How to Make Roasted Corn Tea (Hot & Iced)

4.91 from 10 votes

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Corn tea is a popular Korean beverage made from roasted corn kernels. A mild, light drink, see how to make it hot and cold.

Roasted corn tea in a glass mug

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Corn Tea

  • Corn tea is an herbal tea made from steeping roasted corn kernels in water.
  • It’s caffeine-free.
  • Called oksusucha in Korean, corn tea is a very popular drink that’s made all year round, hot and cold.
  • In Korean restaurants, it’s served instead of water since it’s a mild, light drink.
  • To make hot tea, use whole roasted corn kernels steeped in hot water.
  • To make iced corn tea, use tea bags steeped in cold water.

RELATED: Barley Tea

Corn tea Brewing Guide

TO MAKE HOT ROASTED CORN TEA
TEA:
3 tablespoons roasted corn kernels 
WATER:
4 cups (32 fl. oz.)
WATER TEMPERATURE:
208°F
STEEP TIME:
10 minutes

TO MAKE COLD BREW ROASTED CORN TEA
TEA:
1 roasted corn tea bag
WATER:
4 cups (32 fl. oz.)
WATER TEMPERATURE:
Cold water
STEEP TIME:
1 hour

Whole Corn Kernels vs Tea Bags

Whole roasted corn kernels and crushed corn in tea bags.

To make corn tea, you have two options: you can either use whole corn kernels or use crushed corn kernels in tea bags.

Whole corn kernels take longer to make but it’s my preferred way to make hot tea. The flavor is smoother than crushed corn kernels in tea bags.

Corn kernels in tea bags are crushed and broken into small pieces to make it quicker to brew. The drawback is that it lacks the depth of flavor you get from the whole kernel. I use tea bags when I make cold brew roasted corn tea. It’s so much easier than brewing whole corn kernels hot then cooling it down.

What You’ll Need

TO MAKE HOT CORN TEA

TO MAKE COLD BREW CORN TEA

My Kettle Pick:

Kettle with Strainer

Photo Credit: amazon.com

A wide-mouth stainless steel kettle made in Japan that’s perfect for making barley tea and corn tea.
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How to Make Hot Roasted Corn Tea

STEP 1: Combine water and corn kernels.

Use a kettle with a mesh strainer or a saucepan.

To make better tasting tea, use filtered water instead of tap water.

Tea Sommelier’s Tip: The best way to make hot roasted corn tea is using whole corn kernels.

STEP 2: Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. 

Brewing it for longer will result in a darker color and more pronounced taste.

STEP 3: Strain kernels and pour hot tea into a teacup.

How to Make Cold Brew Corn Tea

STEP 1: Put corn tea bag and water in a pitcher or glass container.

To make iced corn tea using the cold brew method with a tea bag, there’s no need to heat any water. Use cool or room temperature water.

Tea Sommelier’s Tip: The easiest way to make iced roasted corn tea is by cold brewing roasted corn tea bags.

STEP 2: Cover pitcher and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

STEP 3: Discard tea bag and pour tea into a cup.

Ice is optional with cold brew since the tea is already cold.

Corn Tea Tips

  • Combine corn and barley tea! Add 1.5 tablespoons of corn tea and 1 tablespoon of barley tea into four cups of water. I love this combo.
  • Loose corn tea allows you to adjust the strength of your tea since you can add more or less to your taste.
  • Cold brewed tea can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • No need to sweeten this tea — drink it as is.

Questions You May Have

What does roasted corn tea taste like?

Corn tea has a light, mild, sweet taste. And well, it tastes like watered down corn.

Is there caffeine?

Nope, corn doesn’t have any caffeine and neither does roasted corn tea. 

Is corn tea the same as corn silk tea?

No. Corn tea is made by boiling roasted corn kernels in water while corn silk tea is made by boiling the long strands attached to an ear of corn in water.

Do you add sugar?

No, traditional corn tea is served without sugar.

How do I store it?

Store it in an airtight plastic bag or in a glass container with an airtight lid.

4.91 from 10 votes

Roasted Corn Tea

By: Jee Choe
A mild, light drink, corn tea can be made hot or cold using roasted corn kernels.
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons corn tea, or 1 corn tea bag

Instructions 

  • Combine water and corn kernels in a kettle.
    Filtered water will make a better tasting corn tea than tap water.
  • Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
    Brewing it for longer will result in a darker color and more pronounced taste.
  • Strain kernels and pour hot tea into a teacup.

Notes

ICED ROASTED CORN TEA
1. Put corn tea bag and cool or room temperature water in a pitcher or glass container.
Use filtered water for a better tasting tea.
2. Cover pitcher and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Discard tea bag and pour tea into a cup.
Serve with or without ice.

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

Additional Info

Course: Drinks
Tried this recipe?Mention @ohhowcivilized or tag #ohhowcivilized!

About Jee Choe

Welcome! I'm a certified Tea Sommelier and a self-proclaimed bubble tea and iced tea master. I'm all about making tea EASY and DELICIOUS.

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    THANK-YOU!! This combination of barley and corn is REALLY good! I’ve been looking for a cold, satisfying, healthy drink for ages and this hits the spot. I add just a scant teaspoon of maple syrup to 500ml and that tiny touch of sweetness really enhances the flavour – it reminds me a bit of the honey puffed cereals I loved (and rarely had) as a kid. This is easy to make, cheap, healthy, low calorie – a winner all round. Thanks again! Cheers from Oz!!

  2. I’m curious!! Is corn silk tea sweeter? Does it retain corn flavor without the “roastiness”?

    When my mom boiled corn for me to eat, she’d save the water and I enjoyed drinking that.

    1. Hi Emily, I do find corn silk tea to be slightly sweeter than just roasted corn tea. And yes, it definitely retains the corn flavor!

  3. Thanks for this great read. I love corn tea, but I live in a country where I can´t get hold of these products. What kind of corn can I use instead if I want to roast the corn myself?

    1. Hi Antje, I’ve never roasted corn on my own since I always bought it already packaged. The roasted corn I buy have really big kernels so I would go for corn with the biggest kernels you can find.