add a little bit of honey to the tea to sweeten it before serving it hot in cups or glasses.

    Serving

    This cinnamon apple tea can be served strained or not - it's entirely up to you. Just keep in mind that if you don't strain it, the flavor will continue to intensify. Some people don't like strong tea, especially the more bitter flavors that form after a while.

    Apple tea is being poured into a glass cup from a glass teapot.

    But you know what you prefer and there isn't a wrong way when it comes to straining this tea.

    No matter what you choose, it’s best to serve these in tea glasses or mugs.

    You can serve it with extra honey on the side, so one can add more honey if they want.

    Variations

    There are a couple of variations you can try for this recipe.

    Mix it with black tea or green tea: You can place a bag of black tea or green tea in your cup and then pour apple tea in it. Let it sit for a few minutes and enjoy it.

    With more fruit: You can add more apple pieces to the recipe and even incorporate some other fruits like pears or pineapples.

    Turn it into an iced tea: Once it completely cools, strain the apple tea into a jar and keep it in the fridge for a few hours. You can serve it with lots of ice and extra apple pieces.

    Storing

    Any leftover apple tea can be strained directly into an airtight glass jar. Keep the Turkish apple tea in the fridge for a couple of days.

    When you are ready to drink it again simply reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat.

    Apple tea in a glass cup, a cinnamon stick on the side.

    Is Apple Tea Good For You?

    Apple tea is extremely healthy as long as it is made with real fresh or dried apple pieces. As it is a caffein-free tea, you can have it at any time of the day.

    Just like rosehip tea, it is a great beverage during cold winter months or to help fight flu symptoms. 

    Apples contain vitamins and antioxidants. So is natural apple tea. It is packed with vitamins and minerals that can offer your body many benefits. It might help you build strong bones, maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It also helps digestion and weight loss.

    On the other hand, it is hard to say for the instant powder or granule forms of this tea. They contain lots of sugar. 

    If you are after a healthy tea and a natural flavor, go for real apples!

    FAQs

    Does Turkish apple tea contain tea?

    This isn’t a traditional herbal tea like most people know about. Instead, it’s a fruit tea made with apples. So the short answer is, no. It doesn’t contain any tea leaves. But it is still a type of tea.

    Does apple tea help lose weight?

    Drinking any warm beverage can help your body burn more calories. Essentially what happens is that your body works overtime to help regulate its internal temperature. In that way, yes. You can technically lose weight by drinking apple tea. It won't do all of the work, but it will certainly help.

    Can I drink apple tea every day?

    This is a very healthy tea to drink every day. It's low in calories and as long as you control your sugar intake, it's perfectly fine.

    More Turkish Hot Drinks

    • Turkish Coffee
    • Rose Hip Tea
    • Black Turkish Tea
    • Salep

    As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!

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    📖 Recipe

    Apple tea in a glass mug, a slice of apple inside it, a lemon slice and cinnamon stick on the side.
    5 from 3 votes

    Turkish Apple Tea (Elma Cayi)

    By Zerrin & Yusuf
    Turkish apple tea made with fresh apples flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest. A perfect healthy drink during winter months.
    Yields: 4 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    PREP 5 minutes mins
    COOK 15 minutes mins
    TOTAL 20 minutes mins

    INGREDIENTS
      

    • 3 medium apples peel on, sliced (or ¼ cup dried apples)
    • 2 sticks cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon cloves
    • 1 slice lemon skin on, optional
    • 5 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon honey optional

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Put everything except honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. 
    • Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    • Strain the tea into a teapot, gently pressing on apples to get all the juice from them.
    • Add in honey if you want to sweeten it a bit.
    • Serve hot in glasses or cups.

    NOTES

    1. If you use tangy apples, you can leave the lemon out. But use it if you want an extra tang.
    2. Don’t put honey in the saucepan when cooking the tea. Honey shouldn’t be cooked like this. You can only add it in the hot tea when it is removed from the heat.
    3. You can keep the leftovers, strained in an airtight jar in the fridge for a few days. Reheat when you are ready to drink.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 17mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 4gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 0.4mg

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

    ADDITIONAL INFO

    Course Drink
    Cuisine Turkish
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Hoor says

      December 31, 2022 at 8:56 am

      5 stars
      I tried it nd my family loves it a lot I read tis frm a Pakistani novel "Jannat ke pattay" nd I searched it here nd made this tasty tea Thanks for recipe
      From India

      Reply
    2. Grace says

      June 24, 2022 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      This is so delicious and I love that it has all natural sugars! It taste like Teavana and it has so many benefits! I've made this tea three times now it's the best homemade tea I've ever made!

      Reply
      • Zerrin & Yusuf says

        June 25, 2022 at 12:50 am

        Hi Grace!

        So happy to hear this. We love that it is naturally sweetened too. During summer months, we sometimes chill it in the fridge after it completely cools down. It makes a great alternative to store-bought ice tea.

        Reply
    3. Matthew Johnstone says

      December 10, 2021 at 12:08 am

      5 stars
      This simple tea recipe is really good! It's not caffinated or complicated in flavour like most tea's. It was a delicious palette cleanser after a lamb casserole and creamy cucumber salad.

      Reply
      • Zerrin & Yusuf says

        December 10, 2021 at 4:11 am

        Hi Matthew,
        So glad you liked our apple tea recipe. It is really simple and tasty right? Can also be made with fresh apples. Perfect for kids too! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    4. Corina says

      January 01, 2012 at 4:44 pm

      This sounds like a lovely warming alternative to tea or coffee. Happy New Year.

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        January 02, 2012 at 12:12 am

        Thank you! Happy new year to you too!

        Reply
    5. Lauren says

      December 29, 2011 at 9:24 pm

      This looks wonderfully festive, but not so sweet and sickly - perfect for me who has over indulged slightly 🙂

      Reply
    6. Peggy says

      December 27, 2011 at 4:40 pm

      This sounds extremely delicious =)

      Reply
    7. dokuzuncubulut says

      December 26, 2011 at 10:18 am

      Evin içi mis gibi kokmuştur pişerken, bayılırım o güzel kokuya:)) Ben bu çayı taze elma ile yaparım ama, aromasının kurutulmuş elma ile çok daha yoğun olacağını düşünüyorum. Ellerinize sağlık olsun...
      (Nazik sözlerin için de ayrıca teşekkür ederim)
      Sevgiler:))

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        December 27, 2011 at 11:57 am

        Taze elmayla yapmak hiç aklıma gelmedi. Ara sıra elmakabuğu kaynatırım ama elmanın kendisini hiç denemedim. Eminim o da güzel oluyordur.

        Reply
    8. Liz says

      December 26, 2011 at 12:57 am

      I love all things apple, so this compote sounds wonderful...especially on this chilly evening! Beautiful photos, too~

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        December 27, 2011 at 11:55 am

        Thank you Liz! It is absolutely great on chilly days when served hot. You can also serve it cold or with ice in summer.

        Reply
        • Daina Dreifelde says

          July 01, 2020 at 10:54 am

          Thank you for saying that. I'm trying it for the first time and if it works, I'm making it for my husband's 70th birthday.

    9. sare says

      December 25, 2011 at 11:45 pm

      I love dried fruits. Their tastes bring me the smell of summer sun. See you again.

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        December 27, 2011 at 11:53 am

        Sare, how well you described the feeling we have when eating dried fruits! And they are absolutely more flavorful, aren't they?

        Reply

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    Zerrin & Yusuf

    Meet Zerrin and Yusuf Gunaydin: The couple behind this blog. We bring Turkish food into your kitchen! From kebabs to desserts, everything you crave is here.

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    Zerrin & Yusuf

    Meet Zerrin and Yusuf Gunaydin: The couple behind this blog. We bring Turkish food into your kitchen! From kebabs to desserts, everything you crave is here.

    More about us→

    POPULAR RECIPES

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