DIRECTIONS on How to Dry Mint Leaves for Mint Tea! These DIY How to Make Mint Tea instructions shows how easy it is to dry mint leaves so you can make your own homemade peppermint tea. I store this dried mint tea for months so I can enjoy the health benefits year round!
How to Make Mint Tea
I start everyday with a cup of tea. Do you?
It can be warm or cold, it doesn’t really matter. Most green and black teas have enough caffeine for that morning boost. My morning always starts with a yawn. Then I waddle out of the bedroom with my comfiest bed shirt on and make myself a cup of tea.
I then continue to have a few cups of tea throughout the day. The kind of tea depends on the season and my mood. In Winter I might start with English Breakfast or Earl Grey. In the Spring it’s all about Green Jasmine. A nice spiced tea is great for autumn.
Homemade Mint Tea
But the Summer is dedicated to Mint tea. And drying mint is so easy!
Mint tea can be enjoyed throughout the day. It’s not uncommon for me to make a cup while I’m making dinner to start to calm down for the day. It’s also not uncommon for me to make a cup of this in the afternoon when it’s “go time” with work but I need to stay sane.
It has no caffeine but is naturally invigorating due to it’s flavor and natural “chill” from the menthol, making it perfect for a good start in the morning or an afternoon pick-me-up. This lack of caffeine also makes it perfect for an evening or pre-bedtime tea. It’s also great for after meals to aid digestion. It helps to sooth upset tummies and calm nausea as well. Mint tea also helps many pregnant women, especially helping with morning sickness during the first trimester (here’s my peppermint tea recipe).
It’s garden season so if you have a herb or vegetable garden chances are you might be growing mint. Mint is one of those plants that have a life of their own when it comes to growing all over.
It’s technically a weed, so it can easily take over entire gardens or yards if not contained. But it is easy to get plenty of it! It’s best to keep it in its own area or a container to prevent it from taking over, but it can be managed in a garden plot. If you plan on making a lot of tea just keep trimming and drying your expanding plant.
How to Dry Mint
I found 2 mint plants recently that somehow survived our brutal winter and were happily growing and getting ready for Summer. Mint is a hardy plant!
Is there anything sweeter then the smell of when you touch of your fingers on fresh mint? Mmmm. Mint can be easily dried to use for tea leaves. There’s really nothing to it.
Many people hang their mint to dry but I’m both inpatient and sometimes out of space. With this method below you’ll solve all that as your mint will be ready in 2-3 hours. It will also show you how to do so without burning it up, as sometimes happens if you rush it.
Have fun drying your mint and enjoy that next cup of tea! Make sure to serve with some tea sugar cookies!
How to Dry Mint Leaves
It’s as simple as spreading a layer of fresh mint on a cookie sheet. Here’s a before and after of drying mint.
Set the oven on a low enough temp and let it sit for 2-3 hours.
Crumble it up and store it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
How much dried mint for tea?
To make a single cup of mint tea, use a teaspoon of dried mint. Let steep for 3 minutes in hot water.
And now you know how to make peppermint tea! Enjoy!
Looking to dry more herbs? Here’s how to dry parsley in the microwave and here’s how to dry basil in the oven.
Looking for more tea recipes? Try my Cucumber Peppermint Tea, Earl Grey Tea Popsicles and Tomato Tea.
Looking for more mint recipes? Try my Cast Iron Chicken with Mint Chutney and Pea Shoots Pasta.
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How to Make Mint Tea
PrintIngredients
- Fresh Mint
Instructions
- Pick mint, clean if needed. If cleaning, make sure to dry mint completely, I like to let it sit overnight.
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees F.
- Place mint in one layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake mint for 2-3 hours. Check at the 2 hour mark to see if mint is completely dry. If not, check every 15 minutes.
- Once out of the oven take mint and crumble leaves into a container. Store in jar, preferably in a dry dark cabinet shelf.
- When using for tea, use one teaspoon of dried mint leaves and steep for 3 minutes in hot water.
Tina G. says
Do you cook for 3 hours or 3 minutes ? Prep time at the top says cooking time 3 minutes. In the instructions it says 3 hours. which is it ?
Pamela says
Hey Tina, sorry for the confusion, but the answer is both. 🙂 You put it in the oven for 2-3 hours to dry, and then you steep the mint for tea for 3 minutes. Hope this helps!
Belle says
Is this 170 degrees Celcius or Fahrenheit?
Pamela says
Hi Belle, it’s 170 degrees F.
Lynn Barresi says
I inherited a Japanese tea pot infuser from my mother-in-law. It’s beautiful just to look at. I’ve been growing chocolate mint for a couple of years and have never tried to use it. Your video inspired me to pick some, dry it and try out the pot. The tea infusion had a wonderful flavor. I loved the menthol flavor. Great for my summer allergies. Thanks!! 😊
Nancy says
i messed it up, i put the leaves in cool water and then boiled the water for 10 minutes, strained the leaves, then i thought that was the tea
Nashley says
Thanks for the oven drying tip! I used it and it worked well, however it only took an hour or so to dry. For a nice blend, I also dried & mixed in about 25% lemonbalm with my mint mixture (spearmint & chocolate mint). Absolutely my favorite herbal tea blend! I have my tea leaves stored in a sealed vintage china “canister” with it’s own teaspoon & holster on the base of the container that belonged to my grandmother.
ALLISON DOUGLASS WILLIAMS says
HI! How long will the dried mint leaves last? I have a ton of chocolate mint and want to dry it now, but give it as Christmas gifts. Will it last that long? Thanks!!!
Pamela says
Hey Allison, absolutely. Properly stored, dried mint will stay at best quality for a year.
Cora B says
I am in the process to dry mint leaves for tea. Thanks for the easy simple directions.
Ignorant Buffoon says
It should be noted that the site is called *Brookyn*farmgirl.com. It would be fair to assume fahrenheit, and the cuisine is listed as “American”, as well.
Liv says
Would prefer if this specified celsius or fahrenheit – sincerely, a first time herb garden citizen and her burnt mint leaves
Marie Repsher says
I’ve always dried my mint by hanging the mint upside down long enough for them to dry. After removing any bad leaves fro the stems, I tie them in bunches and hang them from a line until they dry. Then I strip the leaves off the stems. I crush the leaves and store them in a glass jar. I also dry rosemary and sage, crush them, and mix them with the mint to make a nice tea. I add one or two crushed cloves to the tea after putting the herb mix in the mug.
Bob Butler says
My wife and I dry herbs by using an old cotton pillow case, cheese cloth, or the fabric store (or Wal-mart) sells a real light netting by the yard. Our preferred method is the netting. Just pile the mint on, staple it closed and hang it on your clothes line. Here where we are in California, one to two days and it’s really dry. Crunch up the leaves and put in a canning jar. Then your done for months with no electricity costs.
Pamela says
Hey Bob, thanks for sharing your drying method!
Greg says
An even cheaper and easier way (hard to believe, huh?) is to place the cuttings to be dried on a cookie sheet on the dash of your car. Leave the windows open just a bit for some ventilation, and in six to eight hours, your herbs are dry. Note: do NOT do this with jalapeño peppers unless you enjoy being gassed with pepper spray! And don’t ask me how I know this!!
Pamela says
I love it! Thanks for sharing Greg! 🙂 (and thanks for the laugh!)
Karen says
Oh that’s a great idea!!